Beginner Cobra Mk3 For Exploration

War Eagle

War Eagle
I know you're already out there but going without an SRV is a mistake, you can collect so many mats for engineering while your out in the black- come back and trade in for an AspX.
You will wish you did...
 

garbage chris

G
Wow thanks all for the replies.
I'd set off but I've spun back round and am docked at the last High Tec station on my edge of the bubble, having a think!

Got a number of dilemmas:
1. I don't have Horizons. Do I do this trip as I am and get Horizons down the track? But what if I come across some awesome stuff this time... also i didn't know about synthesizing my own fuel, that could be handy.

2. I don't have any Engineering, as to be honest i thought i would be more likely to come across unfriendly humans doing the Engineer stuff, and I see enough of them on Earth. On the one hand I don't want to go into the Bubble at all, but also... 9 ly extra per jump is HUGE!
Are the Engineers also only available with Horizons? I'm thinking so.

3. I knew the Cobra isn't the best exploration ship, especially unengineered, but I made the conscious decision for my first "big" trip I was going to do it in a Cobra. (I'm a child of the original Elite on the BBC, and there's some shameless nostalgia at play here in my decision making!)

4. I see that everyone has their own experience. I can't follow everyone's advice (eg cos then I'd have a small power plant but with extra SRV, mining laser, etc). But at least I can make a more informed decision.

So I think I'm going to:
1. Get approval from my Admiral (wife) to get Horizons. Get SRV.
2. Get Mining Laser and downgrade shields and power plant. Downgrade power distributor.
3. Do some practice runs in the SRV close to a space station. Same with mining lazer.
4. Get out there, do a trip that'll be big for me, probably small by all of your standards. I'm averaging about 1.5 million per hour while I'm exploring so I think if I'm out there for 30 hours I might have enough when I get back for a new ship. Then I'll think about Engineers etc.
5. Ditch the extra fuel tank.

Does anyone else have a huge fear that they're gonna die and lose all their data? I think that's my biggest fear, maybe why I'm finding it hard to let go of the 4A shields. I knew about not getting credit for discoveries etc til you get back to a space station. I didn't actually know I'd been the first to discover a planet til I'd gotten back and the achievement flashed up!

Thanks all. Once I set off I'll update with the final decision on my Cobra. Really appreciate all your help.
 

garbage chris

G
Xani D said:
* Consider unlocking the Gaurdian FSD booster. Its a bit of a %&"$&"%& to do, but its a cool destination, and once unlocked, its yours forever to buy. Depending on what size module slot you stick it in, a class 4 should give you around a 9ly range increase. If your not sure how to do this, im sure many on here would offer help, myself included, its really not that hard if you know what your doing or have a guide.
Click to expand...
Thanks for your kind offer, I may take you up on that in three future if that's ok
 

Lightspeed

Lightspeed
garbage chris said:
Wow thanks all for the replies.
I'd set off but I've spun back round and am docked at the last High Tec station on my edge of the bubble, having a think!

Got a number of dilemmas:
1. I don't have Horizons. Do I do this trip as I am and get Horizons down the track? But what if I come across some awesome stuff this time... also i didn't know about synthesizing my own fuel, that could be handy.

2. I don't have any Engineering, as to be honest i thought i would be more likely to come across unfriendly humans doing the Engineer stuff, and I see enough of them on Earth. On the one hand I don't want to go into the Bubble at all, but also... 9 ly extra per jump is HUGE!
Are the Engineers also only available with Horizons? I'm thinking so.

3. I knew the Cobra isn't the best exploration ship, especially unengineered, but I made the conscious decision for my first "big" trip I was going to do it in a Cobra. (I'm a child of the original Elite on the BBC, and there's some shameless nostalgia at play here in my decision making!)

4. I see that everyone has their own experience. I can't follow everyone's advice (eg cos then I'd have a small power plant but with extra SRV, mining laser, etc). But at least I can make a more informed decision.

So I think I'm going to:
1. Get approval from my Admiral (wife) to get Horizons. Get SRV.
2. Get Mining Laser and downgrade shields and power plant. Downgrade power distributor.
3. Do some practice runs in the SRV close to a space station. Same with mining lazer.
4. Get out there, do a trip that'll be big for me, probably small by all of your standards. I'm averaging about 1.5 million per hour while I'm exploring so I think if I'm out there for 30 hours I might have enough when I get back for a new ship. Then I'll think about Engineers etc.
5. Ditch the extra fuel tank.

Does anyone else have a huge fear that they're gonna die and lose all their data? I think that's my biggest fear, maybe why I'm finding it hard to let go of the 4A shields. I knew about not getting credit for discoveries etc til you get back to a space station. I didn't actually know I'd been the first to discover a planet til I'd gotten back and the achievement flashed up!

Thanks all. Once I set off I'll update with the final decision on my Cobra. Really appreciate all your help.
Click to expand...
Good decision to go with the Cobra first time. It will be a memorable journey, so it's worth having a memorable ship to do it in :)

Engineers is only available with Horizons. It would delay you a lot to go engineering your ship at this stage, if you are eager to get out there.

If you decide to get Horizons, you will be surprised how much extra game you get. And the first planetary landing is a fantastic experience, in my opinion.

If you equip your ship with a planetary vehicle hangar, remember to purchase a SRV at the same time. This is not automatically supplied. You have to buy one.
 

Valorin

Valorin
Welcome to the black, Commander!
Many good tips and hints in this threat, so there is little one could add.
Never sold my good and trusty Cobra mk3. Being the starter ship of original Elite back in 1984, it carries a proud legacy. To be honest, I'm not using it much now, but sometimes I get it out of the hangar and just look at it. :D

The most solid choice for a beginner ship since Jameson.

Fly safe. o7
 

Patrick_68000

Patrick_68000
garbage chris said:
Hallo.
I've been playing a week so not totally clear what I'm doing right or wrong but I'm having a great time doing it!

I seem to have spawned towards the edge of civilisation, lower right on the galaxy map, on the very edge of the bubble. Does this sound right? I also picked a random direction to go when I started and that happened to be down and to the right, so further away from everything!

I've only been to Res sites 3 times, one went well, one ended in my only death, one ended in my only test of my Life Support. Bounty Hunting isn't for me!

I'm loving honking and finding good planets, been the first to map a few already and first to discover one. Explorer for me.

This is the ship I've really inefficiently put together.
My ship

I had to swing back round to civilization as i realised I was woefully under prepared in my pretty much base Cobra. I'm going to head out in a random direction and see where I go, then at some point in the future get a better ship for hardcore exploration.

I'm playing in Open, have not yet met another CMDR.

I've got 9m credits in the bank.

I'm enjoying this game a lot.

I'm starting to have to search forums less to find out what is going on. I'll only be new to the game once so I'm savouring this time.

See you out there.
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Welcome to the great family of the Elite in the game et on the forums ! Cmdr.

And fly/post safe.

:)
 

SiriusStrider

SiriusStrider
There is currently a sale on Horizons in the store, £6 only. Really worth it if you want to go exploring, as it unlocks engineers and guardian stuff, and driving on planets is fun :)
 

garbage chris

G
Xani D said:
* Possibly consider a mining laser. Asteroids can be a good source of materials out in the black for things like reloading various ammo/equipment, repairing your SRV, refreshing your air supply (If your in this situation though, its a dire one), or increasing your FSD range with boosts. And as its the materials your after, you dont need anything else for mining.
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Hey I was just about to buy a mining lazer - it says I need a refinery. Can someone please confirm that to get just the materials I will need for anything fuel, I don't need a refinery? :)
 

Troopi

Troopi
Here, OP. This is a coriolis cheap exploration cobra mk3 model.
Note that I added 2 amfus for them to repair each other in case of accidents. This way, the only thing you can't repair is the powerplant.
https://s.orbis.zone/3lxh
If you get horizons, you will be able to engineer the fsd drive and buy a guardian fsd booster for much higher jump range.
BUT, if you're going without horizons, I would advise a change to the diamondback X.
 
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garbage chris

G
Finally set off, did my first landing. Had a zoom about, came across another cobra sitting there. Came across what I guess is a skimmer. Shot it down. Shortly after the Cobra was raining down on me si mad dash back into ship and take off. Shields would have been nice then!
So back to the last station I went again to repair.


Gone a little way out now, already finding some water worlds never mapped so hopefully I've found a vein that's not been covered too often.

Thanks all for your help. I think I've actually got enough to get the next ship up already but I'm gonna take my time and enjoy the ride.
 

Deleted member 110222

D
Not many things I miss about ED right now.

Cobra Mk III is the exception. She'll always be the best ship in Sci-Fi for me.
 
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