Beluga and Orca - What do you use it for?

White Shark · Nov 1, 2016

I haven't got either one of these, but I think they look awesome!

I'm curious if anyone is using these ships for functions other than passenger ship? Maybe you use it as a sleek warship, or as a high tech exploration vessel?

Would love to hear your tales! Plus, please post images of your glorious ships! Would also be interesting to see those who have selected a different colour scheme for their Orcas!

Cupcake · Nov 1, 2016

White Shark said:
I haven't got either one of these, but I think they look awesome!

I'm curious if anyone is using these ships for functions other than passenger ship? Maybe you use it as a sleek warship, or as a high tech exploration vessel?

Would love to hear your tales! Plus, please post images of your glorious ships! Would also be interesting to see those who have selected a different colour scheme for their Orcas!

Selling my Orca when I next log in, had my fill of getting vaped as soon as I leave a station lol It was nice while it lasted (about an hour). Tried the"new" passenger missions, found out they are quite dire and fatally bugged or flawed having lost about 20 mil to station vaping (passenger not wanted by the way). So yea, dont have any other use for an Orca really.

KR4K40 · Nov 1, 2016

Beluga - hahahahahahaha no.

Orca - THAT'S A NICE SHIP YOU GOT THERE MATE IT WOULD BE A SHAME IF A THOUSAND TONS OF STEEL TITANIUM CERAMICS AND THROBBING FURY SMASHED INTO IT AT MACH 1.8

:3

IndigoWyrd · Nov 1, 2016

I have room for 24 passengers and 16 tons of cargo on my Orca. I run missions with it - little cargo hauls, small deliveries, and of course, passengers. And I make good money doing it.
I tend to avoid Wanted passengers and extreme long-hauls, and check each stop I make for missions and passengers going places along my route so every stop I'm getting paid.

I've actually had my Orca for some time, but never used it for anything except taking pretty screen shots. Now that I can use it for what it was intended to do, it's proving to be as good of a ship as it looks.

White Shark · Nov 1, 2016

IndigoWyrd said:
I have room for 24 passengers and 16 tons of cargo on my Orca. I run missions with it - little cargo hauls, small deliveries, and of course, passengers. And I make good money doing it.
I tend to avoid Wanted passengers and extreme long-hauls, and check each stop I make for missions and passengers going places along my route so every stop I'm getting paid.

I've actually had my Orca for some time, but never used it for anything except taking pretty screen shots. Now that I can use it for what it was intended to do, it's proving to be as good of a ship as it looks.

Thank you for the positive post.

To those that just want to come here and rant that they've lost money, either due to having a wanted murderer on board (duh), or due to a bug (submit a bug report), please rant in the other thread on these ships.

Thank you.

[VR] Mad Mike · Nov 1, 2016

i finally bought an orca. I have been wanting one for ages but never could justify it. Now in 2.2 i have parked up my T6 again and have a nicely fleshed out orca (no Eng love yet).

The T6 was quite the money maker with passenger missions...... The orca has a lot to live up to to match that, esp as i am broke now and can only *just* cover the insurance.

Bomba Luigi · Nov 1, 2016

Did some hauling in the Orca before 2.2, hes a bit rubish at it as he can't take that much cargo for a ship of its size but it sure is fun hauling with the Orca. The Ship feels amazing to fly.

Drazkul · Nov 1, 2016

I've taken my Beluga to Colonia as I'm taking part in the Colonia Core Circuit Expedition that starts from Jaques. I'm quite enjoying flying it eo far.

Some pics of it:

Momoka Azuka · Nov 1, 2016

Well I was going to refit my Orca for passenger missions but the more I think about it. The less I actually want to do passenger missions. Right now, mine's fitted for smuggling. I'd kinda waiting for Frontier to fix the mission system to see where I am with that. (and trying my absolute hardest to not go into a huge rant about it taking so long) If things go back to how they were before 2.2 within the bubble (kinda doubt it) I might just keep mine as she is right now. We'll see.

Kuroshio · Nov 1, 2016

Bubble tourism with the Orca. Loving it, and getting paid for doing the one thing I always do in Elite: Enjoying the view.

Oh, data: Level 5 FSD mod, S5 Luxury, S5 Business, S6 First Class, A4 Scoop, 8 tons of cargo for the demanding passenger, AFMU, ADS, everything else D-spec'd for maximum range with boost capability. Black Friday paint job.

Conch · Nov 1, 2016

Use my orce as a bookstand.. its still the only viable use for it..

Lycan_Bravo · Nov 1, 2016

Nope.

Restricted internals make it a PITA to outfit. Makes it less than optimal for trading. Or exploration.

For the beluga It's too squishy for combat. Awful shields and heat issues. It's maneuverable but slow of course.

Orca has very strong shields actually but it would just be a little goof for combat.

Bad jump range so limits it's versatility.

They are pretty ships and fly very nice though.

Or did you just want hear positive stuff.

Mangal Oemie · Nov 1, 2016

My Beluga is outfitted for bounty hunting.

Yes, I know. But it's great.

Viscera · Nov 1, 2016

I took my Beluga mining.

Had a fighter bay so I had permanent cover out whilst doing so.

Although it was running on the optimised power settings to get it to work power wise, it made a great miner. Very nippy amongst the asteroids, and the view makes it super easy to navigate.

My only downside was mining amongst asteroid field rather than a ring.

It does not last long when attacked by a FAS, even with fighter cover, which dropping into fields all the time does spawn.

Sticking to a ring, I suspect it would of been really good in this role.

Crusina Luachra · Nov 1, 2016

The Beluga has in my opinion, the best bridge/cockpit in the entire game and everything else is secondary to that. I love it primarily for that.

IndigoWyrd · Nov 1, 2016

I outfit this way: https://coriolis.io/outfit/orca/0pftnFflpdksif4152k2k02040404---5i032t2724.Iw18SQ==.Aw18SQ==
Until Coriolis gets updated with cabins, I've just left them Empty, but Class 6 Luxury Cabin, Class 5 First Class Cabin, Class 5 Business Class Cabin for passengers 10 Business, 8 First Class, 6 Luxury. Bulk passengers share nicely, and seldom do I run into cases of either not having enough space, or having too many passengers wanting to go the direction I'm heading.

It's also been Engineered with 4G FSD upgrades (haven't turned up any magnetic coil thingies yet to go G5), 3G Clean Drive Turning, and an Overcharged Power Plant, and Resistance Augmented Shield Boosters.

If for whatever reason I don't outright beat an interdiction, I've since figured out how to use its systems to blow NPC's into memories (and bonus credits).

Some day I'll sink the credits into a Beluga, because I have a desire to own at least one of each ship, even the useless Hauler.

Kuroshio · Nov 1, 2016

There's a Coriolis clone available: http://coriolis.edcd.io/

No prices for the new stuff yet, but all the new modules.

[VR] Enexemander · Nov 1, 2016

I'm running VIP missions out of Okinura in my new Orca. I really just wanted to try the new content in style.

The Orca itself is a nice little ship. Plenty fast in regular space, and handles very well for its size. Surprisingly well, actually. It feels more like a Python than a huge ship. (But then again, I haven't flown an unmodded Python in a long time).

Since I'm focusing on VIPs, I don't really need space than the single 6B Luxury module. I already traded in an extra Luxury module for a 5B Fuel Scoop. I might trade the rest of the passenger modules out for cargo and just dabble in commodities on different runs with the VIPs when we stop. I think after I do that, and get a grade 5 enhanced FSD on it, the Orca will be pretty much complete.

I paid about 90 million for it and all it's modules, and it's already made back 30 million, so it'll pay for itself in no time at all.

All in all, I'm really happy with it and glad I added it to my fleet.

IndigoWyrd · Nov 1, 2016

Kuroshio said:
There's a Coriolis clone available: http://coriolis.edcd.io/

No prices for the new stuff yet, but all the new modules.

Ok, so then it's outfitted like this: http://coriolis.edcd.io/outfit/orca/0pftnFflpdksif5152k2k02040404mnmkmh5i032t2724.Iw18SQ==.Aw18SQ==

And a Beluga I'd likely outfit this way: http://coriolis.edcd.io/outfit/belu...404044fmnmnmlmkmh3202020224.Iw18ZJA=.Aw18ZJA=

Now I know, I've heard some folks grumble about shield boosters and heat issues, but I'm inclined to think this is either an outfitting issue or a plain old bug.
And at the price, I'm not in a hurry to start driving a Luxury Yacht just yet anyways.

I am curious to know what happened to Orca's little brother, the Dolphin.. guess their holding off on that one until they fix what we've got?

WillFrog · Nov 1, 2016

Momoka Azuka said:
Well I was going to refit my Orca for passenger missions but the more I think about it. The less I actually want to do passenger missions. Right now, mine's fitted for smuggling. I'd kinda waiting for Frontier to fix the mission system to see where I am with that. (and trying my absolute hardest to not go into a huge rant about it taking so long) If things go back to how they were before 2.2 within the bubble (kinda doubt it) I might just keep mine as she is right now. We'll see.

There's plenty of criminal passengers around who would like to be smuggled.

Enexemander said:
The Orca itself is a nice little ship. Plenty fast in regular space, and handles very well for its size. Surprisingly well, actually. It feels more like a Python than a huge ship. (But then again, I haven't flown an unmodded Python in a long time).

It does feel a bit Pythonesque doesn't it? But with the speed of a Cobra. I was surprised to find it needed a large pad, you can't tell from the handling. It feels much smaller than it actually is.