Best bounty hunting ship

Basically, depending on your bank account, it goes something like this : Viper Mk3 < Imp Courier < Vulture < Murder Lance

Other ships are viable obviously, multipurpose such as Cobra or Python if you have the cash, Fed Mobile Turrets, etc. but those on that list are purpose built hunters (debatable for the Courier). I'm also tempted to add the Clipper to that list but a combat fitted Clipper costs as much as a Murder Lance and is arguably not better in that regard.


Definitely this: take it in steps. One ship at a time. If you hyper-focus on a ship too far beyond your bank account you'll burn yourself out trying to grind credits. If you're in an Adder right now, just focus on getting a nicely tuned Viper. Once you have that entirely A-graded, start looking at a Vulture. Doing this, you'll generally have enough from selling the modules to get a mid-range of the next ship up.

Mostly, take your time to enjoy each ship on the way up, because the game doesn't change once you're in the "final" ship.


To answer the question, though: the Vulture was my "last combat ship I'll ever own", though that was before the FDL buff.
 
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I quite like the vulture. Duel Pulse lazers can be awsome. The Vulture is nimble little thing and can be ruthless, great for bounty hunting. :)
 
I loved my Vulture. Got the FDL and was impressed with it. Bought a FAS and ohmygodfeckingheckeverythingdies

I remember trying to catch up with a wanted DBS. Boosted after it, started the KWS. After a while I realised that the distance between us was tumbling fast, so I tried to slam on the brakes. It was far too late. My momentum carried me straight through the DBS which promptly exploded. Easiest 40k ever hahahaha
 
I have heard the vulture is the best and i'm about halfway to affording it

i love the adder, but it is no bounty hunter .... great if you could make it work, though!

when i started a fresh account back in autumn i went sidey - eagle - viper - DBS - vulture. i strongly recommend the DBS if you are already halfway there to a vulture!

my preferred bounty hunters are courier (but it needs rank in the imperial navy) and fer de lance (but you'll need 80+ mio cr to outfit it).

enjoy and fly risky!
 
I love the DBS. It's a great ship for bounty hunters starting out (2 small, 2 med hardpoints, same as Cobra/Viper) but it's a fantastic ship for advanced fighters as well (fixed beams & cannon/plasma) :D
 
I have the Vulture and I love it. I regularly take on juicy AI FDLs but they seem really easy to take out. Is it much more capable in the hands of a real CMDR? I guess it must be.
The flip side of this is that I am more wary of taking on AI Vultures because I know how capable they are. Flawed thinking , obviously.
With the FDL having such love from CMDRs (some ex-Vulture pilots), I can't explain why I'm still rocking the Vulture when I have 120 mill in the bank + loads of expensive toys on my ship to sell. FAS is another option I'm looking at, but I need to up my fed rank first.
 
I have the Vulture and I love it. I regularly take on juicy AI FDLs but they seem really easy to take out. Is it much more capable in the hands of a real CMDR? I guess it must be.
The flip side of this is that I am more wary of taking on AI Vultures because I know how capable they are. Flawed thinking , obviously.
With the FDL having such love from CMDRs (some ex-Vulture pilots), I can't explain why I'm still rocking the Vulture when I have 120 mill in the bank + loads of expensive toys on my ship to sell. FAS is another option I'm looking at, but I need to up my fed rank first.

If you like the Vulture you'll love the FAS. Sacrifices a tiny bit of manuevrability for 2 extra medium hardpoints and a tonne more armour. Excels in the same style of fighting as the Vulture though - get in close and personal. Except now you can ram stuff too :D
 
...starting out i'd say go viper mk 3 as it has more mobility than the mk4 and would enable you to disengage from the fight...
Having recently bought a Mrk.IV I'd suggest that as an option, too (as an additional ship to long-time players I concede it's a rather pointless and oddly spec'd addition, but as a first buyer looking for a dedicated fighter it's actually pretty damn good); with some careful flying its pitch speed isn't a major drawback, it can hold more armour or shield cell banks than the III, and it already starts out as a bit of a tank at this price range. It can also take a higher class powerplant and FSD, though I'd concede the latter is a subjective concern for fighters (I always want a half decent jump range, and whilst A's add to power draw, they don't add to mass).

I've taken out Anacondas, Pythons, FDL's, Cutters, etc, and med-beam lasers and cannons can tear through all the smaller ships like paper once you get close in and initiate from a good position. Vultures you have to be wary of, sure, ditto FAS (so far the only ship to take me out in the Viper IV, and I was interdicted and reacted poorly - I wasn't using chaff or shield banks at that point, either), but at lower price/ship ranges you always have to be mindful of certain threats.

I've never done any bounty hunting, but the IV's additional internals over the III give it clear module advantages.

So as a current flier and rather surprisingly proud owner of an upgraded Viper IV, I'd recommend it. I'd love one more utility slot, though... I think that should be patched in to give it another clear boost from the III, as being able to fly with chaff, heat-sinks, and a KWS would be very welcome (or maybe a shield boost, which I've not tried out yet).
 
As mentioned above, its about what YOU find fun, i prefer my corvette, but the fer de lance is also a fun ship. In the early days for me, with medium credits i found the Fed Assault ship made the biggest difference, it made me a fortune, next step was FDL, next step was corvette....
 
I have the Vulture and I love it. I regularly take on juicy AI FDLs but they seem really easy to take out. Is it much more capable in the hands of a real CMDR? I guess it must be.
The flip side of this is that I am more wary of taking on AI Vultures because I know how capable they are. Flawed thinking , obviously.
With the FDL having such love from CMDRs (some ex-Vulture pilots), I can't explain why I'm still rocking the Vulture when I have 120 mill in the bank + loads of expensive toys on my ship to sell. FAS is another option I'm looking at, but I need to up my fed rank first.
The Vulture is an insanely good ship. And while the Murder Lance is better in many regards, it's also way more expensive. That and the horrendous jump range. Omygad. Still, great speed, shields, maneuverability, and a huge hardpoint mean a Hunter can't go wrong with the FDL.
 
The Vulture sir!

Flies with the grace and beauty of a swallow.
Has the fine control of a hummingbird.
Packs the kick of a mule.

I have thought of upgrading to the FDL but cannot tear myself away from the Vulture.

Use both...

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If you like the Vulture you'll love the FAS. Sacrifices a tiny bit of manuevrability for 2 extra medium hardpoints and a tonne more armour. Excels in the same style of fighting as the Vulture though - get in close and personal. Except now you can ram stuff too :D


Every Assault Ship I have fought tries to ram me...
 
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Having recently bought a Mrk.IV I'd suggest that as an option, too (as an additional ship to long-time players I concede it's a rather pointless and oddly spec'd addition, but as a first buyer looking for a dedicated fighter it's actually pretty damn good); with some careful flying its pitch speed isn't a major drawback, it can hold more armour or shield cell banks than the III, and it already starts out as a bit of a tank at this price range. It can also take a higher class powerplant and FSD, though I'd concede the latter is a subjective concern for fighters (I always want a half decent jump range, and whilst A's add to power draw, they don't add to mass).

I've taken out Anacondas, Pythons, FDL's, Cutters, etc, and med-beam lasers and cannons can tear through all the smaller ships like paper once you get close in and initiate from a good position. Vultures you have to be wary of, sure, ditto FAS (so far the only ship to take me out in the Viper IV, and I was interdicted and reacted poorly - I wasn't using chaff or shield banks at that point, either), but at lower price/ship ranges you always have to be mindful of certain threats.

I've never done any bounty hunting, but the IV's additional internals over the III give it clear module advantages.

So as a current flier and rather surprisingly proud owner of an upgraded Viper IV, I'd recommend it. I'd love one more utility slot, though... I think that should be patched in to give it another clear boost from the III, as being able to fly with chaff, heat-sinks, and a KWS would be very welcome (or maybe a shield boost, which I've not tried out yet).

Im also flying a Viper IV. Medium multi cannon and small beam lasers. Both on gimbals. Is there a better fit out for bounty hunting? I'd like to give rail guns a try but not sure how they compare to the multi cannon, which seem to shred a ship to pieces pretty quick
 
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