Simple question. What is the best ship for exploring? I'm currently in a cobra looking to upgrade to an ASP soon and was wondering if this is the right call? I like it cause it seems like it will b able to fight some as well? I do my fighting now in a Vulture. And no I'm not trading it in lol
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Newcomer / Intro Best Ship For Exploration?
- Thread starter Unforgivn420
- Start date
there are different opinions on that. also, depends whether you plan deep space exploration (over 1500 ly travels) or exploration around the bubble, whether you want to scan a lot of objects or just the most valuable objects... etc.
some explorers may say the cobra is the best exploration ship already. the asp is a very good one for sure, i think: the best. if you want, here is a thread on asp/dbe: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=164914
concerning fighting - you'll not need it for exploration.
some explorers may say the cobra is the best exploration ship already. the asp is a very good one for sure, i think: the best. if you want, here is a thread on asp/dbe: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=164914
concerning fighting - you'll not need it for exploration.
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Asp is the best, though unsurprisingly, the Diamondbacks are also excellent. For exploring, you'll want the best FSD you can get, and go with D-quality for everything else for minimum weight (also cheaper, which helps). Weapons are optional, but you'd be well advised to bring some auto field maintenance units and heat sink launchers (for those times when you drop out into a triple star system and start overheating immediately). And of course a high-grade fuel scoop and the various scanners.
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I understand the class d almost everything for weight, but would it be a bad thing to have a good shield generator? Even in deep space I feel safer with good shields lol. Just a few days ago I was about 1000lys out from Antal and ran into a signal source to scoop a canister and was absolutely obliterates by something that hit so hard I couldn't even fun. I was done in seconds and lost days of exploration data
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Obliterated* Run* lol not fun. It was definitely not fun
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Obliterated* Run* lol not fun. It was definitely not fun
If you want to you can certainly go for it. It'll cost you a little bit of jump range, but you'll still have excellent range. A better option might be to stick with the D-quality and add in a Shield Booster or two, which would save weight over the A-quality generator and still give you a strong shield (A weighs 20t, D weighs 8t, and A-quality boosters weigh 3.5t). In fact, if I'm not mistaken, D with two boosters gives you a stronger shield than an unboosted A, for less weight. But it'll take more power to run.
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That's very useful info. Thank you. I might have to give that a try. I mean once I actually save enough for the ASP.
I quite enjoy exploring in my Clipper. It's roomy and the seat is much more comfortable than the utilitarian deal that comes stock with the Asp.
As to shields and general outfitting, my Clipper is geared for War. Never know what will be added to the game while you're tens of thousands of light years away from the nearest dock... and it's always good to remember that on your trip back into the bubble you may have to face a few interdictions before you get home.
Of course, I'm not exploring the out rim and I'm not in a rush, so having a somewhat limited jump range isn't a concern to me.
As to shields and general outfitting, my Clipper is geared for War. Never know what will be added to the game while you're tens of thousands of light years away from the nearest dock... and it's always good to remember that on your trip back into the bubble you may have to face a few interdictions before you get home.
Of course, I'm not exploring the out rim and I'm not in a rush, so having a somewhat limited jump range isn't a concern to me.
The Asp is the preferred exploration ship for many explorers, although the Cobra is certainly a viable exploration ship too, for its price it has a very good jump range. Personally I would stay in the Cobra, until I had the credits to fully equip the Asp for exploration, D modules, except the FSD, include the Adv. Scanner, and a detailed surface scanner, no weapons and maybe the smallest shield that could fit.
Myself? I fly Anaconda, currently heading for Sagittarius A*, plotting my route for a BuckyBall Sag A* run.
Fly safe
Myself? I fly Anaconda, currently heading for Sagittarius A*, plotting my route for a BuckyBall Sag A* run.
Fly safe
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Philip Coutts
Volunteer Moderator
Depends on how much money you have to spend! Upgrading an Asp is an expensive business but it is a great explorer. As mentioned the Diamondback is good and if you want a decent cheap explorer the Hauler is pretty nice when upgraded.
Heh. Back when I was a wee little boy playing F:E2 and hadn't learned too much English yet, I made that mistake. I knew of cobras and pythons, but I'd never heard of asps. So naturally, I assumed "Explorer" was the name and that "Asp" was actually "A.S.P.", though I never did quite settle on what it supposedly stood for (I was pretty sure the S.P. stood for Space Police, though). Didn't help that all the text was in capital letters back then. Even now when I know better, when I go back and play Frontier, I sometimes catch myself thinking of it as the A.S.P. rather than the Asp. Old habits die hard, you know?
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Actually the ASP is there because this phone auto corrects it everytime so I just leave it lol
The Asp is generally considered to be the best ship for exploration and on paper it pretty much is, although often overlooked is the fact that the Anaconda can also be fitted for exploration, which really makes it the best explorer, just a very very expensive one. The Diamondback Explorer comes a very close second to the Asp, if you don't have the extra 4 million for the Asp, then go for the DBX.
When all's said and done though, pretty much any ship that can fit a decent FSD can be turned into a reasonable explorer. The exceptional jump range of the Asp and the DBX is often what is touted as making them top explorer ships. However it has to be said that if you are only exploring within the main spiral arms and in around the galactic core, then having a high jump range capability is not really an issue as most systems will not be more than a few ly away from each other anyway. It's only as you approach the edges of the galaxy or the spiral arms where the systems start to thin out a bit that the range between them starts to increase.
Whether you need a massive jump range capability or not depends on your approach to how you want to go about exploring. If for instance your goal is to fly to the other side of the galaxy and you want to limit the amount of time to do it, then you will want the biggest jump range capable ship and FSD you can afford. If however your primary goal is to just get out there and discover cool stuff, then any ship that can jump about 12-14+ ly should be more than sufficient. Some cmdr's when exploring will set their routing to economic, so that their route from A-B covers as many systems as possible on the way. In which case, having a huge jump range capable drive becomes somewhat redundant. Other cmdr's will prefer their routing set on fastest, maybe their aim is to see as many nebulas as possible but they still want to discover stuff on the way. Jumping 25-30ly at a time, they will get to their goals quicker but will miss out on exploring all the systems in-between those long jumps. However, given how massively vast the galaxy is, that really isn't much of an issue either. When it boils down to it, all you really need to be able to do, is just keep jumping to the next nearest system, which in most cases is usually as little as 5-6ly jumps.
The only things I can think of that are must have's in exploration ships are an Advanced Discovery Scanner, Detailed surface scanner and a reasonable fuel capacity that can last a few jumps before needing a refuel. Oh yeah, add a fuel scoop to that list too.
So whether you spend a lot or a little, just about any ship can be used for exploration.
But good choices for exploration are:
Hauler
Adder
Cobra
Type 6
Diamondback Explorer
Asp
Python
Anaconda
When all's said and done though, pretty much any ship that can fit a decent FSD can be turned into a reasonable explorer. The exceptional jump range of the Asp and the DBX is often what is touted as making them top explorer ships. However it has to be said that if you are only exploring within the main spiral arms and in around the galactic core, then having a high jump range capability is not really an issue as most systems will not be more than a few ly away from each other anyway. It's only as you approach the edges of the galaxy or the spiral arms where the systems start to thin out a bit that the range between them starts to increase.
Whether you need a massive jump range capability or not depends on your approach to how you want to go about exploring. If for instance your goal is to fly to the other side of the galaxy and you want to limit the amount of time to do it, then you will want the biggest jump range capable ship and FSD you can afford. If however your primary goal is to just get out there and discover cool stuff, then any ship that can jump about 12-14+ ly should be more than sufficient. Some cmdr's when exploring will set their routing to economic, so that their route from A-B covers as many systems as possible on the way. In which case, having a huge jump range capable drive becomes somewhat redundant. Other cmdr's will prefer their routing set on fastest, maybe their aim is to see as many nebulas as possible but they still want to discover stuff on the way. Jumping 25-30ly at a time, they will get to their goals quicker but will miss out on exploring all the systems in-between those long jumps. However, given how massively vast the galaxy is, that really isn't much of an issue either. When it boils down to it, all you really need to be able to do, is just keep jumping to the next nearest system, which in most cases is usually as little as 5-6ly jumps.
The only things I can think of that are must have's in exploration ships are an Advanced Discovery Scanner, Detailed surface scanner and a reasonable fuel capacity that can last a few jumps before needing a refuel. Oh yeah, add a fuel scoop to that list too.
So whether you spend a lot or a little, just about any ship can be used for exploration.
But good choices for exploration are:
Hauler
Adder
Cobra
Type 6
Diamondback Explorer
Asp
Python
Anaconda
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Anaconda is the best exploration ship. I can cross the galaxy without having to agonize over what I can't fit in my suitcase. Plus there's plenty of room for a bowling alley, an olympic size swimming pool, a golf course, and 100 tons of slaves to keep everything working.
Chaz has basically covered it
Like he said, any ship that has 20+ly jump is very good.
Depending upon how phat your wallet is will usually dictate what you are going to get.
I've tried a Adder as a small explorer and its is Very good, also very reasonable for price.
Also the usual, Asp, DBX (very cool thermals for fuel scooping), but i've yet to take the Anaconda out for an extended stretch, as this would mean dropping a lot of kit off it and making it "lightweight".. if a 200m cred ship is lightweight... But has loads of units for repair modules, a 128 ton fuel tank- wheeeeeeeee i aint stoping for a looong time..
Have fun, try different ships and get out there- there is a LOT to see.
Fly safe out there
Like he said, any ship that has 20+ly jump is very good.
Depending upon how phat your wallet is will usually dictate what you are going to get.
I've tried a Adder as a small explorer and its is Very good, also very reasonable for price.
Also the usual, Asp, DBX (very cool thermals for fuel scooping), but i've yet to take the Anaconda out for an extended stretch, as this would mean dropping a lot of kit off it and making it "lightweight".. if a 200m cred ship is lightweight... But has loads of units for repair modules, a 128 ton fuel tank- wheeeeeeeee i aint stoping for a looong time..
Have fun, try different ships and get out there- there is a LOT to see.
Fly safe out there