Better ship for carrier build - Corvette or Cutter?

[RedwoodLynx]

So after a hundred or so hours I'm finally ready to start the faction rank progression in earnest. I am, however, very torn because both the Cutter and the Corvette look like such cool ships. I have heard the Cutter is a vastly inferior combat ship, but much of the complaining seems centered on its slow turn speed.
Frankly, I'm not looking for a big ship that turns like an Eagle. I'm looking for a ship that I can kit out to be as much of a carrier-esque ship as possible- lots of turrets and a focus on launching fighters.
To put it simply, which ship is better suited for this type of role- the corvette or the cutter?

 

[Aurinkoinen]

Buy Anaconda and grind reputation towards Cutter. In my opinion Corvette offers only minor upgrade compared Anaconda, but Cutter has best cargo capacity in the game so you can later change its loadout for trading if you want.

 

[Dark Martin]

Both would work in that role (I have both). The corvette is a great fighting ship, it feels like a heavy fighter, and has a pair of huge hardpoints - when they're deployed it literally looks like it was designed to lug two huge weapons about. But its jump range is a pain.

The cutter is a better all rounder, good jump range, massive cargo spaces, and speed. It's only downsides are that it handles like an Anaconda on ice skates, and it doesn't have two huge hardpoints. Having turrets on the top and bottom of each nacelle is a nice carrier / turret platform though, so probably for what you're asking, yeah, the Cutter.

 

[CMDR MERANGO]

I bumbled along for ages, in the workhorse ASP, and as soon as I had amassed enough credits it went like this:

ASP > T9
T9 > Conda (7 hours) The T9 is a space cow
Conda for a little bit - as I loved the feeling of being at the controls of this ship - until I got that majestic Cutter. The Cutter is a sublime Goddess for a Trader, the whine of her engines when initiating Boost or Super Cruise is a great aspect that FDev got very right. Then I hauled with her for a good long spell, increasing credits until I could afford, with re-buy insurance, enough to make the big 3 purchases.

After owning and modifying all the Big 3:

Conda: Awesome Explorer
Vette: Combat death machine
Cutter: Sleek & sublime Trader

I have a few smaller Engineered ships, but I do try to mix my game play up frequently so as to be able to enjoy flying the Big 3. I am biased to my awesome Vette - the black death killing machine (Dark Phoenix). Bring it you heathens, sinners and fornicators!

Good luck CMIV

 

[IndigoWyrd]

That would be any ship with a Class-6 slot where you can put a Class-6 fighter bay. Of course, you can only launch 1 (or 2 if you mutli-pew), so not exactly what I think of when I hear "Carrier".

 

[NCFCpaul]

I'm slowly grinding rank towards my Cutter. With cash mostly less of a problem I bought, outfitted and lightly engineered an Anaconda- frankly it's so excellent and I'm having such fun my rank grind has taken a bit of a backseat!

 

[RedwoodLynx]

I appreciate the feedback everybody- lots more to think about.

 

[Dark Martin]

Conda: Awesome Explorer
Vette: Combat death machine
Cutter: Sleek & sublime Trader

Perfect summary

 

[rally]

My vote is also for the Cutter.


Corvette has slightly superior weapons and handling, but you can fit size 8 shields on a cutter. So I wouldn't say it's vastly better... just slightly better.
Cutter can be used for an excellent hauling, trading, and mining ship and has a much less annoying bridge (no nose in the view). You can make money with the cutter or fight with it vs just fighting with the Corvette. I also happen to think that the courier and clipper have more uses and are more fun to fly than their federal counterparts. I absolutely love the clipper other than the fact that it can't land on medium pads.

 

[RedwoodLynx]

Question- can the cutter mount two fighter bays and launch two fighters like the corvette (one multicrew, one npc)?

 

[Bunkerkind Anni]

Question- can the cutter mount two fighter bays and launch two fighters like the corvette (one multicrew, one npc)?

why cutter? you can do that already with the t9 or beluga.

you just need to fit a grade 6 or 7 fighter module (they have two bays). you can't fit more then one fighter module at a time.

btw - even the tutorial vid they made on youtube says that

 

[CMDR Corlas]

I own a Corvette and I love it, but of the two the Cutter seems to be what you're looking for.

The Corvette focuses on agility and those two huge hardpoints - which only come in fixed or gimballed. It's a superheavy fighter, basically. Without downgrading, you'll get two small turrets covering the top, one medium turret covering each side, and one large covering the bottom.

The Cutter's hardpoints are much better positioned for turrets - two large and two medium covering the top, and another two medium covering the bottom. In addition, it focuses on internals, speed, and defenses, all things you want in a carrier build. It's main downside - poor agility, is basically irrelevant for how you want to fly.

As much as I like my Corvette, for you, I'd recommend Cutter all the way.

- - - Updated - - -

Question- can the cutter mount two fighter bays and launch two fighters like the corvette (one multicrew, one npc)?

Yes. A C6 or higher fighter bay is what enables this, not ship type. So Corvette, Cutter, Anaconda, T-9 and Gunship. Basically all of 'em but the Keelback.

 

[jonesskill]

Vette: Combat death machine

Not too deadly, actually a Conda i`ts better than the corvette if you consider jump range, HP, DPS and the multi PEW.

 

[shadragon]

That would be any ship with a Class-6 slot where you can put a Class-6 fighter bay. Of course, you can only launch 1 (or 2 if you mutli-pew), so not exactly what I think of when I hear "Carrier".

Corvette has four Class 5 bays which can take a fighter bay each. Never wait for a rebuilding fighter again.

OP - if you want a scrapper to take on all comers, Corvette. If you want a large multi-purpose ship, Cutter.

 

[Morbad]

To put it simply, which ship is better suited for this type of role- the corvette or the cutter?

Cutter.

Corvette has four Class 5 bays which can take a fighter bay each. Never wait for a rebuilding fighter again.

Still can't install more than one fighter module.

 

[RedwoodLynx]

I've heard the Corvette just feels like a biggish fighter- is that true? I've also heard that the Cutter is useless in any scenario againt another player- is this true?

 

[CMDR Corlas]

I've heard the Corvette just feels like a biggish fighter- is that true? I've also heard that the Cutter is useless in any scenario againt another player- is this true?

Yes, if you fly it like that. No.

 

[Be4st]

I've heard the Corvette just feels like a biggish fighter- is that true? I've also heard that the Cutter is useless in any scenario againt another player- is this true?

It's not useless. I haven't flown one, but I have seen alot of footage of people wrecking others with the Cutter. From what I gather, you are fine if you 'boom and zoom' it. If you try to do maneuvers, turns, etc, then yes, its useless. You have to use its speed and its drift to your advantage, just like an FDL.

 

[Stealthie]

Personally, I tend to think this is one of those things where the player might as well just make an arbitrary choice.
Sure, each ship is slightly better in various ways but not so much that it's going to stop you getting whupped by somebody who's doing it better than you.

Me, I'm using the Corvette for harvesting CZ's and RES's, the Cutter for cargo hauling and I will, eventually, circumnavigate the galaxy in an Anaconda.

 

[JetsonRING]

So after a hundred or so hours I'm finally ready to start the faction rank progression in earnest. I am, however, very torn because both the Cutter and the Corvette look like such cool ships. I have heard the Cutter is a vastly inferior combat ship, but much of the complaining seems centered on its slow turn speed.
Frankly, I'm not looking for a big ship that turns like an Eagle. I'm looking for a ship that I can kit out to be as much of a carrier-esque ship as possible- lots of turrets and a focus on launching fighters.
To put it simply, which ship is better suited for this type of role- the corvette or the cutter?

Since you will probably eventually grind for both of them, pick one. Flip a coin. When you have one of them and are looking for something else to do then grind for the other one. I started with the Corvette only because when I decided to begin the grind toward the big ships I already had some Federation RANK accumulated and figured the grind for the Corvette would be shorter. Once I had a Corvette it was great but, needed a new goal so did the grind for the Cutter. They're both great ships, each with their own virtues.