Newcomer / Intro Buying the Imperial Clipper or not? Good outfitting for it?

Lukasz490 · Apr 8, 2015

Hi guys,

I made a huge noob-like mistake.
I earned 53.000.000 Credits and sold my Lakon Type 7 to get only 72.000.000 Credits in total.
The hope was to buy a Type 9 and build up my finances again.
Now that rebuying the whole ship is too late, I was thinking to buy an Imperial Clipper and outfit it.
Can someone suggest how to get out of this misery?
If I should buy the Clipper how should I outfit it?

greetings,

Your noob CMDR Lukasz490

Dommarraa · Apr 8, 2015

It is much better than the t7. Treat it exactly the same except you won't have heat issues. No need to kit it to fight, especially when short of cash, just use its huge speed

Crazy Jedi · Apr 9, 2015

I don't have direct experience of the Clipper but it looks to be an amazing bit of kit even in raw spec

Dommarraa · Apr 9, 2015

Crazy Jedi said:
I don't have direct experience of the Clipper but it looks to be an amazing bit of kit even in raw spec

The jump range is truly woefull, but for trading you dont need much more than a monster FSD and Cargo (which I seem to remember was surprisingly expensive)

InMemoriamSirocco · Apr 9, 2015

I currently run a Clipper equally equipped for short distance trading and long distance exploration, which cost me only 37 Millions:

[Imperial Clipper/Explorer]

U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher
U: 0I Heat Sink Launcher
U: 0A Shield Booster
U: 0A Shield Booster

BH: 1I Lightweight Alloy
RB: 4A Power Plant (lighter than 6D and helps keep the ship cool even when scooping stars - more than enough power)
TM: 6D Thrusters (~400 m/s Boost top speed)
FH: 5A Frame Shift Drive (17.5 ly fully laden, 24.4 ly with full tank and empty cargo hold)
EC: 5D Life Support
PC: 6D Power Distributor (Thrusters can boost several times in a row)
SS: 5D Sensors
FS: 4C Fuel Tank (Capacity: 16)
7: 7E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 128)
6: 6E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 64)
4: 4B Auto Field-Maintenance Unit (Ammo: 5.900 units)
4: 4A Fuel Scoop (46 seconds to fill)
3: 3E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 8)
3: 3D Shield Generator
2: 1C Detailed Surface Scanner
2: 1C Advanced Discovery Scanner

Cost: 37.168.515cr
Rebuy: 1.858.426cr

This is not a combat build. Indeed, I tried out the Clipper in tricked out combat and found that I didn't like it. So I don't engage in combat in a Clipper anymore. I use its superior speed to run, and the boosted shields hold long enough to allow me to get away every time, no matter whether I was successfully interdicted or just submitted right away. 200 units of cargo are just as much as you could have in a T7, but in a Clipper, you will never have problems with overheating (especially with an A-class downsized powerplant like in this build), and you can outrun every opponent even with D-class Thrusters.

Lukasz490 · Apr 9, 2015

Okey I bought the Clipper now and outfitted it.
Here is my setup:

BH: 1I Lightweight Alloy
RB: E6 Power Plant
TM: 5D Thrusters
FH: 5A Frame Shift Drive
EC: 5D Life Support
PC: 5A Power Distributor
SS: 5E Sensors
FS: 4C Fuel Tank (Capacity: 16)
7: 7E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 128)
6: 6E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 64)
4: 4E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 16)
4: 3A Shield Generator
3: 3E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 8)
3: 3E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 8)
2: 2E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 4)
2: 2E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 4)

Cargo capacity in total: 232t
Maximum Jumprange: with max cargo 15,77ly
Maximum Jumprange: without cargo 22,43ly

Should I change something or is this good enough?

InMemoriamSirocco · Apr 9, 2015

If you put your 3A Shield Generator in a size 3 slot instead of a size 4 slot, you gain 8 additional tons of cargo space to a total of 240.

You also don't need A-rate sensors. Downsizing to D will give you some extra jump range.

With that setup, you can exchange your power supply for a 3A power plant and still have plenty of power - plus, your heat management will drastically improve.

In the end, you will have 16.75 ly jump range fully laden and 24.86 ly with full tank and empty cargo hold.

Lukasz490 · Apr 9, 2015

Thank you

I did not know It would actually work to put it in a size 3 slot.

edit: I will change that right away

thanks again! But I already have 5E Sensors

InMemoriamSirocco · Apr 9, 2015

Always glad to be able to help

If you use this Clipper for short trade routes only (1-2 jumps back and forth), you can also downsize the fuel tank and gain a lightyear or so on jump range. Just don't forget to fuel up every time you dock

Derpster Frey · Apr 9, 2015

InMemoriamSirocco said:
Always glad to be able to help

If you use this Clipper for short trade routes only (1-2 jumps back and forth), you can also downsize the fuel tank and gain a lightyear or so on jump range. Just don't forget to fuel up every time you dock

No need to downsize the fuel tank, just don't fill it up.
I rarely fly with more than 50% fuel, unless I know I'm traveling far away.

Lukasz490 · Apr 9, 2015

Soooo, my better outfitted Clipper looks like this:

BH: 1I Lightweight Alloy
RB: A3 Power Plant
TM: 5D Thrusters
FH: 5A Frame Shift Drive
EC: 5D Life Support
PC: 5A Power Distributor
SS: 5E Sensors
FS: 4C Fuel Tank (Capacity: 16)
7: 7E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 128)
6: 6E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 64)
4: 4E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 16)
4: 4E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 16)
3: 3A Shield Generator
3: 3E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 8)
2: 2E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 4)
2: 2E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 4)

Cargo capacity in total: 240t
Maximum Jumprange: with max cargo 16,39ly
Maximum Jumprange: without cargo 24,08ly

I am very happy now that I sold my T7!

nazartp · Apr 9, 2015

Lukasz490 said:
Soooo, my better outfitted Clipper looks like this:

BH: 1I Lightweight Alloy
RB: A3 Power Plant
TM: 5D Thrusters
FH: 5A Frame Shift Drive
EC: 5D Life Support
PC: 5A Power Distributor
SS: 5E Sensors
FS: 4C Fuel Tank (Capacity: 16)
7: 7E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 128)
6: 6E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 64)
4: 4E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 16)
4: 4E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 16)
3: 3A Shield Generator
3: 3E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 8)
2: 2E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 4)
2: 2E Cargo Rack (Capacity: 4)

Cargo capacity in total: 240t
Maximum Jumprange: with max cargo 16,39ly
Maximum Jumprange: without cargo 24,08ly

I am very happy now that I sold my T7!

Get 5D sensors to cut weight and you are done! I loved my Clipper both for trading and combat. The only problem it is not a compromise build ship - you need class 7 shield to fight and it cuts your cargo space ridiculously. You will shave at least a minute off each of your trade runs just due to sheer speed compared to T7.

BTW, keep your tank filled - it only holds 3.5 max jumps (5 tons of fuel per jump). If you are going on a lengthy trip, get a fuel scoop. With the tank that miniscule you'll be sick and tired of docking to refuel, plus it does not land at outposts.

Lukasz490 · Apr 9, 2015

Thank you! All of you helped me a lot!
I like the Clipper very much now! The sound is great, i love it very much. Also it handels much better than the T7 and flying it is so great fun!
I regret not switching sooner tough :/