Can someone explain the purpose of the FDL to me?

[KidA39]

Been working on a loadout for my FDL the past two weeks and could never settle on anything. The thing is just too power hungry to have a satisfying setup. So, after getting out-maneuvered by an Elite 'Conda in a CZ and turned to swiss cheese (this despite my A class thrusters) I had an FDL rage-quit. Ran to the nearest station and traded it in for a Clipper and seriously...I mean, wow ...the Clipper is 30 million cheaper and even with B class modules it's faster, more maneuverable, can haul a ton with about the same jump distance, and can run two shield banks and boosters and still have enough power for some " off" class C beams. About the only benefit I can see to the FDL is slightly better hardpoint placement and the huge hardpoint, but both of these are cancelled out by the poor placement of the huge and that two class C beams on the Clipper melt through about anything.

I'm not a fan of constant balancing but FD may want to improve upon some of the FDL's finer points.

 

[andrak]

Purpose of the FDL - Griefing.

Or... Apart from its terrible pitch it has extremely strong shields and great lateral thrust. It's also faster than most ships and can mass lock most other ships. I don't fly it because I don't find it fun to fly.

 

[stripealipe]

Purpose of the FDL - Griefing.

Really dude?! I mean, really?! ......

And to the OP. There are many, many pilots that i know that absolutely love the FDL. Like many ships, you either love it or hate it. I guess you fall into the latter, but hey, it's no bad thing. I'm sure there is another ship out there for you. Not quite sure how the Elite Conda out-manouvered you though tbh.. mebbe a bug or something?! ......

Anyways, the FDL is what it is. If Zorgon Peterson decide to one day put in the dev and tweak it, then maybe one day it'll become the ship you dream of.

 

[ChubbyBunneh]

It's a huge hardpoint that flies 405m/s with really strong shields. It's the anti-big ship.

 

[Wolfman]

Get a Python...

 

[KidA39]

I think the shield benefit of the FDL is outweighed by the fact you can equip a Clipper with an A6 shield, A4 SCB's x2, and A boosters x2 and still have enough power left over for a solid weapon loadout. I've had three rounds in a HICZ with the Clipper and I've certainly had a better time managing my shields then in the FDL. I also feel the huge hardpoint is not as efficient as the Clippers two large HP's which have much better placement than the FDL's huge. I'm definitely cutting through larger ships quicker with two class C beams than with anything I've had in the huge.

I guess the point of my post is that the Clipper does everything the FDL does plus more (haulage) for 30 million cheaper and comparable upgrade costs. The FDL does land on outposts which is better for smuggling but an infinitely cheaper Cobra is better suited for that IMO.

Not quite sure how the Elite Conda out-manouvered you though tbh.. mebbe a bug or something?! ......

A bug or I'm just a marginal pilot lol.

 

[Epicurean Dream]

It's an Anti Capital Ship, one of the only two in game. The other being the Anaconda.

Why? you ask. Because of the huge hardpoint mount. Huge weapons are the only weapons that don't incur a damage penalty for attacking capital class ships.

The FDL and Any were designed as front line anti-cap roles in faction warfare @cap warp drop zones of invading fleets.

 

[deathmagnet]

FDL is a great combat ship but like all dedicated combat ships it has power supply issues. Need to learn priority management and what is truly needed in a fight and what isn't. Everything doesn't need to be A spec'd

 

[Commander Silex]

It's an Anti Capital Ship, one of the only two in game. The other being the Anaconda.

Why? you ask. Because of the huge hardpoint mount. Huge weapons are the only weapons that don't incur a damage penalty for attacking capital class ships.

The FDL and Any were designed as front line anti-cap roles in faction warfare @cap warp drop zones of invading fleets.

Yeah it struggles against smaller craft particularly, with the poor manouevrability it has. Going from a Vulture to the FDL this week I found it felt like a reluctant brick. That said I refuse to let my first impressions get the better of me, and it has led me to the conclusion it might be time I really put some effort into learning FA off.

 

[Derthek]

[redacted]

 

[KidA39]

Correct, everything doesn't have to be A class but if you can have A class for a good price and within power management you would have A class.

There were definitely times when the huge hardpoint could cut through a 'Condas power plant but the lack of effective FDL maneuvering made that more difficult than using two C beams on the Clipper.

 

[HeimdallofHavn]

It's an Anti Capital Ship, one of the only two in game. The other being the Anaconda.

Why? you ask. Because of the huge hardpoint mount. Huge weapons are the only weapons that don't incur a damage penalty for attacking capital class ships.

The FDL and Any were designed as front line anti-cap roles in faction warfare @cap warp drop zones of invading fleets.

Yeah, I am trying to learn to fly the FLD as I don't want to incur the cost penalty of selling it.

Dove into an Anaconda in a conflict zone.

I use 2 medium cannons and one huge cannon + 2 beams.

Mix of both to get rid of shields, then unload all.

I swear the Anaconda blew up in 10 seconds. Maybe my huge cannon got lucky and hit the powerplant.

No matter, I have certainly never ever taken down a conflict zone Anaconda that fast before.

For smaller targets, a vulture or even a diamondback scout is equally effective.

Oh, and I do like smuggling

 

[deathmagnet]

But have you tried flying the FDL while listening to Aces High by Iron Maiden?


Any way, I'm not saying I'm invincible but I will gladly have a gentlemens duel with any python (no scb ) and I will be pretty confident I can win.

I will take you up on this, even though you are taking away the pythons advantage but you get to keep yours (python advantage...SCB's...FDL...Speed and maneuverability...)

 

[KidA39]

My current load out on my FDL is 1 large burst, 2 med pulse, 1 med rail and 1 med Beam. I switch between them in combat by using the FDL speed to boost away, turn off the guns I don't need, and boost back into the fight with the right tools for the job (shields/modules/large ship/small ship) this will be what copilots are for but for now I'm doing it by myself. I had the huge PA as well and I played around with the huge canon too. I find the med pulse do enough module damage that I don't need the huge canon and the huge pa is really circumstantial.

I used both the PA and cannon (mostly the cannon) in the huge and if I could get my nose up enough you could absolutely ravage a PP...but the battle was always getting the nose up enough while remaining close to get it done.

 

[Darth Ender]

I fixed it for you OP.

Can someone explain to me the most fun combat ship in the game?

 

[Derthek]

[redacted]

 

[deathmagnet]

I will agree to 1 scb module each, and I won't fsd out ^_^

I'm 34000 ly out right now while I wait for 1.3 bugs to be ironed out but you can find me near Mat Zemlya any old time.

That's cool. I am taking a little hiatus from the game to recharge. A few days to a week. PM me when you want to duel and where. I am in random areas inside the bubble doing random tasks.

 

[KidA39]

I fixed it for you OP.

Can someone explain to me the most fun combat ship in the game?

Well, if that's the question than it's dogfighting smaller ships in a kitted out Cobra with multi-cannons blazing...or at least that's the most fun I've had.

 

[Privata]

Purpose of the FDL - Griefing.

Or... Apart from its terrible pitch it has extremely strong shields and great lateral thrust. It's also faster than most ships and can mass lock most other ships. I don't fly it because I don't find it fun to fly.

G...Griefing , killing other players is not greifing , do you think in the golden age of pirates sailors would go home to there mom and cry about the naughty pirate that shot at them?

 

[Deleted member 38366]

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