Ships Clipper or Python?

I'm about to come back from a long exploration trip in my Asp with about 75 million total. I'm looking to move up in the world. I want a solid trader/fighter, and I don't know whether to get a Clipper and outfit it considerably, or splash out for a Python but have little money left for upgrades. I'd also have to grind ranks for the Clipper as I'm only a Knight in the Empire at present. Any advice appreciated! :S
 
from my experience (flying both ships):

- the python starts making fun to fly somewhere around 90+ million credits. mine is finished as my multirole now and is 150 millions. i know there are also pilots who like to buy stock, and upgrade it slowly, i can just tell you that for me with less than C7 thrusters it even does not make fun to trade in it, not talking about combat or other missions. combat in a python does require some basic FAOFF.

- on that entry level the clipper is much cheaper. i think, i started with a 35 million build. with 75 million you can get a high-end clipper, which will be fun to fly, and still have money.

- i prefer trading in a clipper. i prefer the python in combat.

- and the clipper can't land on outposts. so - for "doing everything" the python is for sure the better ship.

- both ships fly totally different. it's hard to tell which one you will like best.

i don't know how long you have been out. maybe get a cobra and play smuggling missions?
 
Python. When it comes to combat, the clipper is really just a rich man's money sink. The Python will far outperform it with the amount of money you have.

Ultimately, the clipper is a lot more fun to fly, but not nearly so useful.
 
If you want a decent fighting clipper you'll want to D grade most things to keep weight down for maneuverability and plug in an A grade power plant. Then use the C7 slot for shield generator and C6 for cargo. I also recommend finding C3 gimbal beams. There's a fighter trader for 50k that can take on any NPC
 
The clipper is just a poor mans Python really. It can do everything NEARLY as well as the Python can so if you're strapped for cash go for the Clipper first and work up some more funds, then when you can afford it more comfortably go for the Python. I went for the basic trader-version of the python as soon as I could which cost me around 50M Cr but i wasn't fighting with her at all.
 
I don't own a python so OP please take this with a grain of salt (maybe a big grain). I really love my clipper and until now i get some nice python kills in my clipper or some lucky python commanders escaped me. The secret is to ram the python and use torpedoes after his shields are down. If the enemy commander is any good will high jump after first ram and sadly won't fight with you again. As for trading i don't know how to trade and is too boring anyway.
My fit is pretty cheap (cash strapped) is under 60 mil if you buy in Sirius space:
As for clipper vs pythons some screens:
Running away:
running.jpg
1% hull sadly he managed to escape me with high jump:
one_percent.jpg

I say try clipper first (it's cheaper anyway) and try it against another pythons and after this you can buy your python.
 
The only adavantages a clipper has on a python are speed and ramming. Python is better at everything else, and yes I've flown both. I wasn't impressed with the clipper. Chaff is the clippers worst enemy, you've got a massive profile to shoot, no outposts, not as much cargo, firepower etc. If you can afford a python, go python.
 
The only adavantages a clipper has on a python are speed and ramming. Python is better at everything else, and yes I've flown both. I wasn't impressed with the clipper. Chaff is the clippers worst enemy, you've got a massive profile to shoot, no outposts, not as much cargo, firepower etc. If you can afford a python, go python.

thought about it, why i like to fly a clipper more than a python, even when the python is superior in almost everything (and it's 4x the clippers price): flying a clipper is more like flying a fast airplane, flying a python is flying a spaceship... so it feels more like "flying" to pilot a clipper.

but if i really had to decide between those two, i would always decide for a python. i only think that 75 millions are 10-20 millions to short to jump into a python....
 
I completely agree the Python is superior in most areas to the Clipper. But, I have more fun flying the Clipper. I cannot point a finger at the reason, it just feels more fluid and, well, fun.
The only advantage the Clipper offers is speed, but that's a big advantage. It means you dictate the fight and you decide when to disengange. I don't do much PvP and am by no means an expert, but the only time I almost lost my Clipper was against a Fer-De-Lance, which is also a very fast ship. Everything else, just boost and wave good-bye. Same in PvE.

At the end it boils down to personal preference and matter of taste. I kept my Clipper for the big smile it creates on my face when flying it. The only other ship I love as much is the Fer-De-Lance. I tried to find love for the Python but it didn't happen. My wife sold her Clipper and got the Python, she never was happier. Tastes differ, but that's the beauty of the hangar, to be able to switch ships.

tl;dr: Fly the ship you enjoy most. Eventually you will have all of them anyways. :)
 
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Strip all weapons from the Clipper, fit 240 cargo space and just enough shield to protect you during docking/running away. Submit to interdictions and boost away. You can trade all day today long without losing a single tonne of cargo.
For anything else: Python.
 
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both ships are fun to play.

My advice: go with a python and improve it as i did. You'll have an interesting game experience...
 
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