Cobra MkIII vs Viper MkIV

Alright I need some expert opinions on this one. I'm trying to decide on my next ship. I currently have the Viper MkIII and want to upgrade it to either the Cobra MkIII or Viper MkIV. Both have ups and downs but can't really decide what's what. The Cobra has the best boost speed but the MkIV Viper has more hull and better shields and better hardpoint placements it seems. I have been mostly doing combat with some wing mates but do the occasional trade missions. We might get into mining, and I would probably be a lookout ship for my friend. I might help him mine by just using a mining laser and he picks everything up. These are just some ideas. Anyway my main question still stands, Cobra MkIII or Viper MkIV?
 
Cobra MKiii is one of the best ships in the game. save up until you can buy it out right... don't trade in the Viper MKIII. Then save up for the Viper MKIV. (also good ship)
Never trade in your current ship. Make sure you have plenty of re-buys plus cr for up grades. (stock ships suck)
 
I have about 760,000 give or take currently. I could buy the Cobra outright and would have some money to upgrade. I wouldn't have traded in my Viper I like it too much. I might wait until I get some more credits before I can buy one of them.
 
Cobra MKiii is one of the best ships in the game. save up until you can buy it out right... don't trade in the Viper MKIII. Then save up for the Viper MKIV. (also good ship)
Never trade in your current ship. Make sure you have plenty of re-buys plus cr for up grades. (stock ships suck)

never trade in current ship? why??
 
@OP:- It sounds like you enjoy a mixture of activities so I fully recommend the Cobra being your ship of choice. What it lacks in combat strength compared to the Viper MkIV, it more than makes up for in practically every other aspect. It's a multipurpose ship, through and through.
Grab your Cobra and jiggle the outfitting as required when you wing up with friends or fly solo, then save up and buy and outfit a Viper MkIV for combat and keep them near each other (although when 2.2 drops there will be ship transfer so that won't be an issue). That way, if your friends fancy combat, you need only switch ships instead of flying around for an hour fetching the modules.
never trade in current ship? why??
If you get caught short on a rebuy you can either trade them in to cover the shortfall or it gives you a safety net to prevent a fall from Anaconda to Sidewinder in one big drop.

That aside, it's never a bad thing to have multiple ships for multiple purposes so you can do what you like, when you like, without traipsing the Bubble for hours tracking down that Class 3 Refinery you need (for example)
 
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760K? That's not enough for either of those. Even an Eagle costs more if you a rate thruster, power plant and fsd (not counting anything else). How's your Viper setup? An A rated Cobra will cost close to 10 million FYI. You also need to factor in some safety rebuys. If you've already got the Viper for combat then maybe something like a Hauler for light deliveries?
https://coriolis.io/outfit/hauler/1p0t0F0l3d0s3f22j000302023u2h.Iw19A===.Aw19A===?bn=Light Trader
I used one of these babies for ages back in Beta (yrs ago) and still do from time to time as a Taxi. Guess that ends soon.
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My Viper is alright. I just started playing the game again not too long ago and only had an Eagle. Sold it and got the Viper. It's taking me a little to rack up credits anyway.

Not sure if I should just stick with the Viper or what.
 
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On phone, so sorry for the short answer.

Go for the Cobra, outfit for long range trading, do Rares trade loops or, if you're feeling dirty, Sothis runs. Both will net you enough cash to buy all the little ships you'll ever want.

Also think you'll enjoy flying the Cobra more, due to its flight model. It's actually a very dancy little ship.
 
On phone, so sorry for the short answer.

Go for the Cobra, outfit for long range trading, do Rares trade loops or, if you're feeling dirty, Sothis runs. Both will net you enough cash to buy all the little ships you'll ever want.

Also think you'll enjoy flying the Cobra more, due to its flight model. It's actually a very dancy little ship.

He can't afford the a rated fsd required, much less any of the other modules.
 
He can't afford the a rated fsd required, much less any of the other modules.

That's just a matter of spending a night in a HighRES kill stealing from the cops. Have enough money for a TradeCobra in no time. And that's something he can do in his current Viper.
 
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My Viper is alright. I just started playing the game again not too long ago and only had an Eagle. Sold it and got the Viper. It's taking me a little to rack up credits anyway.

Not sure if I should just stick with the Viper or what.

Take an evening, find a ringed planet, go to a RES (resource extraction site) HIGH, and tag along with security there. You don't have to share your bounty with them. If you want to stay in there for a while wait for them to attack a ship, and start blasting away at it when its around 30-20% hull (wait till its lower on the big guys). For extra money throw a Kill Warrant Scanner on one of your utility slots. It'll pay for itself rather quickly. By the end of the evening you should have enough to buy either, A-rate, and have some left over for a few rebuys.
 
Cobra for sure.

The stock cobra3 isn't actually bad far as stock ships go. People will tell you you should never buy a ship before you can totally a-rate it, that's total bull. It's a legitimate approach for sure if that's the way you want to go, but necessary? Not by a long shot.

Cobra3 is a great one to start stock and build up as you go & can afford to do so. And being a small-class ship, better modules are fairly cheap on the whole. It's the next class up when you move to the mediums, where suddenly the price gap between fancy modules and the ship itself starts to get horrifying.

Just bear in mind that it won't be able to withstand much punishment compared to the viper, especially if you've not upgraded your shields / armour etc yet.
 
Cobra for sure.

The stock cobra3 isn't actually bad far as stock ships go. People will tell you you should never buy a ship before you can totally a-rate it, that's total bull. It's a legitimate approach for sure if that's the way you want to go, but necessary? Not by a long shot.

Cobra3 is a great one to start stock and build up as you go & can afford to do so. And being a small-class ship, better modules are fairly cheap on the whole. It's the next class up when you move to the mediums, where suddenly the price gap between fancy modules and the ship itself starts to get horrifying.

Just bear in mind that it won't be able to withstand much punishment compared to the viper, especially if you've not upgraded your shields / armour etc yet.

He's absolutely right. My first upgrade was a Viper Mk IV. I bought it as soon as I was able to afford weapons, PP, shields, and a few rebuys. When I finally upgraded thrusters.....it was like having a whole new ship.
 
if you don't sell your viper mkiii, get a cobra mkiii as second ship to run missions or go mining.

in combat you'll still fly your viper mkiii.

if you fully d-class your cobra, and settle for a c-grade fsd 700k cr will be enough, and you'll get a reasonable fast ship with more jumprange than your viper, 44t of cargo, good to do trading missions or some mining, and you can build from there.

i personally think it makes sense to own at least two ships, because ships tgat excell at combat, normally don't excell at trading or exploration or mining --- and if, than with only massive re-outfitting.

fly safe!
 
Cobra it is then. I will save up a little more so I can buy it outright and maybe keep the Viper. I want to have enough to be able to upgrade the hardpoints a little and shields and hull. Not trying to go A rated right off the bat since I don't have nearly enough and that would take quite some time to rack up that many credits.

Thanks for the help guys.
 
Cobra it is then. I will save up a little more so I can buy it outright and maybe keep the Viper. I want to have enough to be able to upgrade the hardpoints a little and shields and hull. Not trying to go A rated right off the bat since I don't have nearly enough and that would take quite some time to rack up that many credits.

Thanks for the help guys.

- even with best shields, a cobra mkiii will always have less shield then a viper mkiii

- and armour will weigh a lot and cost you speed

a cobra mkiii strength is its speed. best to invest in powerdistributor and thrusters first (after d-grading everything else) - play to its strength!
 

Deleted member 110222

D
Viper Mk III - Combat

Cobra Mk III - Everything else

Viper Mk IV - Everything else in a ship that looks like it does combat (Very good ship to modify with Engineers mind)
 
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