Corvette Road Block

[Augustus]

Oddly enough I used my Python and Coby Mk3 to get first the Cutter then the Corvette...

And I kept my Coby Mk3 and Python As Is... they are Far Too Useful to swap off...

My Econo-Conda is Strictly a Cruise Ship.

[smile]

 

[Devari]

For those who share my laxed mindset towards grind, why would you not get the Cutter first?
What do you guys think? Is there any reason at all not to get the Cutter first if you plan on getting both eventually?

A main part of the answer is, what do you want to do with each ship? Are you just getting them both to collect them? Or to actually use them in their optimal roles?

For the Corvette this means a combat role and for the Cutter this means a trading role. You can use the Corvette for short-range cargo and even limited exploration (due to the large internals and ability to carry a large fuel scoop) but the reason to get the Corvette is for combat. With the Cutter, you can fight with it (but not very well given its turn rate) and you can try exploring with it, but it only really excels for trading.

For me the choice was simple, I have no interest in long-range trading since Sothis/Ceos was nerfed and don't want to go back to bulk trading so I have basically no use for the Cutter. I suppose it might have a piracy or griefing niche, but I don't pirate or grief. That leaves the Corvette, and I enjoy combat (especially with multi-role combat ships that can also trade or explore when needed) so it was an easy decision to get the Corvette. I currently have enough to purchase a Cutter if I wanted and I've done the Imperial rank grind up to Duke, but I really don't feel any need to purchase one. That might change in the future but I really don't want to drop 700-800 million on a ship I don't see myself using.

I would start by asking your question in reverse. What do you want to do with the ships, and then you will know which ship to get first.

 

[Mrat13]

There's no reason to get the Cutter first. It just means you need to grind rank again, to get the Corvette. lol

Corvette FTW.

Filthy Imperials, and their neon Jumbo Jets.

CMDR Cosmic Spacehead

Excuse me! The term is filthy feds. Or damn bureaucrats if you please. If you really must insult the imperium, you can call us damn elitists. Other than that, our only real problem is that we are a bit....sticky....but a low level such as yourself need not concern yourself with that.

*breaths*

Ok I've kissed the imperiums enough today, time to wash whatever this sticky substance is off of myself, can you believe they paint their ships with this stuff! Seriously.....

 

[Suvi Anwar]

Some really great inputs here guys, thanks.

My thinking around the statements I made is that the Corvette excels in one thing over the Cutter- combat. It's more maneuverable, hits harder, and has better armour. That's great and all, it truly is, but how far is combat going to get you If you're grinding for another "end game" ship?

To get reputation you need to complete missions (preferably charitable ones). To do that you need to be adaptable, have cargo space, a good jump range, and a variety of modules such as SRV hangars and other equipment. Personally I have seen few combat missions, and the ones I HAVE seen require you to jump from place to place and wait for your target to show. The Corvette can swat targets like flies, but it has to get there first and it's lack of adaptability beyond fighting seems like a handicap to me (at least in term of grinding).

I have a different opinion. I have full configs for my Corvette that lets it be good at anything except exploration. Mine is currently a Cruise Ship/Taxi, and I am making about 8m every 10 minutes. I had it configed for BH last week, and was doing hauling the week prior. It's also a fantastic mining ship (that can kill any pirates harassing me). My Corvette is not handicapped at all.

 

[Stealthie]

Cutter

Use it's 760T of cargo space to fill the coffers

This.

In a nutshell, the Corvette is a better ship but the Cutter is a more useful ship.

Buy a Cutter and you've got THE best cargo ship in the game and you've also got one of the top 3 combat/multirole ships as well.
The Corvette, by contrast, is probably the best combat ship in the game but it's terrible jump-range means you're not really going to want to use it for anything else, even if it does have a large cargo capacity.

And, FWIW, in the middle of those two you've got the Anaconda, which isn't quite as good as the Corvette in combat and isn't quite as good as the Cutter for cargo but it's massive jump-range means that, out of the "big 3", it's the one you'll be most likely to use as a "daily driver".

 

[SocraticMammal]

Cutter

Use it's 760T of cargo space to fill the coffers

I agree with this. Use the cutter to run famine and outbreak missions and trade in fed space for rank and credits for the corvette.

Outbreak systems with the fetch medicines missions will run for days. Find a nearby high tech and load up the cutter and turn in a dozen or more missions at a time.

 

[G-Two]

A couple of others here have said it, and I'll repeat it: Get a Python. It's an incredibly flexible craft that will fit all your grinding needs. Use the Python to grind the ranks, then buy both ships at the same time.