Crusading to Ishum - Personal Log

[Christian-A-Hill]

Recently I opened a thread requesting help polishing an Alliance Crusader for long range exploration.
Long Distance Exploration Crusader - Loadout Suggestion

As usual, I cannot thank the community enough for helping me with valuable tips/suggestions instead of simply stating 'Get A Conda'.
I was trying to change the title of that thread and Log my journey there, but seems like I cannot Edit the title. So decided to Log my journey here for the record.

Primary Mission: Visit Ishum's Reach
Ship: Alliance Crusader
Loadout: ADRI
Main Route: Bubble > Colonia > Beagle Point > Ishum's Reach > Sag A* > Colonia.
Start Date: Mar 9th, 3306; 5:00AM
Departure Location: Offutt Enterprise, Volkhabe


Day #1 : Mar 9th, 3306
Preflight Check at home station and loading supplies for long journey.

The first waypoint of the journey is NGC 6530 WFI 23122 in Lagoon Nebula. That is about 4600 ly from my home.
Let the Jumps begin. In case you are wandering about the 2% hull damage, after several jumps I somewhat ran into the star because I was doing something on the 2nd monitor and forgot to click ED to bring control focus back.

Just admiring a star before the sight of 1000s of star become old.


Leaving Orion-Cygnus Arm. From the on-board map it looks somewhat empty region before I reach the Sagittarius-Carina Arm. Anybody know if there is a way to disable the left navigation bar on the map with key binding?


Day #2 : Mar 10th, 3306
I noticed as I approaching close to galactic core there was an increase in white colored stars and amount of clusters.

Approaching Lagoon Nebula and some sight seeing,

Pit stop at Lagoon Nebula. Looks like almost halfway there. VR screenshot realy puts that black navigation bar in awkward position.

While plotting next waypoint at Eagle Nebula, I noticed this:

That's a strange formation of stars I have ever seen or expected to see. Anyone visited here before know what this is?

 

[marx]

That's a strange formation of stars I have ever seen or expected to see. Anyone visited here before know what this is?

Those are real stars imported from one of the catalogues. Converting our observational data into in-game systems comes with its own challenges, and will often result in such clusters.

 

[Christian-A-Hill]

Day #3 : Mar 11th, 3306
Approaching Eagle Nebula.

While searching EDSM database, I was taken back to see that there was a planetary port named Eagle's Landing at Eagle Sector IR-W d1-117 system! I did not expect to see station out here! Suffice to say decided to check out the locals and may be resupply:

Seemed like a good idea to fix the hull and modules a bit in the workshop:


Getting some route planning done. 15,000 ly more to Colonia!


Did not realize just how far I was from home til I saw the map!


On the road again. That's the odd cluster of stars in the horizon.

 

[CMDR CHIGGY VONRICTOFEN]

* WAVES *

 

[Christian-A-Hill]

* WAVES *
View attachment 165101

I am coming!!

Did you just launch a heat sink is that why your cockpit is freezing up?

 

[Christian-A-Hill]

Day #3 : Mar 11th, 3306
After Eagle sector I plotted a course straight to Colonia. 294 jumps to go. Note so self, create smaller waypoints en route to Ishum to see lower jump numbers, less daunting.


Star density has definitely increased. I have seen shots of other commanders in Colonia with similar looking star density of colonia. This only means I am getting closer!


My first undiscovered planet!! I am assuming the name tagging is done after data is sold?


No noteworthy incident to record. It had been just jump > scoop+honk > jump with occasional FSS and DSS when found ELWs or high value planets. I am not doing sight seeing much as want to finish the main mission of visiting Ishum's Reach. But I am realizing how repetitive a long distance trip can be. The distance to Ishum is even longer from Colonia than Bubble to Colonia. But I am Committed.

 

[CMDR CHIGGY VONRICTOFEN]

I am coming!!

Did you just launch a heat sink is that why your cockpit is freezing up?

Nah...she stays that way. I can fuel scoop indefinitely and not go above 65% (A must with a 4A fuel scoop)

 

[Orvidius]

Day #3 : Mar 11th, 3306
Approaching Eagle Nebula.

While searching EDSM database, I was taken back to see that there was a planetary port named Eagle's Landing at Eagle Sector IR-W d1-117 system! I did not expect to see station out here! Suffice to say decided to check out the locals and may be resupply:

Yep, there are a whole bunch of ports, both space stations and planetary bases, all along the Colonia-road. Eagle, Omega, Trifid, and Lagoon all have them in that particular area too.

 

[Christian-A-Hill]

Nah...she stays that way. I can fuel scoop indefinitely and not go above 65% (A must with a 4A fuel scoop)

Just did a tweak on EDSY for my DBX. If i use Low Emission PP and Clean drive smallest Thruster I can fit, my idle temp is at 10%. It does cut into Power but runs everything when I need them. Is this the way to go about to have lowest heat while pack everything for long explo?

VIKI

 

[Christian-A-Hill]

Yep, there are a whole bunch of ports, both space stations and planetary bases, all along the Colonia-road. Eagle, Omega, Trifid, and Lagoon all have them in that particular area too.

Good to know! I just did a search EDDB with Restock as filter. I do see ports/stations. Did not think of it before. It appears that if one is exploring in these general vicinity, ship can be packed light? As in take more tools such as SRV, SLF while not minding reduced Jump range and not worry about AFMU/Repair Limpets?

 

[Orvidius]

Good to know! I just did a search EDDB with Restock as filter. I do see ports/stations. Did not think of it before. It appears that if one is exploring in these general vicinity, ship can be packed light? As in take more tools such as SRV, SLF while not minding reduced Jump range and not worry about AFMU/Repair Limpets?

Yeah, totally doable. AFMU is really only a necessity if you're neutron boosting, or you're accident-prone. And that latter one goes for repair limpets too. They're certainly nice to have, similar to a parachute or fire extinguisher, but if you fly carefully you won't really need them, especially with opportunities to dock. So it's up to you. For a straight shot between the bubble and Colonia, it's entirely reasonable to dock and each station along the way and break the trip up into smaller chunks.

 

[Christian-A-Hill]

Day #4 : Mar 12th, 3306
It is beginning to look like all the Colonia pictures I have seen from other commanders. Space definitely looks totally different than bubble with the star density.


I am still finding it hard to believe how far I came from home. It just seems unreal. I have only heard tales of this place from other commanders. Never thought I would be here (almost) so soon. It may or may not be as lucrative as others say. But it is already beyond the final frontier and that's good enough for me.


Can't believe it! 36 more jumps!


Looks like Colonia is right next to a huge Nebula?


Next stop, Colonia!


Getting a quick nav beacon scan done to have Colonia astrometrics data.


5 minutes in the system and I am already curious to the max. What is that Notable Stellar Phenomena??


The famous Jaques Station! It is finally before my eyes.


And a successful touch down.


And finally got to meet Mr Jaques himself. He does not look like an android to me all if you ask me. ( I know, I know. Just roll with it. )


I am going to look around for a bit then plan the 2nd phase of this trip, Colonia -> Beagle Point.

 

[13A]

I am going to look around for a bit then plan the 2nd phase of this trip, Colonia -> Beagle Point.

One thing to watch for on your way is the restricted sectors. I hit a point on my recent trip where I couldn't plot any more than 5 or 6 jumps. Once I realised why, I had to sidetrack about 1500 ly to get around them (the Bleia sectors). Coming from Colonia you may miss them, but my run from Sag A* tried to go right through the middle
The other is the Praei sectors, but it's fairly easy to go over the top of them.

 

[Orvidius]

Yeah, those restricted sectors can be annoying. You mostly hit those on the straight north/south path, between Sgr-A* and Beagle Point, rather than from the Colonia side. But it's still worth being aware of them. It's something you wouldn't expect to run into, so far away from home, but there they are.

 

[Christian-A-Hill]

One thing to watch for on your way is the restricted sectors. I hit a point on my recent trip where I couldn't plot any more than 5 or 6 jumps. Once I realised why, I had to sidetrack about 1500 ly to get around them (the Bleia sectors). Coming from Colonia you may miss them, but my run from Sag A* tried to go right through the middle
The other is the Praei sectors, but it's fairly easy to go over the top of them.

Yeah, those restricted sectors can be annoying. You mostly hit those on the straight north/south path, between Sgr-A* and Beagle Point, rather than from the Colonia side. But it's still worth being aware of them. It's something you wouldn't expect to run into, so far away from home, but there they are.

Awesome tips! Thanks to both @13A/24B and @Orvidius !

I was looking at Neutron boost to plot my route. No never Neutron boosted before. I heard and saw ships falling apart in the cone. So most stayed away from them. Also used to think it is somewhat cheating. But last few days had little time to think. It is a game mechanic with huge risk. If you are taking risk you should be rewarded and it makes thing more challenging. I read mixed opinion/experience about Neutron boost. Will not know for sure what I think about till I try it.

So, decided to have two sets of route planned, one with Neutron boost as much as possible and the other without it.

Question for those who ventured into Neutron, can I do anything to increase protection of my ship while boosting? Does hitpoint play any role to better protect during the toss around?

For boost planning, I was looking at these 2 sites:
Spansh - Colonia -> Beagle
Hurt Highway - Colonia -> Beagle

Any thoughts? What do you use for planning serious routes? I tried to use EDDiscovery which I run in the background all the time. But for some reason it plots lot of mini jumps less than ~8 ly. As for using EDSM, it will only plot using data already submitted by cmdrs. So very little chance that I will stumbled upon anything undiscovered.

 

[CMDR CHIGGY VONRICTOFEN]

My advice about NS boosting, if you have never done it, is to practice around Colonia a bit, until you get it down pat. that way you just lose the rebuy, not hundreds or thousands of systems worth of data.

 

[iain666]

Question for those who ventured into Neutron, can I do anything to increase protection of my ship while boosting?

If you only use neutrons, enter the jet near the end at low speed pointing away from the star and come to a full stop as soon as it starts overcharging the FSD then floor it when it's complete then there's negligible tossing around and little danger, in my limited experience of a massive 50 neutron boosts.

Don't try white dwarfs, just jumponium it instead.

And like Chiggy says, have a few goes near Colonia until you're comfortable before you venture further.

 

[Christian-A-Hill]

Day #5 : Mar 13th, 3306

Before I headed out again to destination Beagle Point, I decided to heed the words of the commanders who walked the path and try out few Neutron Boost. I finally gathered enough courage to go for it. Found the nearest Neutron is at Magellan system, only about 24 ly away from Colonia.
Facing my first attempt with Neutron.

WOAH! 180 LY Jump range.

Never thought I would see this day. Thats impressive range for my heavy crusader. Did few more jumps with neutron boosts back and forth. I must say, it does not seem that big of a deal. I did exactly what cmdr @iain666 described. Slowly entered at the outer end of the cone, full stop once tossed around, full throttle once boosted. The ship gracefully exited the cone every time.
I also looked up difference between White Dwarf and Neutron. White dwarfs are the dancing ones if i understand right and should be avoided.

Decided to sell all the data collected en route to Colonia from bubble. And to my surprise I was told I have discovered not just one but almost 2 dozens bodies. I guess those happened during all the jump/honk/jump. Here is the first discovery:


Once again packed and ready hit to road. Destination Beagle Point.


Several Neutron and ~1200 ly later I hit this!

A Black Hole? Took some damage because it dropped me apparently I was Too Close. Then within few more jumps saw few more.


Few observations I made after Neutron boosting almost 4k ly:

• Fuel efficiency is way better. I can boost jump 3 times totaling ~540ly before I need to refuel my 16T tank. Probably
• The FSD/modules not taking as much damage I thought it would given the frequency of boosting I am doing.
• Entering really from the far end of the cone seems to be ok for both Neutron and White Dwarfs without much risk. May be I am getting lucky?
• It's Fun and exciting (as of this log).

 

[Sapyx]

also looked up difference between White Dwarf and Neutron. White dwarfs are the dancing ones if i understand right and should be avoided.

No, white dwarfs don't "dance"; those are neutron stars. White dwarfs usually don't rotate very fast at all, so their jets appear "frozen" in place. They have a larger central star and a tail that usually curves away at the tip. White dwarfs are more dangerous as the length of jet that is outside the exclusion zone is very small, compared to neutron stars, so it's much easier to slam into the exclusion zone while entering the jet - an event which is almost always fatal. Since the jump range boost from a white dwarf is only 25%, compared to a neutron star's 400%, it usually isn't worth while using one. Just filter out white dwarfs using the star filter, and you shouldn't have to worry about them.

A Black Hole? Took some damage because it dropped me apparently I was Too Close. Then within few more jumps saw few more.

Yep, those are black holes. And yes, you'll hit the exclusion zone pretty quick if you don't stop or steer away as soon as you arrive. Fortunately, black holes are mostly harmless, it's actually quite hard to kill yourself at one.

 

[Christian-A-Hill]

No, white dwarfs don't "dance"; those are neutron stars. White dwarfs usually don't rotate very fast at all, so their jets appear "frozen" in place.

May be I misunderstood this Reddit post,
Comparison Neutron Star vs White dwarf

So far I faced only 2 neutrons which cones are very large and appeared not dancing at all. I thought I was taking chances with the neutrons with fast cone movement thinking they were white dwarfs.
I didn't hit exclusion zones yet. Not sure if it is because I have been entering cone from way far end at as low descent angle as possible.