Ships diamondback explorer or...?

[CMDR Jay Stones]

Hey CMDR's im wondering wether or not to buy the explorer. I'm currently in a cobra MK3 and looking to upgrade to something bigger for exploration and sometimes abit of delivering missions while im in the bubble.
i dont want to go over the budget that the explorer will cost, is it really worth it for the 5 internal slots or shall i go for a lykan type 6 or the diamondback scout?.

Jay

 

[[VR] optimal_909]

Hey CMDR's im wondering wether or not to buy the explorer. I'm currently in a cobra MK3 and looking to upgrade to something bigger for exploration and sometimes abit of delivering missions while im in the bubble.
i dont want to go over the budget that the explorer will cost, is it really worth it for the 5 internal slots or shall i go for a lykan type 6 or the diamondback scout?.

Jay

The DBX is a great explorer, its weaknesses are the lack internal space for modules and the slow fuel scoop - which can be a nuisance on a long trip. The Lakon T6 is a great alternative, has more internals, etc., but is more prone to overheating.

Having said that, any ship can be used for exploration as long as you are comfortable with flying it.

 

[Farran]

When it comes between the Diamondback Explorer and Type-6, there are a couple major things to consider. The Diamondback has a longer jump range and better combat ability, but the Type-6 is faster and able to load more equipment while still having appreciable cargo space.

I have a mostly A-rated Type-6 which makes a little over 27 Ly per jump with a full tank, and that is with a shield generator and SRV bay on top of the essential exploration equipment. It still has 64 tons of cargo space on top of all of that (80 tons if I unmount the SRV bay). I have never really had overheating issues, and it helps to shut off the shield generator when you exit the bubble. I could mount a larger fuel scoop (I usually use a 4A scoop), but it fuels reasonably fast nonetheless and I do often use the cargo space I get back from making that sacrifice (also note that the Diamondback has a maximum of class 4 but has twice the fuel capacity).

It sorta comes down to specialization over flexibility. If you just want to go far, fast, then the Diamondback is probably your best choice. If you like a bit of mission flexibility (including the ability to salvage things while out in the black), the Type-6 may serve you better. There is no wrong answer, though, just the one that works for you.

Another option, if you are okay with an even more stripped-down build, is the Hauler, which has the advantage of being cheap. Just a thought.

 

[Starender]

i prefer the T-6:

- it can boost to 400 m/s so no problem for going back into the bubble or counter high gravities.
- The fuel scoop is fast (a lot faster than the dbX)
- you have a lot of internals to put all you would ever need (which is not the case of the dbX)
- It's very cheap.


In my point of view it's the third best explorer after the aspX and the Anac.

Edit: forget about the DBx, the fuel scooping is also far too bad to explore properly. and the lack of internals is a real problem.

 

[CMDR Corlas]

My first real exploration ship was a T-6. Not a bad ship at all, although pretty light on defenses.

Currently I'm out near Orion in a Diamondback Explorer. It's probably my favorite exploration ship to fly, although it does have fewer internals, so you have to be choosy. My current setup in it lacks an AFMU (not really a problem, since she runs so cool) and a DSS (less income from scanning and less planet data). I think it's a fair trade.

I prefer the DBX to my Asp or Anaconda, really, at least for peaceful exploration.

 

[Muadib24]

I don't understand why people is so biased against the DBX, it has enough space to grab what you need, is slow.. yes.. but highly maneverable and about the scooping, I have been scooping in a single pass for almost every star. The buyback is not prohibitive as the ASPX and you got a more than decent 32LY jumps.
I'm trying some Horizon stuff now so I spare the AFMU for a vehicle bay, but maybe I will get rid of that in my next visit to the civilized space.

 

[MuckyPup]

I just reached Sagittarius A* in a DBX!

 

[blmcquig]

I did Sag A* in a DBX as well. Probably still one of my all time favorite ships. I like the look of the DBX better than pretty much everything else. Fun to fly, has what you need, and scooping really isn't an issue if you use a little common sense!
Enjoy the old girl!

 

[[VR] optimal_909]

When it comes between the Diamondback Explorer and Type-6, there are a couple major things to consider. The Diamondback has a longer jump range and better combat ability, but the Type-6 is faster and able to load more equipment while still having appreciable cargo space.

I have a mostly A-rated Type-6 which makes a little over 27 Ly per jump with a full tank, and that is with a shield generator and SRV bay on top of the essential exploration equipment. It still has 64 tons of cargo space on top of all of that (80 tons if I unmount the SRV bay). I have never really had overheating issues, and it helps to shut off the shield generator when you exit the bubble. I could mount a larger fuel scoop (I usually use a 4A scoop), but it fuels reasonably fast nonetheless and I do often use the cargo space I get back from making that sacrifice (also note that the Diamondback has a maximum of class 4 but has twice the fuel capacity).

It sorta comes down to specialization over flexibility. If you just want to go far, fast, then the Diamondback is probably your best choice. If you like a bit of mission flexibility (including the ability to salvage things while out in the black), the Type-6 may serve you better. There is no wrong answer, though, just the one that works for you.

Another option, if you are okay with an even more stripped-down build, is the Hauler, which has the advantage of being cheap. Just a thought.

My exploration Keelback had a range of 23.7 ly with A-rated everything and no room to spare. The only advantage over the T6 was the better heat management (could charge FSD while scooping close to the star), otherwise it wasn't a logical choice. And now I'm bulding a much more expensive ship that is lass capable as an exploration vessel, and FDL.

So yeah, the best exploration ship is which you are the happiest with. That is one of the best aspects of exploration, you can do it in any ship.