Exploring without Auto Field-Maintenance?

[AsukaZ]

I used one once on my first long range trip from heat damage, turned out to be more of a security blanket than anything.
No hull or canopy repair.

Carried but not used on second and third trips.
Don't carry one at all now.

I didn't really find it all that useful, and so it was sacrificed on the altar of 'Maximize Jump Range for Deep Space'.

/edit Oh it weighs nothing ? well I take that back then.

 

[dognosh]

Helloo,

I'm thinking of getting a Diamonback Scout when it comes out in 1.3 update. However I've noticed it's internals won't fit Auto Field-Maintenance, Shields, Discovery Scanner, Detailed Scanner and Fuel Scoop in one ship. And I want to keep my shields. A Cobra meanwhile doesn't have this problem.

For those experienced explorers, does your ship get damaged enough to warrant a Auto Field-Maintenance unit? Is it a must-have for explorers? So should I go for the Cobra instead?

ty,

CMDR GalileoGalilei

I am a vet of 110000 LY exploring and AFMU is not needed(though I carried 3 on my last trip)

 

[777Driver]

/edit Oh it weighs nothing ? well I take that back then.

Yeah it weighs nothing, so it would be stupid not to take one, unless space onboard the ship is limited.

 

[puca]

I think the types of people that ask on the forums if they need an AFMU are likely the ones that may need one (probably less experienced, may make scooping or neutron star mistakes), etc. If you have gone out into the black a few times, you will generally use very little repair capacity unless you get up to "shenanigans" in deep space.

 

[CMDR DoubleSkulls]

AFMUs are zero mass, so the only reasons not to take one are either cost or space. Diamondback's lack the space, and arguably aren't a great exploration vessel as a consequence (and small scoop, and good, but not great range).

 

[Olmis Aremja]

I'm currently 50k out with a cracked canopy and 84% hull. I have 2 AFMK but to be honest I don't use them and tend to forget I even have them. They are more of a added comfort 'just in case' type thing when I left. I'm the sort of guy though who always packs a coat even on sunny days.

 

[GammaZ]

AFMU seems useless to me. Travelled quite a lot in T6, with 2 AFMU-s and never used one. They cannot repair most critical parts...
Also i will probably use courier instead of diamondback for exploration, if EDShipyard stats are correct it has similar range and more internal compartments. And looks cool

 

[Morbad]

They cannot repair most critical parts...

However, they can repair the parts that reboot/repair leeches from to repair the most critical parts.

Only thing AFMUs + reboot/repair can't fix is your canopy.

 

[Jackie Silver]

It's not essential. I'm carrying one in my Cobra in case I take heat damage from a multiple star system, but my main source of damage is from running into things.

The Diamondback is a nice little explorer. I'm weighing up the pros (nippier in-system, slightly longer jump,easier to carry weapons, better view) and cons (slower fuelling, less survivable, lack of slots) of switching to one from the Cobra. If you're doing the sort of exploration I'm currently engaged in - mid-range hops followed by scanning everything in the system - it'd be a fine choice.

 

[GammaZ]

Cockpit and hull. And cockpit will probably kill you faster than you will suffer from module failures. Should not do so much mistakes anyway.

 

[Jackie Silver]

Should not do so much mistakes anyway.

Can you share your technique for avoiding heat damage when jumping in between close binary stars?

 

[Rikk]

Why the hell would you take a T9 out there, lol.

Why not?

The standard exploration vessels are just dull.

(I'm the dude 90 days out in a clipper...)

 

[GammaZ]

Can you share your technique for avoiding heat damage when jumping in between close binary stars?

If you really want to avoid all damage you can check map before jumping and avoid such systems. Which is a bit slow and tedious tbh...
Also A-grade powerplant + heatsinks for worst cases.

 

[puca]

That's a myth, the map does not tell you exact star positions. The only way to be completely safe is to avoid all systems with multiple stars. That is silly.

 

[Alex Brentnall]

That's a myth, the map does not tell you exact star positions. The only way to be completely safe is to avoid all systems with multiple stars. That is silly.

Yeah, instead of your buckyball trip to the core taking 12 hours you'll be lucky to do it in 12 days

The odds of hitting a bad binary system are about 1/1000 according to my recent trip.
Even then they are only bad if you approach from the wrong angle so its probably closer to 1/2000 where you are forced out of supercruise.

Just hope you get lucky and if you don't accept that 2% module damage and head back when you see the canopy crack I had 8 emergency stops in my ASP (7 of which due to pilot error) before the cracks scared me into heading home.