Federal Drop Ship - Multi-role capabilites?

[5 Puppis]

I know the FDS isn't most players ship of choice and as some have alluded to, I would be smarter to buy a dedicated ship for each role. But I am just not the type of player that wants a fleet of ships where most sit idle 95% of the time, when I buy something I want to have uses for it.

Have you flown the FDS before? If not, the moment of truth is going to come when you take it to planetary ring and start drift turning around some asteroids. It's not the most optimized ship on paper, but if you love the drift and that sense of weight which comes with swinging that tail around, it can be terrific fun (which is more important than stats).

Funny thing, the FDS has recently become a "ship of choice" for a certain niche task: Thargoid hunting. A lot of people seem to swear by it. 4 class 2 slots to accomodate 4 AX weapons, a class 3 in the middle for a flak launcher, and crazy hull tanking potential higher than even the Gunship.

 

[DukeIronHand]

I know the FDS isn't most players ship of choice and as some have alluded to, I would be smarter to buy a dedicated ship for each role. But I am just not the type of player that wants a fleet of ships where most sit idle 95% of the time, when I buy something I want to have uses for it.

Good man!
I also try to keep ship numbers to a minimum. I have two careers (one just Faulcon DeLacy and the other just Lakon) each with three ships. My ultimate ED thing is the "one ship career" - which I have done on several occasions - but, as a ship junky, I always end up buying another to experiment around with. May try some "fleet pruning" this weekend and get at least one of the careers to one ship. Looking at you my Engineered T9.

 

[M00ka]

Have you flown the FDS before? If not, the moment of truth is going to come when you take it to planetary ring and start drift turning around some asteroids. It's not the most optimized ship on paper, but if you love the drift and that sense of weight which comes with swinging that tail around, it can be terrific fun (which is more important than stats).

Funny thing, the FDS has recently become a "ship of choice" for a certain niche task: Thargoid hunting. A lot of people seem to swear by it. 4 class 2 slots to accomodate 4 AX weapons, a class 3 in the middle for a flak launcher, and crazy hull tanking potential higher than even the Gunship.

I am actually looking forward to it, I know it will be drifty, but so was the Asp Explorer to a lessor degree, anyway, I like a challenge (hence no Python lol). Just spend an engrossing hour or so working out what I will keep from the old ships (Asp Explorer and Keelback), what I will use on the new FDS, and what I will sell. then working out where I will buy all the new modules I need, and working out a logical route for it all. Damn I must be crazy, but I enjoyed doing that

 

[M00ka]

Allow me to introduce the latest addition of Commander Jason Burke's small but select fleet - the Phoenix Huey. Back home at Vonarburg Co-operative in Wyrd, fully fitted out, just how I wanted it. Total cost was just under 30m CR *29,996,246 CR to be precise) due to using existing modules, and selling the old ships. And it doesn't handle too bad either

Again, thank you to all those who helped me on this little project

 

[Kaybe]

I really love the FDS. While the Python is indeed the stronger work horse, the FDS plays very much like it at a lower price point. It's also much more agile as Python can't turn at all when boosting. The hard point convergence on the FDS is also pretty legendary as you can probably see from all the PVPers using this ship.

Personally, I really love it for the feel of the ship. There's something really nice about a ship that looks and feels like a military transport with loads of guns. It's like a Hind helicopter in space. And just like the Hind, it *excels* at surface settlement strikes.

 

[MrFailfactory]

Grats on your new ship Commander!

Also, +1 for not being easily swayed from your vision and direction. In other words, being a Wolf, instead of a Sheep.

Riôt

 

[acg515]

Hm. The explorer build looks questionable IMHO. Except for the Thargoids, there are no enemies out in the black, and the weapons are useless against them. I would drop the weapons, SCB, HRP and utilities except for the heat sink, furthermore drop the additional fuel tank, fit only a weak shield (or even none, the FDS is a hull tanker anyway), but the largest fuel scoop you can afford (currently none?), possibly an AFMU and downsize the rest of the modules to get the lightest build possible. Even then, the FDS will not excel in the explorer role, but it's doable at least. Wouldn't go out with less than 20ly jump range, the more, the better. Going to Colonia on eco mode will be a really long-term task...

HTH,
[noob]

I heard a guy say once that he took weapons exploring and if he ran into any other explorers he interdicted them and killed them so they couldn't sell their scan data before him. What a jerk huh?

 

[M00ka]

Grats on your new ship Commander!

Also, +1 for not being easily swayed from your vision and direction. In other words, being a Wolf, instead of a Sheep.

Riôt

Thanks, very happy with the new toy

And yes, I will never be described as a sheeple lol

 

[Madrax573]

The Dropship is an awesome and very versatile ship. And one I've owned a few times (Currently rebuilding after a reset) and I've even sold my A rate python to get a Dropship.

A couple of things that I noticed about it (whether they are good or bad I'll leave to personal opinion)
Bi weave the shields - It has bad shield and all I ever use them for is to reduce my repair costs and give a bit of buffer. They recharge fast so....
Get reactive armour and thermal mod it - Simple really gives nice resists and make the basic model tough as.
Mil slots for me are 1 HRP and 1 MRP. Extra armour and module protection. UNLESS I'm using and exploration build in which case they are empty.
I put in an extra fuel tank when exploring. The jump range will never be great (I think mine is about 26ly max) so the extra jumps can take you through some regions of no scoop-able stars.
It drifts! But with a charge enhanced PD and some DD in it you can almost perma boost. With FA-off as well it really does become a fast agile craft.
PVE doesn't require much modification before you can own CZ's all day long.

Yes I sold my python for this ship and yes I was very happy that I did so!

 

[XanderVekk]

Dropships and Gunships are beautiful for surface attack missions. Generator destruction, skimmer kill missions, stealing data, whatever.

Load up on missiles, hover like rocket spamming death, and unload on everything and anything that moves, and then anything that doesn’t. Goliaths can’t touch you.

I started with an FDS and later upgraded to an FGS. Never regretted either purchase. Have fun, and attack lots of planets and installations.