I currently have an A-Rated FAS. I really enjoy it as a full on fighter. It was the first real expensive ship I ever bought and I used it extensively for bounty hunting and undermining in power play. I was thinking about selling it and upgrading to a Fer-de-Lance, but I worry it wont feel like an upgrade. I love how maneuverable the FAS is and I have heard so much of the Fer-de-Lance drifting that I am afraid it will feel like flying an 18 wheeler. I am aware of the low jump range and it doesn't really bother me. I intend for this ship to be a straight up killer, not a sight seeing vessel (That's what my Dolphin is for, I love that thing) Anyways I am just looking for thoughts on current Fer-de-Lance owners especially if they came from an FAS. What should I expect?
 
My FDL hasn't left the dock since i bought my FAS... Make of that what you will.

Having said that, if I was taking on an assassination mission and absolutely positively had to kill that then I'd be dusting off the FDL.

In short and IMO, the FDL is better but the FAS is more fun.
 
FAS is much more agile and fun in that respect, but the FDL has much more firepower and WAY more survivability.
I would not take a FAS to a CZ, I do it a lot in my FDL
 
FAS is much more agile and fun in that respect, but the FDL has much more firepower and WAY more survivability.
I would not take a FAS to a CZ, I do it a lot in my FDL

I figured that about the FDL with those shields. Funny enough I've gone in CZs with my Anaconda and I have gotten demolished. I truly think that it is because it is such a slow moving giant target that everyone and their their grandma's wants a piece of you. On the other hand I've actually done quite a lot of conflict zones with the FAS and only those I have attacked actually want to fight me. I not sure if the AI is designed to see one ship as a bigger threat than the other, but that has been my experience in those cases.
 
This thread is on the money;)
Buy both if you can. I always seem to be getting back in the FAS. True it does not have FGS or God shields of the FDL but its a real scraper that moves oh so well. Its my crack for sure. Still the FDL is a keeper so I wish you much fun,..Either choice is rewarding in its own way:D
 
On paper, the ships are comparable but use different means to obtain the same end. In the end, I think you are right in saying it will not be an “upgrade” so to speak, just a lateral change in playstyle.

Shield-tank vs. Hull tank - even if you don’t own either of the ships most people know that the FAS is a born-to-be hull tank, while the FDL excels at shield tanking. Because of this, the FAS is slightly less demanding as far as pip management goes, as you can leave SYS at a single pip and drive on.

Speed vs. Maneuverability - FAS is super responsive on the sticks but caps out a little early on speed, while FDL can catch most opponents in a straight sprint, but slides and stalls out if you try to pull turns at full speed, particularly in a boost. Both are optimised for their defensive niches in my opinion, and still require good pip management to ENG in a shoot-out.

Hardpoints - both have very close raw DPS potential but I prefer the hardpoint layout on the FDL.

Utilities - more (6) on the FDL but in practice these typically all go towards shield boosters, leaving one, maybe two for practical purposes. The FAS can make better tactical use of it’s utility slots.

Optional Internals - more on the FAS, but if you are set up for combat, you’ll be stacking HRPs and MRPs out the wazoo. Meanwhile the FDL’s meager amount of internals account for a shield, two banks, a light cargo hold/scoop, and one scanner or interdictor. That’s it, so its mission-running capability is low to just “okay.”

Style - it all comes down to preference, but I love the look and sound of the FDL, it’s about the closest you can get to flying a Ferrari.

Ultimately both are capable combat ships so choosing one over the other really comes down to preference in looks and play-style. Like others have said, get both!
 
I currently have an A-Rated FAS. I really enjoy it as a full on fighter. It was the first real expensive ship I ever bought and I used it extensively for bounty hunting and undermining in power play. I was thinking about selling it and upgrading to a Fer-de-Lance, but I worry it wont feel like an upgrade. I love how maneuverable the FAS is and I have heard so much of the Fer-de-Lance drifting that I am afraid it will feel like flying an 18 wheeler. I am aware of the low jump range and it doesn't really bother me. I intend for this ship to be a straight up killer, not a sight seeing vessel (That's what my Dolphin is for, I love that thing) Anyways I am just looking for thoughts on current Fer-de-Lance owners especially if they came from an FAS. What should I expect?

Don't sell the FAS to buy an FDL. You will regret it, even if you like the FDL. Flying the FAS is an experience of pure wonder and joy. The FDL... eh. There's a reason people using it as a jouster. It's because its maneuverability is not great.

Save up and buy the FDL. Then sell it when you realize you hate it. (That's what I've done... 3 times now?) But don't throw out the FAS. Mistakes will be made.
 
Don't sell the FAS to buy an FDL. You will regret it, even if you like the FDL. Flying the FAS is an experience of pure wonder and joy. The FDL... eh. There's a reason people using it as a jouster. It's because its maneuverability is not great.

Save up and buy the FDL. Then sell it when you realize you hate it. (That's what I've done... 3 times now?) But don't throw out the FAS. Mistakes will be made.

Ha! I just stripped my FDL down to the bare bones and threw it in the corner, to await selling if I've a mind to. I have had three of these things now and after the initial experience, I keep going back to my Corvette to have BH fun in. I even prefer BHing in my armed trader Python over my FDL.

I only had a FAS early on, and at that time I had like three engineers unlocked. Maybe it's time to try her again, although I do prefer shield tanks over hull tanks.
 
I've had IIRC three FdL over time and it's like an on-off relationship. The current one has a shipkit and midnight paintjob, so I'll keep it, but the FAS is much closer to my heart tbh. Still got my first one and use it a lot.

O7,
[noob]
 
I figured that about the FDL with those shields. Funny enough I've gone in CZs with my Anaconda and I have gotten demolished. I truly think that it is because it is such a slow moving giant target that everyone and their their grandma's wants a piece of you. On the other hand I've actually done quite a lot of conflict zones with the FAS and only those I have attacked actually want to fight me. I not sure if the AI is designed to see one ship as a bigger threat than the other, but that has been my experience in those cases.

Enemy ships in a CZ will key in on the largest nearby target, assuming it to be the highest threat. If you're going in with a Big 3 ship, you better be ready to take a pounding.
 
Enemy ships in a CZ will key in on the largest nearby target, assuming it to be the highest threat. If you're going in with a Big 3 ship, you better be ready to take a pounding.

Yea, I've done CZs a few times with my 'vette and did OK. Last time was for about an hour. It's a NPC magnet though. :)
 
For me it's FDL all the way. More firepower, better shields, faster chase speed, and doesn't require me to dirty my hands working for the Feds. It's also a sexy looking beast, whereas the FAS looks like a brick you'd throw at someone's head. And as a loyal customer of Lakon Spaceways, trust me, I know a thing or two about bricks.
 
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Style - it all comes down to preference, but I love the look and sound of the FDL, it’s about the closest you can get to flying a Ferrari.

Hmm, forgot about the looks. The FDL is probably my favourite ship in the game in terms of looks. The FAS... well, bless it, it's no looker.

Yea, I've done CZs a few times with my 'vette and did OK. Last time was for about an hour. It's a NPC magnet though. :)

Yeah, I have found this in my Anaconda. I'm merrily melting enemy ships doing fine when all of a sudden I start getting lit up like a Christmas tree. The scanner awash with flashing triangles. I've had to high tail it out of there ASAP a couple of times now. Just a matter of not getting careless I guess. It's easy to get complacent in a big ship with huge shields.
 
Take the FdL ONLY if you can fully engineer it right away (at least Dirty drive level 5 and jump range level 5), if not then don't even think about it

And also if you like to travel, NEVER EVER do it inside a FdL you will become crazy


if you are willing to follow these two simple rules then you will love it
 
Take the FdL ONLY if you can fully engineer it right away (at least Dirty drive level 5 and jump range level 5), if not then don't even think about it

And also if you like to travel, NEVER EVER do it inside a FdL you will become crazy


if you are willing to follow these two simple rules then you will love it

Oh no, the FDL will be solely for combat. I usually fly around on my Dolphin and then have the combat ship transferred. I know about the horrible jump range. It doesn't really bother me too much, as my FAS has a horrible jump range too as well.
 
Just bought and a rated the fdl for the first time. Not engineered at all and found it a bit of a struggle to enjoy compared to the fas (also not engineered). I dont do that much combat so I'm by no means a great combat pilot but interesting to see other people having the same feelings I do. Think I'll shelve it until I can put a few mods on it.
 
Federal assault ship is really easy to fly effectively where the Fer de lance takes time to get used to how it flies, if you just bought it for the first time, you are going to have a hard time flying for the first two weeks depending how much time you have spent flying it


When I bought it for the first time, I struggled flying it, I got used to it and nothing can replace it. It's very flexible ship fly if you ask me

I've heard that the FDL doesn't pitch as well as the FAS, but if you are treating the FDL like that, you are not flying it to its potential.

In my opinion the FDL is funner to fly than the vulture
 
I have my pve FDL as a shield tank. It melts everything else and if the shields (prismatic) ever do go down, it's more than fast enough to "brave Sir Robin".
 
FAS is probably my favorite combat ship, and has been for years. Triple plasma at the bottom, corrosive MC at the top. Mod it to be as heavy as it gets. Now, find a small wanted ship like Eagle. Boost right into him. Just a split second before you ram them you shoot your PAs point blank = Insta boom :) Ship is so heavy and can be so fast it's ridiculous how good it is at ramming. It's a led sled :)
 
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