Foxtrot Uniform Niner Reporting In

[fu9ar]

I'm a novice explorer, a simple Trailblazer with only a handful of new discoveries to his name, heading out into the black and I don't know when I'll be back. I'll bump this thread with any notable accomplishments and/or ignoble debacles along the way. I am going to endeavor to end every session with a planetary landing.

Of course, my first planetary landing was a disaster and I took 18% hull damage. I hit that rock like... a rock. Maybe I shouldn't have drank that whole bottle of Centauri Mega Gin to celebrate my journey.[haha]

 

[Satsuma]

Welcome to the exploration side of things!

I do the same thing, typically landing before logging out, too. I like to give my helmet-headed alter ego something nice to look at. In any case, do you have any idea where you want to go, or are you just going to let your fancy draw you onwards?

 

[fu9ar]

I do have a vague plan, but it is a secret space plan.

This morning, with the clarity that only a Centauri Mega hangover can bring...



I decided to pop back to the nearest station to repair and refit a bit for extended range. The charm of the Diamondback is that it only has 5 slots, so sacrifices have to be made. I could afford an A rated Asp at this point, but I like this ship. On my first trip out, I ran into an unknown artefact (or unknown probe, I don't remember exactly, but it was something unknown) and I vowed to never be caught in deep space without some room for cargo, but I decided overnight that I was going to leave provoking the Thargoids up to the Canonn scientists and stick to sight seeing and system surveys. I'm also going to go without shields. I'll have to be extra careful with planetary landings, but that's a big part of this exercise. So, dropping shields and cargo space for an AFMU and a Couple Scarabs is going to generally allow for limitless deep space repairs and allow me to prospect for jumponium premium blend as long as I take the time planetside to keep my material reserves up. He ain't fit for maximum jump range, so I have quite a bit more hull on him than I might otherwise. If I had more patience, it might not be a bad idea to let Selene do a bit of work on my baby to boost the hull a bit more before I went out, but I don't feel like mining any more right now. Itchy feet runs in my family, and when it's time to go, it's time to go. I went ahead and sold off the bit of exploration data I had collected last night at the station as well, which kicked me up to Pathfinder rank.

 

[Jon474]

Welcome to Exploration, Cmdr.

Instead of the DBX or an Asp, find yourself a Type-6 (or a Keelback, if you must)! She's a fine ship.

Loads of slots, loads of possibilities.

The Galaxy can be at your beck and call from the bridge of a Lakon Type-6 Explorer.

Fly safe, Cmdr
Jon "Cold" Tallinn
T-6E

 

[fu9ar]

I explored (heh) those options and have played around with both the T6 and Keelback. I have a Keelback that seems to make a nice mining ship. However, for moving distances, the Diamondback has a default of twice the fuel with the class 5 fuel tank and uses it more efficiently for an economic jump route with the class 5 FSD, has a bit better speed and maneuverability and has more hull and a nice hardpoint loadout. Also, it runs noticeably cooler than any other ship I've tried and has a bit smaller of a silhouette. I've made my choice there.

After doing a bit of reading up this afternoon, I guess I can't even repair my hull with an AMFU... so I guess a shield will be a better choice.

 

[Chrystoph]

So, dropping shields and cargo space for an AFMU and a Couple Scarabs is going to generally allow for limitless deep space repairs and allow me to prospect for jumponium premium blend as long as I take the time planetside to keep my material reserves up.

Just a possible warning, hull and engine cannot be AFMU repaired.

D'oh, ninja'd by the OP...

 

[fu9ar]

I found another bottle of gin stashed behind a console. I must have hidden it from myself sometime while blacked out. Those Centaurins really know how to make a beverage! I decided to hop over to my friend Elvira and see if she wanted to drink some while we did some work on the shields that I installed before I headed out. We enjoyed ourselves so much that she decided to introduce me to a couple of her friends. She has quite an operation going on at Long Sight Base. If the gravity on that world was a little less, I would have been able to jump on top of one of the domes with my SRV. I tried, but that probably would have tweaked Elvira off, so in retrospect, I'm glad it didn't work.

I'll see you on the flipside, Elvira!



Then, I headed over to the first place that I wanted to visit on my journey. I figured, since I delivered so many tons of equipment to help them build this new research base, I should head over to the California Nebula and check it out. Where are these barnacles again? Oi! I'll take a look for them in the morning. I still have a pint of gin left. It goes a long way. Those Centaurins!

 

[Jaiotu]

I should head over to the California Nebula and check it out.

If you do head that direction maybe you could meet up with the Cassiopeia Project. We'll be departing next Saturday and will be heading in that "general" direction. Good luck out there!

 

[fu9ar]

Sorry, I don't hold much stock for you Federation types.

 

[Jon474]

Sorry, I don't hold much stock for you Federation types.

Then, may I offer my sincere hope that your trip is trouble-free and that at no stage will you require support, advice or even rescue, by any of us Federation-types!

Flying happy
Jon
An Explorer for the Federation

 

[fu9ar]

See buddy, that's the problem with you Federal types right there. You require submission and allegiance to offer support, advice and rescue.

 

[Kenneth McGrew]

The DBx is a fine ship, it's needs a shield though I have long battled with "where do I put the afmu" question but alas i still don't have an answer, after many '000 lys you learn to fly a little more delicately

 

[fu9ar]

Exactly. I don't ever take any heat damage from scooping any more. Last night, I bound full stop to the left tinybutton on my 360 controller (it was "show CQC scoreboard") so if I'm jumping into the well of one of the dangerous star types, I'll be just fine. I'd never used an AFMU before, so I didn't realize that they were so limited.

 

[Satsuma]

See buddy, that's the problem with you Federal types right there. You require submission and allegiance to offer support, advice and rescue.

See, that's exactly why my allegiance is owed to no one but myself, my crew, and my ship.

 

[Cmdr Frawd Digger]

I'm a novice explorer, a simple Trailblazer with only a handful of new discoveries to his name, heading out into the black and I don't know when I'll be back. I'll bump this thread with any notable accomplishments and/or ignoble debacles along the way. I am going to endeavor to end every session with a planetary landing.

Of course, my first planetary landing was a disaster and I took 18% hull damage. I hit that rock like... a rock. Maybe I shouldn't have drank that whole bottle of Centauri Mega Gin to celebrate my journey.[haha]

View attachment 112812

Good luck on your journey...hopefully you find some fascinating alien artefacts and ruins (and eventually aliens). Exploration is awesome!!

Frawd

 

[Duckfat]

see if she wanted to drink some while we did some work on the shields. If the gravity on that world was a little less, I would have been able to jump on top of one of the domes with my SRV.

Are those euphemisms?

 

[fu9ar]

Not intentionally, but I did delete the bit about driving my SRV up her back door.

 

[fu9ar]

I took my SRV out for a quick little spin tonight, looking for some barnacles. I didn't find any, but I found a crashed Empire probe, a couple new materials that I hadn't seen before, and a Class 1 gas giant that was eclipsing the star in the system.

 

[Cmdr Frawd Digger]

My first exploration ship was a banana yellow DBE called the Astrolabe (she is in dry-dock at Mars High currently).

And yes, part of her 'charm' was the limited slots in which to put stuff

But that was also way back in 1.5 so I could probably do more with her now after a bit of "engineering"

Frawd

 

[Duckfat]

Never tried the DBX. Too 'charming' for me.

In an ASPX you can turn a couple of cargo holds into luxury living quarters and bar and pooltable areas. It's the only way to fly man!