I like the FDL, but I'm not sure why

[Katkon]

I traded in my Clipper for a FDL today. The Clipper is faster and feels more agile, and is more versatile overall. The FDL doesn't seem to maneuver as well - even with maxed out thrusters - carries a lot less cargo, has a much shorter jump range but can land on outposts. Theoretically, the FDL has more firepower, but I'm not sure it makes much difference in the "real world". The FDL is certainly not as stylish as a Clipper - the Clipper is sleek inside and out. And the offset seating position in the FDL is a bit odd, but something you can get used to relatively easily. It's nowhere near as good a view as the Clipper, of course. And in the sound department.... most would argue the Clipper sounds cooler.

So it's very odd that I quite like the FDL. I may go back to the Clipper eventually, but it's not a bad ship. Does seem a tad overpriced, though. Either that or the Clipper is an absolute bargain. I really do wish the FDL didn't look like a squashed Adder, though - wish it looked sleeker.

Anyone else made the switch to a FDL from a Clipper? Anyone use a FDL as their main ship? I don't see many out there. Have only ever seen 1 player fly one in the wild. Yes - just 1!

 

[Raf von Thorn]

Yup, I love my FDL. i dont know, maybe its the huge cannon? Uh-oh, the upper hardpoint placement is just godly. Shields are better than Clippers, too...

I like Clipper, but FDL is just the thing for me:

[video=youtube;dBGplNaIXK4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBGplNaIXK4[/video]

 

[Eonsu]

I have an FDL as my main combat fighter, even though im flying a conda.
I too love the FDL and cannot put a reason to it. I even bought a skin pack for it, looks very sleek in black.
Mostly a spec, with two pulse and two beam gimbled lasers. and the class 4 PA.. but honestly the PA is mainly for showing off, I couldnt hit the broad side of an asteroid if my life depended on it

If you want to see it, I posted pics into the FDL owners thread in the ships section

 

[Scudmungus]

T9, on mi way to Conda -- FDL next on mi list.

Dat ting be like a Ferrari Dagger.

Fast an pointy.

 

[Night Hawk]

Thats an FDL in ist natural environment - large cannon against large ships, probably what it was designed for IMO.

I usually swap between my FDL and Vulture depending on missions, FDL for CZ and contract missions and Vulture for RES.

I think its a really cool ship to fly, its like "to hell with the jump range I am just the meanest mother around".

I actually like the look of the ship, the 2 vertical stabilisers look like devils horns and it does have that luxury up-market look to the interior.

Its also fun to cruise up behind other CMDR's in smaller ships to see how long it takes them to jump - it does make other CMDR's nervous

A CMDR in an FDL was the first and only CMDR (so far) to kill me in PvP - he interdicted my Cobra and I tried to run and got toasted. After that episode I decided that the FDL would be on my shopping list one day.

I really liked your HUD colour, it goes well with the FDL interior - can I please have the settings if thats OK.

I have seen a few FDL's with human pilots around and since 1.3 I have seen them in use as System Authority ships.

 

[sqzbox1]

I would have thought the Vulture would be better in a CZ than the FDL? I guess the speed would be good for getting away when things have gone south, but the agility of the Vulture surely would be what is important in both CZ and RES - I would have thought. A beam and a cannon on the Vulture is deadly. FDL for missions such as assassinations or BH would have been my pick since these are limited to a particular ship or ships and speed would be important. Why do you like the FDL for CZ?

 

[Chaodiurn]

Perhaps because it looks like a flight direction locator: FDL.

 

[Katkon]

I would have thought the Vulture would be better in a CZ than the FDL? I guess the speed would be good for getting away when things have gone south, but the agility of the Vulture surely would be what is important in both CZ and RES - I would have thought. A beam and a cannon on the Vulture is deadly. FDL for missions such as assassinations or BH would have been my pick since these are limited to a particular ship or ships and speed would be important. Why do you like the FDL for CZ?

I'd say the Vulture is superior at combat, especially against small and medium-sized targets. It's so incredibly agile. In fact, it's so good that it's downright boring. The FDL is more challenging to fly, and hence more fun - at least in my experience.

 

[GJ51]

I'd say the Vulture is superior at combat, especially against small and medium-sized targets. It's so incredibly agile. In fact, it's so good that it's downright boring. The FDL is more challenging to fly, and hence more fun - at least in my experience.

Pretty much ^^ It's fun to fly and looks good doing it. I wing up with another FDL CMDR from time to time and we go SSS hunting. 2 winged knocks out just about any SSS without much anxiety. Once in a while you get one that's a bit of a challenge, but not too often. Tough and tanky, but it does take some practice to learn how to use the class 4 hard point. 3 to SYS and 3 to WEP will pretty much last all day and you'll still be fast and agile.

 

[Alexios Komnenos]

For PvP, a FDL is vastly superior, as you get to dictate the engagement with the higher top speed. It is impossible for you to lose to a vulture, and chances are you will win the fight and kill him/her too. For PvE, any ship works really, I would probably hand it over to a combat Python or Anaconda.

 

[n13L5]

Maybe cause the FDL's cockpit is my favorite, even over the Vulture, which I also love.

Also, I think you're asking the wrong question: "as your main ship". I don't have a main ship and I don't want a main ship. I want different ships for different purposes:
Conda I find beyond awesome for trading and exploration
Python is great for reputation grinding and, of course combat in general
Vulture is great for hunting down mission targets. FDL is kinda the same - just 20% more power for 500% more money
Hauler is great as a quick taxi to anywhere and near to medium range exploration (you *could* go anywhere with it)
Cobra is great to put the onion head paint job on and use it for small local hauling jobs (you might really just use the Python for that, but maybe your Python is parked elsewhere)
ASP is kind a cool, but I only keep one cause I have too many paint jobs for it not to keep one.

The Clipper may have that giant window without struts, but the instrument pods are a bit gaudy for my taste, but they do have nothing disturbing readability, which is a big plus. But the whole "business-jet-turned-space-trimaran" just doesn't cut it for me design wise. I'm not in love with the weird detailing either, like what's that supposed to be in the hull, muscles? Tendons? And the hatchback rear end I find downright ugly. The weapons so far apart, I don't like either. The maneuverability and speed is great though. Still, I don't need or want cargo space on my combat ship, so I stick to Vulture and FDL.

The FDL Hull may not be the greatest thing you've *ever* seen, but its a pretty decent image of an expensive space yacht and lacks obnoxious design elements. Well, the shape of the engine pods kinda bites the rest of the design a little, but again not to the point of being an eye sore. The paint job is a bit cut-up, but not a critical issue either, the more so, that we will mostly just see its pretty cool cockpit.

 

[Pcolapat]

I was in my clipper, camping a navpoint when two FDLs decided they wanted to have a go at me. It took them ten minutes to actually interdict me because I kept facing them. Finally after they figured out some team work they got the interdiction on me. Then I boosted away from them and jumped to supercruise. Speed is life. lulz.

 

[Mal604]

FDL's got a huge cannon that is always happy to see you

I have FDL and Vulture, and currently fly in combat zone. Vulture puts out more DPS with dual gimbaled pulse lasers, but it feel sterile and boring. Just pitch and pew.

On FDL, I got two beams on the side, and three cannons in the middle (I like cannons), and even those are harder to hit with, they allow more pips to the shields, and are more satisfying to shoot. I also can carry 16 tons of cargo in FDL, which is nice. Speed advantage is great too.

Overall, I prefer the feel of FDL over Vulture, even though it is harder to fly.

As for Clipper, I remember flying trading Clipper with Large Canoons in RES, that was fun. But that was before AI buffs.

 

[GriM_AoD]

Sold your clipper? boooo

 

[Cryptex]

Really enjoying the FDL myself. Its a fairly interesting ship. Plenty of weapon arrangement choices, decent power capacity, efficient at killing things, and shields like a tank. When I first upgraded from a clipper, I jumped in the seat of a Python. I was realllllyyy turned off by its complete lack of speed or maneuverability. The FDL and python are listed as the same, but honestly.. the FDL moves like a lanky Viper, whereas the Python moves like a T6. The costs to upgrade are also completely different. You can A rank a FDL for 60-70 mil (including cost of the ship and not including hull plating). The cost to upgrade the Python is waaay more. I also find it way more fun to fly an FDL than a Python. Of course, I loved my Clipper too. If there was one ship I would go back and buy, even despite not needing it for anything, it would certainly be the Clipper. The only problem I ever had with the Clipper were its shields. Even with Shield cells.. you just can't stay in combat as long as you'd like to.

 

[PhazonAran]

For PvE, any ship works really, I would probably hand it over to a combat Python or Anaconda.

Well I wouldn't. The Python and the Anaconda may have more firepower but flying space bricks can get a bit tedious. The FdL got awesome sound, very good weapons and godlike speed for its size. The only drawback is its jump range but eh, I can live with that

 

[Poseidal]

Feel free to drop a post in the owners' club! (link in my sig).

The Clipper and FdL are my favourite ships in the game so far. The Fer-de-Lance took some flying before I warmed to her, while the Clipper was great from the get-go, but I think I've spent most of my time in inhabited space in these two now.