Imperial Courier speculations

Darth-Simba · Mar 9, 2015

This was always my go to ship in FE2 and FFE. I will be getting this when its out.

Lets discuss its possible hardpoints, cost etc.

I think similar loadout to the clipper and maybe 15-20 million credits.

Feldspar · Mar 9, 2015

You're kidding, right?

1) What would be the point? It would just be a second Imperial Clipper.
2) Cockpit shot shows it's much smaller.

I'm hoping for something fast with great range, not so great on the weapons front and not too much space for the internals. Price somewhere north of the Cobra, south of the Asp.

Poseidal · Mar 9, 2015

Assuming the Clipper is the new Trader, the Courier was smaller but faster in normal space. Since the Clipper is already so fast, it will hopefully get switched to the jump range.

My wish is for a centralised hard point(s). Not sure how likely that will be given the clipper.

The Courier was roughly 2/3 the 'size' of the Trader (in terms of payload and mass).

Von Shadow · Mar 9, 2015

I wouldn't mind if it was very similar in spec/price to the Asp .... having multiple options for ships isn't a bad thing .... i'd love an Imperial designed Asp-alike ... maybe a touch smaller but faster

bAdbUd · Mar 9, 2015

Looks the Hardpoints are along the side of the main fuselage in some of the images I've found.

Not that any of the current images can be trusted.

zenne01 · Mar 9, 2015

I played Elite 2 Frontier in the around '93 and the imperial courier was my most favored ship. But, i think in the old days, the imperial ones (trader and courier) had only one hardpoint. i was a big hardpoint but only one. i hope this time the courier will have some more. The retractable narcelles should be a must to land on medium platforms.

Poseidal · Mar 9, 2015

The Hardpoints in Frontier were kind of different. You could only ever have one 'forward facing' one; the others were rear, top and bottom turrets. You could only ever fire one at a time IIRC.

It could fit the 20MW beam laser, which was enough to melt basically anything worth melting.

Quineloe · Mar 9, 2015

bAdbUd said:
Looks the Hardpoints are along the side of the main fuselage in some of the images I've found.

Not that any of the current images can be trusted.

If that's two large hardpoints, we're too similar to the Vulture already.

Poseidal · Mar 9, 2015

I think it is just this one: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=25874

D8ncer · Mar 9, 2015

Interested in jump range for exploring. If it could do more than an Asp such as 40-50Ly, would be great.

Whiterose · Mar 9, 2015

D8ncer said:
Interested in jump range for exploring. If it could do more than an Asp such as 40-50Ly, would be great.

I concur. Maxxed out for jumping, small cargo space, limited weaponry, but good shields and fast in system.

knowles2 · Mar 9, 2015

It should fast, agile and very long range FSD,

to compensate it fuel tank should be small, no more than 8 tonnes, more like 4 tonnes. weak armour and Shields.
Plenty of utility slots for shields, ECM, chaff
Powerplant should be in the middle range.

This thing should be able to outrun anything in the game, it should be slippery and hard to hit but when you do it hit, it should cause a tonne of damage to the ship.

Poseidal · Mar 9, 2015

I don't think it will be going beyond the Asp (I don't think any ship will be significantly more than what the Asp or Anaconda can do), but similar or near would be good enough for me.

InMemoriamSirocco · Mar 9, 2015

The Courier is and has always been a combat oriented ship with a low to medium jump range. 15-25 ly.

It is not and will probably never be an exploration vessel.

It is a medium sized ship with very good weaponry, decent cargo size and as fast and maneuverable as a heavy fighter.

Imperial Courier on Elite Dangerous Wiki

Imperial Courier from FFE on Alioth Wiki

Poseidal · Mar 9, 2015

Unless the size is really wacky (or it is actually Cobra sized), I expect it to be longer or shorter ranged than the Clipper solely due to the limitations of Class 4 and 5 FSDs.

Zhanny · Mar 9, 2015

COURIER! Best jump range ingame, 40-50 (layden) ly, 1 hardpoint either medium/large, max 50 cargo slots.

ciger · Mar 9, 2015

cool ship but wonder what use it will have, running info from A to B for 500cr?

Mephane · Mar 9, 2015

bAdbUd said:
Looks the Hardpoints are along the side of the main fuselage in some of the images I've found.

Not that any of the current images can be trusted.

View attachment 19469

That is just a fanmade model, not something Frontier made.

Poseidal said:
I think it is just this one: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=25874

Regarding the original image:

The Courier will most certainly be quite different to that one, the cockpit alone is of a completely new kind, more like a bigger and rounder Eagle cockpit. I think that concept art was eventually turned into the Clipper (it also didn't look that great to be honest).

Zap T. Rowsdower · Mar 9, 2015

Darth-Simba said:
I think similar loadout to the clipper and maybe 15-20 million credits.

There is no point in having a second clipper with the same factional limitations. It would make more sense if the courrier was the imperial answer to the python and in a 60-70 million range. Maybe with slightly less weapon but a slightly better fsd range and a slightly better maneuverability than a python. And probably only using large pad.

Serpentis Ictis · Mar 9, 2015

Im hoping its going to be the clippers little brother. Apporox 10mil, but that buys you a great range with speedband agility. Smaller cargo hold, 3 x class 2 mounts, wouldnt want to use it as a first strike fighter, but could pack a decent punch when interdicted carrying imperial despatches...

I also reckon it will be rank limited and released at the same time as the Fed corvette...