Lakon Keelback?

What do you think? It is different enough from the Panther Clipper art we have seen so I am curious if it is the Keelback.

da4421f4bb6faec7319babb829b82027.jpg

Panther Clipper concept art.

PantherClipper_ConceptArt_000.jpg
 
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Lakon do make haulers. Keelback doesn't exactly scream "fighter" or "explorer" to me. That looks a bit like a Panther Clipper but maybe not quite.

Yup, that's the Keelback. Fact.
 
The Panther Clipper in First Encounters:

s-panth.gif



Those would point downwards when landing on the planets and then would "come together" once in the air to be one long thruster on either side.

[video=youtube;HpvuWNb0K3M]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpvuWNb0K3M[/video]

Whether or not this is changed for ED, I don't know. But it certainly suggests the concept image above is a Panther and not a Keelback. Perhaps the original "clipper" concept art is now the "keelback"?

306
 
The Panther Clipper in First Encounters:

http://www.jades.org/pixhost/s-panth.gif


Those would point downwards when landing on the planets and then would "come together" once in the air to be one long thruster on either side.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpvuWNb0K3M

Whether or not this is changed for ED, I don't know. But it certainly suggests the concept image above is a Panther and not a Keelback. Perhaps the original "clipper" concept art is now the "keelback"?

http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net...est/scale-to-width-down/306?cb=20140427061220

Could be. Though the front ends of both ships are much different from each other. I would also like to point out that the ship that is landing has the landing thrusters off set a bit. The rear two seem wider than the front where the clipper concept art would(if it followed older PC designs) would be on the same plane.
 
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Unless the Panther Clipper has changed since the original concept art image (which is very possible), that's not it. Look at the side of the fuselage to the rear of the side thruster pods - it's completely different in the Horizons shot and in the concept art. It's possible the pods expand/rotate to match the difference there, but I don't think the fuselage does!
 
The good news is that we are looking like some where close to 40 ish ships by the end of Horizons if not more on top of a few SRVs.
 
I think the Panther Clipper will be season 2 Material, with the additional whistles and bells associated with it, same as the Beluga.

And I think the Panther Clipper is slated to be a Zee Pee Gee ship
 
I think they said the rate at which ships will be added is likely to slow during Horizons, if we get up to 40 I'd be happy. Though I'd love a load of SRVs (and/or Skimmers)!
 
Lakon do make haulers. Keelback doesn't exactly scream "fighter" or "explorer" to me. That looks a bit like a Panther Clipper but maybe not quite.

Yup, that's the Keelback. Fact.

Well they do tend to reserve snake names for the multirole/combat ships. I am guessing that its going to be like the Federal Gunship, but without the rank requirement ;)


But maybe they'll break with tradition? We don't really need more trade ships in open space, but maybe the Keelback will have a special role? Perhaps as a large/med trading ship that would still have decent maneuverability during planetary landings?? And also maybe pack a punch?
 
Greetings

Does no one want to see a ship with gun turrets you climb into like Millenium Falcon?

I remember the Panther Clipper had turrets you could control.
 
Well they do tend to reserve snake names for the multirole/combat ships. I am guessing that its going to be like the Federal Gunship, but without the rank requirement ;)


But maybe they'll break with tradition? We don't really need more trade ships in open space, but maybe the Keelback will have a special role? Perhaps as a large/med trading ship that would still have decent maneuverability during planetary landings?? And also maybe pack a punch?

I said Fact. No argsies after someone drops the F word.

But who knows. It's funny how Lakon have both the freighter and explorer market locked down. (Monopoly anyone?). It'd be nice to see competition across manufacturers, if it leads to different design styles.

We do know there are big haulers coming in Horizons, so perhaps that indicates we're not likely to get any in Ships. I'm really sure what gaps there are in the lineup. Small, high-end ship - how would you balance it? A dedicated explorer with minimal internal expansion/cargo? Maybe. Conda equivalent - Already coming (Corvette/Cutter).

p.s. I still don't know what the ship in the Horizons image is. It doesn't match the shots we have of the Panther, so either that has changed, or it's another big hauler with vectoring nacelles/nozzles.
 
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We don't really need more trade ships in open space, but ...

We don't? There seems to be a massive hole between the T6 and T9, which the absolutely inadequate T7 does not fill at all.

A fairly maneuverable cargo vessels with about 250 T capacity while still having a bit more than paper defences, decent jump range around 18y loaded and with outpost landing capacity would make quite a few people happy I would guess. Give it just 2 hardpoints.
 
We don't? There seems to be a massive hole between the T6 and T9, which the absolutely inadequate T7 does not fill at all.

A fairly maneuverable cargo vessels with about 250 T capacity while still having a bit more than paper defences, decent jump range around 18y loaded and with outpost landing capacity would make quite a few people happy I would guess. Give it just 2 hardpoints.

+1. We could use a few light freighters too ( equivalent to the millennium falcon), a more manuverable vessel with less cargo geared towards those who want to get in and out as quick as possible ( smugglers, hint hint nudge nudge).
 
We don't? There seems to be a massive hole between the T6 and T9, which the absolutely inadequate T7 does not fill at all.

A fairly maneuverable cargo vessels with about 250 T capacity while still having a bit more than paper defences, decent jump range around 18y loaded and with outpost landing capacity would make quite a few people happy I would guess. Give it just 2 hardpoints.

I don't know about you but I find the terms "fairly maneuverable" and "cargo vessel" mutually exclusive, however, ignoring hard points, you've just described a Python.
 
Why couldn't they just add the Clipper now? It would fit with the other big ships-- especially as the Type-9 will probably now be obsolete.
 
I don't know about you but I find the terms "fairly maneuverable" and "cargo vessel" mutually exclusive, however, ignoring hard points, you've just described a Python.

A manœuvrable and fairly fast trader would be (similar to a Vulture optimized for combat) maxed for its special role: trade in dangerous areas.
Now I am no expert in ship balance, but perhaps take away some cargo to make room for the better thrusters.

So no, not the Phyton, which is rather a slow tank and killing machine which can be abused for trading and is way more expensive than what the T6-T9 step would need.

Fast and fairly nimble with almost no combat capability, good jump range. This would be the supply ship for the remote outposts popping up now and may even go exploration deep to bring home some of the stuff people might find while landing on planets out there.

But hey, I am just an amateur ship designer talking up smoke here...
 
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