LF Help with power optimization on the Fer De Lance...

[n13L5]

I suppose the FDL is a clear upgrade to the Vulture, where an extra ~20% power just happen to cost another 500% of the money.

Fine by me, as I appreciate voluntary money sinks over those other ones that come without any well lubed Fur De Lance.


ED Shipyard Link

Spoiler

[Fer-de-Lance]

H: 4B/G Cannon
M: 2D/G Beam Laser
M: 2D/G Beam Laser
M: 2D/G Beam Laser
M: 2D/G Beam Laser
U: 0C Kill Warrant Scanner
U: 0I Chaff Launcher
U: 0E Shield Booster
U: 0E Shield Booster
U: 0E Shield Booster
U: 0E Shield Booster

BH: 1I Lightweight Alloy
RB: 5A Power Plant
TM: 5D Thrusters
FH: 4A Frame Shift Drive
EC: 4D Life Support
PC: 6A Power Distributor
SS: 4A Sensors
FS: 3C Fuel Tank (Capacity: 8)

5: 5A Shield Generator
4: 4A Shield Cell Bank
4: 4A Shield Cell Bank
2: 2A Fuel Scoop
1: 1A Shield Cell Bank
---
Shield: 551.11 MJ
Power : 13.80 MW retracted (68%)
20.03 MW deployed (98%)
20.40 MW available
Cargo : 0 T
Fuel : 8 T
Mass : 409.9 T empty
417.9 T full
Range : 13.86 LY unladen
13.86 LY laden
Price : 75,959,797 CR

Fitting it isn't that much more than fitting a Vulture and you also run out of power long before installing all A grades stuff, but seemingly a little less soon.

Well, I read a bunch of things on fitting the FDL, including all the different opinions on what's best. So this is what I came up with, according to what sounded plausible to me and personal preferences like A grade sensors over better shield boosters for example.

The second and third SCB will be turned off, as well as scoop and cargo hatch, natch...

Installing a worse FSD didn't seem to make a critical difference for me as it did on the Vulture...

Oh and its a pure PvE setup.


Any advice would be appreciated, including what I should install into the huge hard point if I'm going somewhere I don't want to have to keep docking to get more ammo.



I must say, I rather like the cockpit. My favorite, (even with dirty carpet) followed closely by the Vulture's cockpit

(not my screenshot, I'd keep that carpet clean. Looks like chewing gum or worse, maybe its just that much fun to fly)

 

[Synther]

Quad beams will melt the FDL. I would try dual beams and dual pulse first.

 

[Alex Brentnall]

A rather different build:
Turn off all cell banks except one, FSD, fuel scoop and cargo hatch
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=70O,7RL5Rr5Rr5Rr5Rr3we01Q0_g0_g0_g0-8,2-7_8S6Q6u9Y6Q5A,7Sk7gy7gy4xo7cG

Swapped beams for pulses, lowered KWS to D grade, upped shield boosters mostly to A grade.
Shield cell banks at B grade give more charges and more shield restore overall but at a weight penalty, up to you on that one but I prefer the B class.

This build is probably more pvp and CZ orientated so you could swap the A grade boosters for a longer kill warrant scanner range or A grade thrusters. Up to you and what you prefer really. Im also a little tempted to change the D grade shield booster for a second chaff...

FSD should be off during combat anyway so it really doesn't matter

 

[n13L5]

A rather different build:
Turn off all cell banks except one, FSD, fuel scoop and cargo hatch
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=70O,7RL5Rr5Rr5Rr5Rr3we01Q0_g0_g0_g0-8,2-7_8S6Q6u9Y6Q5A,7Sk7gy7gy4xo7cG

Swapped beams for pulses, lowered KWS to D grade, upped shield boosters mostly to A grade.
Shield cell banks at B grade give more charges and more shield restore overall but at a weight penalty, up to you on that one but I prefer the B class.

This build is probably more pvp and CZ orientated so you could swap the A grade boosters for a longer kill warrant scanner range or A grade thrusters. Up to you and what you prefer really. Im also a little tempted to change the D grade shield booster for a second chaff...

FSD should be off during combat anyway so it really doesn't matter

Thanks a lot! I never considered turning off the FSD, as you kinda need it to jump out if you get in over your head, but I guess you have to retract weapons anyways at that point... I guess you can instantly use it as soon as its turned back on.

Good advice on the B rated Shield Cells, If I drop from 14LY to 13LY jump range, that's still ok to make your way to most places.

I also forgot to mention, that I was looking to change the gimbaled cannon to a fixed cannon, since I was planning to reserve the ammo for Condas and such anyway.

 

[nighthawk71]

Hmm, while we're on the topic of shutting down modules, a curiosity I've had all day today. Does the ship use any of the available free power from shutting down modules?
Like, for instance, having 87% power being used while hardpoints are deployed. Is that spare 13% being used for anything?

 

[n13L5]

Quad beams will melt the FDL. I would try dual beams and dual pulse first.

But, but! I saw such a great beauty shot with 5 beams on an FDL

Since I don't have it yet, I don't know the heat characteristics... Is that its Achilles heel?

- - - Updated - - -

Hmm, while we're on the topic of shutting down modules, a curiosity I've had all day today. Does the ship use any of the available free power from shutting down modules?
Like, for instance, having 87% power being used while hardpoints are deployed. Is that spare 13% being used for anything?

AFAIK no. Your power plant might produce less heat, which would make sense but I have not though about testing that yet, nor do I have any idea how you'd best test that. I guess you'd need a ship with really poor heat handling (like a T7) and then see how high heat goes on a regular jump, as you alter the power plant's load?

 

[Cmdr Lassan]

Hmm, while we're on the topic of shutting down modules, a curiosity I've had all day today. Does the ship use any of the available free power from shutting down modules?
Like, for instance, having 87% power being used while hardpoints are deployed. Is that spare 13% being used for anything?

No, it's on/off. There's no difference in power quality. Either you have enough energy to power modules or not. The spare energy is just there.

 

[Alex Brentnall]

Hmm, while we're on the topic of shutting down modules, a curiosity I've had all day today. Does the ship use any of the available free power from shutting down modules?
Like, for instance, having 87% power being used while hardpoints are deployed. Is that spare 13% being used for anything?

No its not used. You are either under 100% power usage and ok, or you are above 100% power usage and not ok.
You can however build a ship as the builds above show that have above 100% power usage when weapons are deployed. Its just a case of disabling non-combat modules to allow you to deploy and use the weapons without going over 100% power.

Edit: ninja'd

 

[nighthawk71]

Ah, thanks for the response!

 

[n13L5]

A rather different build:
Turn off all cell banks except one, FSD, fuel scoop and cargo hatch
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=70O,7RL5Rr5Rr5Rr5Rr3we01Q0_g0_g0_g0-8,2-7_8S6Q6u9Y6Q5A,7Sk7gy7gy4xo7cG

Swapped beams for pulses, lowered KWS to D grade, upped shield boosters mostly to A grade.
Shield cell banks at B grade give more charges and more shield restore overall but at a weight penalty, up to you on that one but I prefer the B class.

This build is probably more pvp and CZ orientated so you could swap the A grade boosters for a longer kill warrant scanner range or A grade thrusters. Up to you and what you prefer really. Im also a little tempted to change the D grade shield booster for a second chaff...

FSD should be off during combat anyway so it really doesn't matter

Second chaff sounds good, on my Vulture, I use one till its empty, then I turn it off and the other one on.

Your fitting with the second chaff and FSD off allows me to install C rated thrusters and A-rated life support (not sure how important life support is on an FDL)

 

[Alex Brentnall]

Second chaff sounds good, on my Vulture, I use one till its empty, then I turn it off and the other one on.

Your fitting with the second chaff and FSD off allows me to install C rated thrusters and A-rated life support (not sure how important life support is on an FDL)

If you are using the key binding for chaff you don't need to manually turn them on and off. Unlike shield cell banks the chaff will fire sequentially and if done right can give you eternal chaff...
Personally I always D rate my life with exception of Python and Clipper where the power available is more than I can use I prefer to run if I loose canopy than continue to fight and am almost always within 7.5 minutes of a station.

Be aware if you take powerplant damage it will lower the power output so if you are on the fringes of power (as I usually am) this will lead to more and more modules going offline.

 

[Cmdr Lassan]

I've been thinking about the spare energy though. That does not apply too many because for most of us power managment is tight. But how, for smugglers and combat pilots would it be if you shut the spare energy down and produce significantly less heat, so perhaps enhanced scanning time. Gimball accuracy or heat resistence. That would offer many new possibilities. We have to give smugglers some love