Ships Long Range Core Mining Cutter (Now I can bask in imperial glory as I mine and explore!)

[photomankc]

Any other Cutter core miners out there?

So I finally got the 'Duke' rank after about 2 months running missions for the new squadron and a few boosts from running rescues and AXCZ missions in Witch Head. I can't help it, this dang ship just speaks to me and I was determined to make a build I could live with. Unfortunately the Cutter is not made of just pure joy. Two issues really hurt this build and means you probably really only do this because you want to, not because it's the better option.

1.) The additional military locked slot and the loss of a slot over the Anaconda means I can't have all the exploration toys AND the full cargo space.

2.) No matter how you optimize for jump range it can't match the magic hull of the Anaconda although the Anaconda is more weight sensitive than the Cutter.

With those limitations accepted I drew up this as a pretty nice ship to go exploring and mining in. For those that haven't heard my style, I prefer to go out and look for undiscovered systems and prospect them for mining. In Colonia I'd shoot for 1000 to 1500ly out with some neutron hopping to shorten the run. I had a number of white dwarf systems I loved core mining in (dark and the PWA shows up clearly). Back in the bubble I shoot for 750 to 1000ly out and look for systems off the beaten track. I have discovered a few that were not discovered or mapped before and have hotspots of top-dollar material. So a few things are requirements to me in that role:

• Fuel Scoop
• FSD Booster 9 or 10ly
• SRV bay
• DSS

With the number of slots available that means one of those items has to be given up to carry any tonnage above 256T meaning I have to stick to short runs to bring in the high tonnage. Still 256T is a good haul and mining at greater than 500ly distance can be done without concern for pirate harassment and you can do it at your leisure in between other activities which I really like. One other often cited issue is the drift, and dang do they ever drift at full throttle. I was not sure if the thing could dance around the rocks well enough for setting the charges. But given the Anaconda was no ballerina and it worked fine, I suspected the Cutter would to. It took me all of 2 rocks to get the feel for it. Go easy on the throttle and think about where you are and where you are needing to be and I can place charges with more time to spare than I care to wait. Putting the abrasion blaster to work is pretty easy too really. Yes, it handles like a HUGE ship but I kind of like that and I really like the engine sounds compared to the Anaconda that sounds like lathe chatter when accelerating.

So after taking it out on a test run I'd say that It is working for me and by seeking out discounts and selling off the Anaconda and any modules that couldn't be re-used it's cost me about 100M. The insurance value is 315M and the rebuy is only 15M. Less than my Anaconda which was built in Colonia at full price. I have to admit to a bit of joy in basking right now too, I just like looking at it. To me it's the best looking ship in the game. The Orca is my other favorite for looks.

Build:

EDSY

EDSY is a ship outfitting tool for Elite Dangerous

is.gd

It is geared towards lowering weight without seriously compromising the speed/defence/offence of the ship. I'd not feel too uncomfortable running in open with it. Enough shield to run from a tough opponent and firepower to fight off NPC pirates.


My take on Pros / Cons:

• Class 8 fuel scoop - It's glorious, full before I can round the star.
• About 300MJ of shield over my Anaconda which was running low on power with just the 6A
• Speed - Hunting for cores is much better at 288m/s or 460 when boosting.
• Unobstructed view up front - Forgot how much I hated that view in the Anaconda.
• Supercruise turning is a little less painful than the Anaconda

• Drift. It IS harder to maneuver but not nearly impossible.
• Seems to be easier to overheat
• M hardpoint placement - The wing mounts lasers so far back that they have almost no range left. I think mining lances would solve this.
• One less L hardpoint so less punch than the Anaconda had with the same loadout of mining tools.
• Fewer slots so no room for extras like an AFMU which limits neutron jumps to 20/25 or so.
• Lower jump range, even with steps to lower weight you can't go as far per jump as a 'Conda.

 

[Rick6549]

 

[photomankc]

- Don’t say it!!!!!

 

[VoluptaBox]

Mining in a Cutter, in open, is an amazing experience. I have mine setup only for laser mining though, so I have better shields and guns, but slightly less jump range (37.37 laden) and a 6A fuel scoop, which is plenty. I also like to venture away from the known spots, still trying to find that elusive triple LTD hotspot (other than Boran). Getting interdicted by a player with full cargo really gets your blood pumping

 

[Northpin]

I did core mining in a Cutter - but filling 586t with VOPs was a full day job.
Eventually i switched the Cutter to laser mining (painite) and did core mining in a Krait Mk2 then in a Clipper (imo there is no more-rewarding core miner than a Clipper)
But i didn't mixed the roles (at least not on main account) so my mining rigs have either 2x medium mining lasers or charges and abrasion blaster.
On alt i went for an all-miner, competition won by the Conda with 320t cargo and 9 limpets - although i might move all the equipment to a Corvette.

Anyway, back to your build. If you dont plan to tangle much with pirates, swap the mining lasers from nacelles to the large hardpoints.
Or even better, move the charges and the abrasion blaster to the large hardpoints (they're closer to the central axis), mining lasers to underbelly mediums and use a pair of overcharged multicannons with incendiary (in the naceles) and a huge mc with corrosive.