Ship Builds & Load Outs Looking for advice about Python/FAS/FdL builds

[StormimOn]

Hello,

Until now I've mostly done exploration with my ASP. It was really nice, and now I want to try something else with ships more combat oriented, until I take my ASP again
For now I've got a Python I'm using to make money. Trading is boring, but 1 hour session per day with music while playing makes it better ^^

So far I've got 3 builds for Python (trader, armed trader and combat) and 1 for FAS and FdL.
I would like to know what would be wrong with them, from players with combat experience in those ships.
A testing room would really be great so we could test ships with various configuration for free, but well...

Also, I've saw some combat videos on Youtube and I found SCB stacking just stupid, that's why I didn't put that much.
Stacking is probably mandatory in PvP, but I'm not looking for PvP builds.

Here is the Coriolis backup.

{ "builds": {
"python": {
"Python Trader": "05D6D5A4D6D6D5C-----040404-050505040445020201.Iw18eQ==.Aw18eQ==",
"Python Armed Trader": "07D6C5A4C6A6C5C2b1e1e1b1b04040400050505044a03020201.AwRj4yoo.Aw18eQ==",
"Python Combat": "07C6C5A4C7A6C5C2b1e1e1b1b04040l004f5n3e04046n020201.Iw18eQ==.IwBj4z1EZI=="
},
"federal_assault_ship": {
"FAS": "26A6A5A5A6A4A4C2b1e1b1b0404000lp2396n292753.Iw18cQ==.IwBj4yWGyA=="
},
"fer_de_lance": {
"FdL": "05A5A4A4C6A4D3C2c1b1b1b1b04040l00--4a346n--.Iw18aQ==.IwBj4yOUSA=="
}
},
"comparisons": {},
"insurance": "standard",
"discounts": [
1,
1
]
}

Thanks

P.S. : sorry for typo and anything else, english isn't my native language.

 

[Ceekay]

I'm not into SCB stacking either, with a Python you end up fitting a A7 power plant at 50 mil just to run the SCB's!

Python trader; I'd fit some medium turrets to deter Sidey/Eagle NPC wings needs a bigger power plant to run but not that much of an increase, a bigger power distributor (PD) would be a good idea.

http://coriolis.io/outfit/python/06...0445020201.Iw18eQ==.IwBj4yoo?bn=Python Trader

Python armed trader; A plasma accelerator is impressive when it hits but I think it needs to be on a more agile ship than the Python, also the power required is significant, this build is close to what I run as an armed trader

http://coriolis.io/outfit/python/05...0201.AwRj4yoo.Aw18eQ==?bn=Python Armed Trader

My version

http://coriolis.io/outfit/python/05...2242h.AwRj4yoo.IwBj4yrUg===?bn=Python current

Python combat; I think the current Python is going to have a hard time with the improved FDL and the FAS, as I never noticed that chaff affected the NPC all that much I've added another shield booster, ideally you want A6 thrusters to maximise the speed and agility for combat

http://coriolis.io/outfit/python/07...020201.Iw18eQ==.IwBj4z1EZI==?bn=Python Combat

FAS; Great heavy fighter a bit lacking in shields but the tough hull and agility make up for that, the PA I've heard should be mounted on the top but apart from minor changes it's fine.

http://coriolis.io/outfit/federal_a...040lp2396n292753.Iw18cQ==.IwBj4yWGyA==?bn=FAS

FDL; A very characterful ship great if you can get on with it and the upgrades fix several of its weaknesses, someone edited a Coriolis build to allow the current FDL to fit a A6 power plant I used that as a template.


http://coriolis.io/outfit/fer_de_la...000lp26l32-24.AwRj4yrI.Aw19gjNJA===?bn=FDL A6

 

[StormimOn]

Python armed trader; A plasma accelerator is impressive when it hits but I think it needs to be on a more agile ship than the Python, also the power required is significant, this build is close to what I run as an armed trader

I thought that PA was OK since the bottom hardpoint is well placed, just under the nose. Or you need 6A thrusters to make it somewhat viable on Python ?

Better forget the PA for a Python armed trader then : http://coriolis.io/outfit/python/07...c04040404050505044a03020201.Iw18eQ==.Aw18eQ==

Python combat; I think the current Python is going to have a hard time with the improved FDL and the FAS, as I never noticed that chaff affected the NPC all that much I've added another shield booster, ideally you want A6 thrusters to maximise the speed and agility for combat

So I should stick with the armed trader which gives a good multipurpose ship (trade and missions) and use something else for combat.
And if one day I've got enough money to put everything A rated (since the 7A powerplant can light a whole city while eating your money), maybe then I can think about a Python combat build. But it would probably be a waste of money.

FDL; A very characterful ship great if you can get on with it and the upgrades fix several of its weaknesses, someone edited a Coriolis build to allow the current FDL to fit a A6 power plant I used that as a template.

So the power plant class is going to be buffed, that's how I understand it at least. With the 5A you have to make lots of choices, with a 6A it's easier for sure.
Your FdL build with military armor cost an arm (or two) but I have to admit that FdL looks like a little yacht, and it comes with the price then.

I have almost enough money for the FdL build without military armor (short from 20 millions, to have enough insurances for all the ships).
I might go for the FAS instead since you can upgrade everything for the same price. No class 4 PA and not as sexy as the FdL though

A training room where we could test all ships with differents builds would really be great seriously...

Thanks for your answers

 

[Ceekay]

A training room? well that's what Beta testing is to a certain extent, I'll test the new content then various ship builds that I normally wouldn't try in the main game.

A PA on the Python I haven't tried TBH but I find it hard work to hit targets with it in the FDL and it's more agile than the Python, check this guy on YouTube he's a big fan of the FDL + PA

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5QlW7L8XZcVBmRvpScs8kA

My Python armed trader build is fine for Nav Beacon BH and possibly RES although I'd usually take something smaller to a RES (Vulture) the biggest threats I encountered so far are deadly and above Anacondas, 3+ wings of Viper/Cobras and a railgun FAS (the FAS dropped 600 MJ shields in less than 20 seconds!)

The original FDL unless you had a hold full of SCB's was ok with an A5 plant, the heat reduction is much more useful (6 - 8%) the agility upgrades are quite subtle.

I think the FAS is probably the most suited for BH/combat but you do need a Fed rank (not sure which one) and remember there are discounts in various systems, Li Yong-Rui aligned high tech wealthy systems offer 15% discount on ships and equipment.

https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=155377&highlight=ship+discount

 

[StormimOn]

I saw the video and C4PA seems nice... if you can handle it
I also looked some videos with FAS, it's a bumper car before being a ship. Might be really fun

The rank needed for FAS isn't high so I can start with this, and meantime I'll try to make a choice between the Beauty and The (ram) Beast.

Thanks Ceekay

 

[StormimOn]

Didn't saw that I have access to beta, so I did install 1.5 beta to test the ships.
Could only afford the FdL, because the FAS cost wasn't cut for the beta (2M for FdL, 18 for FAS...).

I used this for FdL : http://coriolis.io/outfit/fer_de_lance/05A...SA==, more than enough to start

After flying it for 2 hours I must admit that it's really nice, and the engine sound is alluring
It's a shame that the canopy block the view in front of you a little, center seat would have been better

Did try the C4PA too and it feels good when you hit
But a C4 Canon will be better at start, it's cheap, pack some punch, and enough to learn how to use a fixed weapon on this hardpoint. PA would be the next step.

I will test the FAS on the next beta for the final decision, but FdL already get some points

With FdL + Python armed trader, I will start PP next year ^^

 

[Ceekay]

Good decision I generally keep the ships I like (about 7 so far) and a Python armed trader is an excellent multi-role ship, the FAS is a very efficient combat ship but the FDL is a lot more fun to fly even with the annoying canopy!

The Beta discounts are a bit off with the last update as it started out with all ships and equipment you could try buying a discounted ship and see if selling off the parts makes any profit.

 

[StormimOn]

you could try buying a discounted ship and see if selling off the parts makes any profit.

I'll give it a try, and if it doesn't works I will wait next beta for testing FAS.

Thanks again

Edit :
You were right, I could afford the FAS after selling the FdL. FAS is fun too, but not as nimble as the FdL though.
Canopy is better than FdL (imho) and bumper car is really fun if you manage to make a touch down on your unshielded opponent

Nevertheless, FdL feels better. Agile, fast, alluring engines sound, sexy and a huge hardpoint just in case. FdL will be my first choice then, and FAS when I'll have enough money ^^

 

[jpegman]

here's a few loadouts for you:
http://coriolis.io/outfit/fer_de_la....CwBhoRgktiCZGJAZhcYQ?bn=Z_peterson leadstorm
http://coriolis.io/outfit/fer_de_la...CwBh2BGSWvIExKSAzKiQ?bn=Z_peterson leadstorm2

also a few tips concerning loadout designing:
1: no need for class A sensors, C or B is enough
2: no need for cargo/bounty scanners above class E, it's a waste of power, just use E
3: POWER DISTRIBUTION

1: engines, shields(if possible), sensors, life support. MUST BE BELOW 50%!!!!!!!!!!! if its not, put shields on 2.
2: weapons, power distributor, scanners, chaffs, heat sinks etc.
3: shield boosters
4: shield cell banks
5: anything else including FSD (switch it to 1 if your powerplant goes bust and run away)

4: don't use gimbals on a fast fighter if you can use fixed (there are exceptions of course, like gimballed kinetic and fixed energy, otherwise aiming both at once would be impossible)
5: shield cell banks are bloody important, more so than hull reinforcements, put as much as you can on your ship and shut down the ones you don't use ( you only need 1 or 2 on)
6: one chaff is good, but if you want to be unhittable by gimbals, put 2 chaffs on, and use one while the other reloads
7: use as much power as you can, you need every watt your powerplant can give, if you have enough power for everything, you are not using your ship properly
8: that means put as much shield boosters as you can, they are more important than sensors, don't hesitate to downgrade them to add more shield boosters

 

[StormimOn]

engines, shields(if possible), sensors, life support. MUST BE BELOW 50%!!!!!!!!!!!

Why 50% ? What are the mechanics behind this ?

shield cell banks are bloody important, more so than hull reinforcements, put as much as you can on your ship and shut down the ones you don't use ( you only need 1 or 2 on)

Stacking SCB is just stupid, from my point of view. I've seen videos where you could summarize a dogfight by "SCB spamming, the one who gots more win", just boring imho.
I'm not a PvPer and I would probably just boost away if I think I can't handle it at some point. So having one SCB is enough for me, it's an insurance.

4: don't use gimbals on a fast fighter if you can use fixed (there are exceptions of course, like gimballed kinetic and fixed energy, otherwise aiming both at once would be impossible)

I can try with fixed pulse from start.
The idea was to use gimballs first so I could concentrate on stiring, while trying to keep the target on sight. Some sort of training before using only fixed weapons.

For the FSD Interdictor, what is the impact of class/grade on performance ? (2C vs 4C / 2C vs 2A)

 

[TheGrimCorsair]

Why 50% ? What are the mechanics behind this ?

When your powerplant is reduced to 0% HP your total available power is halved. If group 1 on your modules tab is greater than half your total power, this circumstance will lead to a ship-wide blackout that will generally be 100% fatal as even if you are able to sort your modules by hand in a pinch, you'll still be waiting out their boot up time. However, as long as group 1 is less than 50% of your total power, then you'll retain the function of those systems, turning certain death into a potential brush with death. Further, you need your sensors, thrusters, and FSD all active and powered in order to escape.

 

[jpegman]

Stacking SCB is just stupid, from my point of view. I've seen videos where you could summarize a dogfight by "SCB spamming, the one who gots more win", just boring imho.
I'm not a PvPer and I would probably just boost away if I think I can't handle it at some point. So having one SCB is enough for me, it's an insurance.

i get that, but imagine you are in a comflict zone, and to keep your shields up you need to use one shield cell banks every 2 minutes (i am overimplyfing), with 1 shield cell bank, you can stay 10 minutes, but with 2, you can stay 20 minutes

after that, you have to go back to the station wich can take 5 minutes (sometimes less, sometimes more), dock (5 minutes), refuel, undock (2 minutes), go back to the combat zone ( 5 minutes), so the longer you can stay in the combat zone, the better

for the interdictor, larger is more powerful, but class 1 is enough if you want to pull NPCs, for pulling out skilled players, well, larger is better (you can pull out a vulture in 1 second using a class 4A one lol)

aside from that if you want to use gimballed i'd recommend you to take a slower ship (i'm talking about turn rate, not speed), like python, federal gunship, federal dropship, anaconda or one that only can use gimbals (clipper), keep in mind they do half as much damage as fixed (more or less)

oh and a little side note: if you want to use turrets, keep in mind that a class 3 turretted pulse laser is WEAKER than a class 1 fixed pulse (i'm not counting class related damage penalties)

 

[StormimOn]

When your powerplant is reduced to 0% HP your total available power is halved. If group 1 on your modules tab is greater than half your total power, this circumstance will lead to a ship-wide blackout that will generally be 100% fatal as even if you are able to sort your modules by hand in a pinch, you'll still be waiting out their boot up time. However, as long as group 1 is less than 50% of your total power, then you'll retain the function of those systems, turning certain death into a potential brush with death. Further, you need your sensors, thrusters, and FSD all active and powered in order to escape.

Thanks for the explanation

i get that, but imagine you are in a comflict zone, and to keep your shields up you need to use one shield cell banks every 2 minutes (i am overimplyfing), with 1 shield cell bank, you can stay 10 minutes, but with 2, you can stay 20 minutes

I understand, but I'll stick to only one
SCB should have been like shields module, you can only mount one.

I will start with something like this : http://coriolis.io/outfit/fer_de_la...000404p2345f6b-.Iw18aQ==.CwBhoRjCZgmO87gMyiA=
When I'll have enough money...