Looking for some advice on ships and progression

[IndigoWyrd]

Same here. I like to have fallbacks, and also sometimes the mood strikes to jump into one of my previous ships, look at the loadout, and laugh at past me for being such a noob.

Before my last trip out to the Guardian Ruins, I hopped in my old Startwinder, with its burst laser on the left and multicannon on the right and thought "I should probably engineer these one of these days."
Then I saw my keelback, still rigged with mines, and said "Wow, those were good times, too bad mines aren't worth the credits it costs to drop them any more."

 

[jonesskill]

Progression in elite terms: Fly a more expansive ship that have more cargo slots/more hardpoints but SUCKS in combat.

If i know that before i should stay in my cobra MKIII =(

 

[JetsonRING]

I went from the C3 to a T6 as a stepping stone to an Asp-X. The T6 is almost the same ship as the Asp-X, just less so and for a lot fewer credits. Same great view out the windows, mostly same performance but single-seat, fewer module slots & weapons hard-points. Carries enough cargo that, if that's what you're into you can make decent money, I ran a rare commodities circuit until I could afford the Asp-X. o7

 

[Marshall...]

As lots of folks have said, do whatever suits you!!

The route i took was Sidey, Adder, Cobra, Asp, Dropship, Python (then the rest of the ships, which i seldom use). I still spend 90% of my time in a Python, with the other 5%s being my DBX and Cobra.

 

[Peregrine Vee]

....
Forget about Progression, there is none. There's no End Game to ever reach.
There are no "levels" to gain.
The only thing that progresses is your own skill and knowledge.
Once you embrace this, the game becomes vastly more fun.

Everyone will give you a different answer, and it's something that you kind of have to decide for yourself based on what you want to do. ....

There's no set progression. As long as you're having fun, you blaze that there trail yourself!

As lots of folks have said, do whatever suits you!!

Gonna echo all these guys. My advice is if you're feeling good with what you are doing then you're on the right track. If you're feeling burned out on one thing, try something else for a bit. Experiment a little. Don't push yourself on any particular thing when it starts to wear thin, because that's the fastest way to burnout and there are lots of different things to try. If all else fails, just take a break for a bit and then come back. The game will be waiting. In the meantime, try an asp like people have said if you want an all arounder upgrade. Or a type 6 or 7 if you want to try out some bulk trading. Or pop into a viper or vulture and hit the res sites and combat zones. You could even pick up a dolphin and try a few passenger runs. Worst case scenario you don't fall in love with a particular ship or activity, and you try something else. And there is almost always something else for you to try out. It's all wide open for you and it's not in a rush, so try stuff out as you like at your own pace and take what you like as you find it.

 

[bgraziose]

Gonna echo all these guys. My advice is if you're feeling good with what you are doing then you're on the right track. If you're feeling burned out on one thing, try something else for a bit. Experiment a little. Don't push yourself on any particular thing when it starts to wear thin, because that's the fastest way to burnout and there are lots of different things to try. If all else fails, just take a break for a bit and then come back. The game will be waiting. In the meantime, try an asp like people have said if you want an all arounder upgrade. Or a type 6 or 7 if you want to try out some bulk trading. Or pop into a viper or vulture and hit the res sites and combat zones. You could even pick up a dolphin and try a few passenger runs. Worst case scenario you don't fall in love with a particular ship or activity, and you try something else. And there is almost always something else for you to try out. It's all wide open for you and it's not in a rush, so try stuff out as you like at your own pace and take what you like as you find it.

completely agree with "what every your play style is" comments. what do you find fun? My progression was Sidewinder>Adder>Hauler>Asp Ex>Vulture>T7>Python>FAS>Anaconda. I started trying combat but gave that up quickly in the smaller fighters as i died a lot. started exploring and trading some, settling on exploring with Asp Ex, and moved into passenger missions. I got the Vulture to res zone combat for money and break up Boom & Passenger missions. The T7 came for CG trade missions (more cargo, less trips). Python allowed me to pack in passengers and do many transports at once. great handling for stations to get in and out of with illegal passengers. Traded the Vulture for FAS for fighting. Then traded the FAS and T7 in toward the Conda (since it can do both). My conda now can do clean passenger missions (4-6 passenger bays). Python for illegal higher paying runs. Asp Ex/Conda for exploring. Conda 'refitted for combat' for CG and Rez combat. its D-C rated at best so its not a full combat vessel but i love it. I maily only use Asp/Python/Conda for all my needs. I don't mine (as of yet) but i see the Conda is good for that too. I hate trading so other than CG missions, i don't bother.

 

[CMDR Rhatigan]

You can fit a Dolphin for pretty cheap and do passenger missions for good money! Nice change of pace for ya

 

[Serpentis Ictis]

My progression has been haphazard to say the least! I've bought, sold, rebought, resold the same ship's. Ultimately wasting a lot of credits...


The only progression is to the next ship you WANT to fly. I've gone from Cobra, Asp, Clipper, FDL,Python,FDL,Python,FDL,Flipper, Anaconda.

I also have a Viper mk3, cobra, eagle.

Progression to me is going to a hazardous res and getting good kills with a smaller ship and an interesting load out... my Viper mk3 has rails and missiles for example..

 

[PiLhEaD]

Get a T6, it's good at everything except combat. Trade, passengers, exploration, it has good speed and a very decent jump range.

I tried the Asp for a while, but didn't warm to it - the T6 actually felt better to fly - and sold the Asp in p/x for my Python.

The T6 I rate as one of the unsung gems in the game, and I still have for passenger missions, where it more than pays its way!

 

[ConfusedHamster]

Thanks everyone for their thoughts, I was hoping for just a few comments and ideas so appreciate everyone jumping in on this so quickly and giving me some great help. You have made good points about playing for fun and burning out, the Empire grind was killing me and I'm not ready for that level of ship yet.

Will reset my sights on the ASP or maybe some of the ships more about larger trading that you mentioned and I was reading that the Python is a sexy ship. Thanks again people, this noob Commander is setting off into the void

 

[CMDR Harada]

Always remember the outfitting cost when purchasing a new hull. Budget a good 100% more. We all try to 'cheap out' when stepping up, but your poorly outfitted new ship is a miserable experience compared to what you were dreaming of. And the first time you get pulled out of SC, with minimal shields, no SCB's, no boost because of the D class PP/PD, and no re-buy... You'll be joining that club nobody wanted into, no-one admits too, and leaves a mark.

On your budget you have a few options. But you have to decide on which route you want to pursue. For 20 million credits :

Trading : T-6. Carries enough to get you a decent profit in bulk trading. For Rares, stick with the Cobra or step up to the Asp-X and the much better jump range. Ignore the T-7, also known as the 'flying coffin'. Trading has always been the way to reliably quick money.
Exploration : Asp-X.. jump range rules in getting you 'out there' and to some of sparse areas ( top, bottom, or between the arms ). Exploration seems to pay better then it once did. Go bounce around the neutron fields for a week and you'll come back rich.
Combat : The Cobra works here, but I'd swap to a Vulture. Great ship, and cheap fully A-fitted ( 20-25 million ). It's a ferocious little killer, and the best small dedicated combat ship. Engineering is a must, tho, since in stock form it has power issues. An Asp-X can work here. Never been a fan of the Viper series, but I will admit they are tough little mongrels.

I'd suggest the Asp-X out of all of them. Good little ship, can fight, haul, or explore at a whim. I did it all in mine. Or you can save your money and get a Clipper for 50 million nicely outfitted. A good all rounder that can also haul or fight well.