Mining ships. Best to worst?
- Thread starter rdizz
- Start date
Deleted member 38366
D
If you got the Rank/Credits? Mining Cutter, hands down. Mining Corvette is actually also very good.
Got Credits but no Rank? Mining Anaconda.
Never went Mining before? Then maybe start small. Cobra Mk.4 or Keelback are solid entry-level Miners.
Got Credits but no Rank? Mining Anaconda.
Never went Mining before? Then maybe start small. Cobra Mk.4 or Keelback are solid entry-level Miners.
TERMINATRIXXX
Banned
Worst? Try an Eagle. Seriously, i saw players mining with it.
best > worst
#1 large distributor > small distributor
#2 medium hardpoint(s) > small hardpoint(s)
from here on out it's debatable
#3/4 agile > brick
#3/4 many internals > few internals
#5 spare power for combat > power starved
#6 high jump range > low jump range
#7 ...
Let's pretend you are starting with a Sidewinder. Yes, perfectly possible.
You want the class 1 grade A prospector controller asap. It will yield more fragments per asteroid.
Next up the best distributor for laser juice. As seen on the list above.
Refinery of at least 3 bins, because that's the maximum amount of resources a fragment can have.
You want your bins all assigned matching the asteroid to not worry about venting mid process.
(don't bother with 4A if you can fit it - it does not cover all the possible resources and has less bins than a class 4 cargo rack carries tons - wasted space and power)
Beyond that what you need will depend on how you mine.
The smallest ships arguably don't need collectors. They don't have the space for it and are just as fast or faster scooping manually.
Agility (and raw speed) is always a plus. You will need to move and manoeuvre a lot. Don't want to be wasting time there. (being able to run is a plus too)
As you size up, things will heavily depend on where you mine. If you mine belts or extraction sites for persistent asteroids to grab only the highest value or full fill missions, cargo space is not your priority. Surviving piracy is. Also the class 1 prospector will suffice.
Mining in a random ring location, you will need some more cargo space and more active prospectors (larger module or multiple small ones) - because finding the good rocks takes time and limpets. The more you can fire in total and simultaneously, the more higher value you will find over time. Alternatively a small ship can use lasers only and speed to check rocks and suffice with one prospector limpet per jackpot.
For collectors, as a miner, you want D grade - and as many as it takes to gobble up what your lasers can produce.
D grade because you don't want them wandering off trying to fetch distant junk. The smaller your fragment-cargo hatch limpet loop, the faster everything gets collected. Conveniently you'll also save power and mass, while only sacrificing 2 minutes over A grade.
Jump range is only really required as much as you need to move around for prospecting systems or going from extraction site to market.
Yes, this makes combat ships more capable than the most traditional cargo vessels.
#1 large distributor > small distributor
#2 medium hardpoint(s) > small hardpoint(s)
from here on out it's debatable
#3/4 agile > brick
#3/4 many internals > few internals
#5 spare power for combat > power starved
#6 high jump range > low jump range
#7 ...
Let's pretend you are starting with a Sidewinder. Yes, perfectly possible.
You want the class 1 grade A prospector controller asap. It will yield more fragments per asteroid.
Next up the best distributor for laser juice. As seen on the list above.
Refinery of at least 3 bins, because that's the maximum amount of resources a fragment can have.
You want your bins all assigned matching the asteroid to not worry about venting mid process.
(don't bother with 4A if you can fit it - it does not cover all the possible resources and has less bins than a class 4 cargo rack carries tons - wasted space and power)
Beyond that what you need will depend on how you mine.
The smallest ships arguably don't need collectors. They don't have the space for it and are just as fast or faster scooping manually.
Agility (and raw speed) is always a plus. You will need to move and manoeuvre a lot. Don't want to be wasting time there. (being able to run is a plus too)
As you size up, things will heavily depend on where you mine. If you mine belts or extraction sites for persistent asteroids to grab only the highest value or full fill missions, cargo space is not your priority. Surviving piracy is. Also the class 1 prospector will suffice.
Mining in a random ring location, you will need some more cargo space and more active prospectors (larger module or multiple small ones) - because finding the good rocks takes time and limpets. The more you can fire in total and simultaneously, the more higher value you will find over time. Alternatively a small ship can use lasers only and speed to check rocks and suffice with one prospector limpet per jackpot.
For collectors, as a miner, you want D grade - and as many as it takes to gobble up what your lasers can produce.
D grade because you don't want them wandering off trying to fetch distant junk. The smaller your fragment-cargo hatch limpet loop, the faster everything gets collected. Conveniently you'll also save power and mass, while only sacrificing 2 minutes over A grade.
Jump range is only really required as much as you need to move around for prospecting systems or going from extraction site to market.
Yes, this makes combat ships more capable than the most traditional cargo vessels.
Last edited:
I have a minerpython that does the job fine, 192t of cargo, can defend itself pretty well, fast enough to skedaddle if needs be and jumps far enough to not be too painful.
I'd say ultimately it's a close call between the Corvette and Cutter. Corvette for fast mining, Cutter for extended sessions. The Corvette's higher class PD can sustain more mining lasers and you'll need more collector controllers to keep up with it, resulting in less cargo hold.
I personally prefer the Corvette as I mostly mine for materials rather than credits. Besides that the Cutters bridge is uncomfortably bright when watching videos in VR which I usually do when mining.
Really depends on the budget you're willing to spend - for example I've found the Cobra Mk IV a decent miner, so what's your budget?
I personally prefer the Corvette as I mostly mine for materials rather than credits. Besides that the Cutters bridge is uncomfortably bright when watching videos in VR which I usually do when mining.
Really depends on the budget you're willing to spend - for example I've found the Cobra Mk IV a decent miner, so what's your budget?
I just finished building 4 small mining ships so I could leave 'em parked up rather than having to travel around IN a mining ship.
Looked at most of the small/medium ships and it seemed like the AspX offered the best cost/performance compromise.
96t cargo space, 3 x 3A collectors, 2A refinery and 1A prospector.
No shields but once you've fitted #2 mining lasers you've only got #1 hardpoints left for weapons so you're probably better off just running away from trouble.
I fitted them with military hulls and they can survive bumps against 'roids easily.
The power distributor isn't quite good enough to keep a pair of #2 mining lasers running but they're still the best way to eat rocks.
Yours for around Cr15m in total.
In the premier league, I use a T9 for mining as well.
256t cargo capacity, 4A refinery, 3A prospector and more collectors than you can shake a stick at.
That's got shields and 3 x #2 mining lasers.
Isn't exactly exciting to fly but I just finished a session with it and mined Cr6m of Painite in about 45 minutes.
A bit more spendy at around Cr150m as built.
Looked at most of the small/medium ships and it seemed like the AspX offered the best cost/performance compromise.
96t cargo space, 3 x 3A collectors, 2A refinery and 1A prospector.
No shields but once you've fitted #2 mining lasers you've only got #1 hardpoints left for weapons so you're probably better off just running away from trouble.
I fitted them with military hulls and they can survive bumps against 'roids easily.
The power distributor isn't quite good enough to keep a pair of #2 mining lasers running but they're still the best way to eat rocks.
Yours for around Cr15m in total.
In the premier league, I use a T9 for mining as well.
256t cargo capacity, 4A refinery, 3A prospector and more collectors than you can shake a stick at.
That's got shields and 3 x #2 mining lasers.
Isn't exactly exciting to fly but I just finished a session with it and mined Cr6m of Painite in about 45 minutes.
A bit more spendy at around Cr150m as built.
Last edited:
best: federal corvette
second: python
third: clipper, conda, cutter, t9, beluga (all with pros and cons)
fourth: orca, federal dropship
fifth: AspE
above list was proven on several mining CGs beside the federal corvette - python has beat them all in tons/h. federal corvette is even better than the python, but only a few fly a mining corvette (it is ranked locked, quite expensive, and not many invest that much hours into a mining ship). mining corvette just checks all pros on YinYins excellent list.
the first ship I'd suggest you can try, if you are not on a "i'll only do mining"-playthrough is a cobra mkIII/cobra mkIV or a t6. below that, while it is a nice challenge, it is quite painfull. from orca/dropship onwards consider yourself a serious miner.
second: python
third: clipper, conda, cutter, t9, beluga (all with pros and cons)
fourth: orca, federal dropship
fifth: AspE
above list was proven on several mining CGs beside the federal corvette - python has beat them all in tons/h. federal corvette is even better than the python, but only a few fly a mining corvette (it is ranked locked, quite expensive, and not many invest that much hours into a mining ship). mining corvette just checks all pros on YinYins excellent list.
the first ship I'd suggest you can try, if you are not on a "i'll only do mining"-playthrough is a cobra mkIII/cobra mkIV or a t6. below that, while it is a nice challenge, it is quite painfull. from orca/dropship onwards consider yourself a serious miner.
Small ships: Cobra variants/Viper Mk. IV. <-----These suck enough as it is, anything smaller is hardly worth the time.
Medium ships: Type 6, Asp X, Python (in that order) The T6 is considerably cheaper to outfit, and makes for an excellent budget miner that will actually make you a little money.
Large ships: T7, T9, Clipper, 'Conda, 'Vette, Cutter
I like the Clipper, myself, even though anything with massive cargo space and more internals is generally better. Yes, a T7** and T9 can haul more than a Clipper, but if you're attacked, your odds of survival are considerably lower, you're probably not going to be fighting off much in the big Lakons.
The other big guys can generally hold their own against NPCs.
I've mined in sillier things, but these are generally some of the best. I wouldn't recommend many others.
**The Clipper CAN hold a little more, but I had my mind set on a mining loadout. I'll have to play around with Coriolis to get the real stats here.
Medium ships: Type 6, Asp X, Python (in that order) The T6 is considerably cheaper to outfit, and makes for an excellent budget miner that will actually make you a little money.
Large ships: T7, T9, Clipper, 'Conda, 'Vette, Cutter
I like the Clipper, myself, even though anything with massive cargo space and more internals is generally better. Yes, a T7** and T9 can haul more than a Clipper, but if you're attacked, your odds of survival are considerably lower, you're probably not going to be fighting off much in the big Lakons.
The other big guys can generally hold their own against NPCs.
I've mined in sillier things, but these are generally some of the best. I wouldn't recommend many others.
**The Clipper CAN hold a little more, but I had my mind set on a mining loadout. I'll have to play around with Coriolis to get the real stats here.
Last edited:
Python for me. It doesn't have as much space as a Cutter but I like to mine for specific ores rather than bulk mining and don't mind returning to base for a bit of a break now and then anyway. I also find the increased maneuverability and the ability to land at mining outposts that have decent mining missions more advantageous. It's also got 2x medium mining lasers and 3x turreted large hardpoints so pretty well armed.
Best? Whatever holds the most Painite.
Cobra III, Asp Ex, Python, Anaconda.
These are the ships I've used for mining in that I would recommend. I have also tried the Hauler, very early on in beta. I would not recommend that ship. So it is the worst ship.
My preferences are the Python and Anaconda.
You will probably need a ship that can handle a little combat as well as do mining, have a good jump range and excellent cargo capability.
I don't know about Cutters and Corvettes yet, haven't got there, but presumably they would be just as good if not more suited to mining as the Anaconda.
- Si
- - - Updated - - -
The Clipper is a pile of pop
These are the ships I've used for mining in that I would recommend. I have also tried the Hauler, very early on in beta. I would not recommend that ship. So it is the worst ship.
My preferences are the Python and Anaconda.
You will probably need a ship that can handle a little combat as well as do mining, have a good jump range and excellent cargo capability.
I don't know about Cutters and Corvettes yet, haven't got there, but presumably they would be just as good if not more suited to mining as the Anaconda.
- Si
- - - Updated - - -
The Clipper is a pile of pop
Oft overlooked, but oh so true! In the 'fully equipped' category the clipper's good. I've used a one for quite a while, set it up for about 34 mCr.
To improve on that, I needed an 80 million Python. Then of course the T9 and 'three big ships' are best. (I find the Python to hit a nice sweet spot, unless you really can go on for hours to fill a huge hold, it's a matter of preference by then.)
Interestingly, I think the Beluga and Orca could be tweaked into halfway decent miners. Just pricey and quirky to equip because of those reserved internals. Good for a laugh, mind.
I used a Keelback as a test-bed for my first "proper" mining build.
You can just about cram a half-decent mining rig into one but I seem to recall that the cargo capacity of it wasn't terrific.
Also, it's got those medium hardpoints which look like they'd be ideal for #2 mining lasers but with a #3 power distributor, you're going to be spending a lot of time visiting engineers to get them working in what is, after all, likely to be a "stepping stone" ship for mining.
If you're gonna go small, the T6 is probably a better choice.
You're only going to be able to fit #1 lasers but you've got extra slots for fitting stuff.
The AspX (IMO) comes out ahead of both of them but at least the T6 is significantly cheaper while the Keelback costs almost as much as an AspX.
- - - Updated - - -
Agree completely about the "sweet spot".[up]
It's all very well building a Cutter into a mining ship which can hold 400t of cargo (or whatever) but after you actually mine 400t of ore in one go you'll probably never want to look at another asteroid again.
My T9 was originally set up to hold nearly 400t of cargo but in the end changed it to 256t with a couple of extra collectors to get things done faster.
Mining's okay but life's too short to spend 4 or 5 hours at a time shooting at rocks.
well, I'd say so. i still have a mining clipper, as it is cheaper to transfer than my mining corvette - it's so fast, you can run it shieldless even without engineering (mine has some bad-roll thrusters of my explonda on it), which makes it close to the python (which is more risky to run shieldless, if not engineered, and much more expensive) as a miner, just missing its class 7 powerdistributor. i really recommend it, if you have the rank and want a specialised mining ship.
also the 128t of cargo of clipper and python are the sweet spot for many for the tme of a single mining session... i have to say, the 256T of my corvette sometimes are just a bit too much for me.
can only back stealthie... the thing here is a mining keelback is so expensive, you can equip a a/c/d grade AspE with it, which will outperform it.
