Alright, so I've had ED since beta release and have been flying a Cobra all this time (I enjoy it, sue me) and am wanting a combat ship for when we finally become bug exterminators (even FDev have said hypothetical peace won't last). Right now I'm leaning towards the FDL due to how strong I've read it is/the speed it has. After years in the Cobra, I really don't want to fly something that's not fast and agile. The only problem I have with the FDL is that god awful jump range. So my question is, what is the highest you can get the FSD range up to with the engineers?
That with a fully engineered FSD?
If you have some fed rep, a cheaper and effective alternative is the FAS. It does not have the same fire power as the FDL, however, depending on how tough the new enemy are attrition could factor into some folks balance equations, and its always worth having alternatives filed away in your back pocket.
Personally, while I own conda, a cutter and fdl, I may try out a vulture and see if that has enough firepower to get the job done. If it devloves into a situation where quick turnaround is required engineer fits will go out of the window.
Personally, while I own conda, a cutter and fdl, I may try out a vulture and see if that has enough firepower to get the job done. If it devloves into a situation where quick turnaround is required engineer fits will go out of the window.
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It depends on the loadout. Even with the best FSD upgrade possible heavy combat loadout will have ~15-17Ly. Also you should not forget tiny fuel tank, only 8T, which allows only 2 max range jumps.
Fully engineered i get 16.68 ly
That's the full combat-loadout. Can't get more out of it, the FSD has already 52% optimised mass and 8% more fuel usage per jump.
I did forget that fuel tank, actually. Now that I think of it, that's kind of a deal breaker; might go with a Python instead even though I heard that it maneuvers pretty badly.
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My FdL is a combat heavy with prismatics and reactive armor. I still got 18ly out of it, and it wasn't a totally godly roll.
Have you modded it with heavy duty armor and filled it full of reinforced modded hull? That's what tends to make them especially heavy. Of course that is optional ;-)
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Hi,
I fly a Python and an FdL, both engineered. FdL is good in combat but range is an issue, the fuel tank is very restrictive so you have to carry a scoop to get around. Python flies differently as you would expect but with eng'd DD thrusters it can hold its own, especially if you use reverse to widen the fight rather than try to outturn in a circling knife fight.
Thermal resist armor with resistance augmented boosters.
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Ah, thermal resist armor is a bit lighter, I have that on my Vulture. On that I've put reactive armor with thermal enhancement to give good balanced resistances. Maybe I should do the same on my FDL, 14.9LY is pretty crap and it'd be nice to have more maneuverability too. Do you also have lighter hull reinforcements?
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No hull reinforcements, SCBs instead. And I listed the wrong boosters, oops, fixed.
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Yes I have SCBs in the two 5s (normal + mil), prismatic size 4 shield and the rest heavy duty hull reinforcement.
Approximately the same as mine with military armor and outfitted for heavy combat.
I think I can get a few % more, but at the moment I think she's fine.