Overlooked?

[Darrack]

The Python

I have 5, i love them, great utility ship that can be used for medium pad trading, high risk scavenging, ground attack,mining, but you know all this.
Im out in the Elysian Shore doing plants and having the carrier out here means i can use all the normal stuff, my two main medium explorers (Asp and Krait) and my Keelback for the ground view looking for said botanical's.
If im away from the carrier for a few weeks i like the safety belt of my Luga or Annie (4 SRVs, repairs, the full monty) but parking can be a pain.
The past few days for a laugh ive been using one of the pythons as 4 SRVs mean its days before i have to refuel them even with spending hours on the surface.

So im thinking, how many of you have used the Python for a main explorer? Even with nowt stripped down, 4SRVs, 6D Shields, its 50LY jumps (plenty for me) 500 range and can pack in a 5 AFMU and 3a repair limpet with a smaller footprint than the Annie, seems a no brainer?

O7

 

[goemon]

it is a good explorer for even more reasons. for exampel for me its frontnose makes scanning geo pois easier than with a krait, asp or clipper. i know at least one took a python to a circumnavigation.

exploring i'm more of the small ship in a big galaxy type - started with an adder, and now mostly flying a DBE. but if i'd need more internals, python would be my choice.

 

[marx]

The Python as an explorer ship is a curious case: it does everything decently, but even in its category (FSD class 5, or medium ship), there's nothing it's the best at. Even if you look at a "best all-rounder explorer" category, that would go to the Asp Explorer and Krait Phantom. The only thing that it does better is that it has ten internal slots instead of nine, and well, that's a marginal improvement.

Don't get me wrong, the Python is still a good ship for exploration. It just tends to get overlooked because no matter what aspect in its category an explorer places importance on, there's at least one other choice that does it better.

 

[Darrack]

The Python as an explorer ship is a curious case: it does everything decently, but even in its category (FSD class 5, or medium ship), there's nothing it's the best at. Even if you look at a "best all-rounder explorer" category, that would go to the Asp Explorer and Krait Phantom. The only thing that it does better is that it has ten internal slots instead of nine, and well, that's a marginal improvement.

Don't get me wrong, the Python is still a good ship for exploration. It just tends to get overlooked because no matter what aspect in its category an explorer places importance on, there's at least one other choice that does it better.

Couldn't agree more which is why my Phantom is my main explorer when im not interested in spending hours in an SRV.
I really want to do a circumnavigation and spend a few months out there solo, i was going to do it in my Luga but would prefer a medium ship, my leaning towards the Python would give me a bit more of a comfort blanket even though i dont make many mistakes.
(well there was that 10G planet!!)

O7

 

[Ian Doncaster]

I used to fly a Python as an exploration ship - this was quite some time ago, so before a lot of other alternatives were available. Nowadays I'd probably use something else (probably smaller and with a better cockpit view), but it's definitely the ship I travelled the longest exploration distance and time in, and worked well.

 

[Pirin]

I tend to change my ship from time to time, as flying even the best of them gets boring at some point. Used my Python a lot, including on DW1 expedition. This is a picture of our Pythoneers Wing somewhere on the route to Beagle Point. Our jump range was about 26ly, so crossing the Abyss was quite a challenge. The good old times

Spoiler

 

[Chrystoph]

You will find the advice scattered throughout the forums that you should fly what works for you.

If that is the Python, more power to you.

 

[Moirai]

I'm actually out in the far Elysian Shore, on the boarders of Vulcan Gate and Temple, doing plant scanning and general sightseeing...in my beloved midnight black Python, Belle Marie.

2 Srv's here though. Although I am making use of the DSSA Buurian Gold carrier that's been out here for a while as a sort of exploration base.

 

[Morbad]

Python is capable enough, but I've never liked the way it flies. Too sensitive to the blue zone and a mediocre ENG pip slope.

 

[Darrack]

Python is capable enough, but I've never liked the way it flies. Too sensitive to the blue zone and a mediocre ENG pip slope.

I actually really like the way it fly's (apart from the left hand drive!), ive done over 8k passenger missions in my Robigo runner and found it very responsive, never lost an interdiction.

O7

 

[Darrack]

I'm actually out in the far Elysian Shore, on the boarders of Vulcan Gate and Temple, doing plant scanning and general sightseeing...in my beloved midnight black Python, Belle Marie.

2 Srv's here though. Although I am making use of the DSSA Buurian Gold carrier that's been out here for a while as a sort of exploration base.

Yep i love the black color, been scooting around ES myself the past few days in my mission runner to get a feel, pretty much decided i will make a new dedicated Python Explorer when im back in the Bubble

O7

 

[Zador]

Tried a side-by-side comparison of Python vs. Krait Phantom, set up for exploration with with 500ish boost and 4 SRVs.
Python wins out on internal sizes, with one extra size 3 slot and bigger AFMU, shields and fuel scoop.
Krait wins out on jump range, 14LY jump and 100LY total range, and wins on cost, 66MCr vs 134Cr.
So really not much in it, but I have to say I don't like the left hand drive asymmetric view of the Python and went with the Phantom for my long range exploration ship.

 

[Darrack]

Tried a side-by-side comparison of Python vs. Krait Phantom, set up for exploration with with 500ish boost and 4 SRVs.
Python wins out on internal sizes, with one extra size 3 slot and bigger AFMU, shields and fuel scoop.
Krait wins out on jump range, 14LY jump and 100LY total range, and wins on cost, 66MCr vs 134Cr.
So really not much in it, but I have to say I don't like the left hand drive asymmetric view of the Python and went with the Phantom for my long range exploration ship.

Yeah don't get me wrong the Phantom is my favorite medium explorer followed by the Asp Ex, but i have a long Solo trek coming up next month and decided i want something different for that.
It will only be around 50LY jumps as i always take safety over jump range (except for a stupid 86ly Annie i built for a laugh) and i never reduce module size.

O7

 

[Moirai]

I think, for me personally, the Python hits that perfect sweet spot.

Yes, I could take my AspX (70Ly jump range - went to Amundsen Star) or a my first proper explorer, the DBX (73Ly jump range - went to the Zurara), or even my Krait MkII (63Ly jump range - went to Colonia/SagA etc), over using the Python (52Ly jump range). But they can't carry what the Python can for its size, and, for me, being able to take what I want on a long trip is way more important than jump range. After all, you can always make a few extra jumps, but you can't magic an extra AMFU, repair limpet controller or SRV bay into existence when required. Once you're out there, what you've got is all you've got. Yes, you could go for an Annie to carry more. But then there's the landing footprint and super tanker manoeuvrability.

Python (for me) = Sweet spot.

I did buy and kit out a Phantom once. Jump range was comparable with the AspX. But, that whiney thruster sound got under my skin, so that got binned and I swapped to the MkII.

Bottom line, for a medium ship, it carries all that I need, looks good and sounds good. Being a motorcyclist, I don't have any specific likes or dislikes of seat position, but I do like the Python's flight deck. It's one of the few ships that makes me feel like I could be in a proper starship, as opposed to some fanciful idea of a starship. Same reason I like the Cobra MkIII cockpit. DeLacy were on the money with these two.

At the end of the day though, a lot is personal choice, as opposed to pure specs. When you commit to going out long distances, you want to be in something you genuinely like and enjoy piloting. For me, that's the Python.

 

[Darrack]

So having made it back to the bubble, my new purpose built fully engineered, exploration Python 'Astral Romance' rolled out of SD and headed out to HIP 36601 for space trials and materials restock.

4 SRVs, 5a AFMU, 3a Repair limpets for peace of mind.
All i down graded was the PP to a 6A and the PD to 6D, 52LY jump and 526 Range is plenty for me.
I love the dark cockpit, it makes the stars look even more awesome and having spent many months out in the black when i first started in an Annie its like ive traded in the wife for a younger, slimmer version!

Ive had a solo trip planned to mop up some tourist beacons near the centre i missed last time, i know what i will be flying.
Cheers for all the advice

O7

 

[DjVortex]

So im thinking, how many of you have used the Python for a main explorer?

Incidentally, I recently decided to make my first trip to Colonia (I have yet to visit it), and because the engineer there specializes in mining equipment, I decided to make my Python into a combined exploration/mining ship, which it's quite well suited for, as it turns out. My build has all the necessary equipment for mining, plenty of cargo space for the mined stuff, and a 45ly jump range, a detailed surface scanner, and an SRV bay, so it's not half-bad as an exploration ship either.

Might not have the same jump range as my highly optimized DBX (70ly), but if you ever want to make really long mining trips into the black, it's a perfect solution.