Back on topic here.
I did some more numbers. I took the difference of the difference between the 7A, 6A, and 5A at max range bonus and used them to make a hypothetical 8A engine. If the panther clipper is designed to have a max of 2500 tons with ideal cargo(no including if you use a booster) as far as optional slots goes you could design it to be an explorer ship at around 1100t hull and a min weight of around 1372t total with a level 8A FSD for max exploration build. This would give it a range of about 67ly and make it the same as the asp explorer and krait phantom. This would use a 6d engine.
This leaves it with a few basic hull size alternatives at these stats for an exploration build.
1. 900t hull making it's exploration abilities around 75ly and about the same as the Diamond back. It would be the diamond toaster. It would likely kill everything it scrapes in the mailbox.
2. 800t hull making it have a max of around 81.6ly making it the same as the anaconda except lower by about 2.5ly. This is with a 16 or 32 t fuel tank for max distance. it's basically around 80+ly with an fsd boost.
3. If it were 1200 like the beluga it would have the same range of about 62ly at max exploration build range if I'm not mistaken.(optionally)
4. If it were 1000 it would have a range of about 72ly at max exploration build range.(optionally)
1100t hull leaves about 1000t cargo and takes a little under 400t for optional light equipment for hauling. Max haul equipment with no shields. With an FSD boost and an 8A max jump range FSD this can do basically exactly 40ly at max cargo. Each drop in cargo adds a little on top of it for 1200 and 1300 cargo max with the above numbers approx.
I would think the 900t would be ideal as it's not too powerful and not too weak. It can be anything and has better cargo compared to 1100t. Approx 1200 cargo. A nice boost compared to the cutter and good at anything you put it too.
A minimum anaconda exploration build with max range is from 486-520t with a range of 4d minimum engines. So this is 2-3 times the weight. But not quite as good.
Example Optional slots for:
900t cargo/1200t hull: 8x2, 7x1 ,6x2 ,5x3 ,4x2 , 2x1 = 900 max cargo (11 slots) (max 62ly jump range exploration) (40ly at 2500t)
1000t cargo/1100t hull: 8x2, 7x2 ,6x2 ,5x2 ,4x1 ,3x2 ,2x1 = 1000 max cargo (12 slots like the corvette) (max 67ly jump range exploration) (40ly at 2500t)
1100t cargo/1000t hull: 8x2, 7x3 ,6x2 ,5x2, 3x1, 2x1 = 1100 max cargo (11 slots) (max 72ly jump range exploration) (40ly at 2500t)
1200t cargo/900t hull: 8x3, 7x1 ,6x3 ,5x3 ,4x1 = 1200 max cargo (11 slots) (max 75-77ly jump range exploration) (40ly at 2500t)
1300cargo/800t hull: 8x3, 7x2 ,6x3 ,5x2 ,4x1, 2x1 = 1300 max cargo (12 slots like the corvette) (max 82ly jump range exploration) (40ly at 2500t)
If these numbers are anywhere close to correct at an 8A maxed FSD it would be swapping around 5ly per 100t base hull depending on design. I think it would fit nicely into the game. Obviously it could get much fatter for combat builds. It would probably be around 1200 tons for maxed full internals + hull + weapons + optionals and utilities. I would assume it would get a Grade 8 fsd, power distributor, and possibly power plant so it can do anything well. up to 1560 for base core internals if you up the life support and sensors up to 8. And another 128 if you give it a max tier 8 fuel tank for 256 core fuel(1688t). They can weight it down nicely for combat if they like. Although it will throw the other builds off a bit.
BTW, I'm assuming an 8A FSD uses 16t max per gulp.
Interestingly enough, if you go with 800t hull you might be able to get it down enough to use 5d engines for exploration. But it would be getting much closer to the anaconda then. Best 5d is 1040t. It would be close, but if sensors are only class 5 and life support is only class 6(or visa versa) it would be doable. But with only 16 tons of fuel(1 jump) and absolutely nothing else but an FSD booster besides weightless items and maybe a few 0.2 or lighter items.
The 800t hull version also has the best shield tanking as it has those 3 slots for shields and 2 nice 7 slots for full support with ship launched vehicles and whatnot. Like the 7A hatch breaker of doom with 12 potential limpets up!! 8D
https://s.orbis.zone/2o-r <- This would almost have the jump range of the anaconda if I'm not mistaken. And I could be. Also the exact value can be rounded down in coriolis compared to in game. So, there could be a small fraction of a ton left for more fuel in the tank. I don't know the exact value a 5d engine with those stats goes over 1040t max if any. Depending on if the 5d engine is 1040 exactly or a little higher would determine if it needs both the life support and sensors at 5 to get 5d engines. There would be a 1-1.1 or some other fuel tank for normal fuel to take account of. This could be up to 2 or 2.2 depending on the scaling. The Coriolis data shows a max of
1.65t 1.64t for a fuel tank in the fsd for the engine.
Ok this might be a bit much if this is correct. It depends on the power of an 8A engine:
https://s.orbis.zone/2o-t 79ly without GFSDBooster.
https://s.orbis.zone/2o-u 90ly with GSFDBooster! My estimates were all off. But the 8A could be weaker than that or the weight could be higher and 5d not usable as max exploration. I would prefer it was lowered as 5d makes a good marker for exploration on that ship.
https://s.orbis.zone/2o-z (5581optimal mass)This is about as much as an 8A could produce if it's not more powerful than the anacanda.
Does anyone know how to figure this out more precisely? Especially at 800t hull. That would be interesting to see precisely. It would be presumed to weigh 1040 tons laden. Not sure what the optimal mass of an 8A would be.
https://s.orbis.zone/2o-z
Also, just realized you can put negative values into mass for some items to simulate other weights. 8)
Here is a more accurate cargo at the equivalent optimal mass of a maxed out anaconda:
https://s.orbis.zone/2o--
I think aiming for as close to 40ly jump ranges at 2500t would/could be an ideal solution. Then it's weaker then the anaconda but good for all uses. That is an optimal mass between 5000 and 5500 for an 8A FSD with tier 5 engineered Long range and Mass manager. That or stick with a 7A fsd and adjust the rest. It will get around 69ly with exploration. You could then adjust the other stats as it could easily use 5d engines and even afford a higher hull tonnage. Say 900t.
https://s.orbis.zone/2o_c Here is this combo: 8A engine with 5581 optimal mass. Max 256 fuel from core internals. 800 hull mass. 1200 cargo. Optional slots: 8x3, 7x1 ,6x3 ,5x3 ,4x1 = 1200 max cargo (11 slots) (max 83.99ly jump range exploration) (38.6ly at 2500t) Not the most balanced combo, but one aspect the clipper could fill is very large fuel tank for long range jumping for cargo hauls. Keeping 800 hull for exploration and using 7A engines and more cargo is an option also. This stops it from being the overwhelmingly powerful explorer like the anaconda. Unless you drop the optimal mass for the 8A. Panther clipper might make a nice long range high capacity hauler.
https://s.orbis.zone/2o_e 1300cargo/800t hull: 8x3, 7x2 ,6x3 ,5x2 ,4x1, 2x1 = 1300 max cargo. I think I'm going in circles at this point. Although this gives a much more comfortable exploration build.
https://s.orbis.zone/2o_h 7A FSD, 256 max fuel, 671max range, 1300cargo/800t hull: 8x3, 7x2 ,6x3 ,5x2 ,4x1, 2x1 = 1300 max cargo 68ly jump range explorer. Then it's more hauler than explorer and not encroaching on the anacondas territory. And it has amazing optional slots. You could even relax the size of the LS and Scanners. Since you can easily drop the size of the 5d engines engineering upgrade to give extra room. And it can aford more fuel as an explorer. Possibly giving it a unique setup as far as fuel to exploration goes.
https://s.orbis.zone/2o_k
