Ships Phantom Into the Black v2

[Ron1776]

OK, tired of grinding and ready to explore. I only have engineers Farseer, Martuuk, and Qwent right now. I'm not Explorer Elite yet so I need to clock some miles to see Palin (and grind again...) Before I jump out of the bubble, please critique my build:

Coriolis EDCD Edition

A ship builder, outfitting and comparison tool for Elite Dangerous

s.orbis.zone

Getting nervous...

 

[[VR] Orodruin]

Keeping the same grades of engineering and generally the same design choices, I would suggest something like this:

Coriolis EDCD Edition

A ship builder, outfitting and comparison tool for Elite Dangerous

s.orbis.zone

Main changes:

• Power plant: Changed engineering to low emissions + thermal spread. You have enough power already and you don't need more. Also, even if you have enough power now, putting the SRV bay on the lowest priority will be beneficial as it will turn itself off automatically when you are flying. When you land your thrusters then go offline and your SRV bay turns on.
• Downsize the distributor to 2D. Even if it is red in the Coriolis interface, it will allow you to boost once you upgrade it with engine focused engineering.
• Cargo rack: Size 2 -> size 3. Cargo racks in themselves have no weight so there is no benefit in having a size 2 rack over a size 3.
• Repair limpet controller: Size 1 -> size 3. The loss of jump range is minimal and the repair capacity is three times larger (180 vs 60). In other words, a limpet from a size 3 controller will heal you about 55% hull, a limpet from a size 1 only 19%.

 

[Ceekay]

Martuuk can do enhanced low power shields to G3 worth having, Farseer can upgrade the detailed surface scanner to expanded radius G3 also worth having.

With the current exploration payouts the Palin unlock data (10000 LY) will get you to around G4 when you sell it at his base in Arque

 

[sinisalo]

Nicer Phantom Ron

I like the changes you've made, and agree with Ceekay about ELP/Low Draw on the shields. All in good time I reckon.

Get Selene Jean unlocked when you can to put heavy duty on your stock bulkheads for a nice bump to integrity. It may not be obvious, but while heavy-duty adds mass, it does not when there is no mass to begin with. One of Elite's few 'free' engineering mods. Liz Ryder can do G1 and the experimental, better than nothing, if you get her unlocked.

Fast cool-runners with good jump are my favorite sorts of ships in this game, and you've built yourself a fine one indeed. If you can follow Orodruin's power plant advice, this boat will be a vanisher, gone in a blink due to it's high speed and sensor-evasion. The NPCs won't even open fire if you submit and scoot.

 

[Ron1776]

Keeping the same grades of engineering and generally the same design choices, I would suggest something like this:

Coriolis EDCD Edition

A ship builder, outfitting and comparison tool for Elite Dangerous

s.orbis.zone

Main changes:

• Power plant: Changed engineering to low emissions + thermal spread. You have enough power already and you don't need more. Also, even if you have enough power now, putting the SRV bay on the lowest priority will be beneficial as it will turn itself off automatically when you are flying. When you land your thrusters then go offline and your SRV bay turns on.
• Downsize the distributor to 2D. Even if it is red in the Coriolis interface, it will allow you to boost once you upgrade it with engine focused engineering.
• Cargo rack: Size 2 -> size 3. Cargo racks in themselves have no weight so there is no benefit in having a size 2 rack over a size 3.
• Repair limpet controller: Size 1 -> size 3. The loss of jump range is minimal and the repair capacity is three times larger (180 vs 60). In other words, a limpet from a size 3 controller will heal you about 55% hull, a limpet from a size 1 only 19%.

You make many good points - Thanks! It's the little things that add up to a not so little difference..

 

[puca]

This is what I run (but this is fully engineered).

I lost ships before returning from exploration to the bubble or Colonia, so I like having a bit of shielding. I think low emissions is appreciably better for keeping scooping/FSD heat down. Can still hit 70 ly with the new double engineered FSD.

 

[Ron1776]

Just got my double-engineered FSD - Is the extra jump range worth the heat? I don't think the boot time is going to be a factor is it? Anyway, my cargo rack is filled with repair limpets and I think the last thing I need is materials for synthesis, right?

 

[puca]

There is no appreciable difference between the usual engineered class 5 FSD, and the new double engineered one, as far as the heat is concerned. The only ship that really behaves differently in terms of heat generation for scooping and FSD jumps is the Dolphin.

I think my phantom gained about 5 ly, maybe 6. I stripped down phantom can do 73 ly jumps easily now.

 

[Ron1776]

There is no appreciable difference between the usual engineered class 5 FSD, and the new double engineered one, as far as the heat is concerned. The only ship that really behaves differently in terms of heat generation for scooping and FSD jumps is the Dolphin.

I think my phantom gained about 5 ly, maybe 6. I stripped down phantom can do 73 ly jumps easily now.

Can you take it to Farseer and add mass manager to it?

 

[puca]

You sure can!

 

[Ron1776]

Can you take it to Farseer and add mass manager to it?

There is no appreciable difference between the usual engineered class 5 FSD, and the new double engineered one, as far as the heat is concerned. The only ship that really behaves differently in terms of heat generation for scooping and FSD jumps is the Dolphin.

I think my phantom gained about 5 ly, maybe 6. I stripped down phantom can do 73 ly jumps easily now.

Phantom vs Exlporaconda is much more interesting with this, yeah? We're into a star or so jump difference between these ships. Unless you want to bring the kitchen sink, what's the exploration advantage in a big ship now?

 

[puca]

There isn't much. If you really strip a phantom down, e.g. this, you can almost do 73 ly jumps. On half a tank you can do 76 ly jumps.

 

[Cmdr Snuffler]

For the Power Dist, you need it big enough to constantly boost. This helps if you get interdicted and need to escape.
I'd also go clean drive tuning with thermal spread on on your drives as this helps with hi g planets
Adding 1-2 shield boosters would also be beneficial. Grade E is ok when engineered.
2 heatsink launchers is 1 too many imo. You shouldn't need heat sinks unless you're very careless and slam into a large star....or you're going out for months at a time.
If you're going out to guardian sites then add a point defence utility and a small pulse laser.
Possibly upgrading the PP to a class 5 them armoured and thermal spread.


Remember, it's not all about max jump range. Sure you can get a 70+ lr phantom, but it will be paper thin and seriously at risk from a) npcs or gankers and b) going boom if you land too hard on a planets surface.

I know my explorer phantom is engineered but it may give you some ideas:

Coriolis EDCD Edition

A ship builder, outfitting and comparison tool for Elite Dangerous

s.orbis.zone

 

[sinisalo]

Phantom vs Exlporaconda is much more interesting with this, yeah? We're into a star or so jump difference between these ships. Unless you want to bring the kitchen sink, what's the exploration advantage in a big ship now?

The only reason why there was an advantage to begin with (talking Anaconda) is the silly hull mass it has. It should weigh more than twice what it does. With GFSDB and now the SuperDrives™ FSD many more ships become good explorers from a jump range point of view. Folks will argue that jump range is not important, and that's true to an extent. But from experience I'd argue that jump range is very important -- on the way home!

I think the Phantom is now one of the best explorers, as it has a very nice blend of speed, jump, view and optional slot space. I bought mine to be a fast express transport, but found the optional slot classes were not ideal, so decided to make an explorer out of it.

Shade's Shadow

It actually has the SuperDrives™ in it now, but I have yet to grab a build. But the jump is higher than shown here by about 5 light years due to the increased optimal mass. Good speed and jump, adequate protection for an explorer. I'm missing whatever would give this ship scientific street cred, but scrolling through Coriolis what these might be are not obvious. What should it have on it to make it more scientific? A pulse laser plus what else?

Clean drives were mentioned and while I believe in the Blaze Your Own mantra, it's important to understand what clean drives actually are. I see comments sometimes about commanders outfitting their ship with clean drives in the expectation it is running cooler to scoop better. But clean drives have no effect in supercruise. Where they make a difference is in normal flight, and even then it is a point or two in most cases. For example if we swap the OP's Krait to clean, idle and jump temp stay the same, and thruster temp goes up two points. In my tests, where clean drives shine the most is with chain-boosting, where the heat stacks. Clean drives are superior here in my view. But otherwise I think clean drives are a trap, trading speed, thruster response and maneuverability to save a couple points of heat during normal-space flight. Clean drives also draw a little more power than dirty which trades off some of their supposed advantage intrinsically, since power = heat.

There is no appreciable difference between the usual engineered class 5 FSD, and the new double engineered one, as far as the heat is concerned. The only ship that really behaves differently in terms of heat generation for scooping and FSD jumps is the Dolphin.

Perhaps I misunderstand, but I have put the new FSD in five of my ships -- Orca, Phantom, DBX and two of my Krait IIs. All of them have an increase in temp while spooling up to low-wake and during high-wake. This is insignificant, about 4 points of heat for most of them. I see no increase in heat in supercruise, but I no longer own a Dolphin. The Dolphin runs hotter in supercruise with the new FSD?

 

[puca]

Sorry, the new double engineered FSD is a class 5, the dolphin uses a class 4.

What I meant is that I have not seen a big difference in ships that I use regularly that use the class 5 FSD in terms of heat (which are the kraits, and the python). Perhaps I am wrong, and a careful test would reveal a difference.

 

[Jarsil]

I'd say go for low emission/thermal spread on PP.
You'll appreciate it when scooping, on the Phantom you'll get to full 6A scooping capacity before hitting 60% temperature even scooping at 0.25c
You can also drop the 5D shield for a 3D, freeing up the Class 5 slot for a class 5 cargo rack (when empty it will not hinder your jump range).

Since you'll be gathering materials, there is no need to equip 2xHeatsinks, you can always replenish the first, and with a low emission PP you'll rarely need even to use one.

In this you have to believe me: i dropped from a jump right in the scooping zone of a second star.
If you keep your blood cold, you'll get away well before it gets critical.
I'd also swap super conduits with cluster capacitor in the distributor, you'll lose a few recharge speed, but you'll get a double boost for free, it can save your life on high G planets if used responsibly.

Obviously, you'll get the most from your Phantom when you'll have fully engineered her. This is my Millennium Phantom, almost fully enginereed and with the increased range CG FSD (to fully engineering her I need the lightweight life support, but I'll get it on Colonia when I'll get there).

 

[Ron1776]

OK, last check...ready for a 5kLy trip into the black. Any critiques?

Coriolis EDCD Edition

A ship builder, outfitting and comparison tool for Elite Dangerous

s.orbis.zone

 

[LifesAJourney]

Looks solid!

 

[Jaxterix]

For the Power Dist, you need it big enough to constantly boost. This helps if you get interdicted and need to escape.
I'd also go clean drive tuning with thermal spread on on your drives as this helps with hi g planets
Adding 1-2 shield boosters would also be beneficial. Grade E is ok when engineered.
2 heatsink launchers is 1 too many imo. You shouldn't need heat sinks unless you're very careless and slam into a large star....or you're going out for months at a time.
If you're going out to guardian sites then add a point defence utility and a small pulse laser.
Possibly upgrading the PP to a class 5 them armoured and thermal spread.


Remember, it's not all about max jump range. Sure you can get a 70+ lr phantom, but it will be paper thin and seriously at risk from a) npcs or gankers and b) going boom if you land too hard on a planets surface.

I know my explorer phantom is engineered but it may give you some ideas:

Coriolis EDCD Edition

A ship builder, outfitting and comparison tool for Elite Dangerous

s.orbis.zone

I've made a phantom along those lines because I wanted to survive in open in an exploration ship. I did not go with the clean drives because...yes, they do help some in high G planets, but that is a very situational use, and doesn't override (for me anyway) the usefulness of being able to perma boost to 591 m/s.

This is the build I ended up with:

https://s.orbis.zone/dteh

 

[puca]

I don't quite get how clean drives help w/ high g planet landings. What they do help with is landings on planets (high g or not) that are very hot because they are close to a star.