Please critique my Vulture loadout for NPC bounty hunting

This one isn't for pirating or for PvP or for Wings support. It's just for "lone player is bored and wants to shoot up any type of Wanted that appears in a RES or NB, etc. for a while".

The linked loadout features the heaviest power draw with a gimballed pulse and a gimballed frag cannon for taking down bigger targets. Alternatives would be to replace the gimballed frag cannon with a fixed cannon as another possible big-ship killer, or with a second gimballed pulse laser for long-term pew-pew without needing to fly off and reload.

http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60N,5TP7fZ3we,316Q7_6Q5U7_6Q5A,7Sk15O4xo0Hq2Uc
 
From experience, the frag cannon does not last long in multi-ship combat. 30 ammo goes quick. With only two hardpoints I'd load up with lasers.

You have a spare utility spot. Take an interdiction module, just in case.
 
Last edited:
I have very similar config, but use 2 gimbaled pulse and the D module for life support to squeeze some range. I also have 2 PD and a Chaff Launcher on Utility mounts.

Beams draw too much power. Power management is VERY critical on the Vulture and not easy to get right, but once you do it's awesome.

Hung out as at a RES last night killing everything in sight, including Condas and Pythons without hardly a dent in the shields. Racked up 500k rather quickly.

Enjoy before the nerfs start.

Here's my load out.

http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60N,5TP5TP3we0mI01Q0mI,336Q7_6Q5K7_6Q5A,7Sk15O4xo10i2UI
 
Last edited:
Don't use a frag in RES is my advice, 33 ammo is too little. Tbh frags are pretty much pvp only weapons. If you want a big weapon punch for hull/subsystems take a C3 cannon they are superb at modules, especially up close.

This is what i'd run

http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60N,5TE7Pw3we0__0__0__,2-6Q7_6Q5K7_6u5A,7SkmpT4xo

you can put the armour back on if you are more comfortable using your hull to fight with, but i'd take the extra speed/manoeuvrability any day (personal choice really). Fairly certain you can make this work with power management.
 
Last edited:
Does anyone have good experiences with the Frag cannon? I've only been on the receiving end of one and it's never seemed all that scary to me...
 
Not bad but here's my suggestion
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60N,5TP7Pw3we0-I0-I0__,316Q7_6Q5U7_6u5A,7Sk15O4xo7c610i
im pretty sure there is a gimbaled version of the cannon though doesn't really matter as you can hug anything in a vulture.
fragment cannon doesn't have enough ammo to make it worth PVE.
you don't need a scanner to tell if you're in anarchy or not just read between the lines.
repair module isn't needed for short range excursions.
A class sensors aren't needed since you can just run people down to look at them.
 
through my experience, the viper has much more utility and offers much more in bounty hunting. i run 2 Small Burst lasers, and 2 Med PA. it is a juggling act to get certain components running since it overly exceeds the pwer, but with skill, i pull it off really well, and i'm able to take down an elite or dangerous anaconda in less than a minute. the problem i see with the vulture, is that it excess at being wing oriented, due to its two hardpoints, it is only plausible for a specific role in a wing.

such as a wing of 2 vultures and 2 vipers.
vipers are the pokers, and the two vultures alternate in use.

such as, one vulture has 2 beam lasers to bring down the shields and melt modules, and the other has two frag cannon to drag aggro and rip hull apart, while using alot of power to have really powerful shields (a tank if you will).

but if you must have the vulture for single time use, i would recommend this, because Burst lasers are very good, and they have good shield damage, and decent hull damage, plus you wont have to reload.
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60N,5DS5DS3we0_q3hA,316Q886u5K7_6k5A,7Sk15O12GmpT9p2

if you're bounty hunting, you dont need all that useless stuff like basic scanners. just make sure you change priorities, so that anything frame shift or hyperdrive oriented goes down when weapons come online to allow usage.
 
Does anyone have good experiences with the Frag cannon? I've only been on the receiving end of one and it's never seemed all that scary to me...

I did 80% to a bounty hunting player python before with 2x C3 frags, 3 shots each. You basically have to be fighting a big target however and the ammo capacity is really debilitating for normal play.
 
The twin pulses will take out anything and no ammo to worry about.

I'd probably only switch to a canon if i knew I was exclusively only going after big game. Probably no use on the gnat sized stuff.

I also tested twin bursts, but it drew too much power. the twin Pulse Lasers just really work well. Next I might look at maybe a mix of a Class 3 laser with a Class 2 MC to see if I can get the power balance right with a faster kill time, but only for entertainment. For now, you can just reek havoc anywhere with my current loadout.
 
Last edited:
The twin pulses will take out anything and no ammo to worry about.

I'd probably only switch to a canon if i knew I was exclusively only going after big game. Probably new use on the gnat sized stuff.

I also tested twin bursts, but it drew too much power. the twin Pulse Lasers just really work well. Next I might look at maybe a mix of a Class 3 laser with a Class 2 MC to see if I can get the power balance right with a faster kill time, but only for entertainment. For now, you can just reek havoc anywhere with my current loadout.

Yeah bursts use almost as much power as beams, they were my favourite for a long time but I found they didn't reliably damage subsystems even when on target, like only the first hit registered for damage and the other two were ignored.
 
Otherwise sound, but if you are going to bounty hunt in res or nav, the fragment cannon is going to run out of ammo very quickly. You do enough damage already with C3 Pulse Lasers.

Personally I do not like using gimballed, so I usually stick with Fixed and Lower level sensor to save slightly on power (the ship turns fast enough as it is, and having gimbals rely on the sensor level sorta takes away about 0.5 units of power. which such ships have small amounts), Only targets youd have moderate issue hitting would be sidewinders and eagles, but they tend to not have very good bounties anyway. But again, thats a personal preference.

A chaff would be a good measure in addition to avoid others from using gimbals on you (doesn't take much power), especially if being attacked by bigger ships. however the benefit from this is minimal.

As of the moment I fly with this build and focus on being able to somewhat tank as well
 
I'd go with twin pulses; I can take out an Anaconda powerplant with twin pulses pretty quickly, and although I loved cannons on the Viper I don't think that they're worth it on the Vulture.

I'd also swap out the fuel scoop for another hull reinforcement package. With A-grade thrusters you aren't going to want for speed, and the additional hull gives you more longevity as long as you aren't too worried about fighting at low (<50%) hull.

At this point you can probably run all day unless you are unlucky or jumped by too many ships. Even a pack of 4 or 5 Sidewinders can hurt if you aren't quick off the mark and take at least some of them down fast...

A few other minor tweaks and I'd fly this.
 
Last edited:
I also feel that the Class 3 bursts take too long for all three pulses compared to the Class 1 ones.

I'm currently using a fixed Beam and fixed Cannon (not firing at the same time). I might gimbal the beam (haven't found cannon gimbals of this class) so I can, though I feel like the cannon isn't very good.

I might just double up and use two pulse lasers, though that's similar to how I run my clipper and I wanted to play differently with the Vulture somewhat.
 
through my experience, the viper has much more utility and offers much more in bounty hunting. i run 2 Small Burst lasers, and 2 Med PA. it is a juggling act to get certain components running since it overly exceeds the pwer, but with skill, i pull it off really well, and i'm able to take down an elite or dangerous anaconda in less than a minute. the problem i see with the vulture, is that it excess at being wing oriented, due to its two hardpoints, it is only plausible for a specific role in a wing.

such as a wing of 2 vultures and 2 vipers.
vipers are the pokers, and the two vultures alternate in use.

such as, one vulture has 2 beam lasers to bring down the shields and melt modules, and the other has two frag cannon to drag aggro and rip hull apart, while using a lot of power to have really powerful shields (a tank if you will).

but if you must have the vulture for single time use, i would recommend this, because Burst lasers are very good, and they have good shield damage, and decent hull damage, plus you wont have to reload.
http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=60N,5DS5DS3we0_q3hA,316Q886u5K7_6k5A,7Sk15O12GmpT9p2

if you're bounty hunting, you dont need all that useless stuff like basic scanners. just make sure you change priorities, so that anything frame shift or hyperdrive oriented goes down when weapons come online to allow usage.

I literally spit coffee laughing at your assertion that the Viper is better for bounty hunting.

A Vulture with two lasers of anytime kills ANYTHING much faster than a viper with any configuration of weaponry. I used to hug enemy ships and blast away at powerplants with cannons/particle accelerators and beams for maximum DPS in my viper, and it's nowhere near as effective at making quick kills and quick money as a pulse laser toting Vulture. Cobras melt away in seconds. Anacondas powerplants die in ten seconds or less if you have two gimballed burst lasers targeting it up close.
 
Hey, Yokay.

Why don't you drop the D kws for an E and try to fit a b shield booster?

I managed to fit a b shield booster, 2 point defenses and a E Kws with 2 pulses.

Also, Not sure if the repair module is useful for relatively short skirmishes.

Perhaps change it for some extra armor?
 
Here's my Vulture, the "Eviscerator"

Firegroup 1:

Primary Fire: 2x 3E/Gimballed Pulse Lasers
Secondary Fire: 0I Chaff Launcher, 0F Electronic Countermeasure

Firegroup 2:

Primary Fire: 0E Kill Warrant Scanner
Secondary Fire: Advanced Discovery Scanner

Passive Utility: 0E Shield Booster

Armor: 1I Lightweight Alloy

Modules:
4A Power Plant
5A Thrusters
4A Frame Shift Drive
3C Life Support (10 min oxygen emergency supply)
5A Power Distributor
4C Sensors (5km range)
3C Fuel Tank (Capacity: 8)

5A Shield Generator
4A Fuel Scoop
2A Shield Cell Bank (4 cells, C-rate)
1C Detailed Surface Scanner
1C Advanced Discovery Scanner

I use it for short exploration trips and bounty hunting or warzone combat.

Fuel Scoop, FSD and Cargo Hatch are low priority modules, so with hardpoints deployed, I still have enough power.

I don't use armor because I avoid losing my shields. The pulse lasers are the most economical choice in my opinion.
 
Back
Top Bottom