Possible Idea: Mining With The Help of Repurposed Fighters

[JonLeDude]

I'm not sure if this was mentioned before, however, I believe that fighter ships can repurposed for use in mining. In this case, I would love to use them for Deep-Core Mining.
For example, I like to do all my mining using my Cutter. Although the Cutter itself isn't too bad for flying around an asteroid, I believe using a "Mining Fighter" (for lack of a better title) can help miners with large ships zip from fissure point to fissure point more effectively and efficiently; seeing how fighters are so incredibly agile.

Just picture it. You find an asteroid with a core, leave your ship about 1.2km away from the blast area and engage the asteroid with a repurposed fighter equipped with a seismic launcher. After you have quickly embedded the asteroid with the necessary explosives, you switch to your ship and tell the fighter to follow you so it remains at your side before the explosion occurs.
From that point, you can deploy collector limpets and open your cargo hatch for collection.

I don't know about anyone else, but I believe this would help me tremendously. Tell me what you think, Commanders o7.

 

[Tividar]

I'm not sure if this was mentioned before <snip for brevity>

Two variant Mining-focused fighters: each packs an Abrasion Blaster as the Primary weapon. For the utility slot, one carries a Sub-Surface Displacement Missile while the other carries a Seismic Charge Launcher. No special AI. Either you fly it yourself or you multi-crew.

One issue that would need to be resolved regarding the multi-crew AI:
The autopilot/NPC Crewman needs to not close an open Cargo Hatch, or alternatively the open/close state of the cargo hatch should be locked in its current state if the module is unpowered.

Quality of Life:
I'd be nice if an NPC would auto-launch collector limpets, but not strictly necessary as you can easily telepresence between the fighter and the ship to keep limpets flowing.
Bonus points if the Autopilot could hold the trigger down on the mothership's Mining Lasers while you're in the SLF. (no special AI here, just have the AI auto-target the closest prospector limpet with any turreted mining lasers).

Park your ship far enough from the 'roid to avoid collision and cut power to the thrusters if you're worried about drifting.
Launch Limpets and open the Cargo Hatch (and possibly cut power to the Cargo Hatch as well).
Launch the Fighter and get to work with Surface and Subsurface Deposits. Once the deposits are harvested, recall and switch SLFs to place Seismic Charges
Once all the SCs are placed, revert back to the Carrier and recall the fighter.

Near as I can tell, this would require little additional special programming, just two new fighter models (or use the existing ones) with some existing weapons.

I'd happily crowd fund this.

Add a new miner fighter - Sept 18, 2018
Mining Shuttle - Sept 15, 2019
Mining "fighter" - Jan 15, 2020
Prospecting Pilots And New SLF - May 11, 2020
With all of this talk about using SLFs for mining glitches, can we have an actual SLF miner? - Jun 30, 2020
Mining SLF - Mar 14, 2021
Mining/utility SLF - Mar 18, 2021
Utility SLF - Jun 19, 2021
Possible Idea: Mining With The Help Of Repurposed Fighters - Feb 16, 2022

Mining SLF

Two variant Mining-focused fighters: each packs an Abrasion Blaster as the Primary weapon. For the utility slot, one carries a Sub-Surface Displacement Missile while the other carries a Seismic Charge Launcher. No special AI. Either you fly it yourself or you multi-crew. One issue that would...

forums.frontier.co.uk

 

[JonLeDude]

Mining SLF

Two variant Mining-focused fighters: each packs an Abrasion Blaster as the Primary weapon. For the utility slot, one carries a Sub-Surface Displacement Missile while the other carries a Seismic Charge Launcher. No special AI. Either you fly it yourself or you multi-crew. One issue that would...

forums.frontier.co.uk

Ahh, there it is. I had a feeling that there was a thread mentioning this before. Thanks for the link Commander.

 

[Capricos]

I agree with this mining oriented fighters. Somewhat along the same lines, I think there should be an exobiology specific SRV. No weapons. Just the ability to ping and a little arm to reach out and grab samples.
Also on the topic of Mining, but a bit off subject, I really think Mining should be separated from the Trade category and be it's own set of Rankings to become an Elite Miner.

 

[Koben]

I do have a slight feeling that's what the "ship schematics" in Odyssey are for... modding SLFs and maybe even ships themselves.

 

[Tividar]

I do have a slight feeling that's what the "ship schematics" in Odyssey are for... modding SLFs and maybe even ships themselves.

ATM, I'm perfectly content to stick with Horizons (not a big FPS fan). If ship modifications were gated behind FPS grind that might actually get me to walk away from Elite entirely (FPS generally makes me nauseous). I like the idea of hunting down schematics to mod my ships, just not in an FPS setting.

 

[DemiserofD]

ATM, I'm perfectly content to stick with Horizons (not a big FPS fan). If ship modifications were gated behind FPS grind that might actually get me to walk away from Elite entirely (FPS generally makes me nauseous). I like the idea of hunting down schematics to mod my ships, just not in an FPS setting.

Given fc mat traders will exist, you probably still wouldnt need to.

They'll doubtless be extremely expensive, though.

 

[Tikanderoga]

I'm not sure if this was mentioned before, however, I believe that fighter ships can repurposed for use in mining. In this case, I would love to use them for Deep-Core Mining.
For example, I like to do all my mining using my Cutter. Although the Cutter itself isn't too bad for flying around an asteroid, I believe using a "Mining Fighter" (for lack of a better title) can help miners with large ships zip from fissure point to fissure point more effectively and efficiently; seeing how fighters are so incredibly agile.

Just picture it. You find an asteroid with a core, leave your ship about 1.2km away from the blast area and engage the asteroid with a repurposed fighter equipped with a seismic launcher. After you have quickly embedded the asteroid with the necessary explosives, you switch to your ship and tell the fighter to follow you so it remains at your side before the explosion occurs.
From that point, you can deploy collector limpets and open your cargo hatch for collection.

I don't know about anyone else, but I believe this would help me tremendously. Tell me what you think, Commanders o7.

I would love something simple as an SLF equipable with a pulse scanner and do exactly that. Zip around, pulse the asteroids and then back when done.

 

[Spaceman-FXL5]

ATM, I'm perfectly content to stick with Horizons (not a big FPS fan). If ship modifications were gated behind FPS grind that might actually get me to walk away from Elite entirely (FPS generally makes me nauseous). I like the idea of hunting down schematics to mod my ships, just not in an FPS setting.

Same here, although Mining Fighters with my NPC would be interesting. As would having my fighter pilot in a seat on the flight deck.

 

[Insanerobert]

Having mining fighter ships would be nice. Also, as an alternative: having the possibility for Large ships to equip perhaps a Slot 7/8 hangar for 1 Small ship would be amazing, giving them a 2nd purpose and the 2nd ships, well - we can already fit them how we like, don't we? But even the option for a mining type of "fighters" would be amazing as well.