PVE: Best ship for Combat Bonds

[grytpype-thynne]

Basically I'm treating the engineers as Pokémon and as a couple of them need combat bonds, I'm thinking which ship/load out (no specific engineering) is the better all rounder.
I'm more than prepared to grind for the money to buy the various bits and pieces. Was thinking FDL but, I'm prepared to be persuaded to other ships.

I'm novice/competent on combat and do rely on gimballed weapons rather than fixed.

[big grin]

 

[Marshall...]

If you can afford a Conda, get that with an all energy weapons loadout. You can sit an a CZ forever with one - its a bit boring, but you can quickly get bonds. If you want to do it a bit slower, but more fun, get an FdL, FAS or Python (same energy weapons apply, so you can stay in the CZ).

 

[ThriveInDark]

In my opinion the FDL can be a bit tricky in a CZ unengineered, it is actually designed more for bounty hunting which is a controlled single engagement. You won't have the resists or SCBs (without engineers, totally different story if you can engineer your shields) to take the prolonged abuse and potential multiple opponents, but you can always run and reboot when you need to. I have much more success in a Vulture or FAS due to the mobility making it easy to stay in a ship's blind spot while also being able to track and kill groups of eagles and stuff that gang up quickly with their firepower advantage(which to me seems more effective than trying to tank more damage from those wings of small ships). Between the two only one can really be fitted to fight AND sweep (bring collect limpets for the salvage materials as you blow stuff up), and that would be the FAS

 

[BDelacroix]

I've done CZs in a vulture, anaconda and a cutter. Never tried all energy weapons and just sitting in place. Sometimes the reds greatly outnumber the greens and you are always target #1 for any reds not otherwise occupied.

 

[duckofdeath]

If you have engineer access the FDL is probably the fastest earner in a CZ. With a 500+ m/s boost speed, you're never more than a few seconds away from the next target. I use four efficient beams (one with thermal vent) plus a huge overcharged PA with a target lock breaker effect. Use the PA for the large ships (and their power plants) and the beams for melting everything else.
The target lock breaker means you don't need chaff to avoid being hit by the turrets of a big ship your attacking. Leaves you with the luxury of having shield boosters in every single utility slot.
I've got a low power modded bi-weave shield on my FDL and get a silly large 1.4GJ shield because I have boosters in all slots. The shield choice is for fast shield recharging, so I won't need shield cell banks. It also let's me use a size 5 power plant with its relatively low usage.

 

[rrobes]

IMHO,

Corvette, against NPC's, in any decent config and flown w/ some grace, it is the Queen of the CZ and anywhere else in the PvE world. On top of that, it's fun to fly.

 

[Xious]

Vulture is currently my goto for CZ's

 

[Roland Deschain]

Ha nice,

I have just fully engineered my first FDL and its pretty much this weapon layout. And I was wondering if this was a good idea...
Anyhow, now I have to practice, because...well, all fixed^^

 

[ThriveInDark]

If you have engineer access the FDL is probably the fastest earner in a CZ. With a 500+ m/s boost speed, you're never more than a few seconds away from the next target. I use four efficient beams (one with thermal vent) plus a huge overcharged PA with a target lock breaker effect. Use the PA for the large ships (and their power plants) and the beams for melting everything else.
The target lock breaker means you don't need chaff to avoid being hit by the turrets of a big ship your attacking. Leaves you with the luxury of having shield boosters in every single utility slot.
I've got a low power modded bi-weave shield on my FDL and get a silly large 1.4GJ shield because I have boosters in all slots. The shield choice is for fast shield recharging, so I won't need shield cell banks. It also let's me use a size 5 power plant with its relatively low usage.

Then you should go back up to 6 PP and go low emissions for some extra thermal headroom which it sounds like you could use. The FAS is a perfect ship for you OP