General Python MkII Feedback

[Riverside]

The Python MkII is a new ship based on the Python frame but not a successor. I'd like to see this new ship renamed to Python scout/defender/phantom/whatever to leave room for a MkII that has the same internals as the regular Python but with the extra hardpoints. Just a pipe-dream really, what it's called doesn't matter much but I think it does create a bit of confusion.

Overall I really like the new Python variant, I don't mind the smaller power plant & distro, other aspects (speed, handling) compensate for that in what seems to me to clearly be a combat variant.

The cockpit does look the same as (or too similar to) the regular Python & perhaps could have a different (or more different) colour scheme to help. Again not a big deal just feedback.

Love the looks but the headlight pods below the nose look weird compared to the original Python when the ones on the wings are well integrated.

The relative lack of optional hardpoints is understandable to limit the fitment of defensive modules but still I would prefer something like 6642211.

Overall a nice addition to the game, I like the default skin too.

 

[Uiros Ueramos]

I posted this in a thread that I created and that FDev moderators thought it was redundant:

Before anyone asks... ...no, I have not tried the Python Mk II and therefore I am not in a position to comment on it's flight characteristics or preferred roles. That is not the intended focus of this thread.

I am, however, intrigued that a variant that gets 1 more Large Weapon slot and 2 more Utility slots, while getting its PP and PD downsized from Size 7 to 6 and getting its Optional Internal Slots changed from:

10 >>> (6 + 6 + 6 + 5 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 3 + 2 + 1)

to

7 >>> (6 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 1 + 1)

...is a logical evolution, even if it was specifically built for a different specialized role. Aren't the Mk II's Optional Internal Slots simply inadequate?

Wouldn't it be more adequate something like this?

7 >>> (6 + 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 + 1)

Your opinions on this?...

 

[Oh Seven Commander]

Everyone worried about the distro - Just run multis. You can hold down the fire button and this thing eats ships for breakfast. 4 larges and 2 mediums all OC multis means that Incendiary to break shields in a timely manner is frankly optional.

RES clearing is a breeze and CZ work is equally simple.

Adding a 5 slot would just be OP. I'm holding over 3,800MJ of shields on the ship already. Slapping a 5 slot in there would bring effective MJ on a medium to in the 4,800MJ range.

80% of the DPS of a Type 10 on an agile medium that boosts into the 500s and has 4,800MJ of shields would be nuts. Would I complain? No of course not, haha. But, I expect FDev sees this math as well and doesn't want this thing to just become a large combat ship on a medium pad.

 

[Aleks Zuno]

The Python 2 is a major Mamba competitor for me! Having used a Mamba regularly for a long time now, the first thing I did was try adorning the Python 2 similarly; I have posted this quick Python 2 footage elsewhere, and I intend making a nicer video later to be more like my Mamba examples.

I had begun calling it the Mamba Heavy, although having considered it a bit, it seems to be a quite nice combination of the Python, the Mamba and the Fer-de-Lance:

• The weapon hardpoints are very much from the Python, but with an additional class 3 atop which is similar to the class 4 from the Mamba, or indeed to a Krait 2.
  • The class 3 beneath seemed like the Fer-de-Lance class 4 moved to be ahead of the Landing gear, but really it comes from the original Python.
  • The lateral spread lies between the Mamba and Fer-de-Lance.
• The utility hardpoints are exactly as both the Mamba and Fer-de-Lance.
• The fuel, sensors and power-related modules are one class lower than the original Python.
  • Very similar to starting with a Mamba or Fer-de-Lance and increasing their fuel and FSD classes one higher; the Python 2 has luxurious range!
• Optional modules are like a Mamba but with a class 6 shield.
  • Compared to my usual distributor management, this introduced a need to replenish SYS occasionally.
• Boost speed, rotation, acceleration and duration are like a Fer-de-Lance.
  • After stabbing with a Mamba so much, it will take a bit of practice to meet the more strict timing needed!

The Power distributor class is quite fine; Commanders who are accustomed inextricably to the luxury class 7 of the Python or Krait 2 should fly those instead, or at least revert to Multi-cannons as a starting-point. As any Alliance Challenger pilot knows, choosing appropriate weapons to match the Distributor abilities is part of planning the full starship!

As a platform for delivering Fragment cannons, I place the Python 2 as a close match with the Mamba over the duration of one drop; its additional hardpoint saves time occasionally, meanwhile the additional Mamba speed saves time always. Notably the Python 2 is much better for using Pacifiers!

For other weapons generally, four class 3 hardpoints are extremely powerful and allow much more choice than usual. For comparison, good Fer-de-Lance weapon choices are quite limited due to class 4 having fewer options and typical class 2 having low Piercing, pushing it into being a platform for Rail guns and Plasma accelerators. Speaking of those, the bigger Python 2 fuel will fare better with Plasma slug.

I have yet to try it, but the Python 2 also ought to become an entirely better Thargoid Interceptor duelist than the Alliance Chieftain, given that I had already forsaken hull protection in switching to a Fer-de-Lance myself! Even without a Stabiliser, four class 2 Gauss with Flak and Thermal vent will be very powerful, and definitely its boost provides a powerful enough response to forego the Flak and use a class 3 Stabiliser for one more weapon. Additional: The Krait 2 still has the superior optional internal modules for repairs and such.

Solo versus a Thargoid Titan, the Python 2 ought to match the Imperial Cutter due to having one fewer weapon hardpoint in return for reaching more Heat vents consecutively, although may have more trouble with using Low emissions engineering.

 

[Uiros Ueramos]

Adding a 5 slot would just be OP. I'm holding over 3,800MJ of shields on the ship already.

Since the shield generator will be in the size 6 slot, are you referring to using guardian shield reinforcement in the 5 slot ? I would use it for Shield Cell.

Slapping a 5 slot in there would bring effective MJ on a medium to in the 4,800MJ range.

Or not, if using that slot for a SC.

80% of the DPS of a Type 10 on an agile medium that boosts into the 500s and has 4,800MJ of shields would be nuts. Would I complain? No of course not, haha. But, I expect FDev sees this math as well and doesn't want this thing to just become a large combat ship on a medium pad.

I don't agree. They could just decrease the shield multiplier on the ship and resize the slots like I mentioned. It would create a more versatile ship and a true Mk II, instead of a Fer-de-Lance / Mamba in Python clothing. We don't need those. 2 are enough already.

 

[Oh Seven Commander]

Since the shield generator will be in the size 6 slot, are you referring to using guardian shield reinforcement in the 5 slot ? I would use it for Shield Cell.
Or not, if using that slot for a SC.
I don't agree. They could just decrease the shield multiplier on the ship and resize the slots like I mentioned. It would create a more versatile ship and a true Mk II, instead of a Fer-de-Lance / Mamba in Python clothing. We don't need those. 2 are enough already.

Effective MJ in this context includes the MJ added by using an SCB (Shield Cell Bank). A 5B SCB would add a little over 1k to the total MJ available to the pilot, so your total MJ on the P2 would go from 3.8k total to 4.8k total using 5B SCB, which is what my math was based on.

Frontier have already stated on at least 1 stream, if not more, the intended purpose of the ship is to directly compete with the FDL and Mamba, that's been clear for awhile. By your estimation, the ship is functioning as intended. Probably don't plan on Frontier rolling this ship back from a combat ship into a multirole (already have 3 medium multiroles in this price point, no need for a 4th) considering how up front they were about the ship's role, and how well received it's been in terms of early purchases. Last night at least 2 systems near Shinrarta had no carrier parking (and jump times were long) which indicates a lot of people went to go buy and outfit the ship, and I saw another Mk2 at Diaguandri when I was there doing some shopping.

 

[CMDR Xevan Drathius]

Armor, such as Reinforced Alloy, does not seem to be available for the Python MK II yet, or am I missing something?

 

[Aleks Zuno]

Armor, such as Reinforced Alloy, does not seem to be available for the Python MK II yet, or am I missing something?

You are missing something! I was able to purchase Reactive quite easily; perhaps you deployed the deployable Python 2 at a Shipyard which did not also sell the Python 2, thus did not sell the Armour?

 

[[VR] DDM_Reaper20]

I am most pleased with mine. I use two G5 overcharged MCs (autoloader), 2 large efficient beams (fixed), one Imperial Hammer (high-capacity magazine, SCB buster), and one medium high-capacity MC (corrosive). 6 SBs, bi-weave (reinforced) = 2,500MJ, which, while considerably lower than a Prismatic, recharges much quicker.

This one smokes pirates in massacre missions with almost contemptuous ease. The beams can be used for quite a while, with the Hammer used on occasion to impair SCBs. Once shields are down, I switch to the second fire group, which features the 3 MCs on button 1, and the other weapons on button 2.

My Python 2 is rather cool-running, as I use an armored power plant (G5, monstered).

I find it a more interesting ride than an FDL.

 

[Commander Biscuit]

FWIW, they did change the colour in the back of the cockpit and there's a jpeg of the p2 too!

All over the cockpit, the orange parts have changed to a dark teal. Even the strips of emergency bacon are blue now!

 

[AEBRAM]

I wrote a good review of the Python mk2 to my friends on discord ... it is a very good ship. However, I do believe the ship should have had 2x C4 optional internal slots than the one. You can tell what the ship was designed to do and excel in; but still the extra C4 optional slot would have lightened up the ship to cover most bases for Xeno combat.

 

[Adam_Aster]

4.3K MJ w/ prismatics, it is a shield tank through and through. An extra size 4 or 5 would be nice but I think that would honestly be too much and put it just over the line of not making anything (FDL) obsolete, that and giving it a size 7 Distro would just be too much, imo.

 

[Miscellaneous]

The thing is, it's what people decide to use it for that matters, and for that we will have to wait and see.

NOT IF I SEE FIRST VARONICO!!

Just joking! Yeah I had a dream of using it to learn mining but sort of glad that didn't work out now because it really forced me to think up new angles for it, and it took me back to a newb magic like getting my sidewinder. (You know, kinda like).

this new ship renamed to Python scout/defender/phantom/whatever

I really like that idea

whatever = pancake

 

[Uiros Ueramos]

4.3K MJ w/ prismatics, it is a shield tank through and through. An extra size 4 or 5 would be nice but I think that would honestly be too much and put it just over the line of not making anything (FDL) obsolete, that and giving it a size 7 Distro would just be too much, imo.

My suggestion adds no Optional Internal Slots. It keeps only 7, but more versatile ones than the current 7.

 

[Oh Seven Commander]

4.3K MJ w/ prismatics, it is a shield tank through and through. An extra size 4 or 5 would be nice but I think that would honestly be too much and put it just over the line of not making anything (FDL) obsolete, that and giving it a size 7 Distro would just be too much, imo.

Are you running a booster on there, or running all Heavy Duty + Super Cap on the boosters and taking the Thermal resist hit?

 

[spl1tting]

Ah, so not op enough then.

Needs another two huge hardpoints.

 

[CMDR X]

You are missing something! I was able to purchase Reactive quite easily; perhaps you deployed the deployable Python 2 at a Shipyard which did not also sell the Python 2, thus did not sell the Armour?

I always thought that the armor was ONLY available at yards that sell the ship.

 

[CMDR X]

Needs another two huge hardpoints.

And better pitch rate. On paper this thing should do cartwheels. Instead it's kinda

 

[Neilski]

There's a bug feature if u throw a grenade or other item at the ship it goes through it.

FTFY

On a serious note: my search-fu is obviously deserting me, but 20 minutes worth of searching both here and on the wider net has failed to find me any source with the stats for the Mk II...
Can some kind soul please drop a link here?

 

[Aleks Zuno]

FTFY

On a serious note: my search-fu is obviously deserting me, but 20 minutes worth of searching both here and on the wider net has failed to find me any source with the stats for the Mk II...
Can some kind soul please drop a link here?

Are these of any use?