Newcomer / Intro Python Trade Build

CMDR Mark Val

CMDR Mark Val
Hi all,

I am planning on building a Python trade ship. So far this is what I am planning for the build. Comments welcome!

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Thanks in advance!
 

GroG79

G
Nice dedicated build..

to your second question: Yes

To the first question. Drop the lasers. You are just planning to escape not fight.. To help escape put an extra booster, a chaff and a heatsink. This will make aiming harder for npcs.If you want you can go for asmaller a-rated powerplant to save weight. Same for your districutor. This should give you a bit more speed and jumprange
 

Lord Maniac

Lord Maniac
I also would drop everything related to fighting.
You wouldn´t stand a chance anyway, so max out cargo, jumprange and speed.
If you can´t escape interdictions, maybe throw in a chaff or heatsink
 
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[VR] Orodruin

[VR] Orodruin
A few questions regarding your current status:
  • Have you unlocked engineers?
  • Have you unlocked FSD boosters?
  • Do you have access to prismatic shields?
 

CMDR Mark Val

CMDR Mark Val
Orodruin said:
A few questions regarding your current status:
  • Have you unlocked engineers?
  • Have you unlocked FSD boosters?
  • Do you have access to prismatic shields?
Click to expand...

1) Yes I have Farseer, Martuuk and Qwent unlocked
2) Yes, FSD Range G5
3) no I don't - not aligned to Empire at the moment (sorry i think in my build i mentioned Prismatic shields 3A but I dont think I can get that so will settle for regular shields)
 

Kissamies

Kissamies
Don't use a D-grade power plant to save weight. Undersize to a smaller A-grade instead. This is especially true if you plan to use that fuel scoop for real.
 

Badman76

Badman76
The python is good at avoiding interdictions, i'd drop the shield booster.
4A Power Generator will make scooping easier.
5A PD performs the same as 7D but is lighter
6A Thrusters just to get in and out of the stations quicker

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Personally I'd drop the Docking computer and supercruise assist
 

[VR] Orodruin

[VR] Orodruin
CMDR Mark Val said:
1) Yes I have Farseer, Martuuk and Qwent unlocked
2) Yes, FSD Range G5
3) no I don't - not aligned to Empire at the moment (sorry i think in my build i mentioned Prismatic shields 3A but I dont think I can get that so will settle for regular shields)
Click to expand...
1) Farseer can do a lot of nice upgrades for you. In particular, you will want to engineer the FSD for increased range g5 (or whatever grade you can stomach the material grind for) with mass manager experimental effect. She can also engineer your thrusters to grade 3 dirty drives + drag drives. This will improve the speed at which you can move in normal space and therefore cut down the time it takes for you to do trade runs.
2) Sorry, I may have been unclear, I was referring to Guardian FSD boosters (a module), not the grade 5 engineering. The largest of these will add a flat 10.3 lightyears to your jump range, but even the smaller modules will significantly help you with the jump range. Less jumps will mean that you get to your sell location faster. Time is money.

So, with regards to your build, I would:
  • Put g3 dirty + drag drives on the thrusters. This will increase your speed in normal space by around 80 m/s (100 m/s when boosting). Depending on your budget, you may also consider A-rating the thrusters or not.
  • Put g5 increased range + mass manager on the FSD.
  • Lose the weapons. As others have already said.
  • Swap the shield for a normal 3A as you don't have access to prismatics. You may or may not want to add additional shield boosters depending on how much shields you are going for.
  • Go with the smallest A-rated power plant that you can get away with. There is no reason to have too much power and the A-rated power plants run much cooler. In particular as you have a very small fuel scoop.
  • You may also want to consider getting rid of the fuel scoop. If you unlock the Guardian FSD boosters and replace the fuel scoop with a size 3 FSD booster, the above modifications should get you a jump range of about 34 ly laden and a total range of more than 220 ly. This is enough to get between most trading stations without the need to refuel. Even without the FSD booster you would have a pretty decent range.

A very personal preference:
- Drop the docking computer unless you feel that you need it. It is faster to dock manually if you can manage that.

Of course, if you want to play rather more casually, you can ignore much of what I said above. Your ship will work perfectly well for trading. Much of what I said is intended to maximise profit per time if you want to focus intently on the game. If you are planning to trade more casually, say go and make a cup of tea while your ship is docking, that is personal preference and you should do that instead. It will work out perfectly fine.
 

aRJay

aRJay
I was going to suggest getting rid of the prismatic shield as it saves 5 tonnes switching to the 3A drop the lasers to save mass and in a Python you should be able to beat NPC interdictions anyway so won’t need them.

Personally I would ditch the Docking Computer and Super Cruise Assist but they don’t cost you much.

As has been said above mildly upgrading everything but the Frame Shift Drive at the engineers you can access will help a lot, the FSD should be engineered as much as you can now and fully as soon as possible.
 

Hawk of Battle

Hawk of Battle
Personally, this is what I'd do, based on what engineers you have unlocked;

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I don't know if you have the FSD booster unlocked, so if you don't then just ignore it, but if you do then I'd certainly throw one on there (and if you really want, install an even higher grade version, thought doing that means trading off either cargo capacity, or removing the fuel scoop, which is not the worst thing in the world on a python with this much range, but I tend to try to keep a scoop on all my ships, just in case).

Maximising jump range by sheering off weight without compromising speed or shields. You should be able to get everywhere and outrun everything without too much issue like this.
 

d8veh

d8veh
For a trade ship, never compromise on the thrusters and power distributor. With D-class and only a size 6 PD, you'll be a sitting duck if you get interdicted or when a pirate turns up at an ouptost. Those things are OK for an explorer, but not a trader. You need about 350m/s boost and a good boost frequency to be reasonably safe, but the more the better.

Ditch the weapons. If you tried to use them, you'll get blown up in seconds.

Ditch the supercruise assist, which only slows you down, and change the docking computer to a standard one. The auto take off is a complete waste of time. It only slows you down.

Now you can go down to a 4A powerplant. Switch off the cargo hatch, which you will never have to use. Switch the shield booster off after fitting it and put it on a lower priority in the modules tab. As soon as you leave the station, put 4 pips to engines and 2 to shields, then switch off the power distributor and switch the shield booster back on. With no weapons, you'll never need to change the pips from that configuration. When you switch off the PD, it only locks access to the pips. The PD still distributes power to the capacitor. You won't have so much problem with heat when scooping with the PD and cargo hatch switched off.

Add a heatsink to break target lock if you get interdicted or if the pirate tries to get you at an outpost.

All that's assuming no engineering and no Guardian stuff.

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JohnRoberts

JohnRoberts
if you're aiming for the flight side of "fight or flight", I would just drop the weapons altogether, and get an A rates thrusters and engineer them.
 

Dommarraa

Dommarraa
Fsd booster in whatever slot you plan for a fs is often a better option in the bubble. My fully laden mining python does 240ly without refueling, and a lot quicker than if I had a fs in the same slot.
 

Crumb

Crumb
Nice post... I'm in exactly the same boat (ship) as you so I'm reading this with interest. I'm just getting back in to this after a year or two off. I've got a Python, mostly maxed up, but pre-engineers. I'm part way between Farseer's and Maia, on my way to pick up some Meta-Alloys.
 
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