Ship Builds & Load Outs Shield Killers or Hull Killers?

[snake42069]

I have been making a list of ships using the shipyard website to plan out my future vehicles when i get back from Sagittarius A. However, ive been away from the bubble since february, taking my time. I have forgotten alot of things since then (will go through tutorials again to regain some knowledge).

I Know that kinetic weapons are better against hulls, and thermal weapons are better against shields. At least thats what i think was correct back in february.

I want to outfit a python to be a trading vessel that can protect itself, and i was thinking of either 3 large beam lasers and 2 medium multi-cannons OR 3 large multicannons and 2 medium beam lasers.

My main question is, which would kill my enemies quicker. All gimbaled (simply because i suck at aiming).

 

[Ceekay]

Really depends on the target the FAS/FGS/FDS have average shields but tough hulls so a mix of energy and kinetic works well but a heavy shield ship like the FDL will soak up a lot of energy weapon fire before the shields collapse, essentially there's never going to be a perfect weapons array but I'm currently running 2 x rapid fire medium pulse turrets and a rapid fire large gimballed pulse plus 2 x rapid fire large gimballed m-cannon.

One tactic I've noticed with NPC's is that they drop heatsinks during combat and disappear from sensors and have to reacquired sneaky!

 

[snake42069]

If i remember correctly, its generally harder to bring down shields isnt it?

If so, then more thermal weapons would be better, and they still bring down hull quite nicely. Or am i getting that wrong?

 

[Ceekay]

Thermal weapons (pulse lasers in my case) will do the job against most NPC's (the tough hull FAS/FGS/FDS will take a bit longer) even the Deadly + ones that use SCB's and chaff, once the shields are down kinetic weapons will destroy the hull quicker than laser weapons.

However a fully loaded (around 200 T cargo) Python isn't the most agile beast so I usually fit turrets on the medium hardpoints and gimbals on the large, this is my multirole Python build it's heavily Engineered but even without enhanced modules and weapons it's a solid enough build, beam turrets would be worth checking out but they draw a lot of power and PD drain.

https://coriolis.io/outfit/python/0...429272f24.Iw18eQ==.IwBj4yvYg===?bn=Python ERC

 

[snake42069]

how would you outfit a type 9 heavy that will be exclusively a trader. I just need something that can defend itself since it is basically a flying brick. I was planning on using the type 9 to trade my way to a full equipped anaconda (with all the premium trimmings).

 

[Ceekay]

I've no experience with T9's but you're not going to outrun anything although only the big 3 (or possibly a Python) can mass lock you so it's fitting enough shields and armour to allow the FSD to spool up, I've found mines a useful distraction for attackers and I've even killed a Vulture with them (shock mines on a T6), lose some cargo and fit a fighter for distraction (they're only about 1000 CR to replace and you have 6 reprints available one every 2 minutes I think)

https://coriolis.edcd.io/outfit/typ...p03040404074n05040203020201.Iw18eQ==.Aw18eQ==.

Another option would be the Beluga it has better speed, range and fuel capacity than the T9 and it's a lot more fun to fly, less cargo though.

https://coriolis.edcd.io/outfit/typ...p03040404074n05040203020201.Iw18eQ==.Aw18eQ==.

 

[snake42069]

what do you think about this setup for an anaconda? As i trade more and more i can upgrade the hull and the shield to a higher class. Anaconda's are much more defensable than Type-9's. Im also trying to figure out my ship progression for trading (what ships i go to in whichever order). I original was going to go explorer>Type9>python>cutter>anaconda but now the cutter and anaconda have swapped places. I want to earn enough cash to have one ship specific for trading and another specific for combat.

http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=9060,...,0Bk00AA00AA00AA008c008c008c007207RA02UI02jw0

What im looking for is a defensable trading ship to use when i get back to the bubble, and ill have around 300m to buy the ship and armaments plus leftover to fill the cargo bay.

 

[Ceekay]

I'd suggest fitting a much better shield (at least 6A) as NPC's will attack with missiles once the shields down potentially taking out the powerplant and thrusters then it's game over as they say , I'd swap two of the boosters for PD turrets and the class 1 m-cannons for beam laser turrets for small agile targets.

The class 4 m-cannon is primarily a large ship (Python and above) killer (got an engineered one on my FDL it's nasty!) so unless you intend to use the ship for BH it's a bit overkill for a trading ship, I'd fit a class 3 pulse turret for now and see how it goes and perhaps change 2 of the gimballed class 3 beams for class 3 pulse turrets as beams will empty the weapon cap real quick.

The Python (unmodded) can just get away with maneuvering combat as long as it's carrying minimal cargo, with the Anaconda I reckon you want to use turrets to keep laying down fire until you can line up the gimballed weapons, remember m-cannons has a few seconds spool up time before firing commences so they need a fairly agile ship to get the best out of them.

http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=9060,...,0Bk00AA00AA07UI008c008c008c0072007202UI02jw0

 

[Yautja]

I am using T9 for mining and trade. I've equipped it with three multicannons on turrets and fighter bay with two fighters. One is Imperial Fighter and one is Taipan. First one is fast and agile and I use it when fighting back small ships. I use Taipan with fixed weapons when dealing with bigger ships. Also, when one fighter is destroyed i can launch second one right away. When going back from RES I have additional 400 000 credits from bounties for ships that attacked me during mining, so this T9 is quite hard to kill