Should I Get A Vulture?

[Blue Viper]

I'd just want to know if the vulture is in any way better than the Viper, I would like to know how good it is in High intensity/Low intensity combat zones. Also if it is good at bounty hunting. And/or if it is better than any of the other combat ships in the game as well. Thanks!

 

[Io_Sys]

Exploration, lol no.
If you want to explore, get a Diamondback Explorer. Same range as the Asp, (about 35Ly) and yet much, much cheaper. You'll spend about 2mil for the ship, 5mil for the FSD and another 1.8mil for a discovery scanner and a detailed surface scanner. I'd also recommend getting a class 4 fuel scoop. It runs cool as well if you get an A-class powerplant, so you can fuel scoop without worry.

For Pure PvE combat though, there's nothing that can beat the vulture.


Edit: Oh, the diamondback can fight pretty well too btw, just not when it's outfitted as an explorer. Large beam, twin multicannons.

 

[andy_3_913]

I'd just want to know if the vulture is in any way better than the Viper, I would like to know how good it is in High intensity/Low intensity combat zones. Also if it is good at bounty hunting. thanks!

Might have to change your name if you do

 

[Kitiara]

Vultures are awesome.

I'd say the python is better in a res site, but it's also an order of magnitude more expensive. Pretty much nothing beats the vulture for combat power per credit.

 

[Ceekay]

Outside of NPC Elite Anacondas, Pythons and wings the Vulture can handle most threats, however with it's low maximum speed it can be difficult to get clear of trouble when the shields go down especially if the pursuer(s) is in a Viper/Cobra/DB-S.

 

[askavir]

Well, for starters a Vulture costs roughly 34 Vipers.

The Viper has a lot higher top Speed. In the pure speed department, the Vulture is quite slow. Thats it for the Viper advantages over the Vulture.

The Vulture packs a lot bigger punch than the Viper. Its dual large weapons make it a real menace to any ship in the game. Its positioning is also great.

On top of that, the Vulture is incredibly manouverable, only topped by the Eagle and considerably better than the Viper.

It has way better shields and more armor than the Viper.

If you fly it decently, its manouverability ensures that in one-on-one fights with large ships you will not need shield boosters or cells, just grab the big target tail and start pounding.

So basically, for 34x more than a Viper, you get a lot better defended, and a lot better armed, extremely manouverable fighter vessel. But expect to spend about 5 million more to upgrade it, or you will run out of power very quickly as soon as you start shooting.

The only Vulture downside is that if things go sour, you will not be able to run away from anyone, due to its low top speed.

The Viper is, due to its puny cost, a lot more expendable than a Vulture. You can lose tenths of Vipers before it makes the same impact on your wallet as losing a single Vulture.

 

[Jason S]

Get one they are very powerfull and probably a bit under priced but you will have to balance power consumption by doing things like putting non priority stuff to priority 2 and being very careful on outfitting. Look at youtube vids about that.

 

[Zephyriel]

It's the go-to ship for bounty hunters, way more powerful than the Viper. Fit it with two large lasers and watch enemy ships melt without ever having to reload your ammo.

It's the best bargain in the game, very powerful and relatively cheap.

 

[Blue Viper]

Outside of NPC Elite Anacondas, Pythons and wings the Vulture can handle most threats, however with it's low maximum speed it can be difficult to get clear of trouble when the shields go down especially if the pursuer(s) is in a Viper/Cobra/DB-S.

Yeah although it would be about what I do with my Viper, during battles I usually put most power on systems and weapons. I only use engines mostly when escaping. And due to the heavy weapons I have it's basically the same as a vulture.

 

[askavir]

I only use engines mostly when escaping. And due to the heavy weapons I have it's basically the same as a vulture.

Nope its not... Try it out and you will clearly see the difference. Whatever the weapons on a Viper, its like a Poodle bite compared to the Vulture's Pit Bull bite.

 

[Io_Sys]

Seconding the vulture speed thing. If you run out of SCBs and expect your shield to drop you should already be running unless the target is already nearly dead.

Even the Python isn't really a match in PvE, since the vulture can keep its guns on target much easier and do stuff like hug Anaconda or Python blindspots, although granted once the Python gets its guns on target they hurt like hell.

In a CZ I make roughly 1.2-1.4mil per hour with a vulture obviously since it's the cheapest I've probably got used to this more than the other ships. The cheap rebuy is nice too, for if you ever mess up.
I'll make about 800k an hour in a CZ with a FDL (you can see the difference the C3 weapons makes right there, but in all fairness the FDL is much better in PvP than PvE. Also honestly I prefer flying the FDL, I just wish it had some C3 weapons.)

In the Python... Well, I can't really tell my profit per hour yet. It's really goddamn expensive to outfit it-- It's hardly A-rank yet.
I'm lacking a decent powerplant (lol, D) and the A-rank distributor (got a B, but I can't find an A one anywhere) and it certainly makes itself felt in my DPS when my Wep capacitor is drained in a few bursts, but while it does fire it bloody well burns through anaconda shields faster than the capacitor drains.
Dual C2 cannons on the medium hardpoints seem to work insanely well too. First time I've really had any success using cannons as opposed to my preferred multicannons, although it's a real pain in the ass to resupply every half hour.


Edit: Just remember-- The Viper is like an interceptor/pursuit fighter. It's got decent shields for the price, but the real defence is your speed an mobility. The vulture is a heavy fighter. Big guns and strong shields. You lose a lot of speed for it, but you can take on the bigger prey easily.

 

[GeneralIdea1964]

Yes if you want to get in to a fight, a well equipped vulture will be very good.
But just to mention another (minor) downside to it is that for going long distance it's a thirsty beast.
Once had to help a chap in a vulture by finding a star he could reach to scoop fuel in an area of space with brown dwarfs every system nearby.
I (in a cobra at the time) could cheerfully jump in and out of multiple systems and even had enough left to finish our journey afterwards.
So careful jump planning required if you're going anywhere

 

[Psycho Romeo]

The vulture is a direct upgrade to the eagle. The courier is the direct upgrade to the viper. If you love the viper much more than the eagle for more reasons than firepower, then skip the vulture and grab a courier. If you really liked the eagle and just wish it was tougher, grab a vulture.

 

[Broon]

When you think of the Vulture think of the real life A-10 Warthog. Tough, maneuverable, a little slower but stays on target easily, and rains fire like a beast from Hell!

 

[DuncJim]

Well I have a vulture, mainly used for combat and by far the best ship I've had yet. Its a beast its so maneuverable and if you have good weapons you can take out sidewinders in a few hits its just great. Although its great at combat you cant explore in it the fuel tank is tiny and the jump range is bad as well. As you can imagine its not exactly fast but its a great ship in combat especially when you upgrade it! A must get ship!

 

[Iskariot]

I'd just want to know if the vulture is in any way better than the Viper,

The Vulture is a heavy fighter.
It is better than the Viper, but it is slower.
An A rated Vulture can compensate somewhat with a very good boost.

I would like to know how good it is in High intensity/Low intensity combat zones.

It is also a great combat vessel to use in asteroid fields, or in combat zones.

Also if it is good at bounty hunting.

Great for bounty hunting .

And/or if it is better than any of the other combat ships in the game as well. Thanks!

It is currently one of the best combat ships. In it's price class it is the best. The Python is very good too, but is so much more expensive.
When you lose a Vulture it won't cost you 12 million cr. in insurance money to replace it (my war Python does cost me that).
The Vulture is an affordable high end combat ship.

---

The Vulture does require some smart module and energy management to get the most out of it.

 

[Cadoc]

The Vulture is a very strong ship and probably amongst the best Bounty Hunting vessels in the game. However, it is IMO incredibly boring, probably THE most dull ship in the game. It has 0 momentum, so it's very easy to fly, it has just two hardpoints so there's very, very little variety in loadouts and it has severe power issues, further limiting your outfitting options. It's kinda fun for a few hours of pew pew, but after that it just exposes itself for what it really is - a soulless RES-grinding machine with no character.

When you lose a Vulture it won't cost you 12 million cr. in insurance money to replace it (my war Python does cost me that)

What the hell did you put on your Python to make the insurance that expensive? I've got everything A-rated apart from the powerplant, which is B, and my rebuy is around 5 million. Do you run nothing but beam turrets?

 

[Blue Viper]

When you think of the Vulture think of the real life A-10 Warthog. Tough, maneuverable, a little slower but stays on target easily, and rains fire like a beast from Hell!

That is actually a very good analogy! I didn't think of that! Thanks dude!

 

[Blue Viper]

The vulture is a direct upgrade to the eagle. The courier is the direct upgrade to the viper. If you love the viper much more than the eagle for more reasons than firepower, then skip the vulture and grab a courier. If you really liked the eagle and just wish it was tougher, grab a vulture.

Are you referring to the Imperial Courier?

 

[Iskariot]

What the hell did you put on your Python to make the insurance that expensive? I've got everything A-rated apart from the powerplant, which is B, and my rebuy is around 5 million. Do you run nothing but beam turrets?

Hehe, it's a lethal monster....

Well the A rated powerplant costs 51 mil, so go figure what that does for your insurance, and of course I use military composite bulkheads... another 51 mil.

A full loadout of beam turrets is inefficient.
But I use turreted weapons, yes.
It greatly compensates for the sluggishness of the Python.
Eagles, Vipers, or Vultures can not outturn my ship's weapons... ever.
Turrets are extremely efficient on a ship like this.
When I target a ship it is kept under constant fire, no matter how nimble it is.
It is a disheartening experience for human opponents and the AI doesn't know how to respond either.

I only have a 64 tonne cargo hold, but that is more than enough for very lucrative hauling missions.

I originally 'designed' this setup for powerplay, but it turned out to be great fun, and after I stopped my involvement with PP I kept it the way it is.