SLF for mining

[coca_fr]

What about a fighter equiped with a prospector lance able to test asteroids. It could then tag the asteroid with paint if it contained the searched materials.

It could also retrieve materials and bring it back to our ship where materials are droped close to our ship to ease drones work.

It could also directly drop material inside Mining ship hatch

 

[Teh Smoo]

You're not the first to want a mining assistance SLF.

Tagging with paint and trying to out-drone some drones are absolutely terrible ideas, though. Did you think for more than 3 seconds about how fun it would not be to chase down fragments, even with a SLF?

Now, having the SLF act as a giant, reusable prospector limpet? Have it clamp on and drill, with a rear turret to chuck fragments back towards the mothership? THAT would be less busywork.

And mining ships need to manipulate fragments without collectors...

 

[coca_fr]

Did you think for more than 3 seconds about how fun it would not be to chase down fragments, even with a SLF?

For humans it would impossible, but for computed assisted fighters it would easy.

Fighters could be equipped with tractor beam though. It was so many times... It was there on the original Elite and it was really great.