So what's up with the Imperial Courier?

Moony2 · May 14, 2015

Isinona said:
In Frontier the Courier's wings retracted when landing. Could it be that we haven't seen it with the wings extended yet...?

Even so - the design is quite a departure from the original.

It's a shame because the Courier was the poster ship for Elite 2 in the same way that the Cobra MK3 was for the original Elite. It was certainly the most desirable ship IMO (with the possible exception of it's big brother - the trader).

I'm disappointed they couldn't have preserved the look of the original a little closer as they have with the Cobra. The retractable pods with the rotating end caps were as iconic as the shape of the Cobra - it'll be a shame if this ship has neither.

Don't get me wrong - it's a nice ship - but it's no courier. If it has to be so different - why not just call it something else. It looks more like the Turner class from FFE.

Nonya · May 14, 2015

I think they removed the moveable pods due to not being able to land on planets at the moment. Maybe they'll bring them back in the future if planetary landings ever come to fruition.

Moony2 · May 14, 2015

Nonya said:
I think they removed the moveable pods due to not being able to land on planets at the moment. Maybe they'll bring them back in the future if planetary landings ever come to fruition.

I could kinda understand that if the nacelles were extended as landing struts, however the retracted pods were it's landed/docked configuration for either planets or starports.

The Courier (in Frontier and FFE) extended it's nacelles for flight.

To have them permanently retracted makes it look like the courier is permanently in its "landed" configuration.

If that's the way it is then so be it - just a shame that's all seeing as how the Courier is IMO almost as iconic to the franchise as the Cobra MK3. Of all the ships to put through a radical redesign - I wouldn't have expected it to be the Courier - most of the other classic ships are fairly close to the originals in terms of overall shape and design.

Stonecoldamason · May 14, 2015

Hazarding a guess at between 3-4mil, requiring Dangerous combat rank and Master Imperial rank, comprising of a max 32 ton cargo area, 2 medium hp's 2 small hp's, 25ly jump range, good speed around viper/eagle speed, manoeuvrability of an asp.

Mephane · May 14, 2015

Stonecoldamason said:
Hazarding a guess at between 3-4mil, requiring Dangerous combat rank and Master Imperial rank, comprising of a max 32 ton cargo area, 2 medium hp's 2 small hp's, 25ly jump range, good speed around viper/eagle speed, manoeuvrability of an asp.

Dude, that would make it significantly worse than a Cobra.

KillingTime · May 14, 2015

Stonecoldamason said:
Hazarding a guess at between 3-4mil, requiring Dangerous combat rank and Master Imperial rank, comprising of a max 32 ton cargo area, 2 medium hp's 2 small hp's, 25ly jump range, good speed around viper/eagle speed, manoeuvrability of an asp.

apart from the price you've just described the Cobra!

Iori · May 14, 2015

50 ly max Jump Range
Fastest ship
Handles like a Viper
3 med Hardpoints
40 ton cargo area
Weaker shields than a vulture, stronger than the cobra.
Master Imperial rank
6 million

Mephane · May 14, 2015

Iori said:
50 ly max Jump Range
Fastest ship
Handles like a Viper
3 med Hardpoints
40 ton cargo area
Master Imperial rank
6 million

Aparts from the jump range, which I would expect around 25 Ly, this is about what I would expect.

Iori · May 14, 2015

Mephane said:
Aparts from the jump range, which I would expect around 25 Ly, this is about what I would expect.

Maybe 50 ly is too much but 25 is too short. I just feel its gonna be a great explorer since it was Lady Kahina's choice.

Edit: 25 would be about the same as a light Clipper.

CMDR Holycow · May 14, 2015

The ship looks just bigger than the eagle... I would venture to say it will be the fastest ship in the game... light weapons and a great jump range. Use it however you want.

Moony2 · May 14, 2015

Mephane said:
Dude, that would make it significantly worse than a Cobra.

Looking at the stats from Frontier - the stock Courier was worse than the Cobra (from a combat POV at least).

It weighed slightly more, only had one gun mounting to the Cobras 2. It's main and retro thrusters generated less g than the Cobra too and it couldn't carry a fuel scoop.

What it did have going for it was larger main drive and better hyperdrive availability (class 6 max as opposed to the Cobra's class 3), it also had a larger cargo hold (350 vs 80) and could carry two more missiles.

smsKONG · May 14, 2015

Holycow and cripes; it's Captain America!!

CMDR Holycow · May 15, 2015

smsKONG said:
Holycow and cripes; it's Captain America!!

boom, baby!

se_thrax · May 15, 2015

Lord_Crazy said:
The last two newsletters we had to chance to take a look at the Imperial Courier. So my questions are:
1) Will we fly it in 1.3?
2) What type of ship is it: multi-purpose, heavy fighter, explorer?

Personally I would like it to be an Imperial ASP: the canopy feels great, and the Clipper so far is no match with the ASP in term of jump range.

A parcel delivery service little insignificant space ship. Shieldless..

Poseidal · May 15, 2015

Moony2 said:
Looking at the stats from Frontier - the stock Courier was worse than the Cobra (from a combat POV at least).

It weighed slightly more, only had one gun mounting to the Cobras 2. It's main and retro thrusters generated less g the Cobra too and it couldn't carry a fuel scoop.

What it did have going for it was larger main drive and better hyperdrive availability (class 6 max as opposed to the Cobra's class 3), it also had a larger cargo hold (350 vs 80) and could carry two more missiles.

The capacity meant it could fit larger shields and a bigger gun. The extra gun mounts didn't matter as the second one points backwards.

I think the size categories have got changed a bit. The Clipper is the Trader equivalent and it used to carry a bit more than the Python.

inkmmo · May 15, 2015

My thoughts on average outfit

less than 100t cargo (probably 80t)

Jump range 18-20ly

3 hardpoints: 2 medium on the wing engines and one large beneath the ship (I would like huge but it is unlikely)

very agile, slightly more than iClipper but slightly slower then iClipper

no rank required (similar to Core Dynamics ships)

not so harsh on power consumption

medium pad would be required

would be good ship for doing missions (especially powerplay), bounty hunting and exploring. Probably not for trading as I expect other ships would be cheaper for the same cargo hold

price ~11 million

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destiny - will generate a lot of hype like initially with Eagle, then Viper, then Python, then Vulture. In truth - it will spice up variety.