The Cobra is the Ultimate ship in this game

[Pendra]

The Cobra is THE fastest ship in the game. It beats the Viper by 30 m/s which is a big .
The cobra has the same weaponry, the same power distributor, so offensive power equals.
The cobra's shield capacity is 25% lower than the viper, but the hull is 70% stronger. Plus it can mount a 2A shield charge without problem. The cobra's defense is definitely better.
The cobra's top speed is about 25 m/s faster. Actually, the cobra is the fastest ship in the universe with the boost potential of 450. The maneuverability is the same but the better thrusters improve it to be better than the Viper.
The cobra has 4/4/4/2/2/2 module setup vs the 3/3/2/1 on the viper. So the cargo potential is a lot better.

A cobra with 32 tons of cargo will outturn, outrun and outfight a Viper with 0 tons of cargo. Which is supposed to be a specialized combat craft. How the hell you call this balanced? You can haul 44 tons of cargo and still fly at 432 m/s. It is a speed nothing can beat. Heck, no need for shields, carry 60 tons and still outrun everything easily. It is a ship without weakness or compromise which just sucks.

The cobra's boost speed should be around 380.
Maneuverability decreased to 5.
At the same time, increase the Viper's speed by 20.
Replace the small hardpoint to mid hardpoints on the viper. Without a power plant and power distr. increase, that will not throw the balance out of the window but still improve the offensive potential of the Viper.

 

[EddyRockSteady]

A Cobra is an adequate, all-round starter-ship, no more. It's still a flying coffin capable of making a poor income at best, a stepping-stone towards riches.

 

[Cyda]

So it's the ultimate ship but you only compare it against one ship? And one that is cheaper too...

 

[BlackLegionnaire]

A Cobra is an adequate, all-round starter-ship, no more. It's still a flying coffin capable of making a poor income at best, a stepping-stone towards riches.

I disagree, I have one in the garage, it's worth 8.5 mil, specced for bounty hunting, It's made me a rich man...PVE... If you know how to pilot a properly equipped Cobra you'll take down Pythons, clippers, fed dropships and 'Condas....once again I'm mostly talking PVE, but even so, for PVP, it's very formidable...
Starter ship? ehhhhhh I don't like that designation.

 

[Arcanonn]

A Cobra is an adequate, all-round starter-ship, no more. It's still a flying coffin capable of making a poor income at best, a stepping-stone towards riches.

Indeed, unlikely the best ship in the game would cost so little. OP have you flown clippers/Vultures/FDL/Python etc.. ?

Down sides of a Cobra...

Weak fire-power next to larger hard point ships
Small cargo load (you would be on forever trying to get rich in one)
Weak shields and hull if up against a heavy fighter or larger ship (A fully loaded Vulture vs a Cobra just leaves the Cobra one option to survive and that's run.)

I own one it's my explorer, but I keep a Clipper for trading and a Vulture for pew pew.

 

[BlackLegionnaire]

I reckon.... Bang-for-Buck though it IS a contender for Ultimate ship, if we average it our that most people can't afford a Python, FDL or 'Conda.

 

[soma]

Erm.. OP, have you ever fought a competent player in anything bigger than a Cobra? Cobra shields are very low, it dies so pathetically quickly against a Vulture, Clipper or FDL .. the only thing it can do, is run. That makes the Cobra a good survivor (which is fine, I love the Cobra). But it hardly makes it the ultimate ship in this game.

 

[Makaan]

It's also down to the pilot.

But I have not once been destroyed by a cobra when using my Viper.

Infact I've only ever been destroyed once in my Viper and that's when I went into a strong signal source and instantly 9 Vultures opened fire and I felt violated....it was quite the surprise and I literally had no time to react. I just sat there and the handfull of seconds felt like a lifetime


I don't know, I always seem to outmanoeuver and get the upper hand against Cobras...

I certainly wouldn't say it's a better combat ship, but like I said before it does come down to the pilot as well.

 

[BlackLegionnaire]

Erm.. OP, have you ever fought a competent player in anything bigger than a Cobra? Cobra shields are very low, it dies so pathetically quickly against a Vulture, Clipper or FDL .. the only thing it can do, is run. That makes the Cobra a good survivor (which is fine, I love the Cobra). But it hardly makes it the ultimate ship in this game.

well yeah, "Ultimate Ship" category is ridiculous. But bang for buck it's bloody amazing

 

[soma]

well yeah, "Ultimate Ship" category is ridiculous. But bang for buck it's bloody amazing

No argument there. The Cobra is a great ship and I had a lot of fun with it

 

[Von Shadow]

I think the critique is mostly that the OP's statements are only based on comparisons to the Viper.... and then suggesting it needs nerfing to make the Viper better is also slightly misguided.

Thats all well and good but it doesn't make it the 'Ultimate' ship in the universe.... its a highly competent all-rounder for the size class and a classic in terms of design .....

To be 'ultimate' suggests its needs to be somehow 'best' at everything but that ship simply doesn't and (probably) shouldn't exist....

 

[Philip Foster]

The best ship in the game is the one you are flying.

 

[Captain w00t]

It's an excellent all-round ship but best is pushing it. However, the capabilities for its price make it outstanding. With the Res and mining changes coming up it'll be very popular I'd imagine, especially to the newer CMDRs

 

[Lupin]

Like the Cobra design as played the original game but prefer the Asp as can put up a fight better.
As always you look for a better all multi-task ship, it's good for the price but there is always better.

 

[obliterator]

The maneuverability is the same but the better thrusters improve it to be better than the Viper.

I don't know where you got that information, but it's wrong. The viper is much more maneuverable than the cobra. The cobra has a better turning rate, but the viper has better thrusters. In this case the ship itself is more important than the class of the module. As for the defense, the class 3 shield cell that you can put on a viper is already optimal. It doesn't matter what shield cell you put on your cobra, because anything better than what the viper currently has is wayyy overkill.

Seriously this cobra vs viper thing as been done to death already.

 

[Scimiter]

I liked my Cobra and thought it an excellent ship for bombing around the Universe, but compared the the Anaconda I now fly, there is no comparison in my opinion.
The Anaconda is the most versatile ship I have flown.

 

[GammaZ]

Cobra has terrible maneuverability. Not turn rate, but acceleration/deceleration rate, especially when moving sideways.
Also it seems to loose a lot more maneuverability from engine power reduction than, for example, viper or vulture.
And it has "not very good" view from cockpit and "less than ideal" weapon hadpoints placement.

 

[puca]

I can understand crying for vulture nerfs (but still disagree). But cobra nerfs? For pure combat viper is a bit better, even though viper is cheaper to buy and fit than a cobra.

Hull strength is not relevant in the current elite combat model, because once the shields go down, people target the power plant. Viper has better shields.

You are a silly person.

 

[Privata]

I love my viper , its agile and fast and the hardpoints are well placed

 

[Pendra]

I would accept the stepping stone argument, if it was an ship with average performance. You know, slightly worse than dedicated combat ships, slightly better than dedicated transport ships.
Right now, it is better than any of those.

I compare it to the Viper because it is the closest in its price range.

But here you go, the Vulture has no chance whatsoever to kill one. The speed difference is around 60 m/s. The cobra is out of range before the Vulture could turn to shoot. No skill needed, just press boost.
FDL same.
Outrunning a Clipper will be more challenging, but still can do it with some skill.
Don't fight them, no chance. But you don't need to with that speed.

Transport ships, well the type 6 can carry around 40 tons more but it is bigger, bulkier and lacks the speed to run or the firepower to defend itself. It can be pirated easily. The cobra can't and it can even fight back.
Type 7 or 9, same with higher price tag and more tonnage.