Those who don't fly with an SLF- how come?

Ganogati

Ganogati
Ever since I started this game, flying with an SLF has been my goal at all times. As such, the ships I fly are limited only to SLF carrying ships (Keelback, Krait mk II, etc). Having that extra fighter on the field simply feels like too much of a benefit vs flying alone, but I do tend to find that I feel like my options are a bit limited flying that way. I do dabble here and there in other ships (Courier, Asp X, etc) but I always end up right back to the fighter carrying ships.

So I'm curious: those who don't find the SLF worth it: how come?

I think more than anything I'm looking for a valid reason for myself why flying without one is worth it, so I'm curious what some of y'alls reasoning is to help give me that little push lol. I love my Krait, but flying one of the most popular ships in the game feels a little boring to me. Alternatively, I do also enjoy the Keelback, but the fighter eats up a very valuable slot on a ship that could already use an extra one. I feel like it's time to branch out a bit, but keep finding myself right back at the SLF because it feels wrong to fly without one.
 

Cheese Helmet

Cheese Helmet
Ganogati said:
Ever since I started this game, flying with an SLF has been my goal at all times. As such, the ships I fly are limited only to SLF carrying ships (Keelback, Krait mk II, etc). Having that extra fighter on the field simply feels like too much of a benefit vs flying alone, but I do tend to find that I feel like my options are a bit limited flying that way. I do dabble here and there in other ships (Courier, Asp X, etc) but I always end up right back to the fighter carrying ships.

So I'm curious: those who don't find the SLF worth it: how come?

I think more than anything I'm looking for a valid reason for myself why flying without one is worth it, so I'm curious what some of y'alls reasoning is to help give me that little push lol. I love my Krait, but flying one of the most popular ships in the game feels a little boring to me. Alternatively, I do also enjoy the Keelback, but the fighter eats up a very valuable slot on a ship that could already use an extra one. I feel like it's time to branch out a bit, but keep finding myself right back at the SLF because it feels wrong to fly without one.
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Opportunity cost.
Especially in the PvP world, a slf can get wasted rather fast, and those seconds spent launching one after the other add up, as well as the lost survivability that the hangar takes in favor of another scb or hull reinforcement.

I’m not saying that one way or the other is correct, but that’s the logic as I’ve seen it explained.
 

wrmiller

W
Mine has just recently gone over a billion credits, and I don't think she really deserves it. Yes, she can take out small ships (that I don't need any help with), and at best is just a distraction when I'm killing pirates. And she gets a bit irate when she gets in my way and I scorch her tailpipes a bit. ;)

I have pretty much stopped using her. If I could get my money back, I'd fire her in a heartbeat.

Update: I can't get my money back, but fired her anyway. More credits in the future for me... :D
 
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Mohrgan

Mohrgan
I like to fly the more agile ships, Vulture, FAS, and aChief. With the aChief as my main ride. They don;t come with fighters, and don't need them. In the end, it's the extra management that they require that puts me off. More keybinds to sort, more shield rings to monitor, more chatter to endure. I just pick ships I like to fly, and fly.

P.S. I do have an SLF Pilot on staff. I liked her backstory, and my little RP is that I'm helping her to reach her goals.
 

wrmiller

W
I've gotten where I don't even load her up when going on pirate assignation missions in the vette. But tbh I do sometimes bring her along when I stacking elite cargo missions in the Cutter, because it's not as nimble as the vette and the little bit of distraction she gives those condas allows me to come about and start firing again. Trade offs... :)
 

baudelier

baudelier
Most if my fleet can't equip a SLF. If those few that can, most have roles that don't need one.

If the fraction of a fraction that can and are justified in equipping one. I'll higher a pilot when I need them and release them after the job is done.
 

Deleted member 121570

D
I dislike them in a racing context because they're slow and lack agility, compared to engineered racing ships.
And I'd have to fly some big fat ungainly thing to carry one, which doubles up on the 'no thanks' factor!
 

Ganogati

Ganogati
Mengy said:
Yep, this, they just don't have much use for explorers. If I could dismiss the main ship then I'd be much more likely to bother bringing an SLF just for joyriding and exploring planet surfaces.
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I could be mistaken, but I actually thought you could leave your ship and fly in the SLF without having an NPC pilot onboard. If so, then as long as you stay within the appropriate range from the ship, I think it should sit still while you canyon run. If you do have an NPC onboard though, they'll follow you and play pinball against the canyon walls with your ship.

Again, could be wrong, but I thought I remembered leaving the ship unattended in the past.
 

Vedmo

Vedmo
I've never really wanted one. I'm perfectly happy with just me flying one ship. A while back, on the advice of others, I did decide to at least give it a go, and got one up to Elite before eventually firing them because I just never used them. About the only time I fly a Large ship is for cargo or mining, and an SLF just takes up a slot that I'd rather use for about anything else. For medium ships, I have 3 Chieftains, 2 Challengers, a couple Viper MKIVs, a Phantom, FDS, and even Python that I'm always cycling through because I enjoy all their different builds so much. I've built MKIIs, FGS, & Crusader but they just gather dust.

All of that being said, while perusing contacts in a station recently, I checked out the technology broker and noticed I had enough stuff for a couple of Guardian SLFs, so I unlocked one. Since then I've rebuilt my Type-10, made a combat Conda with an SLF, and tossed one on a Vette I used for BGS work. Currently got the new pilot up to deadly, and the only reason I am even using him is to rank him up. Once again, while they can make combat a tad easier, I just find them to be entirely optional. I might just keep him around this time as a leech though, as credits really don't matter, and it does keep the door open should I ever get in an SLF mood again once this go around wanes.

Edit: Old Duck reminds me, the Type-9 is the only application I can think of where I'd happily give up a module slot for an SLF due to the payoff being well worth it.
 
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Old Duck

Old Duck
I JUST added an SLF to my Type-9. My thinking is simple, it will serve as a form of "chaff" while I power up the the FSD and get out of Dodge. Unless my attacker is a noob, in which case I'll stick around and fight.

As for crew, I tend to hire them for a specific job, like a sub-contractor, rather than keeping them on hand all the time. This will likely change once we get actual NPCs on our bridge. I'm rich, I can afford a crew, but what we have now is not a crew member, it's an autopilot with a mugshot.
 
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