To the roof of the galaxy … and back

So … it is very well known that Dryee Free AA-A h4 is the highest system reachable by conventional means (regular boosted / neutron charged jumping) from which a pilot can actually return. And since I couldn't find the travel reports of other explorers that have been there, I'm writing about mine. It's not nearly as impressive as the trip to the basement of the galaxy but it may be worth reading for people that want to go there.

Anyway, there seems to be the rumour going that one needs a superduper highly engineered and stripped of all mass Exploraconda to get there (and back). Well, let me tell you Kassiopeia's story.

Kassiopeia is an engineered Exploraconda. I've put some effort into getting access to some important (but not all) engineers but I didn't overdo it. The worst was getting the Dangerous rank in combat. I'm just no combat pilot.
Anyway, Kassiopeis jump range is with a full tank a bit more than 78.5 ly and on fumes with a grade 3 boost 163.64 ly. The latter will be important later.
I didn't want to abstain from some amenities like a shield, the SRV or a bit more powerful powerplant. I also decided to install a Rail Gun with the Plasma Slug modification. That will also become important later.
All following statements are made with these jump ranges in mind.

Ever since I circumnavigated the galaxy more than half a year ago I wanted to get to the highest system in the galaxy. But I had two limitations: I wanted to get back and I didn't want to rely in the help of others for the trip.

So I used my reliable path finder to find a way up there. Well, initially it didn't but than I told it to pretend that it shall assume a neutron star in the last system reachable without a neutron boost. Then it was able to find a path. And I was lucky because that system actually has a neutron star.
I also checked if I can come back and somehow the note "is scoopable" ended up in a place where it shouldn't. Must have been a copy-paste mistake but I really thought, that I can make it easily back.

So, happy go lucky as I am, I plotted my course to Dryee Free LM-W f1-21 which is the mentioned last system reachable without neutron boosting. It has a neutron star just ca. 900 ls from the point of arrival. I knew that I will make it back here. I knew also, that I will NOT make it back with a full tank. But losing fuel was not a problem. Due to the mistake mentioned above was I also totally sure that this system has a scoopable star (which it hasn't).

So, I've made the neutron boosted jump, directly to Dryee Free AA-A h4. And here is the proof that I've really been there:
136068


So, there I was, enjoying the view. … … … But then it was time getting back.

I knew I had first to go to Dryee Free AA-A h2 and then use a grade 3 boosted jump to Dryee Free FG-Y g1.

The former is a system with just two black holes. And before I did the grade 3 boosted jump I checked what to do afterwards. And that's when I realized it! … … … "AAAAAAGRHGAHRGAHGR!!!! Dryee Free LM-W f1-21 has NO scoopable star! … … … But I can get there JUST if I do NOT jump with a full tank (and with another grade 3 boost)."

Suddenly I found myself in a predicament. Mainly because I thought that "on fumes" means that my tank has to barely contain enough fuel to make this last jump. I knew I can get out of Dryee Free LM-W f1-21 since it has a neutron star. But since I thought that I will arrive there with a (more or less) completely empty tank I was also rather sure that I'll be stranded there.

Since I really didn't want to self destruct I contemplated on calling the Fuel Rats. And I'm sure that they would have helped me. But personally that would have been so embarrasing. … So what to do?

Fortunately did I realize then, that my jump range already increases if I lose just some of the fuel. … I have seen that hundreds of times before and it made total sense. But since this never was of importance I never really "realized" what that means in this situation. Until that very moment.

So, I then opened the hatch with the rail gun and started firing. Well, I lost some fuel, but it was not much. Hence, I decided to rather travel back and forth between Dryee Free AA-A h2 and Dryee Free AA-A h4. Don't forget, that I hadn't made the grade 3 boosted jump to Dryee Free FG-Y g1, yet.
That consumed the fuel a bit faster. But not by much, since the distance between these two systems is just approx. 33 ly.
When I had approx. 2/3 of the fuel left I saw that my jump range would be enough to reach Dryee Free LM-W f1-21 with a grade 3 boosted jump and still having some fuel left … JIPPIE!!!

I've made the jump to Dryee Free FG-Y g1 and decided to fill my tank up until I barely can make the jump to the fateful Dryee Free LM-W f1-21 system.
Well, with a 7B fuel scope is "slowly" scooping a bit difficult. Thus, I flew a bit closer to the main star of Dryee Free FG-Y g1 and stopped at once when scooping started. Then moved away until scooping was sufficiently slow. Then I followed in the galaxy map how my grade 3 boosted jump range changed to smaller numbers while fuel was flushing into Kassiopeias tank. Easily done, without leaving the galaxy map, by just checking and unchecking the "FSD Boost" checkbox constantly.
Whoopsi … that was a bit too much fuel … So … getting out of scooping-range … I released the Kraken Rail Gun … fired some rounds, checking after every second shot what my jump range was … stopped once it was 159.47 ly … put the appropriate chemicals into the tank … jumped to Dryee Free LM-W f1-21 … rushed to the neutron star … targeted Dryee Free YJ-R e4-6 … jumped again … … …

… … … and finally! I escaped!

So there it is. The path how to come back from the roof of the galaxy. I hope it helps to get more of you brave pilots up there. It is certainly worth the view. … You may want to bring a Rail Gun, though :)

For me it was one of the best experiences so far in Elite Dangerous.
 
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