Ship Builds & Load Outs What to do first with my Asp?

Manok101 · Sep 15, 2015

I purchased an Asp last night, and was wondering, if it were worth attempting a short exploration trip (for fun more than profit) or a few trading runs to outfit it properly? You can make a decent amount of credits from simply stooping and scanning, on your way to your target. Trading does get credits faster, but exploring is more fun

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InMemoriamSirocco · Sep 15, 2015

You can outfit an Asp for trading very easily. Here is a build for trading between systems one or two jumps apart:

http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=70g,,2-3I8S7_6u6u8S5A,0AA08c05U05U7Q403w03w

The fuel tank is downgraded as you will always top off your tank after docking at a station.

Here is a build for long-range rare trading and exploration:

http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=70g,,2-3I8S7_6u6u8S6k,0AA50U05U05U7Q42jw2UI

And here is a specialized deep space explorer equipped for maximum long-term survivability:

http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=70g,0Wg0Wg,2-4s6u7_6u2C8S8I,5220Nm0Ke0Ke7Q42jw2UI

D'Kaeth · Sep 15, 2015

I didn't even try exploring until I got my first Asp. Was surprised at how fun it is, though.

ArcT · Sep 15, 2015

Manok101 said:
I purchased an Asp last night, and was wondering, if it were worth attempting a short exploration trip (for fun more than profit) or a few trading runs to outfit it properly? You can make a decent amount of credits from simply stooping and scanning, on your way to your target. Trading does get credits faster, but exploring is more fun .

My suggestion: P Puppis system. Not far from the bubble (like 200ly or so) and it has a black hole if you haven't been to one before

Psycho Romeo · Sep 16, 2015

Manok101 said:
I purchased an Asp last night, and was wondering, if it were worth attempting a short exploration trip (for fun more than profit) or a few trading runs to outfit it properly? You can make a decent amount of credits from simply stooping and scanning, on your way to your target. Trading does get credits faster, but exploring is more fun .

Six frag cannons and the biggest interdictor you can get. Nab another CMDR, engage silent running immediately. Sneak up to them and then scream in local "THARGOIDS RUN FOR YOUR LIFE" before closing and turning them into popcorn.

Record results.

3dog · Sep 20, 2015

I purchased an Asp 2 days ago after running for a couple of weeks in my fully loaded out Cobra MKIII. I have serious buyers remorse

I miss my Cobra, it was a great ship. If I got interdicted, I would submit just so I could end the existence of the would-be pirate with my gimballed canons. My Asp has been destroyed 3 times already at a net loss of 1.5Mil Cr.

Smuggling in the Asp? Forget about it, I have been tagged with fines more times than I've made successful drops, where with the Cobra I could sneak in and sneak out unnoticed and still make ~Cr150K per drop. I'm not happy with my purchase and may go back to the Cobra. It felt a little more like being Han Solo in the Millennium Falcon. The Asp flies like a garbage scow IMO without upgraded Thrusters and Powerplant. I just don't have an extra 5Mil Credits lying around

Mike Thomas · Nov 1, 2015

D'Kaeth said:
I didn't even try exploring until I got my first Asp. Was surprised at how fun it is, though.

That's what I did for about 100 hours of play when I first got it - got plenty of systems discovered and trousered 7M in credits. Bought my A-rated thrusters with it and then I was hooked on the Asp for about four months. Got it to all A-Rated and then took to the combat zones to mash it up.

It trades beautifully too, use the massive jump range. I remember coining it in between Zaragas and Katuri.

It's still my favourite ship out there because it so damn chuckable, just edges it over the Python.

Burlsol · Nov 2, 2015

3dog said:
I purchased an Asp 2 days ago after running for a couple of weeks in my fully loaded out Cobra MKIII. I have serious buyers remorse I miss my Cobra, it was a great ship. If I got interdicted, I would submit just so I could end the existence of the would-be pirate with my gimballed canons. My Asp has been destroyed 3 times already at a net loss of 1.5Mil Cr.

Smuggling in the Asp? Forget about it, I have been tagged with fines more times than I've made successful drops, where with the Cobra I could sneak in and sneak out unnoticed and still make ~Cr150K per drop. I'm not happy with my purchase and may go back to the Cobra. It felt a little more like being Han Solo in the Millennium Falcon. The Asp flies like a garbage scow IMO without upgraded Thrusters and Powerplant. I just don't have an extra 5Mil Credits lying around

Generally you shouldn't upgrade to a ship until you can afford to have it C equipped or better unless buying it for a very specialized purpose. A slimmed down Cobra will still do you better for smuggling and most mission grinding since it has speed and a smaller thermal profile. But for most everything else, an Asp is a solid step up. Enough cargo space to be good for trading, enough firepower to be good for fighting, enough range for exploring, enough modules for mining.

SteveWithaD · Nov 2, 2015

i used my first Asp as an explorer. here's the build I use.

http://coriolis.io/outfit/asp/04B4D...23d4d0j0j0j2i2f.AwRj4yvI.Aw18WQ==?bn=asp expo

Captain Willard · Nov 2, 2015

Burlsol said:
Generally you shouldn't upgrade to a ship until you can afford to have it C equipped or better unless buying it for a very specialized purpose. A slimmed down Cobra will still do you better for smuggling and most mission grinding since it has speed and a smaller thermal profile. But for most everything else, an Asp is a solid step up. Enough cargo space to be good for trading, enough firepower to be good for fighting, enough range for exploring, enough modules for mining.

Tru Dat. I have 4 asp's now, all 4 kitted for those very tasks. The cobra is my ship of choice for smuggling hands down.

goemon · Nov 2, 2015

well, as long as you have the money to D-Grade it and get scanners and a good FSD - go exploring.

i recommed the eskimo nebula, only 700 ly from human space - it's the visually most astonishing nebula close by, if you are in it. or you tke the veill nebula, which is the most beautifull nebula close by to fly towards to it (1400 ly).

EUS · Nov 2, 2015

When I bought my first piece of Asp, I used it for rares trading, it worked great.
You get to see a large amount of the populated galaxy.
Exploring came a few months after that.

happyfunball · Nov 3, 2015

I did rare trading in my Asp as well. It has the cargo space for a lot of stops and the range to cross large expanse when full. Planning my route depending on rare spawns became its own mini-game.

Burlsol · Nov 3, 2015

goemon said:
well, as long as you have the money to D-Grade it and get scanners and a good FSD - go exploring.

For the money, it's actually a pretty close comparison between a heavily stripped Asp verses Diamondback Explorer

Ship	Build	ARMOUR	SHIELDS	SPEED THRUSTERS	SPEED BOOST	JUMP RANGE MAX	JUMP RANGE FULL TANK	JUMP RANGE LADEN	CARGO	COST
Asp Explorer	Explorer Asp	378	71.45 [SIZE=-2]MJ[/SIZE]	245 [SIZE=-2]m/s[/SIZE]	333 [SIZE=-2]m/s[/SIZE]	37.22 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	34.41 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	34.41 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	0 [SIZE=-2]T[/SIZE]	14,505,390 [SIZE=-2]CR[/SIZE]
Asp Explorer	Explorer Asp 2	378	0 [SIZE=-2]MJ[/SIZE]	245 [SIZE=-2]m/s[/SIZE]	333 [SIZE=-2]m/s[/SIZE]	37.63 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	34.76 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	34.76 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	0 [SIZE=-2]T[/SIZE]	14,323,790 [SIZE=-2]CR[/SIZE]
Diamondback Explorer	Scout	270	69.72 [SIZE=-2]MJ[/SIZE]	253 [SIZE=-2]m/s[/SIZE]	331 [SIZE=-2]m/s[/SIZE]	36.13 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	33.48 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	33.48 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	0 [SIZE=-2]T[/SIZE]	9,987,860 [SIZE=-2]CR[/SIZE]
Diamondback Explorer	Scout 2	270	0 [SIZE=-2]MJ[/SIZE]	254 [SIZE=-2]m/s[/SIZE]	332 [SIZE=-2]m/s[/SIZE]	36.52 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	33.81 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	33.81 [SIZE=-2]LY[/SIZE]	0 [SIZE=-2]T[/SIZE]	9,806,260 [SIZE=-2]CR[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-3] Interactive Comparison at Coriolis.io[/SIZE]

http://coriolis.io/outfit/asp/02A4D...Iw19gDJZA===.EwBhEYy6ZBmSoRA=?bn=Explorer Asp (shielded)
http://coriolis.io/outfit/asp/02D4D...19gDJZA===.EwBhEYy6ZBmSoRA=?bn=Explorer Asp 2 (unshielded)
http://coriolis.io/outfit/diamondba...---00---430q2t2i2f.AwRj4zTI.Aw1-kA==?bn=Scout (shielded)
http://coriolis.io/outfit/diamondba...--------0q2t2i2f.AwRj4zTI.Aw1-kA==?bn=Scout 2 (unshielded)

The expensive part is really just the FSD. Both can achieve 35ly at a half tank, which puts almost all reachable stars within reach.

GeoFalke · Dec 13, 2015

Psycho Romeo said:
Six frag cannons and the biggest interdictor you can get. Nab another CMDR, engage silent running immediately. Sneak up to them and then scream in local "THARGOIDS RUN FOR YOUR LIFE" before closing and turning them into popcorn.

Record results.

omg yaaaas. i was planning on doing a 6 railgun build when i buy one but I'm definitely doing this one first XD

Phosphora · Jan 1, 2016

I've done a lot of exploring with the Asp and it's great. Good range and enough maneuverability for scanning planets. I've just fitted a hangar with a couple of scarabs for exploring. I rehearsed landing on a 4G planet and it went smoothly, though you have to concentrate when close to the ground.

Cheers, Phos.