What to do with a Vulture and an Imperial Courier?

Been busy with the bounty hunting CG this weekend. Bought an Courier (Fixed beam on centreline, plus two gimballed multicannons). Does pretty well as a fighter, looks really pretty, the handling and thrusters are magnificent. Jump range and fuel supply aren't so great, you really have to outfit it very lightly, and it tends to overheat incredibly fast when scooping.

Then I bought a Vulture with two fixed large pulse lasers. Well, that definitely is easy mode for fighting! Little finesse, just raw power, but it's clearly superior to the Courier for rapid Anaconda serial killing. Not good for anything else though, and abysmal jump range. Not sure if it even has overheating problems on scooping, I don't feel like flying that brick on any long distance routes anyway.

I'm thinking the Vulture is just a transitional ship. Use it to make a few millions, or tens of millions, clubbing NPC Pythons and Anacondas as if they were baby seals, then dump it for something that's more fun to fly. If I ever need this kind of ship again elsewhere, rebuying it near the destination might be faster than trying to fly it out there. Probably going to sell it soon.

The Courier, I'm not so sure about. I like how it handles, but it just doesn't seem all that useful for many tasks. For most purposes except fighting, a Cobra Mk III would be superior for a fraction of the price. Sure looks good though... Maybe sell it after I get enough rep for a Clipper.
 
Vulture is a little devil in a can. It's best for PvE snake-clubbing, (vultures in real life to attack snakes... imagine that!) but yes, the jump rate is abysmal.However, it took me personally such a long time to get all the A-rate modules that to sell it and buy a new one at new destination doesn't seem like the same experience. Again, to ME that is. YMMV.And it's nimble as hell. Outside of an Eagle and fully spec FAS, I can't think of any other ship can outmanouver me.My vulture now doubles between bounty hunter (~2-3million CR/30 min without KWS) and underminer machine for PowerPlay. And probably the occasional assasination mission from the bulletin board (as long as i can go there in one jump lol)And since those 3 activities are what i do 90% of the time now, it works great. If you prefer trading, or pvp, or mining, or whatever else, it may not be the ship for you.
 
Never tried the Courier.
It was introduced when I was already flying the Vulture and Python. I think I'd like to experience one some day.

The Vulture is a powerful ship. It is good at killing everything in the ED universe.
I love it because it needs smart power management and because it looks like a no-nonsense killer bug.

I always thought nothing could replace my Vulture as a combat ship, but then I bought the FDL on a whim.
Many CMDRS had been singing hymns about her qualities and boy were they right.
I especially like the way her engine gives you feedback with everything you do. It is so much fun to fly that machine.
My FDL has become my main combat ship now, but I will never sell my trustworthy Vulture.

All these ships are single minded combat ships in most configurations.

For multipurpose tasks, like doing missions, ranking, PP etc. I use my Python. The Python is the ultimate multipurpose ship.
Even outfitted for heavy combat it can still carry 64 tonnes of cargo.
And she can dock at any station, which is a big plus for doing missions.

Before that I used the Clipper in the same way. Clipper is a cool, fast multipurpose ship. It is not the best combat ship though.
It is especially dangerous to use her in asteroid belts in high octane combat situations as she slides a lot when she turns and she loves to hug the rocks.
The clipper is great as an armed trader though.
I hate the fact that she can only dock at large stations.
 
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I want to like the Courier, I really do. But by the time I've worked my way up in Imperial Rank to be able to buy it, the lowish price tag compared to the Vulture is no longer an issue. And everything I would use the courier for, the Vulture just does better - I just swap around the class 4 slot depending on what I'm doing.

That and the view from the cockpit is better in the Vulture than the Courier...
 
Hmm, the cockpit view is one of the best things about the Courier for me. A bit limited over the nose, but great side views. The Vulture has a more Lakon-like cockpit, and it seems to want to crack at the first sign of anything getting through the shields (which shouldn't happen often).

Didn't try fully A-rating the Vulture. It seems like I'd run into power problems if I did.

And flying between the rocks... That's where the Courier really shines. Barely any sliding at all, the control is just perfect. But it doesn't have the Vulture's firepower, and really can't be made multipurpose without destroying its jump range.
 
Oh let me explain all the difference to you.


iCourier =

2227.jpg

Vulture =

angry-wife1.jpg

Both are deadly in their own particular way.
 
Hmm, the cockpit view is one of the best things about the Courier for me. A bit limited over the nose, but great side views. The Vulture has a more Lakon-like cockpit, and it seems to want to crack at the first sign of anything getting through the shields (which shouldn't happen often).

Didn't try fully A-rating the Vulture. It seems like I'd run into power problems if I did.

I have an A rated Vulture and I have managed the power to 15.51 out of 15.60, however you are correct... the canopy is the first thing to go after shields. I still love my Vulture.
 
I have not used my Vulture since I got my FDL. I still keep it stored in case I ever lose the FDL and need to RES up some profits.

Always good to have a back-up ship (or seven) in case of unexpected trouble.
 
Obvious use for the vulture is as a fighter ship, but if you trade down the class 5 (?) Shield for a class 4 and fit a 32t cargo hold in the class 5 slot, compensate with an extra couple shield boosters, you get a very fine multipurpose short range (20-30ly) ship, capable of most missions except the most extreme (being cargo haul /fetch over 32t or kill missions against cutters/corvettes). A great ship if you play the bgs game.

Courier for me fills a niche role for piracy missions. Its great shield means it can cop a lot of heat while you scoop, though I've heard it's also good for exploring.
 
Strip out the Vulture for a 20LY + jump, put a 5A (5A!) scoop on it, and go out in one of the most fun explorers in the game.
The Courier is a terrible explorer. Class 3 scoop and overheats like Elton John in a bad mood
 
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The Vulture is a powerful ship. It is good at killing everything in the ED universe. I love it because it needs smart power management and because it looks like a no-nonsense killer bug.I always thought nothing could replace my Vulture as a combat ship, but then I bought the FDL on a whim. Many CMDRS had been singing hymns about her qualities and boy were they right.
man i hate to derail the thread.............. but please let me ask: why? How is FDL a better fighter than Vulture when it's good at killing anything? PvP?

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I have an A rated Vulture and I have managed the power to 15.51 out of 15.60, however you are correct... the canopy is the first thing to go after shields. I still love my Vulture.
currently i'm at 16.25/15.6.just put a couple modules to priority 2 when weapon engaged and it's completely fine.
 
Vulture was the ship that got me into RES grinding; it is a fantastic pewpew ship in a tiny package. It's also very nice to look at and a freaking masterpiece to hear, especially inside stations. ^^

The iCourier is a neat little ship. Pretty, but that's basically it for me. The firepower doesn't really satisfy anywhere except in low intensity RES. You could use it for scavenging, but even the Cobra would do a better job there.
 
man i hate to derail the thread.............. but please let me ask: why? How is FDL a better fighter than Vulture when it's good at killing anything? PvP?

I already answered your question. I did not say the FDL is better.
For me it mostly is a question of perception.
The Vulture is a fine ship, but the FDL just feels more badass to me.
It is much more fun to fly it.

Good at killing anything does not make a ship automatically the best ship in the game.
I can kill anything with a Viper too, but it will take longer.
So even though the Vulture is good at killing anything the game throws at you that does not automatically make it the best combat ship.
Once we get more options for the size 4 slot in the FDL it will be even more interesting to see what the FDL can do.
 
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I have a Vulture and a Imperial Courier, and to be honest I love the way I can make the Imperial Courier dance in combat. I have no urge what so ever to fly the Vulture for bounty hunting or CZ's. I will use the Vulture in time but its cost and upgrades for me are not worth it when compared to the far lower cost of the Imperial Courier.

Why use an expensive ship like the Vulture when a cheaper ship will do the same job?
 
I have a Vulture and a Imperial Courier, and to be honest I love the way I can make the Imperial Courier dance in combat. I have no urge what so ever to fly the Vulture for bounty hunting or CZ's. I will use the Vulture in time but its cost and upgrades for me are not worth it when compared to the far lower cost of the Imperial Courier.

Why use an expensive ship like the Vulture when a cheaper ship will do the same job?

You said it, iCourier dance, with a passion, Vulture is on a rampage mission to destroy. I have both ships, however the iCourier is my 1st choice. They are both deadly, however very different in the way they need to be treated.

The Vulture gives you false comfort, you think you can win it all, but be careful she can turn on you in an instant if you treat her wrong.
The iCourier dance in battles with a passion, you just need to follow her moves and you will be just fine, force her and you're dead.
 
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