I have an FDL and multi-purpose Python in the locker (well, shipyard, but you know what I mean), so I'm looking at getting an Asp Explorer added to the fleet.
Messing around with Coriolis gives me two builds'
https://coriolis.edcd.io/outfit/asp...O6uAIQAAAA==&bn=Asp Explorer Build 3A shields
https://coriolis.edcd.io/outfit/asp.../gMApODzm1UAAAA=&bn=Asp Explorer Build 5A PSG
I'm not interested in SRV work when I'm in the black, but just trying to gauge what the community thinks would be my best option?
Poll to be added once thread is done and I work out how to do it!!
Welcome, Commander!
I would like to offer a different viewpoint, but first, I'm going to tell you a true story.
There was this pilot (we'll call her Riôt to protect her privacy) that was running cargo for the Tutumu system. This pilot, with her hold laden with over 400t of Gold, was approaching North Ring station without incident, as she had so many times before. Less than 30ls out, she gets Interdicted. This, in and of itself, is usually not a problem, but she was soon to find out that this Interdiction was not going to be like any she had encountered before.
As always, she did a quick scan of her aggressor, to determine whether she was going to fight, or escape. Even though she is skilled at combat, she doesn't partake in it all that much, and her certification says Novice as a result. You can understand how she might have been both surprised, and alarmed, that her attacker had an Expert certification, and was in an Anaconda, to boot. Surely, a pilot of her stature should not be drawing the attention of such a pirate, regardless of her cargo? Unfortunately, the surprises didn't stop there, as she was soon to discover.
After assessing her opponent, she decided to extend, and escape - a maneuver she had done many times in the past when she deemed the fight not worth her time. She could likely have defeated him, but the risk/reward ratio just wasn't appropriate. The Interdiction had pulled her into real space about 46ls from the station, which meant that she could be Interdicted again before reaching it, so she set her focus for making an optimal approach. The FSD cooled down just as the lasers started battering her shields, so she hit the switch to start spooling it up for the FTL jump, confident in her ability to escape. Immediately, the klaxons gave warning that there was an inhibiting mass, and the rate of her FSD charge slowed dramatically. She looked around, and there was nothing that should have caused this to happen, and yet...it was. She went evasive, to give her FSD the time it would need, and did a quick calculation as to whether or not her remaining shields would hold - it was going to be close.
Just as her flight computer was about to start the countdown, both her FSD, and her thrusters were knocked offline. She couldn't believe this was happening; first, the pirate who should not have even noticed her, then the mass inhibition caused by seemingly nothing, and now, just as she was about to make her escape, she found herself tumbling in space, with no hope of recovery. She made it to the escape pod just in time to see her ship, and over 4M in cargo, erupt in a blaze of flaming gases and metal. In total, her loss would end up being around 13M credits. As she floated away, with nothing but the repeating image of her ship exploding before her eyes to keep her company, she realized that she had a decision to make; quit, or refit.
Understand that the ship in question here is not a flying gas can (as some recommend as the *correct* way to build an exploration ship), but if it were, then this story would have been a lot shorter. Also understand, that nothing like this had ever happened before...but now it has, and it won't again. The real issue here was not the attacker himself, nor his ship - it was the sequence of events (none of which, arguably, should have happened) that caused this Interdiction to end in the worst way. Now, this was just credits, which can be recovered; what if it were days, weeks, or months worth of exploration data?
I do not present these builds as any kind of ultimate (or *correct*) version - they can certainly be tweaked or improved upon in various ways, or to suit your needs/preferences, and are merely meant as a view of what could be. This version, however, is one mean Asp...Asp. In light of the recent epic rescue of Commander Macedonia (performed by Commander Chiggy), I have included a mining laser on both.
The Asp:
https://coriolis.edcd.io/outfit/asp...PIVTx5v///5wQigtCcUMoHgj1n4ECAADdAzKnZwAAAA==
Since you already have a Python, you could look at something like this, which also includes a mining laser in the under-the-nose slot:
https://coriolis.edcd.io/outfit/pyt...mYPjPIVTx5v///5wQihtC8UCo/wwkAwCPpJNCVgAAAA==
Both builds have some Engineering tweaks (50% FSD, (50%) weapon mass), but those are only the beginning of the tuning that can be done, should you wish to invest the time.
I'm not saying that any of the advice that you have gotten so far is wrong - because it isn't. I just wanted to offer a different viewpoint in reference to safeguarding what might be months of invested time. You can try for an escort, certainly, but that doesn't mean it will be available, and it's also possible that when you need it, it might not be any safer.
I hope you enjoyed the story, at least - good luck, Commander, and fly the ship and build that suits your needs first, and then your preferences.
Riôt
It's explained why in the guide, but A's are better in every way except being pricier. I agree with what's been said above, and will add that I wouldn't go with prismatics for exploration ships, their mass and power draw make them more suitable for combat ships. Because an exploration ship wants to keep it's mass low, you can't really make it all that tanky, so you're better off with lighter shields and certain defense mechanisms - chaff, point defense and heatsinks in the utility slots, you can now make these lightweight and given that they can save you there's zero reason not to take them. Definitely go with the lowest class A rated power plant you can afford for heat efficiency. If you happen to have some MJ of power extra left, consider slapping off a low emissions mod - but only if you have power to spare.
