Oh my...Elite Dangerous:Horizons

[SirAndrewD]

EDIT -- in galaxy map, the tab that lets you set the 'color' of star systems according to Allegiance, Economy, etc. There's a "Star Type" option there. Keep the first 7 star types checked, uncheck the rest, and hopefully one of those KGBFOAM stars will be in jump distance for you to refuel at.

The way I plot the long range routes is exactly this. 

Bring up the KGBFOAM filter and use the route plotter to the destination star.   When the route plan line goes dotted, those are the jumps that you won't have enough fuel to reach. 

Make sure you top off your tank as often as possible early in the jumps, and check the route plotter until you have a single solid line from your location to the destination, at that point you can just jump and ignore scooping. 

Trick is to just watch for dead fields where there are no scoopable stars if that dotted line is anywhere close to your current location.  At that point you'll have to start making plans to divert.

[Jarhead0331]

Thoughts on the Python? Thinking of trading in my Asp for one. It seems that I can still do fairly large and lucrative trade runs, while being able to arm up for combat too. Also considering a Fer-de-lance....

[SirAndrewD]

Thoughts on the Python? Thinking of trading in my Asp for one. It seems that I can still do fairly large and lucrative trade runs, while being able to arm up for combat too. Also considering a Fer-de-lance....

The Python is the ultimate multi-role ship, but it's best role is as an armed trader.  She can land at outposts, and carry a magnificent amount of cargo.  It has an incredible power plant that lets you do everything.

The Python's downsides are as a pure combat ship, or as any ship that is needed to do long range runs.  The Python's jump range is pretty weak for its size, especially fully laden, even with a top of the range FSD.  It also doesn't turn well with any combat ship, and has trouble bringing its class 3 heavy guns to bear, but when it does, it's devastating. 

The Fer de Lance is the Aston-Martin of fighters.  It's a pure, balls to the wall combat ship, and it can do absolutely nothing else.  It has no real room for cargo, and it's best when absolutely min maxed as a precision killer. 

The class 4 hardpoint on the FdL is absolutely devastating on big ships, but it does have the disadvantage of being back almost to the middle of the underside.  This means that to use it, you have to keep your target slightly below your LOS.  This makes it hard to use non-gimballed weapons on the class 4, and makes true heavy hitters like the Plasma Accelerator very hard to use. 

The FdL has an abysmal jump range, and is going to be very limited by this.  Its fuel tank is tiny as well, so any attempts to redeploy it will require very close attention to the map and the use of a fuel scoop.  It can't explore, can't trade, can't reliably relocate extreme distances.  What it can do is kill things, and it does this very well. 

Advantage of the FdL goes to combat speed and frontal firepower.  It can get out of trouble fast, and when lined up on a target its shooting is devastating.   You just have to watch its heat generation, which is pretty heavy.   

[Jarhead0331]

I'm really leaning toward the Python, but the weak jump range concerns me. There is no way I could stomach the Ceos/Solthis long haul corridor with 10ly jumps. As it is, 26ly jumps in my Asp make my skin crawl.

I'm making great money in my Asp, and I would be inclined to keep it, but the way I'm playing the game now is simply boring and pointless. It's all means and no end. Back and forth, back and forth, just to make money, but for what? if I dont try something else soon, I can see myself taking a break from the game all together.

[Yskonyn]

Those are only self-imposed limits, JH. Go do what you like to do. Store the ASP for when you need cash quickly. With 2.2 you can ferry it to your current position anyway.

[Jarhead0331]

Those are only self-imposed limits, JH. Go do what you like to do. Store the ASP for when you need cash quickly. With 2.2 you can ferry it to your current position anyway.

Ideally I would like to store the Asp, but I'm using $20,000,000 from the Asp to fund the purchase and leave me $30,000,000 for initial upgrades. If I decide to keep the Asp, I'll have to collect more funds for awhile.

[sandman2575]

I bought the Python the other day. It's the ship I've been aiming for for a *long* time. Traded in my Vulture, kept my AspX.

But even though I'm pleased to have the Python, I think there's no question that for the Ceos/Sothis <--> Bubble run, the Asp is the only viable ship, short of an Anaconda. I haven't yet tried this run in the Python, since my laden jump range is 15.0 LY... which is atrocious, and only slightly over half what I can get in my Asp.  Downside with my Asp is of course cargo capacity -- 76T. I have the Python kitted out to 168T... if I can put up with the 30-jump tedium, that's a lot of haulage. But not sure I have the stomach for it, like JH.

BTW, complete serendipity, but I bought the Python in the Hel system, where it was nicely discounted to $48M credits (I think $56M is "MSRP" if I recall correctly).

[Jarhead0331]

I bought the Python the other day. It's the ship I've been aiming for for a *long* time. Traded in my Vulture, kept my AspX.

But even though I'm pleased to have the Python, I think there's no question that for the Ceos/Sothis <--> Bubble run, the Asp is the only viable ship, short of an Anaconda. I haven't yet tried this run in the Python, since my laden jump range is 15.0 LY... which is atrocious, and only slightly over half what I can get in my Asp.  Downside with my Asp is of course cargo capacity -- 76T. I have the Python kitted out to 168T... if I can put up with the 30-jump tedium, that's a lot of haulage. But not sure I have the stomach for it, like JH.

BTW, complete serendipity, but I bought the Python in the Hel system, where it was nicely discounted to $48M credits (I think $56M is "MSRP" if I recall correctly).

I have my eye on a Python in the Johan system...also being sold at a discounted price of $48M quid.

[sandman2575]

I'm sure it's well known to the E:D vets around here, but in case anyone doesn't know it, I just love this site/tool for figuring out optimal ship configurations and prices:

https://coriolis.io/

[Jarhead0331]

I'm sure it's well known to the E:D vets around here, but in case anyone doesn't know it, I just love this site/tool for figuring out optimal ship configurations and prices:

https://coriolis.io/

Interesting. That site seems to suggest that the Python is capable of 30LY jumps. Wonder what it costs to make it do that. LoL.

[sandman2575]

One of the site's many cool features -- pick a ship, then on the outfitting screen, the left-most column "Standard", there's a drop-down menu that has "Maximize Jump Range" as an option. Then it automatically kits out your ship accordingly.

(Weird though, when I try this with Python, the max I can get is 29.61 LY, and that's with *nothing* except required internals. Maybe the mainpage rounds up.)

[SirAndrewD]

I'm sure it's well known to the E:D vets around here, but in case anyone doesn't know it, I just love this site/tool for figuring out optimal ship configurations and prices:

https://coriolis.io/

Interesting. That site seems to suggest that the Python is capable of 30LY jumps. Wonder what it costs to make it do that. LoL.

It's dropping the weight considerably by fitting a 3A power plant over the standard class 7.  If you're going to fit it as an absolute pure trader, meant to do Sothis runs, this isn't a bad idea.  Downside of course is that you're going to have to be very careful with power distribution.   It will make it very hard to mount much in the way of armament or utility mounts, which is ok if you're just trading.

Jump range is still going to be considerably less than the Asp if you maximize the superior cargo capacity of the Python.  You will make more cash in runs, but it'll take more time to do it. 

All that said, I love the Python.  It was my flagship until I finally got an Anaconda, and I really enjoyed all the utility it had to offer.   It's not going to offer a considerably different experience from the Asp however, at least not as a trader.  Just a slower, tougher alternative with more cargo. 

Also, don't forget you can majorly increase the stats on any ship with Engineer upgrades.  Getting a class 5 FSD boost on the Python can give it jump ranges well into the mid 20LY's or more even fully laden. 

[Jarhead0331]

Just a slower, tougher alternative with more cargo. 

Don't forget bragging rights. Very important.

[SirAndrewD]

Just a slower, tougher alternative with more cargo. 

Don't forget bragging rights. Very important.

Oh yeah, it's got that. 

The FdL does as well, and when you engineer it, it becomes a murder machine.  It also has the best engine sounds in the game, like revving a Ferrari.   I would recommend keeping one around, just to change your pace up and do some combat on occasion.    Slicing an Anaconda in half in 15 seconds with a Class 4 Multicannon, that looks and sounds like a 40mm quad Bofors is something you must try.

[Jarhead0331]

^Great...now I'm totally confused as to what to do.