Opinions on Small or large connector for fighters. Which do you use?

[RetroACE135]

So I'm still working on a fighter design creative and it's coming along pretty good, but I've run into another crossroads. How big of a connector should I go with?

Should I go with a standard (large) Connector or go with the Small Connector? I'm leaning towards the small connector, but in my survival world (which I'm hoping to use this fighter), I mostly using large connectors to dock ships. Mostly for my two miners and such.

Can a Small Connector dock to a standard Connector? How could I make docking ports and pads that can accept both? Is there a way I can make a 2-1 Small and Standard Connector?

I'm just trying to plan ahead. I might try and do some testing and see what I can do.

[Other]

Originally posted by herrschaftg35:

I believe all ammo types can be transferred through the small conveyor ports. So, technically a small connector will suffice.

Rockets and Artillery shells are large-port-only (although I don't think you can use artillery on a small grid). I didn't have any railgun sabots to test, but looking at the port on the small grid railgun, the sabots should be small port. Large railgun sabots are probably large port, but since the gun for those is large-grid only, that isn't likely to be relevant.

So if the fighter uses rockets, that makes the decision for you - you must have a medium connector for the ammo. You also need to be sure to use the reloadable rocket launcher rather than the smaller one. For any other mix of small-grid weapons, you could use the small connector.

[RetroACE135]

Originally posted by herrschaftg35:

I believe all ammo types can be transferred through the small conveyor ports. So, technically a small connector will suffice.

Small connectors can only connect to themselves. A 3x3 connector has to be used to connect to the large-grid connector.

In order to dock a small connector to a large-grid base, you will need to use a rotor with a small-grid rotor head. Which will allow you to build a small-grid connector that is attached to your base.

Awe, shoot. I hope they consider adding an adaptor of some sorts. But it is good to know that ammo can be transferred through small conveyors, though! I think I saw somewhere that only Rockets are not able to get fed through small conveyors, and that's why the self-reloadable one is so wonky.

Oh, and there's no need to do that rotor trick! There's a small inset connector you can use for large grid bases. I think they just added it recently, from what I've read up on. I guess for my landing zones I'll have to start stacking both a "large" inset connector and a small inset connector on the same dock/platform to allow multiple crafts.

Originally posted by Other:

Rockets and Artillery shells are large-port-only (although I don't think you can use artillery on a small grid). I didn't have any railgun sabots to test, but looking at the port on the small grid railgun, the sabots should be small port. Large railgun sabots are probably large port, but since the gun for those is large-grid only, that isn't likely to be relevant.

So if the fighter uses rockets, that makes the decision for you - you must have a medium connector for the ammo. You also need to be sure to use the reloadable rocket launcher rather than the smaller one. For any other mix of small-grid weapons, you could use the small connector.

Ok, that's awesome to know! Yeah, I could deal with using the small one that you have to reload manually, since it's already going to be a compact design as it is.

I'm trying to build a fighter that looks as close to a design from another videogame I love playing, called Star Fox. Don't laugh. It's the Arwing, I'm trying to build (Specifically the SNES one).

It's mostly going to be a sort of "multirole", but more of a fighter/interceptor craft that uses it's speed rather than bulk. The rockets would be used for hit-and-run on larger targets, then focus mostly on anti fighter capabilities.

I'm trying my best to give it decent range in both space and atmo fighting, so I'm going with a Hydro Atmo hybrid design. I know that there are some people who have told me to use ion, but that take platinum, and I want this to be somewhat "cheap", but survivable for survival style gameplay. I'm not sure how it will hold up against A.I. opponents, but hoping it won't get blown out of the sky as soon as I fly it within range. Against human opponents, I'm certain it won't last 10 seconds. lol

[wig]

If I’m not mistaken there is now also a large grid, small size inset connector. You can build both connector blocks next to each other in your landing pad. Not quite a multi-connector, but close.

[ShadedMJ]

https://spaceengineers.wiki.gg/wiki/Conveyor_system#What's_the_difference_between_large_and_small_ports?

[Empada]

the information about needing to use rotor with a small head (or hinge) is WRONG!

it was true some time ago, but some of the recent updates Keen added a Large Grid Small connector block, which means it is possible to connect a small grid small connector to a Large grid base without the use of subgrids. search in your G menu, it is a version of the inset connector.

[Ronin Planetary Industries]

Small connectors are great if you're in a low profile ship. Connectors are also a weak spot in any fighter design. So shrinking it down to a ninth of the original size is great. Behind the connector is another weak block and so forth.

The small connector also looks better aesthetically. This big yellow life preserver sticking out of everyone's ship is kind of bad looking.

As said above, large port items won't fit through it. So rockets, large steel tubes, etc won't go through. If your ship serves some sort of utility that might be an issue. But if it's a pure fighter and doesn't use rockets it's fine.

Yes, you will need to use a dedicated connector to lock to large grid connectors. But it's not such a bad trade off.

[herrschaftg35]

Originally posted by Empada:

the information about needing to use rotor with a small head (or hinge) is WRONG!

it was true some time ago, but some of the recent updates Keen added a Large Grid Small connector block, which means it is possible to connect a small grid small connector to a Large grid base without the use of subgrids. search in your G menu, it is a version of the inset connector.

That update was very recently...

[Empada]

yes, very recently. it was added in the fieldwork update, April 2025. about a year.

sorry if my comment sounded rude, I just wanted that it was easy for someone that did not knew it to know that it is now possible, since it is very recent.

RetroACE135 said that also, but it is buried in the text and not everybody would read and find it.

[RetroACE135]

All good, and thanks for the help on suggestions!

Looks like I'm definitely going to have to use the Small Connector, then! I'll probably have to use mixed connector size pads and docks, but that's an easy enough thing to build to accommodate for. I still plan on using the "large" connectors for utility craft, since I plan to haul all kinds of stuff with them.

Again, thanks for the help!

[jafiwam]

In this situation I use a large connector small grid block and use the connector as the storage space for the ship (along with what little fits in the cockpit.)

I made a small BSG Style "viper" fighter once upon a time and realized I like the survivability of a larger craft, so now I make stuff bigger just to take more hits.

[carl.wear]

Depending on the ship / vehicle some connectors work better than others, it just depends on the design of the ship / vehicle and what you can fit on it.

One advantage of a large connector is you can use it to attach large grid things to it. Two attachments I built for a small grid craft was:
1) A large grid drill, cargo container and a battery with a connector on top.
2) Large grid ore detector, battery and cnnector.

This was an easy way to bring in a lot of resources and have a decent range ore detector, although I can't really see you wanting a large drill or ore detector hanging off the bottom of a fighter. (A large grid cannon maybe?)

[Captain Canard]

Originally posted by RetroACE135:

Opinions on Small or large connector for fighters. Which do you use?

I use small, because big makes for an ugly fighter IMO. But my fighter / shuttle is pretty small (using fighter cockpit and minimal extra "stuff"). It also makes my large grid corvette look better, because it's just a little "nipple" on the back where I park my fighter / shuttle, instead of a great big hole.

The only problem going small is that NPC stations lack small connections (an oversight of Keen's), so you can't refuel there. But fuel hasn't been a problem for me, so it's not a deal-breaker.

[FlickMontana]

You could make a combination small/large connector in small grid, by piping a small connector to a small port of a large connector. If you use a hinge for the grid size conversion, you can use it to align the connector with your ship.

[Ronin Planetary Industries]

Originally posted by Captain Canard:

Originally posted by RetroACE135:

Opinions on Small or large connector for fighters. Which do you use?

I use small, because big makes for an ugly fighter IMO. But my fighter / shuttle is pretty small (using fighter cockpit and minimal extra "stuff"). It also makes my large grid corvette look better, because it's just a little "nipple" on the back where I park my fighter / shuttle, instead of a great big hole.

The only problem going small is that NPC stations lack small connections (an oversight of Keen's), so you can't refuel there. But fuel hasn't been a problem for me, so it's not a deal-breaker.

You could carry enough components to create two more connectors to act as an adapter to the larger connector. It's not elegant, but would work in an emergency.