Cobra MKIII Bounty hunting build suggestions (Low budget)

[Eliturbo]

Hello

I am very new to this game. I've been playing it for a couple of days now and I am looking to make a bounty hunting build. The previous way of making money has been trading, but it kind of gets boring after a while so I'm looking for a more exiting way. Is bounty hunting even very profitable?

Anyways, right now I have a Cobra MK3 trade build and I want to transform it to bounty hunting. I have 2.2 mil and I don't want it to be too expensive. Any suggestions?

EDIT: Oh and with that loadout, what ships should I go for and which ones not?

[Agony_Aunt]

I think the first question has to be, are you any good with fixed weapons? If so, you might want to look into railguns or PAs.

If not, then the traditional build is dual small beams and dual medium MCs.

The main problem with the CM3 hardpoints is the 2 small hardpoints are on the bottom and the back, gives even gimballs a limited field of fire with them.

[Eliturbo]

Publicado originalmente por Agony_Aunt:

I think the first question has to be, are you any good with fixed weapons? If so, you might want to look into railguns or PAs.

If not, then the traditional build is dual small beams and dual medium MCs.

The main problem with the CM3 hardpoints is the 2 small hardpoints are on the bottom and the back, gives even gimballs a limited field of fire with them.

I don't think I'll be any good with those. Still struggling with the controls. I've never really been good with flying in games but the light "auto-aim" some weapons here have make it doable

Edit: What kind of shield generator should I be looking at? I gave a 4E right now, which isn't any good I think

[Naskoni]

Publicado originalmente por Agony_Aunt:

I think the first question has to be, are you any good with fixed weapons? If so, you might want to look into railguns or PAs.

If not, then the traditional build is dual small beams and dual medium MCs.

The main problem with the CM3 hardpoints is the 2 small hardpoints are on the bottom and the back, gives even gimballs a limited field of fire with them.

Which is why the Viper Mk4 is an all-around a significantly better idea. I'd go as far as to recommend trading in the Cobra for one.

[T-Bone Biggins]

I have a b-specced Viper Mk3 for starting out in bounty hunting. It's a lot cheaper to build than you think and punches far above it's weight for it's price. The maneuverability is very nice. The Cobra Mk3 can be set up for bounty hunting but it won't do it as well. Keep your Cobra set up for trading in case you need to make more money to finish your build or get more in case you die, it doesn't get hurt staying in storage.

[Eliturbo]

Thanks for the replies. So I guess I'm going to have to buy a new ship then. I have played in the meanwhile and I have 3.4mil now so I guess I've got a bit more choice. I'm going to take a look at the viper now I guess.

[Toastie Buns]

Publicado originalmente por Eliturbo:

Anyways, right now I have a Cobra MK3 trade build and I want to transform it to bounty hunting. I have 2.2 mil and I don't want it to be too expensive. Any suggestions?

https://coriolis.io/outfit/cobra_mk_iii/0pataFdlddasdf37i2717170202035d452r6e2h.Iw1-kA==.CwBhwZjEEY-kAmcog===

Suggestions: Keep making/saving money.

Publicado originalmente por Eliturbo:

I'm going to take a look at the viper now I guess.

Don't write the cobra off as a bad ship, it's truly not.
You may be better farming for a Type 6 and having a dedicated trader to earn cash for your dedicated combat vessel though, tbh.

On a lighter note; the Eagles (Imperial and standard) are cheap to outfit, rebuy AND ♥♥♥♥ around in. Not to mention that cockpit is soooo nice.

[FalterXV TTV]

There are some Good Ideas, around the Cobra III for combat setups - but the key thing to remember is that - while the Cobra is fast, in a straight line, and pitches fairly decently - that's about all she has going for her, in combat - she can't "turn" and her speed actually works against her when it comes to any standup fight.

If the Cobra III is what you want for combat - I suggest something along these lines, for a full combat oriented Fitting:
Cobra III :
https://eddp.co/u/E9NHn5CZ

On the Same note, if you desire the two queens of Combat at the small tier - the Viper III and Viper IV - i recommend 2, similar builds - but with style, befitting the Vipers - pure combat focus built.
Viper III :
https://eddp.co/u/P3Qf7fLc
Viper IV :
https://eddp.co/u/oxoXSVuT

They are all about the same in terms of "What you Can Do" for combat - they just have different inherent styles - and limitations
Think of it like this:

a Cobra III - is a medium trader, light run around - focused more on the ability to carry cargo, and flee - not for a standup fight.

a Viper III - is a light to medium - combat craft, well able to strike above her fellow ships (the Eagle MK. II, and IEagle) in her tier respectively - and can match the Cobra III - 1 to 1 - in terms of combat Prowess, in the hands of a decent pilot.

a Viper IV - is the epitome of Cobra Tier Craft - heavily built, and a bigger version of her sister, the Viper - she moves just like her smaller counterpart - but has the flexibility in multirole, as the Cobra III does - with a lighter hull mass, she is able to achieve more for her shield generator, and consequently can pull more shileds, with smaller classes of generator, and has much more tactical flexibility -but foregoes the forward momentum of her counterpart the Cobra - in the ability to outturn her targets, and maintain higher constant speeds.

Good luck CMDR - safe landings

[T-Bone Biggins]

Publicado originalmente por Toastie Buns:

Publicado originalmente por Eliturbo:

Anyways, right now I have a Cobra MK3 trade build and I want to transform it to bounty hunting. I have 2.2 mil and I don't want it to be too expensive. Any suggestions?

https://coriolis.io/outfit/cobra_mk_iii/0pataFdlddasdf37i2717170202035d452r6e2h.Iw1-kA==.CwBhwZjEEY-kAmcog===

Suggestions: Keep making/saving money.

Publicado originalmente por Eliturbo:

I'm going to take a look at the viper now I guess.

Don't write the cobra off as a bad ship, it's truly not.
You may be better farming for a Type 6 and having a dedicated trader to earn cash for your dedicated combat vessel though, tbh.

On a lighter note; the Eagles (Imperial and standard) are cheap to outfit, rebuy AND ♥♥♥♥ around in. Not to mention that cockpit is soooo nice.

Aren't Eagles too difficult to run for bounty as a newer player? They are cheap as hell but paper thin hull mixed with low energy and high baseline heat make for a hard ship to handle.

[Eliturbo]

Publicado originalmente por Belial8915:

There are some Good Ideas, around the Cobra III for combat setups - but the key thing to remember is that - while the Cobra is fast, in a straight line, and pitches fairly decently - that's about all she has going for her, in combat - she can't "turn" and her speed actually works against her when it comes to any standup fight.

If the Cobra III is what you want for combat - I suggest something along these lines, for a full combat oriented Fitting:
Cobra III :
https://eddp.co/u/E9NHn5CZ

On the Same note, if you desire the two queens of Combat at the small tier - the Viper III and Viper IV - i recommend 2, similar builds - but with style, befitting the Vipers - pure combat focus built.
Viper III :
https://eddp.co/u/P3Qf7fLc
Viper IV :
https://eddp.co/u/oxoXSVuT

They are all about the same in terms of "What you Can Do" for combat - they just have different inherent styles - and limitations
Think of it like this:

a Cobra III - is a medium trader, light run around - focused more on the ability to carry cargo, and flee - not for a standup fight.

a Viper III - is a light to medium - combat craft, well able to strike above her fellow ships (the Eagle MK. II, and IEagle) in her tier respectively - and can match the Cobra III - 1 to 1 - in terms of combat Prowess, in the hands of a decent pilot.

a Viper IV - is the epitome of Cobra Tier Craft - heavily built, and a bigger version of her sister, the Viper - she moves just like her smaller counterpart - but has the flexibility in multirole, as the Cobra III does - with a lighter hull mass, she is able to achieve more for her shield generator, and consequently can pull more shileds, with smaller classes of generator, and has much more tactical flexibility -but foregoes the forward momentum of her counterpart the Cobra - in the ability to outturn her targets, and maintain higher constant speeds.

Good luck CMDR - safe landings

Thanks for the time taken to write this! Those builds look good. Time to save up some more money then. A Viper does sound better to use for combat so I'm gonna go for one of those.

[FalterXV TTV]

Publicado originalmente por T-Bone Biggins:

Aren't Eagles too difficult to run for bounty as a newer player? They are cheap as hell but paper thin hull mixed with low energy and high baseline heat make for a hard ship to handle.

Not quite - NO, they do require a more skilled and adept pilot to master, and a willingness to fully invest and commit - i think the more apt term is, they are less forgiving than a Viper or Cobra in comparison

IEagle :
https://eddp.co/u/3jm1dSRr

Eagle mk. II :
https://eddp.co/u/YoZCkmdA

less flexible - just AS good - but there is a much higher degree of skill required to fly them - you usually DONT want anything BUT fixed guns on an Eagle or iEagle setup - but it is still possible to build Eagles with gimballs, and a stock loadout, and be successful in combat.

[T-Bone Biggins]

Publicado originalmente por Belial8915:

Publicado originalmente por T-Bone Biggins:

Aren't Eagles too difficult to run for bounty as a newer player? They are cheap as hell but paper thin hull mixed with low energy and high baseline heat make for a hard ship to handle.

Not quite - NO, they do require a more skilled and adept pilot to master, and a willingness to fully invest and commit - i think the more apt term is, they are less forgiving than a Viper or Cobra in comparison

IEagle :
https://eddp.co/u/3jm1dSRr

Eagle mk. II :
https://eddp.co/u/YoZCkmdA

less flexible - just AS good - but there is a much higher degree of skill required to fly them - you usually DONT want anything BUT fixed guns on an Eagle or iEagle setup - but it is still possible to build Eagles with gimballs, and a stock loadout, and be successful in combat.

I had good luck with my Viper Mk3 nub build. 2 gimballed size 1 beam lasers, 2 gimballed size 2 autocannons. Class A on everything except sensors and life support at class D (to be light) and it rips up a lot of stuff bigger than me when I fly it. I'll admit this is no min-max build to get the most out of my ship, I don't even have any engineering on it. But it's easy to fly and fight in, and for the price I'm kinda hard-pressed to upgrade to something better. I'd rather build an AspEx to do one of those exploration money runs on known earth-like and water worlds then maybe fully scan a few unexplored systems for myself, that sounds like a lot of fun to me right now.

[Toastie Buns]

Not to mention for every time you die in a fairly well kitted cobra, you can die 3 times in an extremely well kitted Eagle/Imperial.

Publicado originalmente por T-Bone Biggins:

Aren't Eagles too difficult to run for bounty as a newer player? They are cheap as hell but paper thin hull mixed with low energy and high baseline heat make for a hard ship to handle.

Idk, I found it to be a good experience to at least train in CZ in the Eagle. What I learnt from that skyrocketed my survivability in other small class ships. Especially with module priority and how shieldboosters should be temporarily disabled to speed up shield regen.

It's probably a dunk in the pool approach, but there's nothing wrong with a healthy dose of caution in any ship.

Edit: By priority I mean that the Eagle doesn't really have a power issue; providing that you either outright disable non-combat modules or shift them to the last priority so they shut down first. You can cram a lot on the little buggers, tbh.

[T-Bone Biggins]

Publicado originalmente por Toastie Buns:

Not to mention for every time you die in a fairly well kitted cobra, you can die 3 times in an extremely well kitted Eagle/Imperial.

Publicado originalmente por T-Bone Biggins:

Aren't Eagles too difficult to run for bounty as a newer player? They are cheap as hell but paper thin hull mixed with low energy and high baseline heat make for a hard ship to handle.

Idk, I found it to be a good experience to at least train in CZ in the Eagle. What I learnt from that skyrocketed my survivability in other small class ships. Especially with module priority and how shieldboosters should be temporarily disabled to speed up shield regen.

It's probably a dunk in the pool approach, but there's nothing wrong with a healthy dose of caution in any ship.

Edit: By priority I mean that the Eagle doesn't really have a power issue; providing that you either outright disable non-combat modules or shift them to the last priority so they shut down first. You can cram a lot on the little buggers, tbh.

If insurance pricing is what concerns someone then a kitted out Sidewinder is your entry ticket to a resource site :)

[Toastie Buns]

It's less insurance pricing and more 'how much am I willing to pay for a driving lesson?'

[FalterXV TTV]

Take a stock 'Sidey, go to a science and research outpost - turn your FAon to OFF (permanently) and cruise around! Best driving lesson there is!

Would def' recommend to any CMDR who has not learned how to use FAoff permanently, OR if they fly FAon - situationally