What's the purpose of the Fer de Lance and Python?

[pleclair]

Well... title pretty much says it all. I have an highly tuned Vulture, and after a few weeks exploring, I got back, cashed in enough to buy a brand new fdl.

When I got into this ship, as some of you might have read, I have locked myself from my home system with my 2 others ships in when I wanted to try it out at a nav beacon.

So for a week, I played it safe as high res, and maxxed out the fdl. At this time, it has been weeks since I last flew my vulture, but I had the feeling that the fdl wasn't quite as good as my vulture.

A week passed, got back to my system, and got into my vulture. And man... what a nice ship it is..

When I was in my fdl, I tried hazardous res, and the only ship I could not kill, was the vulture. They were running circles around me and I needed to flee. I could have used turret weapons and get better results probably.. but I dunno... I don't like those.

This morning, I traded my fdl for a python to see what it would be like... and dropped in 45 mil on it. And while it kills faster than the fdl... its also a sitting duck and a simple 3 wings consisting of small ships either make me use way too many chaffs and shield cells to be efficient in the long run. I can kill 3 wings like asp, and two scouts with my vulture easily, and using a fraction of chaffs and shield cells.

I guess if I would play with some other players, who had vultures, then a ship like fdl or python is likely shining more with the extra firepower.

But to farm high res *solo... and pretty much any 1v1... the vulture is living up to its name.

When flying my vulture, I can stay behind a python and fdl for the whole fight and not get hit a single time... and both are rather easy to drop the shields and hull with dual pulse... they are my favorite targets... and often pays more than the anaconda. I often get 200k+ on pythons and fdl, and I often get 100k condas. Some pays more...

I can see that the python can be a good mining/trading ship, but the limited jump range pretty much make it a lot of hassles.

What are you guys doing with your fer de lance and python ships in solo?

[Dark Thoughts]

The FDL is more of a PvP ship with it's huge hardpoint.
It can certainly deal a decent amount of burst damage but there isn't really anything particulary good about huge hardpoints in PvE because all the modules for it require ammunition.

The Python is a multi purpose wonder imo.
It's downsides are the low speed, turn rate and jumprange but pretty much everything else is top notch and all that on a ship that still fits on a medium sized pad. For combat it can deliver sustained damage with a very long lasting capacitor while being very very tanky with lots of shield cell banks and it doesn't really have power issues so module freedom is totally yours.

I personally wish they would have bumped the jump range up a bit after the nerf but other than that it is pretty much a tiny Anaconda.

For RES farming alone you don't really need all that, that's true. But I personally think the game makes more fun if you stop the farming nad min maxing and simply do what you want to do in the ship you want to fly the most - no matter how "good" it is.

[Sketchy]

I don't have the FDL but I do have a Python and can solo almost anything with it in a HIRES. I only have trouble with wings of three where wingmen are bigger than the Asp or the lone enemy is an Ananconda. True, the Python turns pretty slow but if you fly it right, coupled with the AI's inability to fly around asteroids, it can take out just about everything. I don't run chaff or SCB on my python, I use shield boosters instead.

Some advice, always take out the smaller ships of the wing before taking out the bigger one(s). If you let the lead scan you and then fly away as you've no cargo, you can take out an Eagle before it manages to even turn around and can remove a Viper's shield and half of its hull before it can turn around as well. My Python isn't even A rated yet and I had the Vulture as well, awesome ship.

[Dark Thoughts]

SCBs & boosters aren't mutual exclusive.
There's not much you could fit into the slots otherwise, unless you actually fly a multi purpose build instead.

[pleclair]

Well, I say farm, but actually, it doesn't feel like so. I'm having fun in the vulture.

However, it still is farming. But if I would be running trades to gain wealth, I would also be "farming" in a different way.

But I agree with what you said about the python... the capacitor and modules amount and sizes are pretty good.

But its weakness in solo is not to be ignored. While it haves more hull than the fdl... it also melts a lot faster too. Combined with its slow speed, you have little time to react and save your ass when the sh... hits the fan.

When the feds are there, I can say I'm having a lot more fun, as I can almost kill them before they switch target on me. But these times when they don't show up... its a lot tougher.

They should make a vulture priced the same as a conda, that would solve all power issues, and maybe add 2 more large hardpoints :) That would be be dream ship I think :)

[pleclair]

Originally posted by Menina:

I don't have the FDL but I do have a Python and can solo almost anything with it in a HIRES. I only have trouble with wings of three where wingmen are bigger than the Asp or the lone enemy is an Ananconda. True, the Python turns pretty slow but if you fly it right, coupled with the AI's inability to fly around asteroids, it can take out just about everything. I don't run chaff or SCB on my python, I use shield boosters instead.

Some advice, always take out the smaller ships of the wing before taking out the bigger one(s). If you let the lead scan you and then fly away as you've no cargo, you can take out an Eagle before it manages to even turn around and can remove a Viper's shield and half of its hull before it can turn around as well. My Python isn't even A rated yet and I had the Vulture as well, awesome ship.

Yeah, that's what I always do, taking the smaller ships out. However, your python likely have a bit more money put into than I could afford on mine... but I dunno... while I was also able to take down most things out there, except the 3 wings... well, I can when all my chaffs and shield cells are full, but it would leave me with little to continue afterward if any.

And yeah, I also use asteroids to get away... and in the vulture its a blast to boost your way with full ENG pips... but the python is heavy, and when turning flight assist off to spin around, you keep drifting for a good while unless you boost. Even the fdl is nimble enough to run thru asteroids... Guess I need to spend more time in it to feel comfortable doing so :)

[Dark Thoughts]

Well, as long as you have fun it's fine.
Just don't grind yourself through something which doesn't make fun because that will just burn you out and that's what a lot of people do to get an Anaconda.

The Federal Assault Ship might be fun alternative for you.
The shields are crap, but it's agile and got a decent amount of firepower - and I think it looks pretty cool too.

Getting rid of the shields on a Python with boosters and shield cell banks is going to be pretty hard without some serious burst on the other end.

[Capt Facepalm Picard]

Originally posted by pleclair:

They should make a vulture priced the same as a conda, that would solve all power issues, and maybe add 2 more large hardpoints :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gQosYb3m9U&list=PLRzac19sSUfVN6t3UneGg0rDyir0JcQHX&index=1

[VanhaVihtahousu]

Vulture might be "little" op for its price. I bought fdl after vulture and oh f**k i was dissapointed. Traded it python and was even more s**t than fdl. Propably cause i didnt had money enough to buy decent modules. Bought vulture back and it is absolute joy to play. Now i have fdl again and i like it too. When you play with vulture its just point and shoot and you dont even have to change those pips but fdl its constant pip changefest. Now i might like fdl even more than vulture because there is much more challenge at bounty sites.

[Capt Facepalm Picard]

Originally posted by HaTeMe:

The Federal Assault Ship might be fun alternative for you.
The shields are crap, but it's agile and got a decent amount of firepower - and I think it looks pretty cool too.

Yup. A federal assault ship can take a sh*t on a vulture pretty easily.

[Capt Facepalm Picard]

Originally posted by Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah:

Vulture might be "little" op for its price. I bought fdl after vulture and oh f**k i was dissapointed. Traded it python and was even more s**t than fdl. Propably cause i didnt had money enough to buy decent modules. Bought vulture back and it is absolute joy to play. Now i have fdl again and i like it too. When you play with vulture its just point and shoot and you dont even have to change those pips but fdl its constant pip changefest. Now i might like fdl even more than vulture because there is much more challenge at bounty sites.

Vulture definately needs to be bumped up to the 10mil + range.. 4 mil is like giving it away for free. Especially considering a fully decked vulture.....still dirt cheap.

[Sketchy]

Originally posted by pleclair:

Originally posted by Menina:

I don't have the FDL but I do have a Python and can solo almost anything with it in a HIRES. I only have trouble with wings of three where wingmen are bigger than the Asp or the lone enemy is an Ananconda. True, the Python turns pretty slow but if you fly it right, coupled with the AI's inability to fly around asteroids, it can take out just about everything. I don't run chaff or SCB on my python, I use shield boosters instead.

Some advice, always take out the smaller ships of the wing before taking out the bigger one(s). If you let the lead scan you and then fly away as you've no cargo, you can take out an Eagle before it manages to even turn around and can remove a Viper's shield and half of its hull before it can turn around as well. My Python isn't even A rated yet and I had the Vulture as well, awesome ship.

Yeah, that's what I always do, taking the smaller ships out. However, your python likely have a bit more money put into than I could afford on mine... but I dunno... while I was also able to take down most things out there, except the 3 wings... well, I can when all my chaffs and shield cells are full, but it would leave me with little to continue afterward if any.

And yeah, I also use asteroids to get away... and in the vulture its a blast to boost your way with full ENG pips... but the python is heavy, and when turning flight assist off to spin around, you keep drifting for a good while unless you boost. Even the fdl is nimble enough to run thru asteroids... Guess I need to spend more time in it to feel comfortable doing so :)

I'll be honest, if I were to trade in my Python, I would get 82 million credits for it. Should also point out that a ship that has less mass to it will have somewhat stronger shields compared to the same ship that has more mass to it with the same shield generator.

[Shnuky]

The python I really hated that ship the first week I used it. I really wanted to sell it and rebuy a FAS but now that it is A upgraded I found a weapon setup that I like and I now how to maneuver I am starting to enjoy its firepower.

If you are looking for a vulture upgrade try the federal assault ship. It's heavier but has great maneuverability more firepower and crazy ramming damage my favored ship so far

[VanhaVihtahousu]

Originally posted by Capt Facepalm Picard:

Originally posted by Ur-Quan Kohr-Ah:

Vulture might be "little" op for its price. I bought fdl after vulture and oh f**k i was dissapointed. Traded it python and was even more s**t than fdl. Propably cause i didnt had money enough to buy decent modules. Bought vulture back and it is absolute joy to play. Now i have fdl again and i like it too. When you play with vulture its just point and shoot and you dont even have to change those pips but fdl its constant pip changefest. Now i might like fdl even more than vulture because there is much more challenge at bounty sites.

Vulture definately needs to be bumped up to the 10mil + range.. 4 mil is like giving it away for free. Espacially considering a full decked vulture.....still dirt cheap.

Yeah. I agree. Maybe about same price tag as fds and clipper? I dont know how it plays in pvp against those but res farming is definitely its thing.

[[+3z]FUSE]

Simple said. Python is a good Allrounder, FdL is a strong/ but Fighter only.

[Singrave]

Nerf Vulture. It's an obvious cheat.