Vanilla starter cv recommendations for current game version

[Blightloaf]

New player here, it looks like everyone moved on to Reforged long before I arrived. Most blueprints I see are meant for RE, and most that aren't, are old and obsolete. I need a CHEAP CV that has (or has space to add later) a warp drive, and that still works in 2022. It's not so much the iron, copper, or silicon costs I'm worried about - I have lots of those and can get more - but the neodymium, sathium, and cobalt, which are mainly only available to me (as far as I can tell?) in tiny amounts from POIs. It's weird to me that people post "starter CVs" in the workshop that need over a thousand neodymium or titanium. But then, I'm a noob.

Any blueprint suggestions?

[The Big Brzezinski]

Well, this here is my super cheapie.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2525447194

I tend to go a bit bigger for my first CV these days, but I'd probably still use this for trading or mining in safe areas. I need to revisit it, swap those miniguns for sentries.

[XLjedi]

I built this one with the idea of spawning fast and minimal equipment then upgrade as you play. Nice thing is it has room for a starter SV and HV as well.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2614016979

[Geffin]

this is my fave starter its big enough to carry a lot of hv types in side and some sv or small cv on top. starts cheep just enough to get off the ground at first but can be upgraded all the way to a high g lifter. all the upgrades needed are listed to the left of the captains chair. and it looks prity cool. https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2552603242&searchtext=scarab

[The Big Brzezinski]

This brings up another thing to consider; optimization vs expandability.

The Kettering is meant to always stay tier one. It has a small hull and propulsion system that leaves as much room as possible for other capabilities, like its hangar, cargo, and constructor. It's tuned for its task. If I need a better ship, I make a new ship. The old one will still be around to perform tasks the new ship is less capable of. I can also use the old ship to recover the new one if it's disabled in the field. And I can always break it down into blocks to make something new if it's no longer needed.

Expandable ships are less efficient out of the box, but are much easier to expand and refit for different roles. They'll make room for additional thrusters, larger power plants, and more weapons in exchange for lower stock performance. Many players prefer a more nomadic lifestyle, so having everything in a single ship they can use for a very long time is better for them. It's riskier since all your eggs are in one basket. Every fight is a fight for your life.

These are just two governing philosophies that shape the design of ships. There are as many more as there are players. Whatever you build, try to learn as much as you can from it.

[[OTG] Timonius]

I have been using the Janus ASV. Build as a cheap 'base' on flat ground, and upgrade as you go. It will take you through quite a bit of gameplay.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2482188616

[Blightloaf]

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions, I'll give one of them a shot. Some of them still require around 700 neodymium, which just confirms to me that I must be missing something, because it's still a lot and seems out of reach when I can find no deposits of it and POIs (at least the ones I can realistically tackle) only give you so much.

[Es'carli]

you can salvage thrusters off of crashed vessels

[The Big Brzezinski]

Originally posted by Blightloaf:

Thanks to all of you for your suggestions, I'll give one of them a shot. Some of them still require around 700 neodymium, which just confirms to me that I must be missing something, because it's still a lot and seems out of reach when I can find no deposits of it and POIs (at least the ones I can realistically tackle) only give you so much.

It's the thrusters. Small and medium CV thrusters use a boat load of the stuff.

Titanium, cobalt, and neodymium deposits don't occur on the starter planet. While titanium and cobalt ore can be purchased from the Talon Settlement for credits (probably earned selling weapons at the Sanctuary), the small quantity of neodymium ingots available is not enough to build a full CV. So the usual practice is to make a warp-capable SV and go hunting for the stuff out in the starter system. You can check which minerals might show up in a sector on its info panels on the map screen. The snow planet has a lot of stuff. Just look under the very angry-looking heavy plasma drones, and you'll find it.

[Yascherrica]

If it's a MP server you can just run POI and loot'n'Salvage wrecks. Just dump all the salvaged mats in the BP factory and try to salvage as many thrusters as you can. Neodimium and cobalt is mainly used for oscilators and coils so dump those into the BP factory and look the numbers go up.

[XLjedi]

Originally posted by The Big Brzezinski:

It's the thrusters. Small and medium CV thrusters use a boat load of the stuff.

Titanium, cobalt, and neodymium deposits don't occur on the starter planet. While titanium and cobalt ore can be purchased from the Talon Settlement for credits (probably earned selling weapons at the Sanctuary), the small quantity of neodymium ingots available is not enough to build a full CV. So the usual practice is to make a warp-capable SV and go hunting for the stuff out in the starter system. You can check which minerals might show up in a sector on its info panels on the map screen. The snow planet has a lot of stuff. Just look under the very angry-looking heavy plasma drones, and you'll find it.

Yeah, BB said everything I was gonna say. It's a bit difficult to construct a small CV before you have a jump-capable SV to gather resources. I can usually find whatever I'm looking for in space, either in asteroids, or purchased from one of the mining station vendors.

I don't find that I need to use HVs too much, but my SVs I find to be very useful. So I just built my starter CV with enough room to dock my starter SVs.