Long distance - Dos and Don'ts

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Long distance - Dos and Don'ts

Postby filthymanc » Tue Dec 06, 2016 4:03 pm

Hello all,
I am teetering on the edge of sailing out to Colonia and I don't wasn't too head out unprepared.

I am thinking of taking the Anaconda, with the lightest load out possible, and an engineered drive.

I will be taking a fuel scoop, and an advanced scanner. But I was also wondering what else would be useful.

Should I pack in some heavy fuel tanks so that I don't have to stop and scoop all the time?

Am I likely to need a surface scanner to break things up a bit if I fancy a pitstop. Or will I just want to get there?

Will I even need shields?

Your thoughts please?
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Re: Long distance - Dos and Don'ts

Postby TorTorden » Tue Dec 06, 2016 4:18 pm

Biggest scoop you can afford.
Fuel tanks on a conda only decrease range unless you have very specific goals in mind.
Yes to shields.

Bring a fighter bay and at least two buggies.
Auto field maintenance units are also good to have, they also don't weigh anything so fill your available slots with them.

DON'T FLY SOBER.
A high blood-alcohol level helps defend against witch space sickness.
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Re: Long distance - Dos and Don'ts

Postby bailablestone12 » Tue Dec 06, 2016 4:58 pm

Hello,

I am no expert in exploration, in fact, the Colonia CG is my first exploration trip ever. I am 10K Ly on my way to Colonia and this is what I have in my conda that I think are mandatory :
1. Auto Field-Maintenance Unit ( 2) as 1 can repair the other one in case one is damaged.
2. Heat Sink Launcher ( 2 minimum)
3. Best Fuel Scoop you can get ( I have 6A to have more cargo but you can go up to 7A if you want)
4. Detail Surface Scanner to scan planets.

I also have my conda the following :
1. A-rated except for thrusters ( engineered D thrusters and will transfer the A ones once I get there).
2. Full load pulse lasers ( rapid fire mod )
3. Shield boosters ( 6 as 2 of the slots are used by heat sinks).
4. 2 Ship Launched fighters
5. 1 SRV

I know I am going against all the exploration basics with my build but it is because I will stay for some time and maybe permanently if we get a settlement in the area... we'll see...

Fly safe

Bailablestone12

PS : The Alcohol requirement is also very advisable...
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Re: Long distance - Dos and Don'ts

Postby TorTorden » Tue Dec 06, 2016 5:35 pm

The range mods on Fsd's open up a lot of choices really.

The difference between a 34ly jump range and say a 43 range is quite small when it comes to plotting runs. Maybe 3-4 jumps per Kylie (Kylie is 1000 ly)

In fact pretty much anything above 33 Ly and your good to go.
My conda is setup for longer range goofing around at this point.
Got a decent 48% fsd mod on it, power, distributor and thrusters are one class under normal but a rated.
Full stock of guns, including class 4 mc.

Dual fighter bay, I think four buggies, some cargo racks and whatnots.

And still have about 36ly range.
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Hey I'm Thor -
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Rule 1: Pillage. Then burn.
Rule 2: No such thing as overkill, as long as there are reloads.

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Re: Long distance - Dos and Don'ts

Postby Myrm » Tue Dec 06, 2016 6:57 pm

bailablestone12 wrote:Hello,

I am no expert in exploration, in fact, the Colonia CG is my first exploration trip ever. I am 10K Ly on my way to Colonia and this is what I have in my conda that I think are mandatory :
1. Auto Field-Maintenance Unit ( 2) as 1 can repair the other one in case one is damaged.
2. Heat Sink Launcher ( 2 minimum)
3. Best Fuel Scoop you can get ( I have 6A to have more cargo but you can go up to 7A if you want)
4. Detail Surface Scanner to scan planets.

I also have my conda the following :
1. A-rated except for thrusters ( engineered D thrusters and will transfer the A ones once I get there).
2. Full load pulse lasers ( rapid fire mod )
3. Shield boosters ( 6 as 2 of the slots are used by heat sinks).
4. 2 Ship Launched fighters
5. 1 SRV
....


This! Though I always take 2 SRVs with me, but no fighters or weapons. I'm a man! :D

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Re: Long distance - Dos and Don'ts

Postby filthymanc » Tue Dec 06, 2016 7:08 pm

Myrm wrote:
This! Though I always take 2 SRVs with me, but no fighters or weapons. I'm a man! :D


No weapons?
Is there any use for weapons out there?
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Re: Long distance - Dos and Don'ts

Postby Roger Wilco Jr » Tue Dec 06, 2016 7:09 pm

For just going to Colonia ...

You will be interdicted leaving the bubble. I'm 3xElite and get jumped my hopped up Elite Dropships. If you are a newer player, then they may not be so bad. You can live w/o shields, but you may take some damage. Chaff, point defense, and bob & weave may be enough to escape. Good news is that you have AMFUs, outposts along the way, and Jaques for repairs. You'll also generally take some damage when landing w/o shields. I'd recommend some shields, but you don't need super strong ones with boosters and shield cells unless you plan on really using them. Once you leave the bubble, shut off the shields (cargo scoop, other unused equipment) so you run cooler and can scoop fuel faster. Just remember to turn them back on when needed.

If you are following the outpost route, don't bother scanning. Every star in sight has already been scanned - exaggeration, but close enough to the truth. I suppose honking will still get you something, as well as scans, but if you want discovered by tags, then you need to get off the beaten path.

If you are going to be doing a lot of exploring and scanning, then a little extra time scooping fuel shouldn't be a big deal. Scoop while scanning the star and nearby planets. You can get by with a 4A scoop, and certainly with a 5A scoop. If you want to get there asap, then a 6A or larger will definitely speed things up. You may also want to think about the trip back - if you want to go fast then, then you will need the bigger scoop now.

If you don't plan on fighting, then you don't need weapons or fighters.

Heat sink launchers are (may be) a waste, unless you plan on flying into a star and keep going w/o turning around - for example, if watching TV and not paying attention after a jump. I'm not familiar with recent changes and if they have another function that you will need.

You don't need an SRV either, but if you plan on landing on planets and exploring, then you will want at least two.

And if you are working on your exploration rank, the you will want the DSS.

I guess AMFUs still don't weigh anything, so it won't hurt to take one or two, but I doubt you will really need them.

D rated modules are an explorer's best friend - especially if you don't have the money for A rated modules. I said explorer's - not combateer's.

This will give you a light load with a lot of empty slots. But for a short trip out to Colonia, with repair facilities along the way, you don't need a lot of equipment that you might otherwise want.


But all that depends on what you are preparing for? The trip out is one thing, but exploring the galaxy after that, or bounty hunting, and etc., changes everything. I hear there's not a great selection at Jaques, and no outfitting at the outposts (so far), but I expect things may change in the near future and the area grows.
It's time to give this another go.

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Re: Long distance - Dos and Don'ts

Postby filthymanc » Tue Dec 06, 2016 7:13 pm

Roger Wilco Jr wrote:For just going to Colonia ...

You will be interdicted leaving the bubble. I'm 3xElite and get jumped my hopped up Elite Dropships. If you are a newer player, then they may not be so bad. You can live w/o shields, but you may take some damage. Chaff, point defense, and bob & weave may be enough to escape. Good news is that you have AMFUs, outposts along the way, and Jaques for repairs. You'll also generally take some damage when landing w/o shields. I'd recommend some shields, but you don't need super strong ones with boosters and shield cells unless you plan on really using them. Once you leave the bubble, shut off the shields (cargo scoop, other unused equipment) so you run cooler and can scoop fuel faster. Just remember to turn them back on when needed.

If you are following the outpost route, don't bother scanning. Every star in sight has already been scanned - exaggeration, but close enough to the truth. I suppose honking will still get you something, as well as scans, but if you want discovered by tags, then you need to get off the beaten path.

If you are going to be doing a lot of exploring and scanning, then a little extra time scooping fuel shouldn't be a big deal. Scoop while scanning the star and nearby planets. You can get by with a 4A scoop, and certainly with a 5A scoop. If you want to get there asap, then a 6A or larger will definitely speed things up. You may also want to think about the trip back - if you want to go fast then, then you will need the bigger scoop now.

If you don't plan on fighting, then you don't need weapons or fighters.

Heat sink launchers are (may be) a waste, unless you plan on flying into a star and keep going w/o turning around - for example, if watching TV and not paying attention after a jump. I'm not familiar with recent changes and if they have another function that you will need.

You don't need an SRV either, but if you plan on landing on planets and exploring, then you will want at least two.

And if you are working on your exploration rank, the you will want the DSS.

I guess AMFUs still don't weigh anything, so it won't hurt to take one or two, but I doubt you will really need them.

D rated modules are an explorer's best friend - especially if you don't have the money for A rated modules. I said explorer's - not combateer's.

This will give you a light load with a lot of empty slots. But for a short trip out to Colonia, with repair facilities along the way, you don't need a lot of equipment that you might otherwise want.


But all that depends on what you are preparing for? The trip out is one thing, but exploring the galaxy after that, or bounty hunting, and etc., changes everything. I hear there's not a great selection at Jaques, and no outfitting at the outposts (so far), but I expect things may change in the near future and the area grows.


This is definitely more my style.
Thanks,
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Re: Long distance - Dos and Don'ts

Postby Roger Wilco Jr » Tue Dec 06, 2016 7:16 pm

filthymanc wrote:
Myrm wrote:
This! Though I always take 2 SRVs with me, but no fighters or weapons. I'm a man! :D


No weapons?
Is there any use for weapons out there?

Thargoids, maybe?
It's time to give this another go.

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Re: Long distance - Dos and Don'ts

Postby Cometborne » Tue Dec 06, 2016 8:06 pm

The only effect weapons will have is a behaviour change for the NPC AI scripts if you get interdicted while leaving the bubble. If you have weapons, some (not all!) NPC will be a little more caution and threaten you to dump cargo before they attack. This is a good thing, since the threat timer is 15 seconds since 2.1.05. Which is also the time the FSD needs to charge. So if you get interdicted and have a fast ship, run immediately. Boost, charge FSD, boost, high wake, good-bye.

Before setting out, check how many boosts your distributor will give you, and consider going A-rated on your distributor, even if it costs you a little jump range.
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