Next Trading Ship

[Aeleric]

So, apart from my scout, I have my beloved Cobra for bounty hunting and smuggling missions, and I have a T6 to do my bulk trade missions.

I want to upgrade from the T6 to purely do trade missions - what would you reccomend? A T7?

I must admit, my Cobra is now starting to struggle with some assasination missions now (the targets seem to be all in wings!), so is there an option to lots of trade with a beefy punch, or is that asking too much?

I am primarily after cargo carrying capacity.

[pargyrak]

My path was

Sid->Adder->Cobra-T6->Asp->Python->Anaconda so I would suggest the Python if you can afford it. T7 should be an alternative but never flew it

[Kiltrathi]

The Type-7 is an excellent choice for your next pure trade ship, it does however have drawbacks. It can't land on outposts and it doesn't like to be maneuvered. but it can carry 216T about 110LY away. It is the logical next step for pure trading.
You might want to consider an Asp Explorer, it can be fitted for combat and do that reasonably well, set up for trading it should be able to carry 120T about 170LY away. The Asp is larger than a Cobra, so assassination missions against bigger prey requires some skill. I've used an Asp to kill anything apart from those big Elite Anacondas.

To get to where I am now I used the following ships:

Sidey->Viper->Cobra->Asp->T7->Python

[Roger Wilco Jr]

I think the Asp was a great trader. Of course, it's also great for exploring & combat.

I regret buying a T7. It may have let me get into a Python a bit sooner, but I wish I just waited instead of loosing the trade in value. I think some of the best trade routes are between stations and outposts, and with the T7 you loose those. Once you get up to the T9/Anaconda level, you can make up for worse trades on volume. The Python can also defend itself rather nicely.

The Clipper also makes a nice trader if you swing that way and can't manage a Python. Only 5 million more than a T7, but it also can't land on outposts, but it can defend itself.

[Aeleric]

Python, eh?

Been over to ED Shipyards - maxing out cargo capacity, I get 292 ton capacity in a Python for 55mil, and 232 ton capacity in a T7 for just 17mil.

Bearing in mind I just want haulage space, and in Mobius group I haven't had to defend myself in my stripped down T6 that often, it feels like the T7 will give me more bang for my buck - or at least fewer bucks!

My current preference is to run a fleet of ships specialised to each role - DB scout for exploring, Cobra for covert missions and a T6 for trading. I get the feeling that you need more than one ship, as no one ship will do all these roles?

[Roger Wilco Jr]

Yeah, I'm wondering if the Python was less when I bought it.

I'm just saying that I was disappointed with the T-7. Once I got it, it was hard to find a good trade route (I don't use trade tools). Anything I found was longer and didn't pay as well per ton. I wish I'd stayed in the Asp. I think I could have made nearly the same credits/hour due to the better trades and shorter routes (even in-system routes). Since then I think they've broken trading and I'm not sure if it's fixed yet.

Also, the Asp is a great multi-role craft. Exploration - trading - combat. Back in the days when I could only afford a single ship, the Asp was it.

But if you've got the Buckazoids, then by all means have specialized ships. I have about 8 or 9 now, including dual Asps and dual Vultures configured for different rolls.

[TorTorden]

Also think the asp would be a decent choice, but for maxed out trading combat the python is king, you can kill pretty much anything and still carry 200t, granted that will cost around 80 mil easy so maybe not yet.

You could also get a t 7 and an asp to replace the t6 and cobra respectively , but I'm sure you can get good combat capabilities with an asp and about 100t of cargo.

The t7 was for me a gateway ship , i don't know what the poster above me consider "good" but there are plenty large pad loops out there with about 3500cr total profit PR unit a t7 would make half a mil+ every 7-8 minutes.
As for cost a t7 fully rigged for trading costs less than a vulture or fully kitted out asp.

Interdictions I think vary with your combat ranking.
After I hit dangerous in combat ranking the t9 became an immediate death trap and just trying to use one for trading since has cost me 30 mil in insurance and lost cargo.

I too subscribe to the "moar ships" philosophy, I have now a mostly a rated python with about 70t cargo to running missions or whatever I feel like l, a trade anaconda with shields and guns, 18ly jump range with 432t cargo.
An assortment of toys, a couple of eagles (one imperial) a courier.

And I just today went back to diaguandri and bought a second anaconda I intend to fit out for combat duties, just need a another 2-300 mil to fix it up proper..

I recommend taking the trip to diaguandri since there as a 15% discount on both ships and fitting there, say buying a conda there easily saves you 20-40 mil, 15% really make a difference when your powerplant cost 150 mil..

[Aeleric]

lol - hoping to make the buckazoids by trading!

That said, in Azrael, the value of BB missions seems to have shot up - I am now starting to pick up smuggling type missions up on the BB for between 150,000 and 380,000 credits!

This happened since 1.4 dropped, but not sure if it is 1.4 that ramped up the rewards, or if it is because I now have Allied status with OOM.

Either way, I made a cool million just running BB missions in my Cobra, in the space of about 90 mins!

[Mouse]

The Clipper is as good blockade runner, I have A-4 instead of A-6 shields on mine so she carries 232 tons of cargo and has good speed.

[CapitanAceRimmer]

I recommend the Asp, even when everything is maxed out, it still has a massive jump range. Great for carrying valuable cargo (eg. Rare goods) and you get a jump range where you can jump very quickly to a system that gives good profit. Great for exploration as well with the best cockpit for visibility in the game, I think. And it can hold its own in combat. Like the big ships its slow to manoeuvre so you'll have to learn to use Flight Assist Off mode.