The Fer-De-Lance loadout thread: Sluggish or nimble?

[uvelius]

Sorry, the power and jump range issues and the reported bad weapon convergence made me delay those plans for post-Imperial Cutter. So I am sticking to the Python, which feels comfortable as an armchair but not that combat perfect.
That is to say, if the Cutter is absolutely beyond my credit or Imperial rank range, or I don't want to get an Annie in the end, I probably will give the FDL a try. Heck, maybe I will do it anyway, but it takes some time to decide ...

[Unserene]

I just tried one for shits and giggles. A rated it and tried it in a RES. It's ok I guess, but I prefer my python. So I sold it back. Now to carry on saving for my 'conda.

[uvelius]

Well after having a dreadful hunt yesterday night I am considering trying the FDL finally. the python feels comfortable for cruising but as a fighter it just remains to be strange ... Any suggerstions where to find a discounted FDL?

[uvelius]

ok ... very first impressions, after leaving the station and deploying hardpoints:
[x] Cool design.
[x] Sounds are OK.
[x] Hardpoint placement seems okay.
[x] Bloody How-Do-You-Feel Class 4 Plasma Accelerator fits in nicely.
[ ] Jump range ... not impressive, as to be expected. ca 13 Ly.
[ ] Power
... wait, what?
[ ] Power
... well, yes. Seems absurd to fit a tiny Powerplant on a battlecruiser-guns capable fighting vessel. But that is exactly what they did.
Even so, after some serious juggling with module priorities and skipping fancy stuff like ... SCBs, it works out. Well, hey, that huge hardpoint wants something huge in it, so no way taking away that Plasma Accelerator.
Now ...
[ ] Heat management
... say that again?
[ ] Heat management
... er ... now I can fire 4x C2 G Pulses and even the Plasma Acc, BUT the temperature meter just starts jumping all over the place, the walls get that dreamy shiny glow, and yes, the ship is overheating after the second Plama shot. And, of course, the Plasma Acc takes ages not to get energy but to cool down for another shot. As to be expected with an undersized Power Plant.
Feels exactly like the Plasma Acc on the Vulture. Well, as Power Management (lack of) does.

So next is stress testing in a CZ. Let's see what happens there.

[uvelius]

Ship heat
Maybe it is just a feeling, but to me it seems the ship heats up much quicker after exiting hyperspace. Didn't observe such issues in the Python.

C4 Plasma Acc
Tested the PA at a CompNavB. Well, seems useless up to now. Whenever I want to fire it, it is locked due to thermal overload. When I finally can fire it, after pausing the C2 G laser drum solo, the ship temperature gets pizza-ready.
Anyone finding it useful?

C4 Cannon
I was not too intrigued by the C4 Cannon as well. Slow fire rate, or better doesn't fire instantly for no obvious reason; since it is a weapon of precision, it should fire at triggering.

Overall punch
For a dedicated fighter vessel, I have the feeling (up to now) that the ship simply lacks punch. 4x C2 and 1x C4 do not seem to match the 3x C3 + 2x C2 of the Python, especially taking the fire rates (=thermal problems) of the C4's into account.


So the first test round was not very satisfying, I am afraid.

[Unserene]

Overall punch
For a dedicated fighter vessel, I have the feeling (up to now) that the ship simply lacks punch. 4x C2 and 1x C4 do not seem to match the 3x C3 + 2x C2 of the Python, especially taking the fire rates (=thermal problems) of the C4's into account.

This. This is what made me say "Screw it" and get back into my Python.

[blazingmaniac]

uvelius, try this load out, long as you are ok with fixed weapons obviously (if not you can swap the fixed for Gimballed). It never gets heat issues at all, Capacitor will empty before it over heats, even with 4 pips in weapons.
I generally run it with 3 pips in sys and 3 in wep as the ships is plenty fast enough without any in engines.
You will need to set Cargo hatch and FSD to Priority 5 in modules so they power down when fighting. Alternatively you can downgrade the KWS and not have any power management issues at all.

http://www.edshipyard.com/#/L=70O,5TP5R ... 207203w02M

[uvelius]

@Blazing, a very intriguing laodout suggestion, I will try that. Especially the fixed version seems attractive. I ll give it a try! Thanks!

Oh well and it looks nice.

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fdl_high_smrear.jpg (84.85 KiB) Viewed 3154 times

[blazingmaniac]

I never normally go fixed but it felt right for the ferdie and a lot of higher rank npcs are using chaff. I like that with this loadout you just on firing regardless
Also nice is the zero ammo cost aside from chaff and point defence.

[Kiltrathi]

I can take on anything below deadly without much trouble, apart from the big Anacondas. Yesterday I refitted my Fer-de-Lance to pack more of punch by changing the load out from Pulse Lasers with a C4G Cannon to C3F Beam, 2x C2G Pulse and 2x C2F Plasma Acc. Had to sacrifice a bit of shield power to make this setup work powerwise. Now that they've reduced the profits from long range smuggling I might take the 4C fuel tank off again. Unfortunately I don't have enough power left to refit a 4B Shield Cell, to make that setup work I need to change the Plasma Acc. for 2x C2F Cannon.

Haven't returned to my hunting grounds yet, and I am looking around to upgrade my bulkheads to give it a bit more longevity when my hull starts taking a pounding from an Anaconda's turrets.

If I can't make the Fer-de-Lance work for me and my average dog-fighting skills, I'll just have to move back into my Python.

http://coriolis.io/outfit/fer_de_lance/25A5A4A4D6A4B3C0u1b1b1g1g0m00030406004af4036b08.Iw1+gDOQ.IwBhrSuzmI==

Power priorities set to 2 for FSD, Cargo, AFMU and Interdictor. Only one Chaff launcher is active, the other is switched off.