Best Escort ship for TEST gameplay

[Kaz]

I have spent alot of time lately trying to figure out what i really want to do in game and what sort of ships to get to support this. At the moment im trying to find a good allround escort ship. I also have no idea how many, or what kind of ships we will be running together in the verse. My best guess is: ALL OF THEM!

So my question is: For your role and your plans in the verse, what would be the optimal escort ship?

(I planned to make a poll here but realised there are just too many options!)

 

[FluffyVonRage]

I have spent alot of time lately trying to figure out what i really want to do in game and what sort of ships to get to support this. At the moment im trying to find a good allround escort ship. I also have no idea how many, or what kind of ships we will be running together in the verse. My best guess is: ALL OF THEM!

So my question is: For your role and your plans in the verse, what would be optimal escort ship?

(I planned to make a poll here but realised there are just too many options!)

Optimal escort is probably something with good range and respectable firepower - able to engage and then return to escort with potentially significant battle damage. I'd probably say something like a Vanguard.

 

[marcsand2]

A heavy armoured dogfighter who is able to take damage and deal damage, it can't depend on evasion because it has to absorb the damage for the escorted ship. I would choose between Super Hornet, Gladiator or Vanguard.

 

[Kaz]

I'd probably say something like a Vanguard.

Is it really? Im reading lots of conflicting opinions about this. The Vanguard is tanky yes, and might give the escortee enough time to escape a medium/large attacker. But what about a small pirate group? They will most likely fly circles around a Vanguard, right?

 

[CosmicTrader]

what would be optimal escort ship?

Only 2 ships are designed for long range escort duty (multiple jumps)......
Vanguard
Defender

Short range escort duty (in system + one jump).........
Sabre
Super Hornet
Gladius
Almost any fighter..........

 

[Kenlee]

I have spent alot of time lately trying to figure out what i really want to do in game and what sort of ships to get to support this. At the moment im trying to find a good allround escort ship. I also have no idea how many, or what kind of ships we will be running together in the verse. My best guess is: ALL OF THEM!

So my question is: For your role and your plans in the verse, what would be optimal escort ship?

(I planned to make a poll here but realised there are just too many options!)

Hey dude.

I would suggest you take a look at the Defender. I am biased because that is the Escort ship I went with and it is designed for just that.
It has longer range than other combat ships of it's class, room for 2 people with 2 beds included. I think this is one of the nice pro's of the ship.
I

From Q and A:

"The Banu developed the Defender to provide protection and fly alongside the Merchantman, so its design includes a much improved range over other fighters of similar size due to its fuel intakes, dual fuel tanks, and large quantum drive, as noted in the brochure"

This is something I value very highly, being able to travel longer distances without having to fuel. If you don't like Alien stuff I would take a look at the Super Hornet perhaps, it does not have the same range as the Defender but it's more robust and has insane amount of guns which is a nice trait because as an Escort you want fear factor while being able to take a pounding - and surely the Super Hornet can give you that.

In the end it comes down to which traits you see more beneficial. I don't like the look of the Super Hornet and for that reason I will never buy one ^^But it's still an awesome ship.

 

[Pander]

The two dedicated options i can think of is the new Banu fighter ship that's made to escort merchantmen and the vanguard

These two will be the premiere escort ships i think,

other options exist but its hard to pass up the raw tanking and firepower a vanguard can have (when you don't want trouble just stock up on missiles i think it will put some people off)

Below that possibly the drake cutlass, herald and buccaneer should have a respectable range for a lower $ cost all with their own pros on cons

 

[Kaz]

What about the Blue? I suspect it can take a beating. Or a Terrapin to detect a potential attack? Or even the combat version of other medium ships like the MIS or Phoenix?

 

[Kaz]

In the end it comes down to which traits you see more beneficial.

Yeah, im not necessarly looking for the ultimate fighter, but more in the line of a single ship than can do well enough in a multitude of escort situations.

 

[Pander]

Is it really? Im reading lots of conflicting opinions about this. The Vanguard is tanky yes, and might give the escortee enough time to escape a medium/large attacker. But what about a small pirate group? They will most likely fly circles around a Vanguard, right?

They probably will but having range normally means you don't have maneuverability the exception to this is the banu defender but this then loses out on raw firepower

What about the Blue? I suspect it can take a beating. Or a Terrapin to detect a potential attack? Or even the combat version of other medium ships like the MIS or Phoenix?

Mis is a missile boat i had one but fighting in that thing is horrid as you just cant see well i wouldn't recommend it for anything other that fighting conni or maybe vanguards, missiles cost to much to be your main armament imo they should be a deterrent and a last resort

The blue is a good all rounder good range, cargo, weapons, shields, armour & view

Pheonix may be good because it will have a snub fighter and auto turret, so its versatile but you will lose a turning war with some skilled pilots and may lose your connie

 

[Peace88]

the exception to this is the banu defender but this then loses out on raw firepower

We won't know how hard the tacyon weapons hit till they are released. And if you go fixed weapons on the Defender it has the same loadout potential as the Sabre. Not as nasty as a Super Hornet but it will have better range, speed, and manuverability.

 

[A.Santos]

I see the Polaris Is an excellent platform for long distance escort ( and again it needs a escort )
The problem is that you do not know what you get up against out there
so I would probably take a mix of ships

Escort takes alot of planning....
How many ships you escort.
What kind of ships you escort.
What they have in the cargo bay.
The safety of the route you are taking.
etc.
Only then can you realy plan what kind of escort you need

 

[Pander]

We won't know how hard the tacyon weapons hit till they are released. And if you go fixed weapons on the Defender it has the same loadout potential as the Sabre. Not as nasty as a Super Hornet but it will have better range, speed, and manuverability.

That is true! and with a co-pilot to focus on weapons too

It still loses out on the raw killing power of the vanguard and loses out on missiles too i believe

I think its role was a distraction ship to give the merchantman time to flee

 

[Kaz]

It still loses out on the raw killing power of the vanguard and loses out on missiles too i believe

Im think it comes with 2s3 pylons containing up to 8 missiles. Though the most interesting thing about the Defender is that there will MAYBE be a hangar dedicated to a Defender in the BMM!

 

[Peace88]

I think its role was a distraction ship to give the merchantman time to flee

That is true, but with the right pilot it still has the potential to be nasty. I mean Cosmic Trader rips things up in a 315p:grinning:

 

[Pander]

That is true, but with the right pilot it still has the potential to be nasty. I mean Cosmic Trader rips things up in a 315p:grinning:

This doesn't surprise me haha

I think your right though looking more into it now I am seeing more and more potential from it this could be a bit of a monster in the right hands

Im think it comes with 2s3 pylons containing up to 8 missiles. Though the most interesting thing about the Defender is that there will MAYBE be a hangar dedicated to a Defender in the BMM!

Oh god don't say that my friend who i will be playing with most of the time has a bmm..... if i can i may have to upgrade my super hornet to one now

The reason i got the super hornet was on the off chance i could dock in his reclaimer or bmm WHY CIG

 

[Crymsan]

Currently only two fit the design as stated above. There are better fighters which will give the edge to attackers unless there is a reasonable in flight refuelling. If there is reasonable in flight refuelling why get a Vanguard (at least as is). It is also not clear whether you will be able to NPC this or whether players will want to hang around doing not much (potentially) on escort duty. Again it is the difficulty of trying to decide what ships with not enough information. P.s. I hope the cutlass blue will be okay as this as well.

Currently the few larger ships in game are designed to be slaughtered by fighters.

 

[Doggen]

Defender ofc!

Edit: I did not read the thread. Alternatively Gearen in a Starfarer or something and just sacrifice him

 

[Dragonslaya54]

I'm going with the buccaneer because on the Q&A threads it states "It’ll be flexible. If you’ve loaded out the Buccaneer specifically for the furthest possible range, you definitely should be able to match the distance of a Herald, though a Herald will probably reach the destinations first for its speed. On the other hand, if you’ve decided to run a much more ballistic-heavy loadout, you’ll actively be giving up some of the maximum fuel capacity to bring along the ammunition for your weapons." This means I could have a flexible ship that can have long and short range for escourting. Not to mention the ridiculous amount of firepower.

 

[Ammorn]

The Aurora, they're cheep so you can get like 50 of them to escort you and have them flown by friends or NPCs.