Nomad first impressions

[FZD]

Okey, so took the Nomad for a spin. It's... lot less than I wanted it to be.
While it theoretically can go fast, the acceleration is just terrible. Felt like I was flying my starfarer instead of a small starter ship.
It also either has the tiniest hydrogen fuel tank I've yet to see, or it just eats hydrogen fuel like crazy. Went from New Babbage to Shubin mining, on same planet, and back, and I got less than 20% hydrogen fuel left.
Also not a big fan of the levitating landing gear, it's just too floaty when landed. Though it does respond better to liftoff.

And the big deal was the open cargo bed, and Nomad probably is the smallest ship you can load a ROC on. However, it's not very reliable, when raising the cargo lift the ROC just spazzed out, did 3 backflips and landed on it's face on the ground.

Well, guess I managed to save a few bucks here, not adding it to my fleet.

 

[AntiSqueaker]

Both the MSR and Nomad hemmorage hydrogen fuel like crazy, it's nuts. I was testing it out and it's crazy! Went from NB to Port Tressler and spent 15% of my fuel just getting out of the landing zone and out of NB proper.

For a ship that's supposed to be kinda long distance this is ridiculous.

 

[Carlos Spicyweiner]

I love my new space pickup truck! I found a little secret to save on the H2 for both ships: Half throttle and decouple over long distances. And try to stay in quantum as much as possible(where both ships actually suck up H2!). The thing that pisses me off is both H2 and quantum fuel for the MSR is ridiculously expensive. Must be higher octane. Gas for the Nomad is cheaper than dirt.

 

[Patrick Spaceman]

I grabbed three, two warbond versions and a package version with PU / SQN 42, two of them are CCU seeds for a Corsair and yet to be decided (probably a mining ship). The third I will keep and fly, but if it sucks, it will be a CCU seed also. Also like the MSR I suspect the excessive hydrogen use is a bug.

Most importantly I got my Delta (Littlebird).

 

[Ayeteeone]

@FZD pretty much in agreement with you.. it really feels to me like a failed design. This is NOT what I expected from CNOU.

Tin foil hat warning! - I have the really strong and probably completely misguided impression that the ship got approved and built.. and they realized it was a complete loser. So they crammed in an extra gun + shield, buffed the handling, cut the price and slathered it with LTI.

It honestly looks to me like a 50's-60's pulp fiction flying saucer, built in the local junkyard out of a broken forklift and tons of old leftover plywood.

I bought two strictly as LTI tokens for bigger ships.

 

[Patrick Spaceman]

Took one of mine for a spin, the hydrogen use rate has got to be a bug. Anyway, flew it around the frozen lake on New Cabbage getting to top speed then skidding around ON the ice, under the train lines, and generally acting like a juvenile. Skids well on ice.

 

[Tei]

Goods:
- 3x S1 shields
- 3x S3 hardpoints
- almost complete habitation (bed/kitchen/toilet)
- ok top speed
- decent cargo capacity (for starter ship)

Bads:
- 2d radar
- very slow acceleration
- eats tons of Hydro fuel, even half speed
- prone to shut down power (needs more testing but seems like ship limitation to cooling capacity)

Overall IMO very nice starter at ok price.

 

[Scape]

I dont mind it, the more variety for starters the better. I want everyone I see to have a different ship, nothing whelms me more than seeing 4 MSR's everywhere I go.
Not every ship can be the perfect design, that would be unrealistic and just like real vehicles some have design flaws but people still buy them. It all adds to the flavour!

 

[Citadel]

At first I was looking at it and thinking "I don't like it" - But then I thought about it on a larger scale, it does bring some variety to the starter ship market which is a good thing.

Would I buy one, I doubt it. However SC has thrown me some curve balls over the years, somehow ships have ended up in my hangar that I never thought would be there!

 

[vahadar]

Took 2 Nomad pack here (just with SC, no combo), for more character slots and custom NPC crew, and if the ship proves to be too average in the end I will most probably use them for upgrades.

I like it's cargo for its size. It can be a good ship to move stuff for bigger ships where it can land on. Plus the future possibility to add a tractor beam is nice, considering the Cutlass is a bigger ship and won't fit in some ship hangars (Polaris, Idris). It will probably not fit in a Polaris due to its height but if they adapt the Polaris hangar to the Mantis as they suggested once, it might.

It is also probably the only small ship able to carry a utility vehicle like the Roc.

Good little ship I'd say for its category, the best starter for sure.
Cutlass is in the next league already.

I am so used to the look of ships in Elite game series that its sharp edge and flat sides don't bother me at all. It is a clone of the Asp ;)

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

I stepped in it - gives me a big appreciation for the 300 series moon-roof, it felt a little claustrophobic in comparison.

 

[Cugino83]

Concerning the H2 fuel consumption I've read on a spectrum tread that limit the acceleration work like a charm, but haven't try it yet.
For the MSR CIG already state that the H2 cconsumtion is intended, what's bugged is the scoop rate that is low then intended, actually, if the acceleration limited work, could make some sense: having a big ship like that permorme that good need to came at some cost, limite the acceleration just limit the performace, so you can choose to eiter have a good milage ship OR squize all the performance you can have.
Kinda like a normal sport car: dirve conservative to have a decent consumption (sort of...) or "pedal-to-the-metal" all the time and rap the midline out of tarmac...

Don't know for the Nomad, considering the bad acceleration if feel more like bug, but the accceleration limiter could also be a temporari solution.

 

[Aramsolari]

Not a bad starter ship, probably one of the better ones at that. Fuel consumption is of course a problem but I'm sure they'll work something out.

 

[GPcustoms]

Its certainly limited in some areas and I also hate the hover deal(Gets blown around in strong winds). But for an ugly gas guzzling duckling I enjoyed using it for multiple box missions. Had the poor deck covered and then some. Tried to launch without raising the deck however and spent several minutes after landing to gather the boxes back up(fell through the deck if left down upon launch). What I like most about it is the field of view in VR. I can see everything I need to put it in place(as long as there is no wind) One ugly war-bond added to the collection of misfit toys

 

[Cugino83]

Concerning the H2 fuel consumption I've read on a spectrum tread that limit the acceleration work like a charm, but haven't try it yet.
...

Ok I've finaly be able to take the MSR for a spin and I can first hand confirrm that the acceleration limiter is a good solution for H2 consumtion: limited it at 50% acceleretion and the fuel drop basically is cut in half, the drowback is that the ship beceme laggy in turn and on stopping, going on memory, bu it feel like midway beteween a Conny and a Freelancer, that cosidering the ship size it make sense.
Just be aware that some planet condition can require more veritcal trust to keep you in the air: if you limit the acceleration too much you'll end up falling form the sky.
I'm not sure either to lower the acceleration below 50%: it could bring the ship manuvrability on a level that could not be handled safe anymore.

 

[Sayora]

I am not a fan, I grabbed one admittedly as an LTI token but decided to fly it around a bit

Impressions
This thing is really ugly, totally a 180 from the CNOU design we see in the Mustangs makes me shake my head, I get it's an homage to the "cyber truck" but still...
Gas guzzler... thing has fewer MPG then my mom's 1981 Lincoln
Flys.. Ok, honestly pretty good for a "starter" multi role ship
Exposed cargo makes me cringe even though it's still "safe"

Totally not keeping it except as an LTI sacrifice to the CCU gods, but I get that some people my be into it.

 

[AntiSqueaker]

I've heard some people calling it the "Baby Cutlass" or "Super Avenger" and they aren't entirely wrong.

Ignoring the fuel consumption, which I'm assuming is not intended to be solely against the MSR or Nomad, for better or for worse, the Nomad is pretty good! It handles nicely, has a generous SCU for a starter ship, a competent complement of weapons and missiles. Interior is cozy and functional.

Definitely my favorite starter ship, and a great daily flyer candidate for someone looking for something smaller than a Cutlass.

 

[atpbx]

I really, *really* like it.

Its the first "starter" ship, including the Cutlass and Freelancer that doesnt feel............ compromised in some way, either by intention or flat out retarded design.

 

[Sky Captain]

Nomad probably is the smallest ship you can load a ROC on...

Ah, now there is a real differentiator for this ship. I'm not a big fan of the Nomad's open cargo. But if it can haul a ROC ...... now that's something.

 

[Cugino83]

Ah, now there is a real differentiator for this ship. I'm not a big fan of the Nomad's open cargo. But if it can haul a ROC ...... now that's something.

Yeah... well... sorth of....

the back trunk make the ROC, that already is not a champion in stability, a lot more jumpy.
If you plan to use the Nomada for trasporting the ROC at the moment I'll suggest to NOT rise the cargo bay one you've load it in: every time you touch the bay the ROC jump around uncontrolled.