My Fleet: OK Guys, I think I'm finally satisfied.

[Vikk]

So I think this is where I want to be. After 10 years of melting and upgrading (and battering my wallet) I think I have all the gameplay loops that I'm interested in covered.

I also managed to paint LTI on all of them. I'm sure there are more ships to come, but I'm thinking I'm done. Now I just have to wait to actually fly most of them.

 

[vahadar]

Lots of shinies here, that is a very very nice fleet indeed !

 

[White Lando]

That's a sweet stable!

 

[Talonsbane]

That's quite the nice looking fleet, I'm not going to lie.

 

[Dirtbag_Leader]

While it looks *almost* perfect, I can see two glaring omissions:
1.) You need some sort of small fighter or runabout the fill those nice BMM and Polaris hangars. Don't think that Apollo is gonna fit, is it?
2.) Where is your Carrack?!? :D

I'm currently on the fence as to whether to go BMM, Polaris, or try for both. . .

 

[SoloPlayerZA]

Stupid question here for @Dirtbag_Leader and @Vikk (and anyone else!) - why Polaris at all? What does it bring in this case and what is the synergy with BMM?

 

[FZD]

As @Dirtbag_Leader said, I think you'd want to pick up a fighter. Personally, I think something like a Hornet might be just perfect, a medium fighter with decent damage output that can handle those situations where you're going solo against lighter fighters, possibly during some more beginner missions and whatnot. Also comes with an option for taking a second player with you, so it's pretty neat, but without any gun sitting idle when you don't.
I've been flying it around this IAE and man, it's just so satisfying to fly.

Also, compared to everything else in your fleet, Hornet costs like a peanut and a half.

 

[Texelis]

Screw all that, where's the Aurora!?! That's a prerequisite of being a TEST member.

 

[Vikk]

@Dirtbag_Leader @FZD Ahh good points about fighters. I should have included my reasoning in my initial post.

Ok so here's my feeling on that. My current package has LTI on it for 6 ships. (Kracken is standalone) It started several years ago as the "Explorer Package Something" and has since evolved. I expect most of these ships in my LTI fleet to cost several million to several hundred million (if not even a billion+ Kracken maybe? Seriously though, I expect it to be expensive. Think Eve comparison) in game.

I of course will intend to use fighters here and there and to naturally fill up the Kracken/etc. However, I envision those to be relatively chump change. Like armor is now. I'll run to a ship vendor and buy a hand full. NO WAY would I waste LTI on a 100k-200k UEC fighter. That would be a total waste in my opinion. Every ship I have chosen should allow me the ability to jump on serious paying quests straight from claiming it should I ever lose it.

Additionally, I'm partial to those game loops. I fully intend to play in groups and I would take a Redeemer with 3 friends over riding solo in a Gladius.

So that's basically my sole reasoning. I want to choose wisely on what to spend my LTI on. Because frankly the LTI was the most expensive part of the fleet.

@Pippen @Dirtbag_Leader Ok as for the Polaris, it was a Carrack Expedition that I upgraded. But I felt that while exploring could be fun, it might actually be very time consuming with the very possibility of little reward. I knew I wanted an explorer ship, but felt I would be better off with a smaller one, the Corsair really resonated with me and that is the "level" of explorer game play I wanted. Plus it's an "offensive" explorer which fits my play stiyle. I went with the Polaris not only because I loved it as soon as I saw it, but I love the concept of it. The many turrets and add-on fighter gives it a high edge over ships of it's size and lower. Plus it has those hard hitting torpedos. I think in the right hands with a solid crew this ship can hit well above it's weight and slap around most small groups of fighters. It's super well rounded and consider what a Kracken and Polaris running around could accomplish (yes I understand "proposed" limits on spawning multiple ships, but a lot can change between now and release). The two of them alone with a complement of Fighters would be a hell of an escort for any mining/salvage team. So after years of consideration I didnt think the Carrack fit my fleet as well as a Polaris and a Corsair.

Though I liked the 600i Explorer, but I like the potential touring game play the Touring brings. It's just a step down from the 890, which if i had the chance I would exchange the 600 for
But as it stands for bussing VIPs around for credits. The 600i should get me in those upper level and higher paying quests.

 

[Vikk]

Screw all that, where's the Aurora!?! That's a prerequisite of being a TEST member.

Easy!.... I lied on my application!!!

 

[Montoya]

Easy!.... I lied on my application!!!

Its ok, the Medivac is a perfect substitute.

 

[Vikk]

Its ok, the Medivac is a perfect substitute.

I really like the perceived possibilities with a ship like the Medivac. I'll start by assuming players are able to respawn in it.

Now we're assaulting a a key location, trying to hold a point (Something like Battlefield game play) and take over a strategic resource or something. It's become mostly a land battle as it would realistically. We're taking losses. Your Medivac on the front lines dodging blasters and missiles while you're "filling up" with members that are respawning. Then touching down to drop off fresh troops and switch out roles by picking up the injured and allowing them to be treated.

Or situations where you have to seek out the other teams Medivac and destroy them to cripple their progress.

I look at alot of these ships as traditional MMO rolls. Medivac and the like are the Healers.

My imagination runs wild over the gameplay possibilities. As I almost always play a support role in MMOs. Usually a Healer or Tank.

 

[FZD]

I expect most of these ships in my LTI fleet to cost several million to several hundred million (if not even a billion+ Kracken maybe? Seriously though, I expect it to be expensive. Think Eve comparison) in game.

I'd like to point out, that if the ship costs a billion, by the time you've merely undocked it from a port you've probably already ran up like 10 million UEC worth of debt from the operating costs. I'm not sure how much starting capital you've gotten, but that's another reason why you might want to consider a smaller fighter. To generate enough starting capita to operate the larger vessels.

NO WAY would I waste LTI on a 100k-200k UEC fighter. That would be a total waste in my opinion. Every ship I have chosen should allow me the ability to jump on serious paying quests straight from claiming it should I ever lose it.

I think you've gotten the wrong idea of how much fighters cost in-game and what their worth is.
In-game, with the price of an 600i touring you could only buy 4 Super Hornets or two blades (almost 3). Yes, 600i touring is more expensive, but it's not *that* much more expensive. And yeah, when the aUEC is replaced by UEC, maybe the prices of things will be 10x or 100x more expensive, who knows. But that just means the Super hornet will get that much more expensive as well.

Anyhow, smaller ships have less operating costs, if you want to generate some starting capita quickly, a top tier medium fighter is a fantastic choice. Later on, well, you'll need to get some escorts for your bigger ships anyhow. Perhaps you can get an NPC to fly your wing.

 

[vahadar]

I can understand what @Vikk says about not choosing fighters, @FZD also has a point, but in the end it all comes to optimising your dollars for what you think it is worth thanks to ingame ship value, rarity, price, and so on.

Usually here I'm more enclined to not buy small ships like @Vikk because of those considerations, and focus on the high end ships first, and on the shiny collectors after.

But not having a small fighter to quickstart the game will probably be lacking in your fleet Vikk at some point. That will depend on what you will do to earn your first money in game.

 

[Sky Captain]

Congrats on the fleet!

P.S. On the 'no more ships' bit .... please give me your gaming psychologist's phone number.... !!!

 

[Harkonan]

They will never stop making and improving new ships.
Expect older ships to lose value, fast.


Nice fleet OP.

 

[Vikk]

But not having a small fighter to quickstart the game will probably be lacking in your fleet Vikk at some point. That will depend on what you will do to earn your first money in game.

Everyone has fine points on the fighter. In the end I can always pick one up as a stand alone. (I still think it would be an LTI waste though.) But as I just watched @Montoya 's IAE Drake video I have to agree with him completely about the Corsair. I don't see why I'd have to even step foot in a fighter if I have one. The Corsair should handle most missions I would come across and will likely be my "every day carry". Or even the Redeemer. I'm not convinced I will need a fighter early game with those two. I do agree however, that I likely cant run the Kraken or Polaris at first. Those might take months after release to even afford to just spawn them, heh

 

[Dirtbag_Leader]

why Polaris at all?

Actually a very valid question! I USED to really want the Polaris as it seemed to be the 'smallest' ship with a 'real' hangar. I always thought that would make for seriously fun gameplay with 1-2 friends, and also why I started with/keep a Connie around for the snub. But now that the BMM seems to still offer that same functionality, yet at a HIGHLY discounted (mine's around $290) price point, so I'm starting to rethink the original plan. . .

 

[White Lando]

Actually a very valid question! I USED to really want the Polaris as it seemed to be the 'smallest' ship with a 'real' hangar. I always thought that would make for seriously fun gameplay with 1-2 friends, and also why I started with/keep a Connie around for the snub. But now that the BMM seems to still offer that same functionality, yet at a HIGHLY discounted (mine's around $290) price point, so I'm starting to rethink the original plan. . .

Come on! The Polaris is going to be undeniable! How many S10 torpedoes does it carry?! Doesn't it have the ability to fire four at once? Absurd! The amount of pain it will be able to deliver with a relatively low crew will be outstanding.

I know torps are in a sorry state at the moment but I expect that to be corrected before launch.

Plus it has medical and repair functionality.

Everyone should keep their Polaris. I will personally clean the toilets of every Polaris even the morning after enchilada night.

 

[Dirtbag_Leader]

Plus it has medical and repair functionality.

Yeah, this is still a pretty compelling reason for sure. . . as I said I'm still undecided. Trying to find a way to make this a 'Why not Both?'TM situation, but afraid of how much additional wallet-dipping that will entail. . .