What fleet would you want?

[Thalstan]

Because Sam is bored, I thought I would put up a question for discussion here.

What fleet do would you want at launch, if you could have any fleet you wanted?

Now, don't say "all the ships" or "a million Auroras". I want people to pick and choose, put some thought into it. Make some hard choices about which ship to take, which they would leave.

For instance, don't say a Sabre, a Bucc. and a Super Hornet unless you can provide a valid reason to have all three.

Also, critique your own fleet. Would you make different choices now? If there is a future ship you are wanting, list it, but tell people what you would give up instead.

Finally, no huge ships. Only ships that you would either crew yourself, crew with AI alone, and just yourself, a buddy or two, and the rest AI. That means no Idris, Javelin, etc. That said, because of the ability to run with one or two people and some AI, the Carrack, Orion, most Hulls, etc would be perfectly fine to list.

Also, would you spring for a second account/game package to have your own NPC crew and alternate identities? How about a third or fourth, etc?

 

[Thalstan]

Starting ships (tier 1 and 2)
I would choose something in the 300 lineup. I would probably skip the 325 because it's really nothing more than a light fighter. I would lean towards something with a bit more utility, maybe the 315 as it can explore as well as provide you the ability to fight easy targets, can provide you with a little cargo room, a bed to logout in, a jump drive etc. If I was going with a choice between the Mustang and the Aurora, it would be the Aurora LN or the Aurora LX.

Racers

I am not much of a racer, so I would probably get something other than a pure racing ship to start.

Single Crew Fighters
No light fighters. A Gladius is a nice ship and a great price point, I can see some benefit to something like the Hornet as you will be able to spec it out in so many different ways, but I think if I were to get just a single fighter, it would either be the Super Hornet or the Sabre if I had the budget. I would get a Gladius if I had a budget for a fighter, but not a top of the line one. I like the Tankiness of the Super Hornet and the fact you can hit a spec of dust without dying, but the Sabre is just so sweet handling. Being able to put all one type of weapon on it also makes targeting a little more predictable. That said, sometimes it's nice to have a little bit of spread so that you get more hits while holding down the trigger on a maneuvering target. If I had to choose one...the Super Hornet. That said, if the F8 came out and was had the same tankiness feel to it, I would get it based on looks alone. The one thing I dislike on the Hornet series is how it looks. I prefer the Anvil Ships in how they look. but the F8 looks kinda sweet.

Multi-crew fighters/gunships, etc
Vanguard Warden hands down. It's tanky, which is missing from the Sabre, but it still has good shields. Yeah, it's a little slower and harder to maneuver, but it packs a mean punch with the M7A on it. It also has the range to escort ships over a longer range, plus the ability to logout in deep space. If the F8 is multi-crew (which I doubt, but it could be), I would probably ditch the Warden

Bombers
None. They just don't do it for me. I can see their use/utility, especially the Gladiator or the Harbinger, but that kind of ship just doesn't hit my play style buttons. This is especially true of the Retaliator. No matter how good it looks (and I love the way it looks if you could not figure that from my other posts), I am just not sure I would enjoy how that goes.

Explorers
UGH...DUR, Aquila, Terrapin, or Carrack? I want them all!!!! That said, if I had to choose one, it would be the Aquila. Small enough to crew by yourself and AI, large enough to have fun with on multi-crew. Has a lot of utility, but still has cargo room. Has a parasite for running around in etc. If I could chose two, the Dur and the Carrack. The Carrack for me and a friend or two, plus AI, and the DUR for solo play/hauling missions, etc. If I had a Warden, I would probably not get the DUR unless I wanted it for other reasons, leaving the Aquila by itself, or the Carrack and the Terrapin as the top and bottom explorers.

Large Industrials
I think the Prospector is a must for anyone to have (targeted mining).
All other industrials will need multi-crew. I think at least two (pilot and main systems operator), but the rest would probably be able to be crewed by AI. I think the Starfarer will make a good profit...but lots will have Starfarers and I think that will drive prices down. The Reclaimer might be nice, as would the Crucible, but I think the Orion would be the thing for me. I've always loved mining, since the days of UO, into EQ2, WoW, EVE, etc. I think I would continue that.

Hauling/trading
A Connie of some sort or a Freelancer type (MAX or just the standard). The Hulls look nice and if you are a serious trader, they will be what you will want, but if I do any trading, etc, it will be more of the tramp freighter type. Small cargos, discrete packages delivered, passengers keeping a low profile, unwanted entanglements avoided, etc.

All rounders
Again, go to the Connie or the Freelancer. I think the Freelancer would be more fun to fly, but the Constellation (any variant except Phoenix) would have the overall advantage.

Luxury
If I wanted to blow a lot of money that would be better spent elsewhere, the 890J. Unless the Phoenix can remove all the crud clogging up the interior, all the utility there goes away. The only thing it has is a slightly stronger hull, a few bigger slots, and an anti-missile defense. Something I think I can live without.

Utility
A dragonfly. Getting around on planets, flying though space easier, etc. I can see having something like this would be very useful long term. That said, it should be cheap enough to buy in-game.

TLDR;
Now, if I had to list in order of priority? Aurora or 315, then add a DUR or Connie (Taurus, Andromeda, or Aquila), next a Prospector, finally a fighter (Gladius, Super Hornet, or Sabre). The rest would be added on if I was able to.

 

[Printimus]

So I, in the words of Eve players, am a care bear. I just love the industrial and economic side of games. Never been one for PVP in any fashion. Takes too much away from both parties as far as productivity goes. My ideal starter fleet would probably be a Starfarer for fuel production, Freelancer for small missions and freelancing (go figure), a Prospector for gathering minerals and materials needed to keep everything up and running, a herald to get some sweet and juicy info on just about anything from salvage sites to mining spots, and lastly my Caterpillar for its many different uses such as transport, chop shop, small medical clinic, or even just a small HQ for my friends and my fleet.

I plan on playing with my best friend and maybe 1 or 2 other people at a time. Obviously we wont fly every ship at once, just whichever ship is needed for the current job at hand.

 

[Huegpaynis]

Hypothetically?
A polaris, and then a smattering of smaller ships (fighters/scouts) to pick and choose from/park on the flightline. Or something to that effect. It could be a caterpillar and a swarm of dragonflies, or a connie with its merlin. something that can launch something else.

More realistically, I already have my redeemer and a cutlass; I might round it out with a single-seat fighter or light hauler of some sort. I have the redeemer, which gets swapped for a retaliator on a semi-regular basis because I grew up flying dropships in planetside, and things liek that hold a special place in my gaming heart. The Cutlass is also a greta solo/small group ship, with a bit more combat focus than something like the freelancer. Ultimately, I am a simple man.

 

[Lexicon]

See, this is a difficult question for me, because:

Finally, no huge ships. Only ships that you would either crew yourself, crew with AI alone, and just yourself, a buddy or two, and the rest AI. That means no Idris, Javelin, etc. Carrack, Orion, most Hulls, etc would qualify for this discussion.

I have no interest in single-seater ships in this Massively Multiplayer Online game. If I wanted the experience of flying around by myself, I would download Freelancer or redownload EVE. I want an experience to share with other players and through specialized roles, like Star Trek or Rogue Trader. My ship choices reflect this: I own no single-seater ships, and have no interest in owning one. The smallest ship I own is a Connie, and that is begrudgingly - I plan to upgrade it to a BMM in the upcoming CitizenCon sale.

My ideal "fleet" is exactly that - a fleet, with dozens of players in maybe a half-dozen huge multi-crew ships, and perhaps a few single-man wingships to guard. What you're asking is more of what my ideal luxury-car-garage would be full of, in which case: mine would be empty.

 

[AstroSam]

Because Sam is bored

Thats so sweet of you!

http://www.clipartkid.com/images/5/big-hug-smiley-emoticon-clipart-royalty-free-public-domain-clipart-f6EiVG-clipart.png

I will read this WALL of text by tomorrow, when I'm back in the office again :D

 

[Huegpaynis]

Jesus Christ that's terrifying.

 

[Accented]

I'd like a 315p, M50 Interceptor, and an 890 Jump in the PU.

Right now I only have a 315p, and come release I'm going to pimp the hell out of it. It'll be my go to ship for everything from exploration to combat salvage. In a few weeks come CitizenCon, I should have enough referral points to get the Gladius and I'll upgrade that to the M50 through those nice free coupons that CIG gives out every once in a while. I plan on using that as my joyriding/racing ship, and maybe even fly a few infiltration missions after I can fit it correctly.

Finally, the 890 Jump. This is what I'll base myself out of. Who needs a hangar anyways :D. I'll just take this boat and fly everywhere 'round the 'verse and do what seems fun to do. I plan on this being my "end game" ship and hopefully I can afford it in the PU after a year of full release.

 

[Thalstan]

Lexicon,

I think my wording may have been confusing. I meant no ships where you would realistically want 10 or more players run it effectively, or 6 or more players to just run it. That's why I was saying no Idris, Javelin, etc. Larger ships that can be run on skeleton crews with AI filling in the gaps like Carracks, Orions, Starfarers, etc are ok for this discussion
I agree, this is a multi-player game, but while some people have seemingly unlimited funds, I was looking for more of a discussion of what you would want if you were self critical and more reluctant to open an (imaginary) wallet.

 

[AstroSam]

Because Sam is bored, I thought I would put up a question for discussion here.

What fleet do would you want at launch, if you could have any fleet you wanted?

I always wanted an exploration based ship. Thats why my first game package was a 315P-Package.
But I also want to trade. Mostly short- and mid-ranged-based high-profit runs. Thats why I bought the lancer MAX as my second ship.
And after that, the drama began. Because I also wanted to have the possibility to accept a bounty hunting mission now and then. In the meantime I have owned and flown every possible fighting vessel which is currently available. And I'm still unsure what to do with this. The SuperHornet is a good fighter, although I think that the space pengiun (Avenger) fits best, looking to my intended gameplay (currently I've bought back the Blade).

Looking to my fleet, it seems to be perfect for me currently: I own an Aquila, because she fits for SP exploration as well as for MP. And there is the Carrack, for MP fun. Which I'm especially interested in is the Terrapin. I think it could be an interesting and most necessary gameplay element to be able to perform deep space scans before entereing the unknown.
Well, yes, and for trading I'm owning the Starfarer and the Caterpillar. Why no Hull? Because for me, as I've always problems to decide, it hasn't the flexibility I need. The farer is a tanker, yes - but I can use her also as a freighter, if the case may be. And the Cat, well, is so very interesting because of her modularity.

So, long story short: I almost own the fleet I wish to have. Except of this dogfighter question. This one will be decided one day, before the Beta is released and all buy and melt and rebuy and CCU comes to an inevitable end... :D

Also, critique your own fleet. Would you make different choices now? If there is a future ship you are wanting, list it, but tell people what you would give up instead.

No critics; I love my fleet and I won't change it from the current point of view. But with my todays knowledge I would not spend a single coin into the grey markets. That wasn't worth it and I kind of lost money which I'd better spent to CIG, just waiting for the next sale. But I will try to do my very best to tell other, new members about my experiences.
Well, a little bit offtopic, isn't it? ;) So, no future ship I am waiting for; except perhaps for the F8. Would melt my Blade for her.

Also, would you spring for a second account/game package to have your own NPC crew and alternate identities? How about a third or fourth, etc?

Thats a very good question. Indeed I own a second account, which I opened for whatever reason. Perhaps if someone of my family lateron wants to join or whatever else. But this account to that time is "dry"; no ships in there. But a third or fourth? No, I'm too lazy for that kind of gameplay, "raising" several Chars like an oldschool WOW or Diablo account. But never say never: I can imagine to do this lateron, when one Char is kind of "overpowered" and I just want to start from scratch, with an Aurora and good will to experience new space stories ;)

 

[Han Burgundy]

I would shoot for a roaming, self-sufficient, work fleet.

1 Carrack to find things (Plus its medical bay Module)
2 StarFarers to keep everything fueled up
1 Orion to chew on some rocks for me
1 Catterpillar to ferry goods and materials from the fleet to port
1 Crucible for repairs on the go
1 Terrapin for scouting out what the Carrack finds
6 Wardens to fly cover

Not sure if I answered the question as it was posed, but this is the Fleet that i would put together for maximum Credit earning power. Overhead and logistics for getting the fleet from place to place would be interesting and limited to the jump distance of the Escort fighters, but the Warden sounds like it will cause less of a problem than a gaggle of SuperHornets would. Affording the salaries of all the NPCs required to run the OP is another discussion entirely...haha

 

[Beerjerker]

I will probably want to start in a multi-role ship (cargo, passengers, and dakka) as a mission runner. Something that can do all the stuff and things demonstrated at GamesCon. I even bought a Freelancer after that because I was soooo hyped (more money than sense, I know). Still, I really want to see what becomes of the Cutlass rework and will almost definitely melt the Freelancer for it. I know the Freelancer will likely still be, for the most part, a better boat than the Cutlass, but the Cutlass has a fan in the cockpit.

Seriously, the fan is the most immersive thing in game yet. Just the hint that your character is capable of feeling uncomfortable goes a long way to making the universe seem real. The poster in the Freelancer's bunk and the unmade bed in the Starfarer are up there too, but the fan is the best clue that human beings are in the game.

Other than a Cutlass (hopefully, if the rework goes well), I want to have a fighter and a support ship for TEST activities. I have the Caterpillar and am hoping it will have modules for medical and repair (and a bar, for that matter). Sim Citizen will be a entertaining mini-game?

I am still undecided as far as fighters go. The Varden (hi Sam ;)) probably best suits how I would like to play, a long range fighter with a gun rack for foot combat, but I just don't personally like the Aegis style. Not that I don't see the appeal, they're just too pretty and sleek for my tastes. I was hoping for the F8 to be another option, but it is sounding more like a Super-Duper Hornet rather than an Anvil Varden (;)). Also, I'm not convinced it will be up for sale. I expect I'll go with a Super Hornet (hopefully it gets the F7A makeover) and mostly for the 2nd seat rather than its ability to take a beating. Some one will always be in need of a ride and a taxi covered in guns will do the job just fine.

Anvil

Spoiler

Aegis

Spoiler

Drake

Spoiler

Pardon my ignorance of motorcycles, but I thought these were apt comparisons.

 

[Doctor Antelope]

Merchantman so I can travel the verse selling drugs and other illicit items. I may take on non illicit items but they will have to be very profitable if I'm going to besmirch my reputation like that. This will hopefully end up funding what I actually want to do, piracy.
Lot's of people have Banus though and plenty of them will be a lot better at commerce than I am, so this strategy could easily end up flopping.

Super Hornet for piracy and any org related combat. Will likely be using it to run combat missions as well. I'm also happy to fly escort for any TESTies, illegal activity or not.
There is obviously a cargo issue here as far as piracy goes, so I will have to fly with someone who can haul the booty once the fighting is done. Ideally someone with a reclaimer so we don't leave behind any space trash, the UEE doesn't take kindly to people who litter.

Ghost for scouting and/or lie-in-wait style attacks. While the role of the ghost is fairly limited it will probably end up being my favorite. I absolutely love stealth and scouting, it was the only thing I actually found I enjoyed while playing EVE.
Other ships will be convertible to a stealth role too. Who knows, the Ghost could get outclassed by something else in this field.

I will probably end up buying a racer in game. I regularly rent the M50 now and do OK. Doubt I will be earning much of my UEC that way though.

EDIT: Didn't read the OP thoroughly, the Banu is probably right on the edge of too big. I will definitely want some friends to help crew it with me, but I will most likely be using a lot of AI.
I have two game packages at the moment, so one of those will become an AI, I may end up grabbing another. I probably wont be worrying about hiding my identity with a second account until well after the full game has released, but it's certainly a possibility.

 

[Thugari]

I have 2 separate accounts, one is setup with everything I really want at launch.
Carrack, Aquila, Durr and 315p plus a mustang beta for exploration, Terripin for deep space tracking and scanning, Reliant Kor along with my Aquila and Durr for some freight and delivery excursions, Plus my prospector for a bit of mining.
I also have a saber for any combat fun.
that sums up about everything I would need on that account till midgame or longer.

My other account is going to be my hardcore fleet. for this account I am starting out with an Aurora MR with squadron 42. everything on that account will be earned in game only with the one exception of a hangar. I will buy a revel and York hanger for it, unless I find out for sure it will be buyable in game.

 

[Jenno180]

Well my fleet is built around, pirating and trading. It contains a good ol cat, a buc, a few snub fighters and a 325a.
Potential ships
Vangard heavy fighter
A capital fighter ie a gallon
Bmm for more trading
Idirs m

 

[Bruttle]

Well, for my fleet, I was looking for a little bit of everything. I wanted this for two reasons. The first is because it all looks either fun or profitable. The second is because of the profitable part. With as many facets as there are to this game, it will be impossible to balance properly right out of the gate. This means that the same scenario will play out here upon release that you see in every MMO with open pvp.

Certain aspects will be wildly profitable. The pvp'rs will take note and pester the hell out of that aspect. This will drive down the amount of players involved in it and new popular profession will take its place. This process will rinse and repeat, jumping back and forth between professions. As focus switches between these "flavor of the week" professions, there will be a small group of intuitive players that will stay outside this cycle. If the flavor of the week is mining, they will haul cargo. If the pirates get too active and the profit is with bounties, they will be pulling fuel and selling it to everyone as they scour the universe.

Most people that have backed this game, have or will specialize. They will only be involved with one or two professions. I want to diversify right off the bat so I have the freedom to profit from everything. This way, I can set up my routes, supplies, systems, and methods that will carry me through my time in this game. Ultimately, this is probably going to be smuggling.

I found smuggling a while back and I absolutely fell for it. The thrill of running high risk/high profit routes is amazing. More to the point, it is about the game of cat and mouse that smuggling inevitably creates. They say that there is nothing like the thrill of the hunt. However, I have discovered that it is far more thrilling to be the prey. When you out smart, out plan, and out maneuver a far superior group, there is nothing like it. The fact that it is extremely profitable is just the icing on the cake.

So with that in mind, my dream fleet (which is almost complete):

• Freelancer MAX: I suspect this one will get quite a few miles put on it. The weight to engine ratio is amazing. So at it's current build, I suspect that it will make for one hell of a smuggler

• Herald: This is likely going to be one of the fastest (if not THE fastest) ship out there. The potential for smuggling is definitely there. Granted, it will be smuggling information, but still. I must have one.

• Banu MM: This is probably not going to be used much, but when it is, it will be wildly profitable. I suspect that this ship will be an amazing blockade runner. It should also be able to perform a wide array of functions. So if I want to sit back and run safemode hauling, it can carry enough to make profit.

• Prospector: This is more of a hope than fact. This little miner was purchased in the hopes that there will be rare, high risk, and high reward minerals or ores. When I saw this little guy, a hopeful scenario played out in my head. I hop in my DUR, Aquilla, Carrack, 315P, or maybe even the Herald and go scanning for ore in risky parts of the 'verse. I find some shit. I make note of the location and go exchange my ship for my prospector. I run in and mine the asteroid, planet, or whatever. I find some random spot on the nearest planed to drop off my precious cargo. I bail again. This time, I go get my MAX. I drop in, pick up my stash, and play "catch me if you can" with the local wildlife.

Of course, my fleet is and will be larger than just these three. This is both because I want to contribute and what you could call the "ooh, shiny" factor. It is also because I want those release day options that I mentioned earlier. If I am going to upgrade my ships as far as I possibly can, I will need a quick burst of cash at the beginning. Because ultimately that will be my goal. If I have a ship, I want it upgraded as far as money can buy. If I have a MAX, I want it the fastest MAX in the 'verse. I want a ship for every occasion, but I want that ship to be shockingly better than it should be.

So that is my long winded answer. There is both more and less to the story, but there it is.

 

[Duckforceone]

Well i will be flying the starfarer gemini.

First because it should be able to make a living right from the start just getting fuel and reselling.
And because it is so big and well armed and armored, it can do alot of roles.
I can be a gunboat
i can be a cargo hauler
i can be a beerfarer
i can be a dropship, a heavy ass dropship. Should be room for at least 12 marines and some rovers.
And i can be living in it in space, hope i can even outfit it with a few scanning modules, so i can go look in my camper van gemini... :D

For when this ship is either too big or slow, or it is on cooldown due to me being jumped by annoying players, i will have a cutlass red, which can be flown very well alone, and i can help out the org or people in need. I can even remove the medical bay and haul cargo should i need to while my starfarer is out. Also this ship should be able to scan and find things for me.

I might invest in a prospector, herald and terrapin, at some point. But only to be able to do these things alot better.

 

[Shadow Reaper]

I'm interested in putting together a multi-role deep strike wing, so half dozen Wardens and Sentinels generally flying a pair of Omni XII's on the gimbal and 4 of he Vanduul S2 Plasma Cannons on the nose. Top turret will vary but could often mount Jokers. Probably wearing void armor but we'll see if there is enough benefit. If a docking ring is required for boarding actions then add a Redeemer, but some homogeneity in fleet construction gives nice movement rates and some consistency.

Vanguards should be good in atmosphere so lots of planetary excursions. Primarily interested in deep penetration strikes where we steal ships under letters of marque. Probably need to team with a lone Reclaimer that moves separately, often jumping in just after an engagement to scoop spoils. Could use that as a mobile base. The main thing though is to form a fleet that includes no short haul fighters, since that would render the notion of "deep" strike inert. I want to be able to go far behind enemy lines and jump away to home port in short order, so Vanguards are the thing. If a lone Redeemer can keep up, so much the better.