How to make the big leap out of the Cobra mkIII?

[brokencircle19]

So, I've read various the "strategies" in the wiki and what not, but I still don't have a clear idea of how to hoard enough money for a metallic anus. I sort of have these visions of doing milk runs in my Cobey III for the next six months until I finally have 200,000 credits, and that's simply not my idea of a good time.
















...Okay, actually, I'm puttering around in an Adder. It was the only way to repay the black monks! And now I need to find ways other than milk runs to rake in the dough. I can't even fit a passenger berth in this beauty.

[JazHaz]

So, I've read various the "strategies" in the wiki and what not, but I still don't have a clear idea of how to hoard enough money for a metallic anus. I sort of have these visions of doing milk runs in my Cobey III for the next six months until I finally have 200,000 credits, and that's simply not my idea of a good time.

...Okay, actually, I'm puttering around in an Adder. And now I need to find ways other than milk runs to rake in the dough. I can't even fit a passenger berth in this beauty.

I would start again, and this time don't take a loan from the Black Monks!

Do some assassinations from Random Hits, install the Bloomberg Markets OXP to get some sweet deals. Install Your Ad Here and partake in trading illegal goods from the constores (you won't get an offender rating when trading from the constores). Oh and install a Rock Hermit locator to find those hermits and buy up cheap minerals and precious gems and metals.

But the main way is to do passenger runs.

[Cmdr James]

Thats questionable. It is pretty easy to make money trading, and if you are in a cobra you should look at deliveries as an alternative to passengers due to space limitations for cabins.

Black monks can be very useful as they can get you the capital to start trading seriously, so I woudnt write them off as a way into the game. However, you cannot take a huge loan, and spend it on upgrading the ship.

[seventh]

cargo contracts bring you 100000 for 4 hours but you need Anaconda for this kind of business. So you have to be a trader between poor agricultural planet and rich industrial one

[snork]

First off, my respect for trying to stay with your game so much you go and pilot an Adder.

You do not need to install any oxp to make that kind of money. With a Cobra3 that is. With an Adder I imagine it to take real-life-years.

I still have your_ad_here installed, but eliminated them constores from it as I do not like their impact on the making cash, and the beautiful Griff constores maybe add to lower framerates on my really really lowend computer.

Some ideas about making money "fast", from last week or so : What's the best way to make money fast?

Keep in mind that a cash+trade-in-value equaling 200K may not be enough - you most likely will want some shield boosters and military shield enhancement, too, or that Python will be gone fast.
That's another 60,000 credits.

Personally, I stayed with Cobra3 all the time until recently I finally was able to afford a Boa Mk.2 / Boa Class Cruiser.
Only I had not enough money to also afford military shield enhancement for some time.
I did not like it

[Disembodied]

You could bend the rules a bit and modify the game so that your Adder can fit an extended cargo bay – that would give you a bit more cargo space and you might even be able to fit a passenger cabin. Once you build up your passenger rep you can get some decent income from acting as a taxi service. If you're going to do this starting off inside an Adder I think you need to give yourself a bit of a break. Hardcore is all very well but there's no sense in fanaticism! Squeeze every credit you make, buy up all the cheap gold, platinum and gems you find and hoard them until you hit Planet Payoff (>=40 Cr/kg for gold, >=80Cr/kg for Platinum, >=24Cr/g for gems).

[Loxley]

You could bend the rules a bit and modify the game so that your Adder can fit an extended cargo bay – that would give you a bit more cargo space and you might even be able to fit a passenger cabin.

I've done this for my current commander as I purposely started with an Adder but didn't want to be stuck with it forever. Bear in mind that you'll need to add the passenger compartment to the shipyard plist, not just the large cargo bay.

[varsator]

RE: milk runs

In a Cobra Mk3 you can make 2000 in two runs, one to the poor agricultural (aprox 1350) and one back to the rich industrial (aprox 650). That will take you approximately 90 one way trips to buy yourself a Python. Of course, 90 trips will be boring, but you can make 10 at a time and them have some fun exploring and shooting bad (and good) guys. Going in an anarchy system , shooting everything in site and collecting their cargo can get you 3-4000.

In a Python you can do 6000 in two runs. Shooting everyone is also profitable, but harder, since the Python is soooo muuuuuuch sloweeeer. I am now saving for the Boa Mk2.

[Smivs]

I sold my Mk 3 Cobby pretty much straight away and bought a Mk1 with Docking computers, front Mil. lasers and Withchfuel injectors as I couldn't dock for toffee and was fed up of getting killed all the time.
I did loads of milk runs (computers and luxuries to low-tech worlds and then Booze and furs back the other way).
Don't forget the old trick of exiting hyperspace and angling away from the line to the planet for a few seconds, then head straight in. You avoid the spacelanes this way and rarely encounter other craft so the whole run can often be done in Jumpdrive, and you'll be at the station in no time.
After a while I could afford another Mk3 with all the bells and whistles, and did much the same with this, untill I could afford my first Python.
Then you DO start to make money. Shortly after I upgraded to another Python with a Navel Energy Unit, and eventually ended up with a Boa Class Cruiser, which I recently traded in for a Boa II Clipper.
Also, don't forget to pick up escape pods. You'll get a bounty for any 'baddies', but better still some juicy insurance payouts (often 500 Cr) for any civilians you rescue.
If you're stuck with the Adder, this might be a good place to start...just look out for battles in the distance, then when you're sure all the action's over, go and check out the area between the battle and the planet.

[Commander McLane]

Get yourself a good laser.

Remember: every cargo pod in your bay that you have not payed for increases your profit.

[snork]

Don't forget the old trick of exiting hyperspace and angling away from the line to the planet for a few seconds, then head straight in. You avoid the spacelanes this way and rarely encounter other craft so the whole run can often be done in Jumpdrive, and you'll be at the station in no time.

But imo., if you are willing to do this, then there is no need for an initial well-equipped ship.
You are avoiding almost any contacts in space, so why not stay with the ship with the higher cargo capacity, it being better in every other way, too ?
Personally, I don't like to avoid the spacelane(s) too often, in particular not to do it consecutively / all the time. It then kind of ruins the fun of the game for me. It feels like "I could do it this way, or go straight ahead and edit so-and-so many credits to my savegame and save me hours of boring, repetitive, nothing-happens gameplay".

Get yourself a good laser.

Remember: every cargo pod in your bay that you have not payed for increases your profit.

Ever since I arrived in galaxy 2, this has become the main part of my income.

[ramon]

I'd say buy a cargo scoop and a nice laser and become a pirate.

[JazHaz]

Don't forget the old trick of exiting hyperspace and angling away from the line to the planet for a few seconds, then head straight in.

Personally, I don't like to avoid the spacelane(s) too often, in particular not to do it consecutively / all the time. It then kind of ruins the fun of the game for me. It feels like "I could do it this way, or go straight ahead and edit so-and-so many credits to my savegame and save me hours of boring, repetitive, nothing-happens gameplay".

Thats why I use the Deep Space Pirates OXP. So you get ships anywhere in the system.

[CptnEcho]

I'm flying a Boa Class Cruiser now.
I started with a Cobra Mk-III. I used it to do milk runs between Rich Industrial and Poor Agricultural systems until I was well equipped and had enough cash in the bank to shop for a Python.

Milk runs are the way to start out. Avoid combat until the ship is properly equipped, in my opinion. (A minimum equipment listing of: docking computers, cargo bay extension, forward beam laser and upgraded shields.)

After purchasing a Python, I continued to use milk runs to maximize my profits per run.
From rich industrial planets, I purchased computers, luxury goods and machinery, which were sold at poor agricultural planets.
From poor agricultural planets, I purchased furs, liquor/wines, radioactives, textiles, food and minerals, which were sold at rich industrial planets.

Yes, milk runs may be seem "boring" to some people. I prefer to think I had a goal and a strategy to achieve my goal. Making measurable progress towards my goal wasn't boring to me.

I used my Python to complete the Constrictor Mission.

Now, many milk runs later, I have Boa Class Cruiser and enough cash to purchase a second one without trading in my first one.
I've achieved my goal of fully equipping my ship to the maximum. I'm able to volunteer in the Galactic Naval Reserves without worrying about financial ruin.

After a battle, the Galactic Navy is willing to pay around 80 credits for each Thargoid fighter craft I can scoop and sell to them.

Trading is the way to make profit until you're able to afford to play the game in a manner which is most fun for you.

Sincerely,
CptnEcho

[Clanger]

You don't need 200K to buy a different ship.

I've just bought a Python for its cargo capacity, I had about 65K + the value of my ship gave me the 185K I needed.

Now I need to do some work to get dosh to afford some upgrades, my Cobby was maxed out but now I only have a pulse laser