If you are in the Lembava system (Where an exploration community goal is currently ongoing) you can get some nice ship discounts at Goldstein port.

27,000 for a Sidewinder

880,000 for a Type-6

5.7 mil for an Asp

48 mil for a Python.

Unfortunately no Fer-de-Lance, there might be one at a nearby system though.

Pah! IMO the FDL is overrated. I might strip mine to see if I can get enough for a Python. 8 mil is still a nice chunk of change.

Really why? I just bought myself a Python and was immediately underwhelmed. The cargo and hardpoints are nice but the FDL just has style. Looking good is half the game isn't it?

Yeah, looking good is totally useful especially since you'll be in the enemy's sights the whole time

Seriously though, the FDL is a good and agile ship but the canopy rails just get in the way all the time, the offset-and-slightly-forward seat of the pilot doesn't make sense, and the weapons placement is the biggest let-down of all. The biggest weapon is on the underside of the ship and I think you can only mount a cannon, a plasma accelerator, or a frag cannon if you intend to use the biggest weapon you can fit. This means one hell of a lead angle and unless the enemy is in your face, he'll probably be underneath your ship just so that the big gun can track it. When that happens, however, the medium weapons you have mounted can't track the target as the hull gets in the way!

It's great for taking down Anacondas up close and personal, yeah, but for everything else, well, I'm looking elsewhere.

What do you not like about the Python?

Be careful flying into Lembava- I just got back from my exploration run last night, and I had to do some evasive flying to dodge players preying on anything coming into the system.

Yeah, I entered on Solo mode, then exited in Open. Lots of pirates will hang out on the nav point area and the usual routes into the places with stations/outposts.

As your ship slows down the closer it is to the warp-out point, that is the most vulnerable time and good pirates will catch you right there.

It's just so damn slugglish. Maybe I've been spoilt with my Imperial Clipper and Courier but the Python feels like I'm flying a Type-6. A Type-6 with three large hardpoints!
The cockpit is nice, I like those ships with a 'bridge' feel about them, the jump range is ok and the big full tanks are nice.

The hardpoints are pretty sweet, good positioning, more firepower than you could ever want, but it can be a pain just getting enemy vessels in your sights and turrets aren't much good either.

Lots of cargo space, doesn't mean much to me since I stopped trading when Powerplay came out, smuggling and pirate hunt missions pay out in the 100,000+ range and are just more fun. Sneaking (or hurtling at full boost) into a station in a Courier with illicit cargo is much more entertaining than lumbering in with a legal Python.

I guess I wanted a ship that is a step up from Vipers and Couriers but can still land on Outposts. (The only problem with the Clipper)

Interestingly the Python also seemed to change the type of ships I encountered in USSesses. In my Courier it was mostly Sidewinders, Vipers and Cobras in the Python I frequently got multiple Anacondas and the occasional Asp.

Thanks for the heads up, I haven't played recently but I think I had enough to afford the Type 6 at this discounted price, so I'll fly there tonight (I'll approach in solo mode too).

I found some weird discounts tonight.

I plotted a route to a system about 35LY away and visited a station on the next-to-the-last jump. They had Cobras for 40,000 less than the others I've seen, just 331,000. So I traded in my Adder.

Once I made that last jump to my destination (Kobayashi City, Anlave System) in the brand new Cobra, I find a Cobra sitting there in the shipyard for just 300,000... When I looked at "trading in" my brand new Cobra for the one in the station, my Cobras' trade in value would have meant a 4,000 profit for me!

But the shipyard wouldn't let me complete the transaction.

Yeah, the devs did say at the start that they planned to have ships cost differently depending on where you are. I guess that's what we're seeing now.

As for the Python, yeah, it's definitely not as agile as a Viper or Clipper, but it's meant to handle the bigger ships. Sure, you can take down a 'Conda with a Viper but that'll take a while. The Python can do it quicker.... but it also needs to withstand more punishment hence the "heavier" feel. As far as I'm concerned, it's one of the better ships on the heavier-side of ships.

Ice - if you like the Python, you'll absolutely love the Anaconda when you get it.

I might... but I don't really have a reason to get it.

Well, I've sold my Python. So now I'm sitting on a Courier and 75 million credits. I might go back and try the Diamondback again, that was a fun ship. Maybe head for a nebula.

Did you get the A-rated modules for the Python before you made your assessment/decision regarding the Python?

Other than FSD, no. Mostly C and D rated modules.

Actually, I might get an Eagle and outfit it with all A-rated stuff, go tear up some CZ's!

I think the A-rated modules were too expensive, the best I got with the Python were B modules but I found it adequate to be taking down Vipers and Cobras.

Yeah, price was one reason, a lot of credits to put down for only minor gains, the other problem was actually finding modules. Decent class 6 and 7 stuff can be hard to find.

Well here's my Eagle, I forgot how much fun this 'little' ship can be.
Powerplant, distributor and shields are A-rated, FSD and thrusters are D-rated. I have a shield booster in the sole utility slot.

Weapons are two fixed beams and a gimballed cannon, with all power to weapons the beams can actually fire for a surprisingly long time, of course with small hardpoints you aren't dealing huge damage so fights can go on for a while however that's also a lot of fun! Maybe not the most profitable endeavour in the galaxy but I can rebuy this ship a thousand times over.

I agree, the Eagle and the Viper are two very sexy ships. Once I transition from "I need credits" to "I'm doing this for lolz," then I'll definitely get them again. Hopefully, by that time, there'll also be a system to transfer ships with you to whatever system you're going.