Fighter-Explorers

Krait

Mamba

Rejigs of the Krait and the Mamba creating fighter-explorer variants for them!

Preamble

The core set of player ships don't really include any "classic fighters".

The Adder (Oolite) is nimble but slow and extremely fragile.

The Asp (Oolite) is fast and (arguably too) tough but steers like a freighter.

The Fer-de-Lance (Oolite) does a pretty good job but costs even more than the Asp, doesn't pitch that well and has... passenger cabins .

The closest to a fighter is arguably the Moray Star Boat (Oolite), a ship that was granted a non-canonical speed boost in Oolite. Its design doesn't exactly scream 'fighter' though, does it?

There are two other candidates that were given negative adjustments in translation to Oolite: the Krait (Oolite) and the Mamba (Oolite).

Both lost most of their cargo (and missile in the case of the latter) capacity and gained little else.

Elite didn't need a varied player-ship selection but maybe Oolite could benefit from one, so if we're going to dock them most of their cargo space then maybe a good excuse for doing so would be to grant them a hyperdrive.

Overview

This OXP enables 2 New Ships:

• The Krait Explorer
• The Mamba Explorer

Reduced energy banks and with a pulse laser by default, they are both more manoeuverable than an Asp and faster than an Adder.

Priced either side of a Cobra Mk.1 (Oolite) (which they are both faster than), when well equipped they make serviceable couriers, bounty hunters or even pirates. The Mamba also regains it's two missile pylons from Classic Elite.

Their other game effect is as NPCs to reduce the firepower of some pirate encounters and (especially) reduce the instances of being chased by Kraits with fuel injectors - the explorer variants are (usually) more inclined to hold fuel in reserve for their hyperdrives.

It's the manoeuverability that really grants the fighter experience in a dog-fight - and the missing hyperdrive that prevents the player from paying for it.

Equip some fuel injectors, missile(s) and a half-decent laser and enjoy!

Sadistics

Vanilla game Krait

A discontinued fighter design finding a new life in the professional racing circuit.

Size (W×H×L) 			90m×20m×80m
Cargo capacity 			2 TC	(10TC in Classic Elite)
Cargo bay extension 		N/A
Maximum speed 			0.30 LM
Manoeuvrability 		Roll: 2.75
				Pitch: 1.50
Energy banks 			3
Energy recharge rate 		Medium (2.5)
Gun mounts 			Fore (Beam)	Krait Explorer: Fore (Pulse) & Aft
Missile slots 			0
Shield boosters available 	Yes
Military shields available 	Yes
Hyperspace capable 		No		Krait Explorer: Yes
OXP or standard 		Standard	Krait Explorer: OXP
Available to player 		No		Krait Explorer: Yes
Base price 			N/A 		Krait Explorer: 90,000₢ (TL 5)

Vanilla game Mamba

Originally used in professional racing, this fighter is used by pirates and escorts alike.

Size (W×H×L) 			65m×12m×55m
Cargo capacity 			4 TC	(10TC in Classic Elite)
Cargo bay extension 		N/A
Maximum speed 			0.32 LM
Manoeuvrability 		Roll: 2.1
				Pitch: 1.4
Energy banks 			3
Energy recharge rate 		Medium (3)
Gun mounts 			Fore (Beam)	Mamba Explorer: Fore (Pulse), aft & sides
Missile slots 			0		Mamba Explorer: 2
Shield boosters available 	Yes
Military shields available 	No
Hyperspace capable 		No		Mamba Explorer: Yes
OXP or standard 		Standard	Mamba Explorer: OXP
Available to player 		No		Mamba Explorer: Yes
Base price 			N/A 		Mamba Explorer: 110,000₢ (TL 6)

Download

Through the in-game Expansions Manager or from here: File:Oolite.oxp.redspear.fighter explorers.oxz

License

• License = "CC-BY-NC-SA 4.0";
• Version = v.1.1

Links

• BB Thread (2023)
• Author: Redspear
• There are other OXP Explorers -

the Asp Explorer (Oolite) (Wolfwood 2006, retextured by SimonB in Neolites, & updated by Capt Solo in 2014)

the Wyvern Explorer (Oolite) (ADCK 2011, updated by Montana05 in 2022)

For a real explorer, try the Shaula-class survey ship in SOTL Exploration!