Ruairi's Ship Reviews

[Ruairi]

"Titanic" Civilian Heavy Tanker

As the description in-game says, it carries less cargo than regular trains...but there are reasons why I would prefer, and always will prefer, this ship instead of a 5000 cargo train. Despite it's...questionable appearance from top down, and the 200 less cargo, there are reasons this is in my opinion, the #1 solo-trader ship of choice.

Defenses
The Heavy Tanker boasts a medium-sized hull of 104,000 hit points, which is less than most 5000 cargo transports, but has 400 nanobot/shield battery slots bigger than all other (except the Rheinland Colossus) 5kers. However, the catch all is the turrets. It has six of them, which are in positions that allow them cover practically any angle, providing a great self-defense. The only downside is that there are four in the back, two in the front, so they should be put into separate weapon groups so that your aiming isn't messed up. I prefer two heavy turrets in the front, and four Dulzians in the back.

Trade Lane and Jump Gate Friendliness
Unlike most other 5kers and super transports, which have their origins in the FRONT of the ship, this one has it in the back. What does this mean? It's way less buggy with trade lanes and gates. Not ONCE have I experienced the malfunctioning trade lane, even approaching from the side works for me. You have to TRY to get stuck in order to get stuck.

Size
The size is smaller compared to 5kers, which is great. It makes you a harder target for pirates, as they have to get in closer to your deadly turrets in order to get a good shot on you. Bonus points for defenses right here.

Maneuverability
While the ship has the second lowest turn rate of all transports, it's not always about the numbers. It's about the feel, and for some reason, this feels great to turn. It feels very responsive, likely because all the other transports have their crap in the back, and this one doesn't. It could also be the smaller size, as mentioned earlier.

Bang for Buck
Instead of going overboard on a 5000 cargo transport, you could easily buy this one for up to 80 million less! All you do is sacrfice 200 cargo, but for sacrificing 200 cargo, you get:
1. 6 turrets with good placement and coverage
2. A smaller size which is great for fighting those nasty bombers.
3. More batteries and bots than most other 5kers
4. Better "feeling" for movement, which is extremely important in defending yourself


In conclusion, the smarter traders will chose this ship instead of most other 5kers. At the cost of just a small % of possible credits per-run, you ensure yourself to not be an easy target. You can easily use trade lanes, make use of your turrets, feel like you move around better, reduce your bulky size, and save some cash.

If you know what's good for you, buy the heavy tanker.

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