Star Citizen: Star Runner vs. Freelancer MAX vs. Andromeda

[@arbter56]

Honestly that’s what I love about this game there’s never a clear this is the best ship It usually comes down to exactly what you want to do or how you want to use it and I really like that

[@ObsCure118]

It's 108 scu in the regular cargo grid and 6 scu in the smuggling compartment

[@triyo1089]

I have also tested and come up With this conclusion(:

[@Stafernisy]

Yeah i’m surprised he missed that, since it was confirmed.

[@angrytomasz]

Dude I love your videos. 1. No sponsored bullshit 2. Good pace and easy to understand 3. Straight to the point Don't. Change. Anything. 👊🏻

[@Kingbeer01]

You can Fit an Ursa Rover into the Max...... I do it all the time when Going out for Drive. It's also way cheaper and more versatile for making cash. Best ship for it's scale.

[@Uneedskill]

Yep ever since they shortened the turret struts in the back something like 2 or 3 patches ago I get a rover in there easy.

[@mustafagiegel3321]

@@Uneedskill I was even able to comfortably fit 2 URSA Rovers + if you want another Tumbril Cyclone crosswise to the URSAs

[@FlyingNDriving]

In fact you can fit Two!!

[@ramonjimenez5944]

i love the max but they really need to fix a few things. mainly lights and door locks and a few other things that are not problems with the regular freelancer

[@Glathgrundel]

@@ramonjimenez5944 I think you should be able to lock the cargo hold door, so that if you're ferrying someone (for cash) they can't come in and just shoot you in your pilot seat.

[@Shaderox]

"Because you have a boat load of computers"... don't you mean a ship load? :p

[@brandonporter6223]

Take the upvote get out.

[@bengarbacz9350]

lol i call them spacebotes anyways

[@tracer0017]

WHen I was on board ship we used to call it a boat to piss the fish heads off. LOL They also gave us crap when we said we had 8 captains to their one boat captain. AIrforce that is LOL : )

[@sterlingdennett]

Considering the sheer size of the connie's engines, I think her flight performance should be similar to that of a dropship. Lots of thrust, not much maneuverability.

[@GonePh1shing]

One thing that wasn't mentioned was jump point accessibility. It has been said by CIG that the Freelancer series would be amongst the largest ships that could fit through the smallest jump points. They also said in the MSR Q&A that it would likely fit through the same sized jump points as the Freelancer series. The Connie is almost certainly too big for the smallest jump points, so you'd be forced to take less efficient trade routes in that ship.

[@starcrusherinc630]

I am holding onto my MAX because it is so useful and utilitarian for the price. If it ends up being the largest hauler able to use small jump points it is incredibly useful. I am already imagining runs from law patrolled areas to the next lawless system where being able to use small short term jump points to bring in supplies and take out the loot makes the MAX the ship of choice.

[@jamesfrank8747]

Exactly, as I am plastering all over Spectrum. But who knows what CIG will doing with the jump point sizes, as that is a pretty old topic. But I find that Super important to what is going to be my "Starter" long term ship.Also to point out, as this is a popular size of ships to be largest to solo, I feel like more are to come. My advise buy a LTI token, get it to a Cutlass black, sit and wait to CCU to the right ship for you when more critical details are ironed out

[@Chappers.Gaming]

What are jump pints? Are they like star gates?

[@GonePh1shing]

@@Chappers.Gaming Unstable points in space that allow a jump drive to warp to another connected jump point. Not sure that there will be physical structures or not though.

[@Chappers.Gaming]

@@GonePh1shing sounds cool :)

[@LordAnubis85]

I think the best way to describe these ships is: Connie is a primary gunship, secondary hauler (OK solo but best with crew); Max is primary hauler, secondary gunship (but also the best option for solo); MSR is primary hauler, secondary smuggler, tertiary gunship (Fine for solo trading but you really need a crew if you want to take it into combat).

[@AmariMaahes]

Up-vote this man!

[@LordAnubis85]

@Patridge yeah the only reason I didn't mention it is because I think data running is still quite a ways off. The comparison is for the here and now. But yeah once data running gets here, MSR will be a beast.

[@Raazik]

@@LordAnubis85 The firepower of the MSR is zero given the size of the ship.

[@LordAnubis85]

@@Raazik How do you figure? It has 6 size 3 guns across 3 turrets, one pilot controlled. That's a decent amount of firepower - same as a Cutlass if the Cutlass is running full fixed. A full crew can certainly handle the MSR in a combat situation. Until hydrogen fuel burn rate is tweaked though, you'd probably use a quarter of your fuel in a gun fight with a Connie.

[@Raazik]

​@@LordAnubis85 Pilot controlled: Connie: 4 hardpoints of 5 size. Stock - size 4 gimbal weapons, DPS 2642. 2 turrets 2x2 size. Freelancer MIS: 4 of 3 size. Stock DPS 1920. 1 turret 2x2 size. *MSR: pilot controlled ONLY ONE turret 2x3 size.* Stock DPS 880. 2 turrets 2x3 size. Cutlass: 4 hardpoints of 3 size. Stock size 2 gimbal weapons, dps 1223 (more than has MSR). 1 turret 2x3 size. I saw how the nomad killed the MSR (solo)... _Even_ nomad.

[@wtg242424]

Good comparison regarding where the game and these ships are right now. Sooo much is unknown regarding game systems and mechanics it makes all of these kind of comparisons hard so good job letting people who may not know that understand how fluid the situation is.

[@thefreak2211]

I think the Taurus will be an excellent 1-2 person hauler.

[@vicsid9606]

Totally agree. Will probably be around 180-200 SCU based on looking at it in the hanger. Also, it may have two drop down bays. Once it is done the price will probably go way up too. The constellantion is allegedly CR's baby so hopefully CIG gets that series right eventually.

[@mazariamonti]

The Taurus is going to be the only Constellation worth owning if I had to bet on it.

[@funkyschnitzel]

@@vicsid9606 The most recent information I can find that directly compares the taurus to the andromeda suggests that the taurus should carry 1.76 times as much cargo. That puts it somewhere in the region of 170 SCU based on the current 96 on the andro. I downgraded my andro to a taurus years ago, and I'm still holding out hope that they will give it the love it deserves. The interior in particular needs a complete overhaul in my opinion.

[@Raazik]

@@funkyschnitzel 192 SCU announced for Taurus. The old model "Taurus", 2013-2014, which is shown in the hangar long ago, was thrown into the trash. You can forget about it.

[@funkyschnitzel]

@@Raazik Ooh, when was that announced? Any chance you have a link?

[@BizzMRK]

I would say the MSR blows the other two out of the vacuum of space. It has a very good cargohold, is capable of inforunning and a pretty good cockpit. The fuel consumption has still to be fixed and the lack of a second entry/exit point was admited by CIG to be a oversight which they are looking into.

[@579abcd4]

MSR made Connie outdated it really needs another rework now.

[@joshuaclark3848]

Its had like 7, just rework it before the game launches

[@Dowlphin]

Needs massive forward thrust, keep the low maneuverability for fun drifts in combo with that. Would suit the ship's style well. Needs to be a significant tank. (Vs. the MSR being made of paper.) Remove that added strut pair from the cockpit. Give the Kruger snub an S0 QD.

[@DanyF02]

@@joshuaclark3848 It did get a lot of reworks already, but they should still fix the minimum, that being the UI randomly disappearing and the shields hole imo.

[@BizzMRK]

You can simply see how old the connie is right now. It was the very first multi-crew ship introduced afterall and is from the original kickstarter campaign.

[@Leptospirosi]

@@DanyF02 the Taurus is coming in 3.14: there we will get a glimpse of what the future Connie's will become.

[@jacobstrawn4174]

Wait for the Corsair:P

[@tripperdan]

Here's one aspect you didn't mention: Profit from your hauler. I have both the MAX and the MSR. I took a route that I normally run in the MAX for a trade run in the MSR. My fuel cost for the MAX is normally about 200 aUEC, the MSR cut into my profit by costing almost 4,000 aUEC in Hydrogen for the same run. The H-scoops by MISC are industry best, when I haul trade or the ROC, my hydrogen fuel rarely falls below 90. The MSR drinks fuel like no tomorrow and it's H-scoops are darn near worthless

[@evanneff7776]

Just one point regarding the MSR's EM signature: It has a high stock signature for sure, but if you put a full kit of Grade A stealth components into a MSR and a FL, the MSR actually comes out slightly lower in the EM department. MSR: 3.8k - 9.8k (depending on what's firing or charging) FL: 3.9k - 9.6k and for good measure Andro: 4.1k- 10.9k So MSR really isn't that hard to hide as long as you ditch the cheap stock loadout.

[@greed_xiii]

Yup, I'm actually sitting closer to 2k EM when idle in the MSR though. Idk if having someone sitting in the scanner seat adds to the signature though, since the scanning dish turns on and everything

[@mydartswinger]

When looking at combat capability of a ship, it's defensive ability also plays a large part, namely shields. MSR has 58,336 shield HP, with a recharge rate of 273 HP per second. The MAX and the Andromeda have 43,752 shield HP, with a recharge rate of 273 HP/S. While you could upgrade all of them to have the same shield specs, the out of the box configuration is stronger on the MSR. Additionally, maneuverability comes into play. If you can keep the enemy's guns off of you while keeping your guns on the enemy, DPS only really matters enough to outmatch your enemy's shield recharge rate. Eventually, armor will come into play, but we know little about the details of what ships will have what armor stats. A buddy of mine and I tested out combat with the MSR vs MSR, MSR vs Cutlass Black, and MSR vs Constellation Andromeda. With the MSR vs MSR, it wound up being a futile attempt to kill each other, as neither one of us could do enough damage to take the other out. We then landed and he called up a stock Cutlass Black while I repaired, rearmed, and refueled the MSR. During this fight, I made quick work of his Cutlass. I feel that in this fight, the toughness of the MSR was enough to outlast the DPS of the Cutlass, as we both got in some solid hits. When he respawned, he called up a Constellation Andromeda. This fight took a bit longer than the Cutlass fight, but still ended in a fairly quick MSR victory. I was largely able to outmaneuver the Constellation's guns and dodge it's missiles. IMO, the MSR is the best of the 3. It potentially has the most flexible and reliable "garage space" for hauling ground vehicles. If you pack them right, you can fit 4 ROCs into it. I've personally had 2 ROCs and a Tumbril Cyclone in mine. When I did this, there was enough room left over for at least 1, if not 2 bikes or potentially even a 3rd ROC. While it loses out a bit on cargo in comparison to the MAX, it makes up for that loss with it's data running capabilities. Ultimately, it boils down to what you can afford to get, as they all come in at different price points as well as if you plan on flying it strictly multicrew or not.

[@Cogzed]

Can I just have all of them? :) Well I got a Phoenix instead of the Andromeda. Love your video's bro! Great job!

[@ghazman6141]

Good viddy. I finally gave up on ever seeing the Taurus, so melted it for an MSR. Got rid of the Max, as it is a pig in atmo, too. They just need to fix the fuel efficiency of the MSR.

[@vicsid9606]

Not sure if you mentioned that the Freelancer Max is the largest ship that will fit through the smallest jump points (Subject to change TM.). That will make it an excellent interstellar hauller.

[@bezdownunder5481]

They also said MSR will most prob fit small jump point so who knows.

[@Kellermits]

Just upgraded my Freelancer DUR to the Andromeda yesterday, I'm just waiting for the 400i to release or the 600i to get back into the shop, but it's awesome to have a bigger ship next to my 100i and 300i and I love, that you get a P-52 with it.

[@vital-wyn1310]

Still new to the game, would you mind sharing what you use the 100i or 300i for in game? I’m gonna be starting with a Mustang and was looking at a Titan as my first in game buy. Or should I just save up for something like the Andromeda (which I also like).

[@Glathgrundel]

Just CCU from a base Freelancer to the Max. I love that ship, but being able to see out the front must be nice.;

[@Cysmoke]

Great summary, just what I needed for my next addition of the pledge.

[@ChristianRaps]

You didn't mention the view out of the Freelancer. It's a deal breaker for me. MSR hands down.

[@Ryecrash617]

Same here. Seeing the Freelancer is what brought me into Star Citizen but the first time I flew the Max I knew it was a bad choice. I tried to like it for months but I never enjoyed flying it.

[@Areanyusernamesleft]

But that's highly subjective, I have no problem with the 'Lancer's view at all.

[@Kingbeer01]

Freelancer max is Brilliant no issues with it at all. Well apart from the lack of working lights for seeing ta night lol Also you can put an ursa Rover into a Freelancer max

[@jearlblah5169]

@@Areanyusernamesleft this. visibility of the freelancer was not a problem at all. In fact it is awesome to block the sun by just rolling the ship so the sun is blocked. This is something where my new MSR fails due to its large windows.

[@clint7247]

It'd be nice if the Freelancer series had a bit better visibility, but it's not a deal breaker. Also need to mention those two not so telescopic arms that jut down into the cargo bay from the rear turret that supposedly are on the list of things to fix.

[@Kitr4]

Loved that video! I would like to point out that the freelancers are supposed to be modular which would mitigate the addition of the data running aspect of the MSR.

[@PhillipLemmon]

So it's freelancer MAX Then the Caterpillar. Thanks Youngblood

[@leoparkkinen6526]

freelancers are ugly af

[@artsolano6762]

When blades are implemented, MSR will be competent with solo combat. Totally agree with you on the Max. Best solo cargo ship right now

[@Alphascrub_77]

I see this comment now and again and I'm not sure about it. The MSR has "data cores". It stores data well. It doesn't have a large dedicated computer core (like say the Drake Herald). When you factor in the type of bonus that blades will give spending two on making your turrets work honestly probably isn't the smart move. The MSR was made to run from a fight. Even if you run both turrets it still only has the firepower as a cutlass black. Then sacrificing some of the bonuses that blades could give you on top of that? Bad idea. Shield management could be very important for example or running a cargo mask could be even more important. Both are things Blades are able to do. Also the purpose of the MSR is to run data and that is already going to take up one of the blade slots as it is again in most situations having a computer run core run your turrets will be sub par. Thats what the NPCs are for. This one just doesn't jive for me. Very few ships will have the computer space to run a turret for you and not lose something else valuable to combat. The solution is to get some friends. There is someone out there right now would love to play with you. Ask around. Join an org. Pressure a friend. Blackmail someone. Threaten them. Whatever it takes. But get some people to play SC with. Its not meant to be a solo game.

[@Sneemaster]

@@Alphascrub_77 Just hire some NPC crew and it'll still be a solo game.

[@artsolano6762]

CIG made a response to this and provided more details. Apparently there will be 5 computers ... 4 for data collection and one general purpose. Most players will want a solo capable ship. Even if u are playing in a group, a massive cargo and force multiplier will be to bring two MSR with blades or npc rather than just one fully crewed ship.

[@ZanHellish]

@@Alphascrub_77 MSR is made for multi-role, runner its mean he is fast not hi is running from something lol xD

[@xaviercolon3227]

The MSR with all stealth components apart from QT drive sits at just over 3k EM and 10K IR from my testing last night. Spent a pretty penny though. Definitely an investment.

[@Wildjesta]

The roc can get that all back in a day 😆

[@joellouisfire]

How is stealth implemented in the game? What benefits does stealth offer?

[@xaviercolon3227]

@@joellouisfire other than reducing your signatures and making it a bit harder to lock on without a scan nothing. It is a very basic implementation at the moment. However, since this post CIG has changed the way countermeasures work and with that it could assist in evasion much more now.

[@xaviercolon3227]

I have not attempted any further tests since the new patch. Life events and all. I have not had time.

[@Derguz]

standard cargo capacity of the MSR is 108 SCU with 6 SCU in the secondary pos = 114 SCU

[@Ricardo70400]

Tested it, the turret in the ursa rover now allows to fit it in the Lancer max now

[@LordTiberius52]

Very good. The MSR smuggle hold is only 6 SCU so the Main hold is still 108. The Max is supposed to get the turret struts out of the way at some point allowing an URSA. The Max might still be the biggest ship to pass through small jump points. Giving it an advantage over the other 2 go cargo running.

[@christopherbergeron6630]

Customizing loadouts will change EM. Shields are most of a ships EM and looking at it in erkul will have it with shield recharge on by default which makes it a lot higher. You can load a snub and 2 rocs in an MSR also with plenty of walk around room. You can bring a friend and they can run the snub once you’re in the spot you’re going to start mining in and help find deposits for you. This method will prepare you for when new systems open and simply bringing another ship to help scan wont be feasible due to the sheer distance ships will travel in them. Factor in maneuverability when comparing the three ships with their firepower. The MSR can easily outmaneuver the other two in both space and atmosphere and can avoid most of the other two ship’s shots if paired 1v1. The freelancer max maneuvers like a cow and the constellation is several times worse. Ramps are also easier to load/offload vehicles than a drop lift.

[@VosperCDN]

Thanks for the breakdowns, always appreciate this kind of information.

[@matty1182mh]

Don't know if anyone has said this yet and I want people to know. The rover will fit in a max. I do it all the time. I find it more easy to back it in and hug one side but make sure all of the wheels are in the cargo grid or it will jump around and turn sideways while you are flying. reason I say hug one side is so you can still walk around it.

[@cree8ion401]

Feel's like the MAX will get a bit of a rework at some time, especially the cockpit dash

[@Glathgrundel]

That secondary cargo hold could be adapted into a bigger living area. The Max would still have a bucket load of cargo space.

[@jcadence4761]

MSR Being loud shouldn't be a surprise given that it's a giant databank. That $#!^ runs hot!

[@clint7247]

The Connie just needs a complete overhaul. It just doesn't measure up anymore to other ships in its class and tweaking its stats just wont cut it. Someone did a mock up of the Apollo with all of the Connie's amenities (minus the cargo hold of course) and they were able to comfortably fit everything in.

[@eltreum1]

A couple design ideas they have floated talked about increasing its scale or proportions to fit a larger interior with more rooms and a larger cargo bay. One issue is it was one of the original iconic show pieces that came before the game mechanics were worked out and changing its look too much might cause complaints. They had to rework it once before splitting it into 3 ships because it never quite fit in the game properly by lengthening the neck to make it seem a compartment larger inside. For the money it should carry more stuff and feels like its larger than it is by the handling. It has plenty of weapons but until its feature complete its real capability is unknown. I can make it work as-is and when crewed we melt stuff pretty quick. The special trick that was originally meant for the Connie has yet to be implemented: the finding and charting of unknown jump points and exploring what's beyond. Without multiple star systems right now its an overproved JOAT boat with a large fuel tank. I love the Connie but it needs some sort of love but I would settle for feature completion at least for now.

[@citizen_brimstone3113]

FYI, the main cargo bay is 108 SCU. 6x6x3, with 6 additional SCU in the hidden hold.

[@M4cex]

I own FL MAX and bought MSR with in-game currency. Loving both! I use MAX on for my ROC mining trips and MSR for everything else.

[@g.galordy9853]

So much content lately. Good job

[@arnaudgauthier9888]

My main issue with the freelancer is in the number of people he could transport. I don't see 4 people living inside this ship and because of this a lot of space i "wasted" for the 2 cockpit sit and beds. He is perfect for 1 or 2 people max in my opinion.

[@Cooli167]

It really should be a 2 person ship. If that were the case they could fit more living stuff where two of the beds currently are. That and the cockpit could be smaller to fit even more stuff.

[@shakes525]

Serious question: Have you tested this 100k EM number? Because as you're saying this in the video you can clearly see the EM sig is showing 37k-38k??

[@N0xtron]

That bugged me too, MSR can have the same ir/em levels that the connie and fl have too. Tried kitting mine out for stealth couple of days ago and came to 10kIR and 4kEM so not bad!

[@Cr4y7-AegisInquisitor]

It's higher on the calculator he used because it assumes turrets firing, shields charging, etc.

[@jde-jj1lu]

@@N0xtron thx for the info. Did you compromise on any particular components and kept them industrial?

[@N0xtron]

@@jde-jj1lu mine had 2xsurokans shields, 2xeclipse pp, stock cooler, stock weapons

[@joellouisfire]

@@N0xtron what do those numbers mean? I've always wondered how they affect your ship

[@dgc2540]

My plan for the MSR is to slave the lower turret to me and have one player/npc for scanning and manning the top turret. That would give me four S3 gimballed guns at the pilots control and still have some overall turret coverage. Considering the flight model I would say that puts the MSR ahead of the Max in a combat role. So once turret slaving becomes a thing (hopefully soon) the combat assessment is sure to change.

[@petergross7235]

Ok, put your "futurist" hat on and give me your best guess on how you think things will shake out in the end between these three ships? I am guessing the Connie wins out once all three designs are complete.

[@brandonporter6223]

A major factor that everyone seems to miss is that we should be evaluating all the ships as if they were fully crewed with NPCs, because realistically that will be the case once we get the option to do so. With that in mind, the Connie Andromeda has two turrets, and a p-52 (Not to mention the 4xS4/5 Guns, & 40+ Missiles. It's also very durable and quite intimidating too). In terms of transporting low volume/high value cargo through dangerous areas, I can't think of a ship I'd rather take. And with the other variants, there's room for tradeoffs depending on you're looking for. This ship is going to make a comeback.

[@manbok2035]

I had the base Freelancer and it was great....but went to Crusader......saw what they had comparable to the Freelancer......had to get the MSR. Such a beautiful, advanced, modern and fast ship.

[@rahlap2449]

Real money talk: out of all three ships the Freelancer MAX is hands down the best cargo ship. You get 0,81 SCU for each dollar spend. The Andromeda only has 0,43 SCU/$ while the MSR comes with 0,43 SCU/$ aswell. So from a cargo perspective its pretty obvious what ship takes the cake. Same goes for ingame cost once you have to pay NPCs or other players. The Freelancer doesnt really need that garbage turret and still has great firepower. So the ingame cost are the lowest out of these three ships. And lastly: the MAX will fit through the smallest jump points while the Andromeda and MSR probably will not fit. But keep in mind: I only talk about cargo (physical to be more specific). When the other gameplay loops come in play, like data running, smuggling and ship-to-ship docking, the Andromeda and the MSR will be really great ships in terms of gameplay loops. Right now, the only ship for cargo is the MAX. Alll other are worse.

[@dolrog8910]

I think that the MSR can actually be surprisingly good in combat because of his mobility, fighting against little ships will be easier and dodging the bigger one too

[@gyratingwolpertiger6851]

Had good luck using it as a sort of anti fighter corvette saving its rattler 2s for missile runs on the bigger targets. It's bril going for things its size or smaller just so long as you keep an eye on your shields.

[@Hideaki2852]

MSR with an Ursa rover in the bay, you still get 33 SCU. Something else to consider. I have not tested with smaller vehicles yet but I’d image a hover bike would not take that much space.

[@eltreum1]

I fit a couple bikes or buggies in my Connie and Cutlass. I haven't played vehicle Tetris with the MSR yet but I imagine it could do well.

[@Dowlphin]

They admitted they designed the Mercury to be appealing to everybody, which is a euphemism for being particularly good in many areas, and not even reflecting that in the price, making one wonder how this is not a cynical example of making other ships look quite bad. If I was optimistic about the project, I'd assume they have some great plans for the Connie. In any case, as long as the Kruger snub doesn't even have a mini-QD, it's not really a convincing balancing aspect of the Connie against other ships.

[@prjndigo]

The MSR's current flight model isn't scaled to the ship, its a testing model that will change.

[@justintorres6781]

I have a feeling its staying as is. In a lot of the adverts put out by RSI it shows similar flight paterns

[@Dowlphin]

@@justintorres6781 Yes, look at the exterior dimensions of the ship. CIG probably simply justify the handling based on its length. Where is the downside of the MSR? Does it have any distinct weaknesses that could justify its many, many strong points? There probably is perfect logic in the fact that the MSR has zero appeal to me. In part despite, in part because of its design approach. Who thinks they will ever remove that strut pair from the Connie again? (I'm also still bothered massively that a simple quick recolor of the Phoenix cockpit struts was too much to ask. And now it even has the regular blue window tint. - CIG keeps finding ways to add more middle fingers to the picture.)

[@onik7000]

You can take MSR's em sig down to 5500 if you swap shields and power plants to stealth. UPD. And MSR has HUGE quantum fuel tank. For like 1100 Mkm of travel (with Hemera). 298 for FL MAX and 357 for Connie.

[@GorBane]

I'm sitting here waiting for the Corsair. It won't be the best hauler, but the guns on that thing are scary, and I love the design.

[@Alphascrub_77]

I agree. The cargo isn't as good as some of the others but where as the MSR has the speed to run from a fight, the Corsair has the guns to end a fight.

[@karsonkammerzell6955]

I love the asymmetric look of the Corsair. Was originally hyped about the MSR, but I'm disappointed in what I saw. 😕

[@btr003]

I like watching these videos now where "In the future" is now, and all these features are already in place.

[@eggy6857]

MSR hydrogen fuel consumption is bugged right now so pretty annoying to use but if they fix this it will be an amazing ship.

[@pewbaca2611]

What if its the trade off for having the fastest ship in its size class? And i think still the 14th fastest of all ships?

[@Shifisu]

@@pewbaca2611 It isnt a trade off the way it is now. It is 20 times more expensive to fly vs other ships with the same engines. Its a bug

[@retrowrath9374]

Fly at SCM speed and save fuel, people need to learn to save fuel anyway instead of flying at full speed like a rocket.

[@eggy6857]

@@retrowrath9374 you don't save any fuel by going slower. No ship is manufactured with a 250 KM range lol.

[@retrowrath9374]

@@eggy6857 I'm talking about general flying, you can conserve fuel by flying at SCM as a workaround, I'm betting most people fly over SCM which consumes more fuel.

[@merekredthorn]

Nice to see you making content again more frequently.

[@valhallasashes4354]

Small correction: The Connie Andromeda has 4 Size 5 weapon mounts and is still intended to have all 4 mounts as S5. Many patches ago they disabled the ability to remove the gimbals from the bottom mounts because S5 guns were clipping into the ground when landed. It's meant to get fixed in the future, but like with all the other issues with the Connie, we'll likely be waiting for a long time for it to get fixed.

[@TauVids]

That's actually a pretty big correction

[@Dracounguis]

Yes I was surprised at how unstealthy the MSR is. But I pop on a couple stealth power plants, coolers and one stealth shield to go with my Sukoran and my EM is 10.6k. (on the urkle website)

[@benhale6773]

Love your comparison videos and analysis

[@ChristosapherDre]

I loved the MAX...I probably spent the most time in that. I did get a MSR, and I really miss the MAX fuel economy. I've also had my engines blown off in the max :P MSR is going to be great for if you are holding valuables that need to get somewhere safe...but the max will still hold a place in my heart and I'll probably get it with aUEC. It also has a docking collar which the MSR lacks.

[@unwatchabletrash]

I've pretty much decided not to ccu from my max to msr. Better weapon setup, smaller profile, presumably fits small jump points, and the negatives are all meh. Given that data gameplay is coming in 2035, there's just no reason to switch.

[@MadIIMike]

The Connies AFAIK have 4x S4 Gimballed or S5 fixed, and I think the Taurus is by far the best value, given you'd likely not use the bottom Turret and blade the top one (2x S2 likely won't be worth paying a player). IMO: The MAX might be the best Solo Ship with Solo-Crew. The MSR would possibly be the best Solo-Ship with Multicrew. The Taurus would surely be the best Convoy-Ship with Solo-Crew. I also think it should be mentioned that the MSR is notably more expensive. Being 110$ above a Taurus but 90$ below a BMM, which used to be 250$. So from that perspective, I'd recommend a BMM over a MSR if you can obtain it via old CCU... altough it's obviously geared towards a different playstyle.

[@Glathgrundel]

If the Max had a front section that was a bit wider, which the body could easily accommodate, a bigger front window and the auxilliary cargo bay fitted out as a living quarter, then I would have it as my one-and-only ship. Of course, you need to put a paint on it, rather than flying around looking like you're the clownfish in 'Finding Nemo'. Maybe a skin that makes her look scratched, dented and a bit rusty. People sy that the MSR is the Star Citizen's Millennium Falcon, but it is clearly the Freelancer series that embodies the spirit of that tough but dirty old freighter.

[@CptFugu]

You have to be careful with the first impression with the Mercury. CIG has a tendency to balance (Nerf!) ships after a sale. The MSR's seems too maneuverable for its size.

[@FlyingNDriving]

Don't tell the fan boys that!

[@CptFugu]

@@FlyingNDriving OOps! ;P

[@SaneNoMore]

They do it all the time. Been following the game since 2013 and I can’t count how many times a new ship has come out “better than all the rest”.. get hyped for a bit then get nerfed back in line. Makes them a ton of money. Why finish a game when people keep throwing money at you for introducing new pixels hehe.

[@jameschristensen662]

Unless they changed something, which is very possible, I've most definitely fit rover in the max.

[@124thDragoon]

if the Constellation didn't have shield holes, had an updated flight profile (or perhaps they should stop giving ships of similar size so much more agility), and didn't come with the physics nightmare that is its cargo elevator, it'd be the best of the 3 imo. Well, the best at being a Generalist. It has the best DPS out of the 3 when flying solo, and I'd argue that its internal layout makes more sense than that of the MSR. It has basically zero wasted space.

[@eltreum1]

I like my Connie in spite of its issues but a crew is essential to get its full effect. It can be used effectively solo/duo as a JOAT boat but there are cheaper/faster ships like the Cutlass for that. It's my biggest hauler until I can buy a bigger one in game. Right now IMHO it's got the offense and agility of a gunboat with the tank of a heavy fighter or light bomber. When I have 2 solid gunners onboard we melt stuff pretty quick so the lack of shields is only a problem against really good pilots or prolonged/multiple fights. It does have a blind spot in the rear like the Cutlass for the turrets so the MAX gets an edge there for solo+1 crew play. For solo/duo play right now the MAX is going to be the best value/profitable of the three IMHO. The MSR is a cool ship design but like the Connie needs a crew to really shine.

[@dandini0698]

Actually MSR has 1894 EM signiture when using all stealth components, ballistics and just maneouvering. Problem is the stock industrial shields which add 70k EM sig. Remove them and its far more managable. If this ship doesnt have access to stealth components i dont know what should.

[@Whippets]

MSR hands down. Its versatility will add income streams and its speed/maneuverability will make it a ridiculously tough ship to bring down --- and getting your cargo to port is key here. Combat isn't an issue, it's a runner with good shields. The only drawback is the standard QD on the MSR, but given its QF tank you can easily upgrade it without sacrificing too much in the way of its ability to travel long distances. Its hydrogen fuel consumption is a drawback, but the pleasure of flying the ship makes the extra cost more than tolerable.

[@Hayabusa777]

What do you mean you can't fit an ursa rover in the max. As long as you turn off the weapon systems I always haul around TWO rovers. Which is twice as much as the others.

[@Areanyusernamesleft]

Yeah just powering down the turret drops it to the side, and I think STLYoungblood is neglecting that CIG turned off the collision for the rear turret rails until they get a chance to make them fold up to the ceiling.

[@Skott62]

Nice video. I bought the Freelancer Max quite some time ago. The ships I have bought are ships I can fly solo. I don't belong to a org yet so its just me and the Max fits that bill just fine. The Star Runner is a great looking ship but not something I'd want to solo in. Got a couple of buddies and I think it would be great for play. These days I'm not putting any more dollars into SC. I've done my part to support the game now its up to CIG to deliver us a good game.

[@SaneNoMore]

Glad to see more people closing their wallets. Remember when they said “100s of systems”? 9 years in still 1 incomplete system and half of the basic gameplay loops still on a design board some where.

[@kobrraful]

I personally love the Andromeda. comes default with 4 size 4 gimbaled guns. can swap 2 out for 2 size 5 hard points and the thing just shreds vhrts apart. and having 56 missiles is just insane lol. it's default components are also very nice coming in with a 100k shield and power is way above what you'd need to start. first upgrade you could do would just be to swap out the quantum and go from there if you wanted lol. outside of it's combat power (even stronger if you have 3 friends, 2 for turret and 1 for the Merlin) you can also do cargo runs just fine with it. it's an awesome all rounder, and can shred big ships with it's missile load. getting groups together and running multiple Andromeda's is an absolute blast lol ( pun intended)

[@cw3372]

I used to be big on the Freelancer, but the new flight model annoys me at times, especially when landing at Lorville. Remember in the original commercial that the Freelancer also used to have VTOL... that's all it needs to fix this one up. Due to this, I'm actually starting to lean to the Andromeda, or even the cargo variant (Taurus?) when it comes out which is really only lacking in the fighter, but hard to use that in solo anyway :). Like the MSR, but overpriced for what you get in difference.

[@TheShorterboy]

If your running normal cargo, get the freelancer, landing the MSR at odd places with uneven ground with the HUGE door is dumb as the idiotic rear door makes it hard, already had my MSR flip over when the ramp was in the ground and when you get out of the boat the grid changes and it bounces out and does weird.

[@raedenjay]

You didn’t talk about fuel efficiency. Msr is brutal with H fuel

[@pyrozillah3485]

That is getting fixed next patch

[@GM-bl6ey]

@@pyrozillah3485 link??

[@tilemacro]

@@pyrozillah3485 WHAT IS THERE TO FIX ? It weights three time the weight of constellation+ change. And has one fuel tank. Constellation has two.

[@dolrog8910]

@@tilemacro 4 time the weights actually But the MSR do have 2 M fuel tank like the Constellation devs said the massive consumption was intended to compensate its amazing mobility, but they talked about reconsidering this balance factor because it was too much according to the player base. I mean cmon 15% of your fuel just to exit atmosphere ?

[@pyrozillah3485]

@@GM-bl6ey Watch the Scleaks discord

[@Kraytex1]

You can easily get an URSA in a freelancer MAX is you lower the turret on the URSA first. Just press P to disable weapons and then drive it on.

[@D3mon551]

I already know that if this was a community vote that there would be no contest.

[@kaedron17]

Thanks for a great comparison video

[@stainlesssteelrat2821]

Its the MSR at the moment .. the freelancer Max thrusters are screwed at the moment ... bloody thing just sticks to the pad ... impossible to lift off from the hangers at Lorville and Area 18 im my experience ... but when it works the max for economy of user costs and amount of cargo carried

[@jmabee]

you can stealth fit the MSR, and have a low EM rating. Suppressing IR i was able to keep it at or below 10 IR. It would be nice to be able to get a reliable read on the cross section signature.

[@Hayabusa777]

Unfortunately suppress ir is only client side currently. So only you see the ir drop. Stealth in general is very inconsistent currently.

[@jmabee]

@@Hayabusa777 Does not supprise me.

[@leinadreign3510]

I once had a const andromeda, but I got rid of it shortly after. I still like the exterior design, but not the dull, empty looking interior one. And I dont mind the struts ^^ Maybe I will get a const later on again. But this will take time

[@vikingbear1487]

I have crashed my Max for the last time...its terrible in atmosphere, and I am not pilot enough to handle it. I was on my roof yesterday. However it runs on the smell of an oily rag...makes money and can fight if they are nice enough to sit in front of you (as its not a good turner). However I have just bought an MSR and am putting the Max out to pasture as its heaps easier to land and not crash (it’s flies like a fighter). Gonna chuck an XL1 to take advantage of that awesome amount of Quantum fuel. Also going to avoid heavy atmosphere as it burns through Hydrogen and cuts into profits.

[@CopperRavenProductions]

Question is it possible to lower the ramp on one of these ships. Then have someone sitting in a ground vehicle hanging out the back on the edge of the ramp. Then use that as a rear defense for your ship?

[@francmendoza1642]

Yes you can fit an URSA in the Max I had the URSA the Cyclone and the tiny Cat at the same time in the MAX

[@Yurikan]

No mention of the 600i Explorer?

[@TheBuckRider]

Excuse me, but you can fit 2 Ursa Rovers in a max or 4 Cyclones if you know how to do it... You can also fit 2 Ursa Rovers or 3 ROCs or 4 Cyclones in a MSR.... you Can only fit 1 Ursa Rover or 2 Cyclones in an Andromeda. btw.... You can trade (cargo haul) 114 SCU in a MSR and still be able to load up 2 Greycats PTVs. You can use the crawl space or vent system to reach your cockpit. There is no cargo put inside the vents system, so the cargo is all placed in the cargo bay! You can bring down the EM of the MSR to 7990 if you go full stealth, which is less than you will ever reach with a Andromeda. Right because the flight model of the Andromeda is so crappy, only your turrets (2x 2 S3) can do damage to your attacker, so you’ll fail in combat. The MAX is a bit more agile and is the only one with 4x s3 available to the pilot. But the MSR rules because of his agility and has the same size and numbers for turrets as the Andromeda. Sorry, but please test yourself or check your sources before talking nonsence in a video! Ic3dT - NOVA Intergalactic

[@craigwendler7204]

Until they fix the external lights on the Max, I'd stay away from it. Rather difficult to navigate at night. The external lights have been broken for months now. :(

[@petermemmelaar6236]

i liked my max, but because of the problems with not being able to take off all the time a melted it the other day i bought the c2 and as a loaner i got the msr and the cat fix the take off problems with the max and i will buy it back.

[@photonpattern]

Thanks, great review

[@FlyingNDriving]

Msr is pretty surprisingly big, I landed next to a 600i and the size comparison was just way too close.

[@vectieba]

I think the MSR is the best currently, it is working better that the other two in game. MAX is difficult to fly in atmosphere, very sluggish, and its lights do not work so night landings are not the easiest. The Connie HUD is blurry and the cargo lift makes it more difficult to load vehicles.

[@GlennLMS]

Interesting. I was expecting the Max to fair quite poorly when pitted against these. If not for its handling, the Andromeda would be a great ship. I do think though the drop down bay of the constellation series needs to be wider. It’s supposed to be able to carry a rover right? Talk about a tight fit...

[@joshuaclark3848]

What Happened to the Taurus? This would mix things up alot. Its meant to have atleast double what the Andro can carry.

[@Spartan536]

@STLYoungblood, If you swap out the shileds for Stealth Shields and a Stealth Power Generator it drops its signature DRASTICALLY.... Running 2 Umbra Shield Generators and 2 Eclipse Power Generators and ballistic weapons with 2 Snowpack industrial coolers I have my MSR's EM signature down to a mere 5,100

[@ecevansevans2566]

I feel vindicated, I have saying for months, year, that MSR two front gun need to be upgraded too 2 size 5 or at the minimum 2 size 4 gimbal. For vessel her size. Now with massive EM signal like that she can run but she can’t hide . It only 2 size 5, that would give the MSR striking distance before she come in weapons range with small to medium range ship in the MSR FLIGHT PATH. Everyone think two guns that size make her a fighter. Wrong. It logical and the MSR framework can handle that. Maybe ballistics, to bring down the EM. But there no way MSR can hide and collect data unless it far far away or everything is turn off. MY MAIN POINT IS THE WEAPONS FRONT ARE TOO SMALL.. Good video .

[@ecevansevans2566]

@@Ravenclaw-ql6kk Hey ,Hello my friend. How are ya. Yeah , I am , a little stubborn. I hate being lock in a box, ha ha. If you need anything let me know. Happy holidays.

[@wdy43di]

I have been asking this question everywhere, have not got a answer, for mid game, solo to small crew, I have a Saber and a Freelancer Mis. I like to fight more then anything, but a freelancer mis is a little bit of money gen. I will get other ships in game as needed but those two are my LTI main ships.

[@Areanyusernamesleft]

I think you have a fairly good pair for what you describe, especially if you are satisfied so far.

[@wdy43di]

@@Areanyusernamesleft I hate flying the saber.. but all I do is npc missions.. I loved the curse and pilgrim in Eve so that's why I picked the saber. However I did 95 percent player combat 0.0 life.

[@Areanyusernamesleft]

@@wdy43di What would you rather fly as a combat ship? Do you want something tankier, faster, better visibility, etc?

[@wdy43di]

@@Areanyusernamesleft lol I don't know.. I like sneaky stuff.. it's why I picked the saber.. just npcs tear me up.. specifically the claim jumper mission. That's why I asked.. love the idea of the saber.. I just haven't fought anyone.

[@Areanyusernamesleft]

@@wdy43di Even in a ship that is "stealthy" due to innate reductions, stealth is still primarily dependent upon component choice and emissions management. However if you want something that's intended to be stealthy while more durable than the Sabre (with a similar amount of firepower), you could look into the Hornet Ghost. Just don't expect it to be as nimble. Edit: Also have you tried altering your loadout at all? If you aren't familiar with it www.erkul.games/ is a great resource that calculates multiple aspects of a given component selection for a given ship (e.g. from DPS to EM & IR signatures to quantum travel times).

[@greed_xiii]

I slapped stealth components on my MSR, I hover around 2k EM when idle

[@Dolhedew]

That's my plan and I'm glad to see that it can get so low

[@greed_xiii]

@@Dolhedew tested it out vs AI (you know those buggers lock on as soon as you're in range) I didn't get radar locked til below 4km or so but it was against a small ship, not sure how it fares against S2 radars

[@Dolhedew]

@@greed_xiii interestiiiiiing

[@jonesso11]

it should be noted that the MSR burns through hydrogen fuel far quicker than any other ship, it has a giant quantum fuel storage but the hydrogen runs out after small subspace trips rather than any of it's competitors

[@chancepaxton4679]

This isn't an intended function. There's a bug with the fuel intakes in both the MSR and Nomad which is being patched in the next patch. In Evo the MSR used 1/3 the fuel.

[@JMacify]

You need to update this and just compare the taurus and the max. The MSR isn't really in the same class as its almost double the real world cost and you get a better combat performance in the max with more cargo in the Taurus. The MSR is a really cool ship but not for the cost when compared to the others.

[@Lodethebig]

I bought the Nomad, I love it. Upgraded the shields, power supply and coolers. I can fire the stock guns indefinitely without overheating. Now I am looking to upgrade. Coming from the Nomad, what would you recommend? I tried the freelancer max as a free rental but I hate the sluggish flight model. Yet I like how I can make 25K+ with selling Laranite

[@jamespatterson6711]

Rent a cutlass black to try out. Handles much better than freelancer, but only 46 scu cargo. It’s basically an upscaled Nomad. For $20 extra. More guns, more fuel, more cargo, larger components.

[@conscious_kyle6688]

You may have not done enough research before making the stealth point about the MSR, but it's pretty misleading. Sure, it's default signature is high. But, when kitted out with all stealth components (2 Umbras, Eclipses, Nightfalls, and a Spicule QD), it can go as low as 3,459 EM. That's without removing the Panthers. That build even allows for overclocking of all components. The shields also make sense for how fast the MSR can be, as they'll have the fastest recharge rate without any delay. The low sig will also help dodge missiles. It's kind of OP as a stealth ship especially since it has medium radar. It can basically see most light fighters way before they see it, and it can outrun/outgun them in a 1v1 fight. I'm not sure if they plan on allowing the MSR to have Stealth components, but its undoubtedly the route I would push most players to get the most out of the ship's role. It can easily be more stealthy than an optimized Saber. Curious to see how they balance all of this out.

[@haribo836]

Out of these three, I'd say the MAX is best as a midsize cargo ship. IMHO midsize cargo hauling is about hauling high profit legal goods. Without hostile patrols to deal with and the high profit legal goods mostly traded at controlled landing zones, the risk of combat is relatively low, too low to afford paying a crew. It's also the cheapest by quite a margin, so especially if you buy one ingame (once they are all available), the return on investment is a lot better with the MAX.

[@LordCritish]

I would be interested in which shields you'd recommend for the MSR in regard to EM signature... with stealth power plant and coolers (Eclipse, Nightfall) and 2x FR-76 shields the EM is still over 90000 but with 2x Sukoran shields it goes down to about 14k. Quite the difference!

[@onik7000]

Sukoran shields has 18 second regen delay. ALL other s2 shields - 0 seconds. SO its a really bad idea to use Surokan on big and pretty slow ships. I think you can go with 2*Umbra - so you can have 5500 em sig. They have great regen, so it almost impossible to shoot in down with one ship.

[@LordCritish]

@@onik7000 Interesting! thanks for the hint! How do these shield refresh numbers are influenced though? On erkul.games it states that the Surokan have 94 seconds full charge time, the FR-76 have 82s and the Umbra have 36 seconds. How do you get to the 0 second regen delay time?