An Elite Dangerous ship build.

Goals

Create a ship that:

1. Relies on fixed weapons. Unaffected by chaff and with a higher damage output than comparable gimballed weapons, fixed weapons force the commander to earn kills by better piloting and shot timing.
2. Unlike previous builds, can require unlockable modules.

Build

Links: EDSY and Coriolis (have your preferred one open as you read the guide for easy reference)

The Fer-de-Lance’s close, centred hardpoints, collectively called “convergence”, and manoeuvrability make it ideal for fixed weapons. It is the archetypical dedicated combat ship. With styling reminiscent of the Flash Gordon era, its V8-like engine purr is unmistakable.

There are few comparable ships. The Mamba’s hardpoints are further apart, making landing all weapons on small targets difficult. It sacrifices the required agility for speed. The Vulture, Chieftain and Federal Assault Ship all have good hardpoint placement but are lighter ships.

When outfitting, use the two top medium hardpoints for Plasma Accelerators, not the lower ones. The two lower medium hardpoints are too wide. Use them for Rail Guns.

I demonstrate an early version of this build in a Low Intensity Conflict Zone below. The build shown in the video, about two years old complete with Horizons era graphics, had Long Range Rail Guns with Multi-Services for rapid, long range tagging and Bi-Weave shields. My pip management is also lacklustre.

Offence:

1. Plasma Accelerators: As with the Python mission build, Plasma Accelerators are equally wonderful and frustrating weapons. They do a mix of thermal, kinetic and absolute damage. This mix means they damage shields and hull similarly. It is hard to mitigate their damage via increasing resistances. Plasma Accelerators have an “Armour Piercing” value of 100, meaning they do full damage to all existing playable ships. However, Plasma Accelerator shot speed is slow, requiring deflection shooting. Their reload times are long, and ammunition is limited and expensive. They generate lots of heat, making repeated firing dangerous, and pull a lot of energy from the Power Distributor.
2. Efficient blueprint: Using the Efficient blueprint on Plasma Accerlators counters their heat and power problems while giving a slight damage increase. It means reload times constrain Plasma Accelerator use, not heat, so you can use them like more common weapons. They become beginner friendly.
3. Rail Guns: Like the Plasma Accelerators, Rail Guns do thermal and kinetic damage and have an “Armor Piercing” value of 100. They require a short warm-up before firing but are “hit scan” weapons, meaning they hit whatever the gunsight points. They are similar to Guardian Gauss if you are used to sniping Thargoid Interceptor hearts.
4. Short Range blueprint: Rail guns’ damage is comparatively low. Short Range increases their damage by around 75%, turning them into viable weapons. It limits their range, but this build already has to get close to be effective.
5. Rail Gun experimental effects: Feedback Cascade disrupts the use of shield cell banks. Hitting a target’s shields using a shield cell bank damages the shield cell bank and decreases its regeneration time. Super Penetrator damages all modules on the shot’s trajectory on a breach, not just the first one. It is particularly effective when hitting the front or back of a target, usually when soloing.
6. Thermal Conduit experimental effect: Plasma Accelerators with Thermal Conduit do more damage the hotter you are. Balancing heat and the resulting damage versus damage output is a challenging but rewarding metagame for this build.
7. Power (Pip) management: Getting the most from the Fer-de-Lance requires active pip management, such as putting pips to engines when pursuing enemies, then into systems when not firing. Continuously firing the three Plasma Accelerators requires three pips in weapons. Otherwise, I use one pip in engines and the rest spread equally between systems and weapons.
8. Graphics: This build demonstrates the different graphics used to show engineered weapons, such as the blue Feedback Cascade rounds or the sun-like plasma globes from hot Thermal Conduit Plasma Accelerators. Apart from looking cool, they help show which weapon hits or misses or when experimental effects occur.

Defence:

1. Prismatic shields: Assuming you are not engaging too many wings or small ships, ammunition will usually run out before shields. A reinforced Prismatic Shield Generator with Hi-Cap is ideal.
2. Resistances: Two Thermal Resistance Shield Boosters with Thermo Block counteract shields’ innate weakness to thermal weapons. The build is effectively immune to explosive and kinetic weapons.
3. Chaff sparingly: Use chaff if you engage a wing, must disengage, or shields are low. Otherwise, your shields should protect you.
4. Speed and agility: This build can boost to 540 meters per second. While not as fast as the Mamba build, it will still outrun most ships when things get hairy.

Variations

1. Focused or Long Range Plasma Accelerators: Changing the blueprint on the Plasma Accelerators to one that increases shot speed is tempting. This change makes aiming easier. However, the increased heat build-up means repeatedly firing the Plasma Accelerators will quickly overheat the ship, causing lots of module damage. These blueprints risk turning the build into a single engagement build.
2. Phasing Sequence: If you prefer not fighting at high heat levels needed to leverage Thermal Conduit, consider Phasing Sequence (10% damage bypasses shields). 
3. Automated Field Maintenance Unit (AFMU) and Heat Sinks: If you regularly use high heat levels, consider swapping one of the Hull Reinforcement modules for an AFMU. This module can repair damaged modules between fights, increasing longevity. Replace a Heavy Duty Shield Booster with a Heat Sink for fast cooling, if needed.
4. FSD Interdictor: Swap out the FSD Interdictor if you are not doing assassination missions or Power Play merit farming.
5. Advanced Plasma Accelerators and Imperial Hammers: The Power Play versions of both weapons are interesting but not better. Advanced Plasma Accelerators have a higher rate of fire. Imperial Hammers are better if you must land an experimental effect. However, you must land all three shots to get the increased damage output.
6. PvP builds: PvP is not my expertise. However, this build is not too far from a PvP build. You can use different experimental effects on the Plasma Accelerators, such as Dispersal Field (reduce gimballed weapons accuracy) and Target Lock Breaker (break target lock). 

Solo Tactics

1. Different fire groups: Place the Rail Gains and Plasma Accelerators in separate fire groups. You rarely fire the hit scan rail guns and deflection shooting Plasma Accelerators simultaneously.
2. Favour larger or less agile targets: Fixed weapons are harder to aim. The slow shot speed of Plasma Accelerators makes them impractical at long ranges. Choose targets that emphasize the build’s strengths. The Long Range Sensors can help find them.
3. Close range brawler: Get close to the target, throttling up if they are far away, then down into the blue once they are in range. The closer you are, the less time your target has to dodge. Leverage the default jousting behaviour to line up a rail gun shot then a plasma shot each pass. If you cannot get a plasma shot off, pre-turn to reveal the target’s larger-profile top or below view. Getting behind a target and matching their speed is ideal but challenging to maintain.
4. Same weapons against shields and hull: Unlike most ship builds, this build does not require using different weapons against shields and hulls. The Plasma Accelerators and Rail Guns have the same damage profile against both.
5. Patience: Fixed weapons are more difficult to use than gimballed weapons. Plasma Accelerators have a long reload time, so only take shots when confident. You will improve with time. 
6. Heat management: The Thermal Conduit experimental effect on the Plasma Accelerators gives you an option to increase damage output at the expense of heat and resulting heat damage. To increase your heat and, therefore Plasma Accelerator damage output, alternate rail gun and plasma rounds. If you do not hear heat warning sirens, your heat is too low. 
7. Watch ammunition: All weapons on this build require ammunition, and Plasma Accelerators have a low ammunition capacity. For example, this build should have enough when soloing a low-intensity conflict zone but may be insufficient for soloing medium- or high-intensity ones. While synthesizing it is possible, the material cost is high. The Plasma Slug experimental effect is not worth it due to the Fer-de-Lance’s small fuel tank. 
8. Shorter sessions: Many previous builds allowed an almost constant stream of fighting, like the Healing Krait Mk II PvE healing build. This build shifts to more intense sessions with frequent breaks between them. 

Team or Wing Tactics

1. “Damage dealer” role: Fixed weapons are less reliable than gimballed for damage output. Therefore, this build is better suited to damage dealing than tanking. A teammate can draw an enemy’s attention, allowing you to get above or below the target. This angle reveals their larger, easier to hit profile. Go full Thermal Conduit if your team engages one too many larger ships.
2. Anti-shield cell bank: Teammates will appreciate you using the Feedback Cascade experimental effect against enemies using shield cell banks.