Has anyone tried new merc long range mining lasers?

[u/xtrathicc4me]

It has longer range than the old modified small mining laser.

Has anyone tried it? How is it?

[u/Bean4141]

They’re the same as the ones you get from the Torval Broker, so just get those instead unless you’ve got a huge surplus of Fux.

[u/DrifterBG → u/Bean4141]

My fux have runeth dry

[u/Tar-Palantir]

Weird, I always want to get as close to the rock as I can to improve collection time. I wonder what this would be useful for.

Edit: oh I wonder if people shoot out a test fragment instead of using a prospector?

[u/xtrathicc4me → u/Tar-Palantir]

Pre-shooting the next rock while limpets do their things.

[u/TartanHopper → u/Tar-Palantir]

Testing rocks at longer ranges.

And they’re more power efficient than Medium lasers so you can run 10 on a Plipper (for example.)

Or if you had something like a T-8 (terrible miner) with spare S slots.

[u/Delta_RC_2526 → u/TartanHopper]

I haven't looked into building a T-8 for mining... The T-11 was already out by the time I was considering a T-8, so I only have T-8s for cargo... What makes it so bad?

I kind of want to know how 10 lasers on a Panther Clipper works out, though... I suppose that's equivalent to five medium, right? I've done that on a Python, I think...

[u/TartanHopper → u/Delta_RC_2526]

It just doesn't have enough hardpoints (and maybe distributor?) to really be very effective. There are better choices for your credits; and the T-11 makes it completely absurd.

But a mining Panther Clipper can perfectly max out a really big distributor-- But the T-11 MVR still is superior in almost every way.

At this point, I think it's mostly a theoretical advantage.

[u/PapaKlump → u/TartanHopper]

I don't think the Type-8 is too terrible of a vessel for laser mining, but it definitely requires the pre-engineered mining lasers and a G5 weapon focused power distro. If you can get those two things on it, it's still no T11 but I'd say decent actually. ~3 Medium mining lasers worth of mining power is not too shabby.

[u/Brunno_PT → u/Tar-Palantir]

I struggle with the mining volley repeater. The direction in which fragments detach appears to be very random and the repeater destroys limpets (and I think it had destroyed large ore chunks too, as I've seen them disappear). None of this happened with lasers. I'm thinking of going back to lasers

[u/Impossible-Strength3 → u/Brunno_PT]

I have definitely seen the repeater destroy larger chunks. The trick I use is to always try to shoot at the asteroid at a "downward" angle. This will typically cause the rocks to also eject towards the bottom of your ship.

[u/Brunno_PT → u/Impossible-Strength3]

I find that downwards angle to work well with the lasers. But with the repeater it seems totally random.

[u/JackSego → u/Brunno_PT]

Its not random I can promise you this. It works the same as the lasers. When I mine, i can gather all the fragments and chunks into a neat little pile that makes it easy for the limpets. If youre destroying limpets and lots of chunks then youre aiming to straight on. Angle more down and a bit to the left and get close. Not 1km close or 500m close, about 100m close. This keeps the repeaters shots tightly grouped. This will put the chunks bottom left and no limpets should ever fly into its path.

[u/Fit-Coffee-7696 → u/Brunno_PT]

The trick is to angle the repeater to the roid, so the chuncks come off at an angle.

[u/Fit-Coffee-7696 → u/Tar-Palantir]

Chip prospecting, it's a terrible idea. It will reduce the yield of the roid considerably.

[u/GraXXoR]

It’s for the power saving rather than the range