@@lawofthewestgaming Also, very well done on all of your videos! I'm looking in to getting started in SC, but currently don't have the funds to start off with the freelancer. Soon, though. ^tm Oh, and if you ever want to get a Discord server set up, just shoot me a...message...? Idk if RU-vid has that feature anymore or not.
toilets are overrated... get to the nearest planet with breathable atmosphere, get into hover, open the side door and take a dump :P edit: if you're feeling rebellious, get over to arccorp and take a dump on the system :P (makes you wonder if public defecation will be considered a misdemeanor :p )
Prior to the advent of the Krakepillar concept, I never understood what was supposed to uniquely suit a Caterpillar for piracy support, unless other modules materialize to make it more versatile (other than the lore datum about looser background checks). It is a high capacity cargo ship, rather weakly armed and protected for its size. In the event that the pirate victim choses to fight, few targets would yield enough undamaged cargo after the battle to fill the Cat's modules. As a snub fighter carrier, it seems to work well, but that is "emergent tactics", probably not part of the design and might prove costly at that against a medium freighter's guns. I hate to give pirates ideas, but even a Privateer would be better suited as a small pirate fleet's loot hauler, unless they're hitting high letter "Hull" classes. If the Cat gets different modules, and especially if you can fly it with fewer than 4 for a maneuverability/accel boost, it will have become a real cool cat.
Honestly I think the freelancer needs a rework to grow to match it's handling. I think the cutlass got a lot more love, and the cutlass seems bigger than the freelancer. The first wave ships need some love.
Law, thanks again for the "apples to apples' comparison of two of the most iconic "space pick-ups" in the game. Yes, we can compare them like Ford vs. Chevy in that each has their fans as well as detractors. Let's discuss what wasn't in your review. There are five base model ships in what I call the "40 meter class": the Drake Cutlass Black, the MISC Freelancer, the Aegis Vanguard, the Aegis Vulcan, the RSI Apollo and the Crusader Mercury. Add to that their variants and you see that it is a robust grouping of medium sized ships. All are multi-crew ships that can be solo operated. All are a mix of versatility and capability. I think that players will find that even in the late game keeping one of the 40 meter ships around as a solo/small crew runabout will be advantageous. Of those base ships, only the Drake Cutlass and MISC Freelancer are priced under $200, the former is at $100 and the latter at $110. (Note: their variants are all under $200 also but they weren't the subject of this video.) This reflects CIG's desire that they be both common and affordable ships. That being said there are some out there who say you shouldn't spend real money on any ship that costs under $200, arguing that they are better purchased in game with UEC after grinding. I disagree, having the disposable income I bought several of the 40 meter ships and though some have parted my fleet I still hold on to my Cutlass Black, Blue, Freelancer DUR and Mercury Starrunner for now. The versatility of the Cutlass Black makes it my go-to ship in SC right now. Once Star Citizen's trading game is polished then I may rethink which of the 40 meter ships I want to fly but for now the Cutty is it. Despite that I would hate to really fly any distance in a Cutlass. The lack of a toilet (lost in the rework) and no way to even warm up even a cup of noodles suck. My Herald has at those features so it isn't just because it is a Drake ship. I think there is room in the Cutty's cabin for a small head like the Herald has. Fix that feature and I'll be a Cutty fan boi for life. (At my age life is a relative term, I expect the SC universe to outlive me.)
Oh my. You really live this sc life huh. Is it a game yet? Im personally not seeing the draw. Its like they keep focusing on ships and graphics but they dont have the foundation even working yet. The project is 9 yrs in and is in a state that leaves most of us speechless. This is a first in gaming production and although i hope this finally becomes something grand i cant help but be reserved on the intent.
@@prototype8137 you should just try it just a warning though don't use a crappy pc(like mine) and try to play the game it doesn't work at all other wise its fun but you can tell its not done im looking at you New Babbage lobby/train
I have to admit that I've been enjoying my Freelancer more the more time I spend with it. The cockpit view is limited but I've also spent a good deal of time sim'ing X-pane aircraft with far more restricted views. ( Boeings, Concords, SR71. ) I think the view thing will be less of an issue if and when RSI add some kind of landing radar view like Elite Dangerous. ( When the gear are down the radar switches to a 3rd person view of the ship and the ground around you and it zooms in the closer you get to the ground. )
I love cramming mine full of cargo when the aUEC is available. A sight to behold! And when I got mine I immediately shoved two Cyclones into it. My favorite thing I've done with it was to take a Cyclone on a mission and use the Cyclone to rush one of the protected bunkers with a buddy in the passenger seat. Sadly, I made it but ....he wasn't as lucky.
The Cutlass is a great ship, but I'm a Freelancer fan boy, so that line of ships is what I have. Great comparison video, LotW! I'd love to see you do more comparison videos of this quality.
Is it a big disadvantage of the cuttlas that you can only get in from behind? In theory, a player can wait at the hatch until I open it ?! Kill me and take over the ship Thx for Help
Well, there are alot of ships that have ramps like that, just lock your ship via the controls by the doors or cockpit. When you are going to the back of your ship check the area before you walk in really well so nobody is there to sneak on board and when you go inside or leave the ship you always always watch the ramp shut just incase somebody tries to get in. Clear your ship too because someone could get in the turret or a bed and if your not paying attention they will shoot you out of your seat when they can.
Loved my Cutlass Black for years, but the Freelancer is just a better ship all around, in my opinion. As soon as I can, I'm upgrading to a MIS. The Freelancer has better shields, better armor/hull/health/etc., more multi-crew options and gameplay (more beds, kitchen/bathroom, 4-seat bridge + turret), better weapons (4xS3 gimbals + 2xS2 turret vs 4xS2 gimbals + 2xS3 turret), better range, and can still take a bike along (more in the non-MIS variants). A lot of the similarities won't mean much when the Cutlass blows up in a third of the time that the Freelancer does. I think the one thing the Cutlass has going for it that the Freelancer doesn't is going to be the tractor beam, but who knows what work-arounds we might have with handtools or even auxiliary vehicles.
the cutlass is MUCH more agile than the freelancer though. freelancer is geared more towards defense, cutlass is better in attack roles than the freelancer. cutlass is much more fuel efficient too.
@@Claymore1977 "Much" is a stretch. It isn't a fighter, so it isn't maneuvering like one and thus has to fight a Freelancer on the lancer's terms. The Cutlass cannot withstand the 4xS3s while the Freelancer absolutely can tank the Cutlass. I 100% have money down on a Freelancer in a lancer v cutty fight.
On paper, everything says I should prefer the Freelancer, but I 've had both ships and the Cutlass Black is the one I kept. I just do not like the cockpit layout of the Freelancer.
I own the Cutlass Black and everyone has a Freelancer temporarily atm. So after flying them both out of those two I prefer the cutlass. However I want to try to freelancer max, it lookers nicer.
LAW, you do these comparisons in an incredibly thorough manner, so much appreciated. With regards to safety in the Freelancer, the escape pods might be worth mentioning. Excellent, want more of these comparison videos!
Freelancer DUR is my current favorite in-game ship though I'm sure I'll like it even more once the refinery and scanning station actually does something
This was a GREAT review! I think I'll go for the Cutlas as my next ship and once I get a decent crew of 3 guys to play with consistantly, I"ll get a Freelancer for 4-man jobs :) Right now I upgraded my Beginner ship for the Avenger Titan and I am going to fly it for the first time today after work :)
The freelancer mis always makes me think of starbug. XD I guess it's the green and yellow paint scheme... Actually the cockpit layout is also extremely reminiscent of starbug. Wouldn't surprise me if there were some hardcore Red Dwarf fans among the people that designed the Freelancer... This actually makes me wonder about design inspirations. While the ingame justification doesn't always align, and the styles certainly are nowhere near a perfect match... The freelancer makes me think of Red Dwarf... While something like the 600i makes me think of Star Trek... And as some have noted, the reclaimer is reminiscent of Aliens...
I prefer the Freelancer, the design reminds me of Firefly, but they are both really nice. I´m wondering about the Mercury as it will be a medium ship as well...
Funny. Because the freelancer mostly reminds me of Starbug from red dwarf. XD I think it's a mixture of the shape of the front of the ship, the paint scheme of the MIS (Green and yellow? Really?), and the layout of the cockpit. (4 seats, two by two... Is pretty much exactly the starbug cockpit.) Of course, starbug is completely unarmed, and given it's interior layout probably closer to something like a 600i in size and features... But it's still in the kind of territory that makes you wonder if it was some kind of inspiration for parts of the design...
I would like a more Firefly esque ship. Freelancer is similar, but is too small to really compare, I guess the Carrack is more comparable in terms of size as a Firefly has a cockpit / bridge, sleeping quarters, a mess facility with kitchen, a medical bay with lounge, two docked shuttles, an engine room and a large cargo bay which can store at least one vehicle (as seen in Serenity). I'm sure there are more rooms that I'm forgetting about.
The cutlass IS the better ship in general, but it just doesn't have soul for me, it feels like you're flying a space chinook, doesn't feel exciting... The freelancer though, it feels like an actual starship, it feels hands on to fly and demands your attention, it can also take a substantial hit, sometimes its withstood high speed crashes for me. plus its so cozey inside. I fell in love with it
Freelancer Max is gonna be my starter ship, until the end of Beta. Then I'ma get couple of NPCs and start my own little fleet with the official release.
That video at roughly 26:00 shows the Freelancer with Vtol ability, and earlier with the ability to fire both weapons opposite of each other... when would this be possible? Also I do think the Freelancer should be about a meter wider and the turret points retracted, would make things so much easier.
I absolutely understand why you compared the base to the cutty, but I do think it bears saying (and repeating, repeatedly) that any of the Freelancer variants are 100% better than the cutty at a specific role. That is, the MIS is an outright better combat vessel, the Max is an unquestionably better cargo vessel, and the DUR is going to out-range literally any ship in the game less than 60m long. This is not to say the Cutlass is bad. For $100 I'd argue it's the single best value in the game AT THAT PRICE. But...it's still crap compared to any Freelancer variant at whatever that variant is specialized in. I'd especially call out the MIS because the Cutty is supposed to be a better fighter than the Freelancer in a 1v1, but the MIS will eat its lunch 9 times out of 10. Still, great video. I'd love to see a comparison between the Cutlass Blue and the Freelancer MIS because I think that'd be a more direct comparison and really highlight the differences. Also, I'd say anyone just starting the game would be wise to get a cutty first, then decide what you like best and CCU to whichever Freelancer variant that fits whichever role you prefer. It's a great way to get your footing in a medium ship and the upgrade cost from a cutty to any of the variants is reasonable. (The Loot & Scoot bundle is great for this because you can easily stick one Dragonfly in any of them.) EDIT: This said, it is worth pointing out that you COULD open those side doors in space and have your 6 passengers in the cutty all whip out a rail cannon or (in 3.9) a FPS missile launcher for a quick burst of damage. It's a nasty tactic for a quick alpha strike that would fit perfectly in the bag of tricks of any space pirate.
If anyone reading this is where I was a year ago, Deciding between these two ships. The Cutlass is a marvelous all-around ship. And I think the best bang for the buck of any ship in the Game. And you can always CCU to a Freelancer, but not from freelancer to Cutlass. Eventually I bought a Mercury, and the loaner was a Mercury, so then I had both. The Freelancer with 45% more cargo can make significantly more money as a cargo trader and it is a LOT more durable. But it flys like a bathtub in an ice rink. The Cutlass holds less cargo, but it fights a lot better and flys a lot better. Especially if you upgrade to 4 size 3 guns on the front. If you are looking for 1 ship to own, I say go with Cutlass. If you want to trade cargo enough to go with the Freelancer, then go with the Freelancer Max. Make it worth it.
Fantastic video! I'm a huge Freelancer fan, but I am an undercover Cutlass fan also. You really can't go wrong with either. Thanks again for the video.
I'm just content enjjoying my Glass of White Zinfandel while Gazing at the Stars and being Moved by an Opera Singer as my 890Jump Endlessly and Gracefully Somersaults Freely in orbit around a Colorful Planet!
Your best review yet, brilliantly done. Looking forward to returning to the verse for a quick tour of the once my Carrack is complete, but I'll proudly flt my FL Max as well.
When you called the cuttless a "cutty" I like that I really like that "Oy we got a unmarked cutty in this system and there not responding on coms! .. Briggs hop in the turrent think we're gonna see some action!"
I'd definitely lean towards some variant of the freelancer out of the two. I love the cutlass' bigass turret tho...maybe for solo play with occasional guest gunner.
I have a Cutlass Black and a Freelancer Maxx. The Cutlass handles way better and has better visibility out of the cockpit. The Maxx hauls more, handles like a truck, and has lousy visibility. But I like them both. The Cutlass is more for getting into very risky places where you need weapons and handling. I use it for the smaller cargo runs. The Maxx is more for getting into places where you need greater cargo hauling and don't need as aggressive handling and firepower. BTW, each of the bunks in the Maxx function as an escape pod, according to the labeling on them. (I do hope those turret rails go away so I can fit more stuff). I'd like to see a toilet added to the Cutlass, just because it makes sense. I'd also love to see 'pallet' style load outs developed for all cargo ships that allow then to add a pallet that has things like living accommodations so you can either haul people, or set them up on planets / moons and build settlements.
Quick thought: if you shot out the freelancers turret, would these damned arms in the cargo bay disappear? If yes, the Freelancer MAX would be 10 times more valuable...
Why do we need bed for each crew member? I'm pretty sure that the player will disappear from bed at log out. And I think we can log out 1 by 1. Or is there some hard limit on logging out? Like "all beds are full, you cant use it". Or logging in maybe? "you cant spawn at the ship, ship's crew is full".
after using both ships for a long time i keep going to the freelancer. dual shield generators and four size 3 guns on turrets that behave like gimballed guns, clear winner for single player non pvp (and even pvp! ive won a few). mount 4 quarrelers and they hit from 3800 meters out, you'll be sniping those claim jumpers ezpz. XL1 for qt drive, snowpack or coolcores for coolers, fr76/rampart for shields, genoa power plant.
You chose the specialized Cutlass meant more for combat against the basic multi-purpose freelancer. Have you considered the MIS? It is the aggressive version of the freelancer. Might be an idea? Other than that totally agree with your assessment. Though I still think the basic freelancer to s a better choice for piracy.
I absolutely love these comparison videos, I have many of these ships but some details I was totally unaware of, like the Freelancer being the biggest ship that can fit through the smallest jump point. Keep up the great work!
Good comparison. Looking at them side by side, I reckon the Freelancer needs to be increased in size slightly. The living area would be really cramped for 4 crew, and a full cargo area blocks access to the components. It looks tiny next to the new Cutlass too.
I love my black, bought it so got the skin from the last event, it looks great in white and gold. Nice fighting ability and plenty of cargo space, 20 less than the Freelancer but i feel the Freelancer is bit less nimble if attacked.
Was also wondering about the QT thing! I was not aware that traveling in quantum required you to be seated. Seems a bit limiting especially since some trips will be long and we could use the time to, oh I dont know, use those neat pool tables some of the ships have ;)
@@MartinB034 all I know is that for now you don't have to be seated. But I have had an Issue (months ago, but I've heard others have it as recently as 3.5) if you get out of the pilot seat during QT then after that jump ends, QT points won't show up any more. I just don't risk it.
freelancer win easily for me, for cutlass engine is so easily damage and once one of it is gone you are gone. and the rear cargo door probably will never get fixed, you can easily get lock out of your ship when your ramp is not touching ground and you jump off wihtout notice.
Now I kinda wish the Freelancer had the VTOL engine bits that it had in the commercial video they released a while back. Could be useful, and if you could ever flip the engines or whatever, just imagine the maneuvers you could make!
I like both ships but I chose the Cutlass Black for it's better maneuverability and bigger storage space. For those who plan to get the Cutlass Black: Keep in mind that it has a weak shield generator (with 14,584 hp) + the powerplant is also rather weak in my opinion so you'll have to replace those two when installing a much more powerful shield generator (I went with the FR-76 which gave me additional 10,000hp) and the Bolide powerplant. For Quantum Drive I'd pick the Crossfield.
A Just in time comparison (for me, even if several months old video) I found when I was wondering how should I upgrade my fleet to the middle range. Basically both are in my queue as have certain roles both, but must start with one. Quality videos these are. Subbed.
I actually miss the side door by the pilot seats. If they kept that, you're be able to get to the top of the ship from there, would could be pretty cool It's also worth noting that the Freelancer currently has just under 44k shield health, whereas the Cutlass only has 14k shield health.
One concept I don’t get about a lot of sci-fi game is the idea that storing liquid hydrogen in tanks is a good idea. Its specific gravity is .0708, thus water is 14.3 time more dense. Water also has a week bond to the oxygen atom, so the two are easily separated. If a ship used the radiant byproducts of fusion, an efficient method of separating the hydrogen and oxygen can be implemented. This would allow 14.3 times the fuel to be carried aboard ship, eliminating issues with hydrogen embrittlement, and resulting a longer service life and duration of the vessel.
Cutty Driver....I had the MISC 'lancer for a while. The design of 4 bunks etc bonkers, and the 2nd midpoint cargo area through a door. 4 seats in the cockpit, it feels like 2 seater craft posing as a 4 seater. It is ill thought out, it could be alot better internally. Bad cargo bay design with the turret.
Kind of uhh, off-topic but speaking of beds and logging in/out... What happens to a ship if all of the crew logs out in beds? Does it just disappear in thin air, or vacuum of space? I kind of hope SC will be hardcore enough to just take the stance that if you log out somewhere your character stays there, unless it's a bed. And same for ships, they stay where u left them, unless you return them to some place that's a bed for ships (hangar, space station, etc). Otherwise there is a lot of room for exploiting in ways that break immersion. Also being unable to just log out anywhere to keep your ship safe, would make chases way more intense. There would also be the added utility of owning bases around the verse, where you could sleep and put your ship to storage, allowing you to stay safe while operating in the area for longer than one session.
The freelancer's turret might as well not even be there. The guns are too small and it doesn't have line of sight forward. Size 3s should be the minimum for a turret imo. If a player is going to forgo bringing their own ship than each turret needs to have reasonably low time to kill on a target. For combat I'd say the Freelancer is best if flying solo but the Cutlass beats it if you have a good gunner.
Still prefer the freelancer design. I just hate the top rear turret placement. They should place it like the Cutlass. Close to the middle and high enough to fire forward, back and above.
My Freelancer has the turret columns that impact its vehicle hauling ability. Does the Cutlas have a comparable negative aside from a smaller cargo capacity? Thanks.
IDK how but one day I logged on and I hada freelancer. im not complaining tho that thing is cool. If I had to guess how I got it I would say I probably rented it the day before an update and the game glitched into thinking it was mine
I have been considering upgrading one of my base ships to a cutlass but I haven't done it so far. I have a Freelancer base and a max I also have a Reliant Kore. My aim in Star Citizen was to start a space trucking company. Eventually I plan to buy some of the giant haulers from the hull series but for now I just wanted to play with vehicles I could actually use in game. I have several other ships but they were just things I got to play with so I may upgrade some of them in the future.
Awesome comparison. There is one more thing with the Freelancer that has a quite big impact on the negative side, the small view out from the cockpit (wind shield). To set her down safely on the ground without any assistance from the outside, like 3rd person view, is a real pain especially now with the new VTOL mode. Right now, with the new economy system, its hard to get by as a trucker. The risk vs time vs profit is not as it used to be. Now its a much higher risk cause you need to land more often trying to sell your cargo which makes a big fat truck like this a sitting duck on the ground and with all that space, 120 units, well to fill her up which is the only way to earn some serious cash makes it a high risk to loose the whole cargo and lots of cash. Running delivery missions and pick up 4 or more packages, go long distance (as the Freelancer is made for) and deliver, pick up 4 or more back, its no risk of loosing cash and has quite a big profit. I did not buy the Freelancer Max to put some small packages in it, and to do combat missions, she is not agile enough. They need to tweak this economy systems cause of now, I cant see any use for doing cargo with her but it feels like we have become merged together, I know her, she knows me even if we fight once in a while but thats how a relation ship is ;) ♥
