In truth, any ship can be made to serve as a Ratting ship, although the nature of our service often leads to certain types of ships being preferred. The most frequent ship to be found in the hands of Rats are the Asp Explorer (The RAsp) and the Anaconda (Rataconda), due to their superior jump range and flexible modules.
There are a few things that come as a bare minimum to enable your ship to refuel another though:
- Cargo Hold: Limpets need space to be stored in, so you need a cargo hold with enough storage space (1t per limpet). It's recommended that a minimum of 8 limpets are carried. Most Rats carry 12-16 limpets. Remember that too many limpets will lower your jump range.
- Fuel Scoop: Our clients often end up in inhabited space, and every limpet you give to the client takes 1T of fuel out of your tank. Without a fuel scoop … you will soon find yourself in serious trouble.
- Limpets: All nice and well, yet without limpets, all your shiny ship would be very, very useless. Don’t forget to resupply your stock through [ADVANCED MAINTENANCE → RESTOCK] at a station’s menu. You should carry at least 8 limpets, better are even more, but not too many. T9 vessels, for example, can be very fuel hungry – ten limpets might just be enough to get such a client to the next station.
- Fuel Transfer Limpet Controller: This is what programs, launches and guides the limpets on their way to the client.
- Extra fuel tanks are optional and depend mainly on the class of your Ratship. Note that increased fuel capacity reduces plottable jump range.
- Weapons are not required. You are free to take them with you, of course, yet they reduce your jump range, and Rats usually like to run rather than stand and fight, and thus invest in stronger defensive mechanisms or speed anyway. We usually do not run into trouble from other CMDRs through rescues, but it does happen (very, very seldom). It's more likely that you'll run into an NPC attempting to take cargo or claim a bounty.
- Discovery scanner (either basic or advanced). If you can afford/have room for one, this can be a very handy tool, you may encounter rescues where it can be helpful you can see all the bodies in the system. You can do without but it's helpful.
Note that you do not need a dedicated Rat ship to do your ratting in. Many rats prefer to customize their ship for ratting by using light, class D modules and foregoing weaponry for added jump range and speed, but as long as your ship has a fuel transfer limpet controller and a few limpets, any ship in your shipyard can be used for ratting. People often rat 'on the side' while out doing other things, like mining, exploring or combat. Especially on long range exploration trips, many a client has been saved by a rat that just happened to be in the neighborhood, rather than thousands of light years away. |
While many of us choose to use multipurpose ships for Ratting in, it's important to notify Dispatch if you have any cargo (other than limpets) or active missions as these greatly increase the chance that NPC pirates will attempt to interdict you and possibly attack the client. |
Popular Loadouts
Remember, almost anything can serve as a "rat ship". As long as your ship has a decent jump range of least 20ly, and you can bring at least 8 limpets along for the ride, you're doing alright!
| The Road Trip - Asp ExplorerOld Faithful. A great all round Rat Ship, when you're not doing Robigo that is. Top Speed: 250 (340)
Fuel Capacity: 32t
Cargo Capacity: 48t
Maximum range: 36.43LY
Unladen range: 33.73LY
Fully laden range: 29.82LY Coriolis Build |
| The Rat King - AnacondaOK, now you're just showing off... At least it isn’t gold. Top Speed:180 (240)
Fuel Capacity: 32t
Cargo Capacity: 320t
Maximum range: 33.91LY
Unladen range: 32.69LY
Fully laden range: 22.14LY Coriolis Build
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| The Diamond in the Rough - Diamondback ExplorerWhen you want something simple and functional and to look cool while you’re ratting. Top Speed: 258 (338)
Fuel Capacity: 32t
Cargo Capacity: 16t
Maximum range: 40.57LY
Unladen range: 37.26LY
Fully laden range: 35.54LY Coriolis Build |
| The Soccer Mom - HaulerCheap and functional, not a bad rat ship if you can block out the giggling clients. Speed: 200 (300)
Fuel Capacity: 8t
Cargo Capacity: 8t
Maximum Range: 34.34LY
Unladen range: 26.16LY
Fully laden range: 20.62LY Coriolis Build |
| The Usain Bolt - Cobra Mk IIIQuick and nimble. Your clients will wonder what that blur was. Top Speed: 290 (415)
Fuel Capacity: 16t
Cargo Capacity: 20t
Maximum range: 27.20LY
Unladen range: 25.63LY
Fully laden range: 23.55LY Coriolis Build |
| The Dad - T6 TransporterFill your bathtub with fuel, this can ONLY end well. Top Speed: 230 (366)
Fuel Capacity: 16t
Cargo Capacity: 80t
Maximum range: 31.49LY
Unladen range: 29.41LY
Fully laden range: 20.91LY Coriolis Build |
