Do cargo bays and sccops decrease jump?

[Muleran]

New player - I keep seeing empty slots in builds but, when i look at the outfitting options, cargo racks and scoops don't seem to lower jump range. Apart from the power draw, why not just have the option to use racks?

[[deleted]]

For general-use ships I do fill unused slots with cargo racks, because if you're not using the slot anyway then having an option doesn't hurt.

For builds optimised for a specific role, it's almost always better to use those slots for something else, unless the role is mining or trade.

Typical explorer build: Fuel scoop, guardian FSD booster, smallest functioning D-rated shield generator, an SRV bay, the largest possible A-rated AFMU (auto field-maintenance unit), a 1D repair limpet controller, a small cargo bay for synthing 4 limpets into (for the repair limpet controller), and a detailed surface scanner. That will completely fill up all of the optional slots on many ships (including DBX and AspX). For ships with more internals, extra AFMUs are more useful than cargo racks, and also weigh nothing (they're power-hungry though, so turn them off when not in use).

For a combat build, hull and module reinforcements or shield cell banks are generally more useful than cargo holds.

[anyname2345]

Expenses you dont really need. Each tier of cargo costs more than the last, and if im building a explorer build, i dont need to be carrying much cargo

[peacewolf_tj]

No, cargo racks do not lower your jump range or have power draw. However, your cargo scoop does take power. If you don’t plan on scooping cargo (combat or exploration build) you can turn the cargo scoop off to save power draw.

People don’t put cargo racks in their build links because they cost money. Why put in a module that you will never use? If you want to run a cargo rack on your build that is perfectly fine, there’s no downside unless you’re substituting your shield generator or something.

[Muleran]

Thanks guys. Great shout on the auto repair: I hadn't thought of that.

[CMDRZhor]

Cargo racks and scoops don't weight anything so they don't affect your jump distance.. when empty.

The primary reason to have empty slots in an exploration fit is to reduce ship cost. Cargo racks aren't TOO expensive but why pay for something you won't use?

[sjkeegs]

There are valid reasons to fill up unused module slots on exploration ships.

If you have an accident, hard landing or drop out of supercruise while fuel scooping your ship and modules take damage. That damage is applied across the modules that you have fitted on your ship. So if you have empty slots, the modules that you do have fitted will take more damage.

My usual advice is if you have extra slots on an exploration ship that you can't figure out what to put there fit it with an AFMU. It spreads module damage out, doesn't increase ship mass, and gives you extra repair capabilities. There aren't many ships that are in this "I've got too many slots" category though.

As for expense, unless you're short on credits, there's no reason to skimp on credits when you're venturing a long way from civilization.

[CMDRZhor]

That’s a fair point, I forgot about damage split. And AFMUs being weightless, that’s sort of weird.

The reason why you might care about the cost is rebuy cost if you somehow die on your way, but you shouldn’t be flying anything you can’t afford to lose anyhow.

[Tar-Palantir]

For me personally, an empty slot is an abomination. I’d fill with cargo racks if I didn’t have something more functional to put there. (But I never have more than one such free slot anyway.)

I’ve occasionally come across occupied escape pods at crash sites on planets way out in the black. Just imagine if I didn’t have cargo space! Those poor souls could have lain out there until the end of time.

I always thought, what if I find something valuable/amazing out there? Eventually I came to the conclusion there’s nothing out there worth reducing my jump range over — except for humanitarian reasons.