Cobra Mk IVMultipurpose

The Cobra Mk IV is the Mk III's bigger, heavier cousin: it adds a hardpoint (five total), more optional internals and a larger ~92-tonne hold, making it the more capable Cobra on paper. It fights a touch harder, hauls noticeably more, and carries a fuller kit for any role — a sturdier, more practical do-everything small ship.

The catch is what it gave up: the Mk III's signature speed and razor agility. The Mk IV is slower and heavier, and for many that lost the Cobra magic — it's the practical Cobra, not the joyful one. Still, for a commander who wants the Cobra's cheap versatility with more hardpoints and cargo, and doesn't mind the slower pace, the Mk IV is a sensible, capable little all-rounder that quietly out-carries its famous sibling.

Four things make the Cobra Mk IV a practical all-rounder:

• Five hardpoints. One more than the Mk III — a touch more firepower for combat and defence.
• More internals and cargo. Ten optionals and a ~92-tonne hold — it out-carries the Mk III by half again.
• Sturdier. A heavier, more robust frame than its lighter sibling.
• Cheap and lands anywhere. Under 625k credits on a small pad — accessible practical versatility.

Ten optional internals, a ~92t hold and five hardpoints make it the most capacious cheap small all-rounder, but lost speed, light shields and only two utilities cap it at mid-field.

The 70/100 headline is a verdict against the multipurpose role's priority-ordered factors. Each factor carries a weight (its share of 100); this hull earns part of each based on how it performs against the whole field. The points sum to the rating.

Both tables rate ships for multipurpose use — versatility across combat, trade, exploration and more. The role column is the maximum cargo capacity in tonnes as one measure of capacity; versatility is judged across all roles.

Same class — small all-rounders

Among small all-rounders the Cobra Mk IV is the practical, capacious one. The Mk III is faster and more fun, the Mk V is the modern upgrade in every way — so the Mk IV is a niche pick for those who specifically want more Cobra cargo and guns without paying for a Mk V.

Other classes — the better all-rounders

The Cobra Mk V is simply the better modern small all-rounder, and the mediums outclass everything small. The Mk IV's narrow appeal is more cargo and a hardpoint over the Mk III, cheaply — a practical choice for a specific taste, not a standout.

At ~623k Cr the Cobra Mk IV is cheap, with no rank gate, and a full multirole fit stays around 6M Cr all-in — a practical, capacious small all-rounder for little money.

It's a niche value pick: more cargo and guns than the Mk III for a bit more, but the modern Mk V is the better all-round small ship if budget allows. The Mk IV suits a commander who specifically wants the extra Cobra capacity at the lowest price.

A practical, capacious multirole fit. Initial is buy-only; A-rated is the multirole baseline; Engineered makes a sturdy, well-armed little do-everything ship.

Buy the hull (~623k Cr); the buy-only baseline is just its stock kit — the free Lightweight Alloy bulkhead, E-rated core internals (4E plant, thrusters and FSD; 3E life support, distributor and sensors), the stock 4C fuel tank, and a single 4E cargo rack for a starter hold.

The five hardpoints, both utility mounts, the bi-weave shield and the rest of the optionals come empty at this stage — fit them in the A-rated pass once credits allow.

A-rate the core internals first — they serve every role; then swap optionals (cargo, surface scanner, role kit) to re-role as you like.

A-rating priority for a practical all-rounder:

• 1Core internals → A — 4A plant, thrusters and FSD plus a 3A distributor serve every role; D-rate life support and sensors (3D) to save mass. Leave the hull on Lightweight Alloy — a multipurpose stays light, not armoured. ~1.5M Cr
• 2Shield Generator → 4C bi-weave — Survivability across all roles. ~600k Cr
• 3Weapons — A balanced gimballed set across five mounts: 2F multi-cannon and 2F pulse, plus two 1G multi-cannons and a 1G pulse. ~800k Cr
• 4Utilities & defence — 0A shield booster and 0I heat sink, a 3A shield cell bank and a 2D hull reinforcement. ~500k Cr
• 5Role optionals — Cargo racks and a 1I surface scanner to swap. The scanner ships stock — the DSS has no engineering recipes. cheap

The house all-rounder engineering pattern. Felicity Farseer (maxed) carries the FSD; pin blueprints for remote G1→G5 application.

Recommended order

• 1Overcharged plant and Dirty thrusters to recover some of the lost pace.
• 2Increased-Range FSD for travel and exploration.
• 3Bi-weave shield and a booster for survivability.
• 4Engineer the five guns — Overcharged multi-cannons, Efficient pulse lasers; do it once and reuse across swaps.

Approximate progression across the three states (figures are representative, not exact rolls):

Engineered, the Cobra Mk IV hauls ~92t, fights across five mounts and explores ~50 LY. The hull stays on Lightweight Alloy but Heavy Duty G5 plus Deep Plating roughly doubles effective armour to ~540 — more capacious, better-armed and tougher than the Mk III, but slower and heavier. A practical small all-rounder; the Mk III is more fun and the Mk V simply better.

• It out-carries and out-guns the Mk III but lost its speed and agility — that trade is the whole story.
• The modern Cobra Mk V is the better small all-rounder if budget allows.
• Lean on the extra cargo and hardpoints — that's its edge over the Mk III.
• A niche, practical pick rather than a standout — choose it for capacity at the lowest price.