Imperial ClipperTrading

The Imperial Clipper trades cargo capacity for sheer speed. At ~250 tonnes its hold is modest for a large ship — less than the medium Type-8 — but it boosts to nearly 390 m/s, the fastest of any large hull, so it covers routes quickly and simply outruns the pirates that force slower freighters to stand and fight.

It's also cheap (~21M Cr) and gated only by a low Imperial rank. Its quirks are real: the modest hold, and a large-pad-only footprint despite medium-ship agility, so it can't use outposts. But as a fast, affordable, good-looking freighter that makes trading feel quick and stays out of pirates' clutches, the Clipper has a loyal following — and it pairs naturally with an Imperial-rank journey.

Four things make the Clipper a fine speed-trader:

• Unmatched speed. The fastest large ship in the game — covers routes quickly and outruns pirates other freighters must fight.
• Decent hold. ~250 tonnes is enough to earn well, even if it trails the dedicated freighters.
• Cheap and low-rank. Under 21M credits, gated only by Imperial Baron — an affordable, accessible large hauler.
• Agile for its size. It handles like a heavy medium, making stations and supercruise easy.

The fastest large hull (388 boost, ~460 engineered) at ~21M Cr on Baron rank, but ~250 t — below the medium Type-8's ~406 t — caps it as a speed-trader, not a bulk hauler.

The 74/100 headline is a verdict against the trading 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.

Every table rates ships for trading specifically, split by landing-pad class. The Max cargo column is maximum cargo tonnage behind a shield; the rating is the same 1–100 suitability verdict used across the site.

Same class — large trading ships

10 large-pad trading hulls carry a rating, led by Panther Clipper Mk II (98). Every same-pad rival lands where this one does — the direct field to shop.

Other classes — the medium haulers

The medium-pad trading field (9 rated), led by Type-8 Transporter (76) — cheaper hulls and tighter pads. They undercut this hull on the numbers, but sit a pad class away.

Other classes — the small-pad haulers

The small-pad trading field (5 rated), led by Cobra Mk IV (52) — cheaper hulls and tighter pads. They undercut this hull on the numbers, but sit a pad class away.

At ~21.1M Cr the Clipper is cheap for a large ship, gated only by the modest Imperial Baron rank. A trade fit needs little engineering, keeping the all-in cost under 40M Cr.

It pairs naturally with your Imperial-rank journey — the same grind toward Squire and the Achenar permit passes the Baron rank it needs — making it a fast, stylish trader you may unlock along the way, and a fine cheap large hauler to bridge toward a Cutter.

A fast trade fit that keeps a defensive shield. Initial is buy-only; A-Rated is the trade baseline; Engineered preserves the Clipper's signature speed — A-rate and engineer the drives first so the ship outruns interdiction with its cargo intact.

Earn Baron, buy the hull (~21M Cr), and fill the large optional slots with cargo racks (Size 7, Size 6 and a Size 4) plus one 4C Bi-Weave Shield Generator in the other Size 4 for a buffer.

Armour stays the stock Lightweight Alloy bulkheads — a speed-trader never pays the mass penalty of military plate, so there is nothing to buy here.

Mount a single 0E Shield Booster on the first utility; leave the other three utility mounts and the smaller internal slots (Size 3 down to Size 1) empty until you can afford to fill them.

Cores stay stock E-rate at this stage — A-rate thrusters first to preserve the speed advantage.

A-rating priority for a speed-trader:

• 1Thrusters → 6A — Speed is the Clipper's whole edge; A-rate first. ~4M Cr
• 2FSD → 5A — Laden jump range for route efficiency. ~4M Cr
• 3Power Plant → 6A — Power for shields and modules. ~4M Cr
• 4Power Distributor → 6A — Sustain boost to keep escaping. ~3M Cr
• 5Shield boosters → 0A — Add a second booster and A-rate both, then back the bi-weave with a 2A Shield Cell Bank — a buffer that holds long enough to reach a jump. ~1M Cr
• 6Guardian FSD Booster (1H) — Drop a Guardian booster in the Size 1 for +4 LY of jump range to stretch every trade hop. Guardian modules take no engineering. If the mats are out of reach, leave the slot empty — never carry a surface scanner on a hauler. mats only

The trading engineering pattern weighted to speed. Felicity Farseer (maxed) carries the FSD; pin blueprints for remote G1→G5 application.

Recommended order

• 1Thrusters first — the Clipper's speed is its identity and its defence.
• 2FSD Increased Range for route efficiency.
• 3Bi-weave buffer and boosters for the seconds before you escape.
• 4Fill the rest with cargo racks.

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

Engineered, the Clipper hauls ~250t at over 450 m/s, and the Guardian FSD Booster stretches laden jumps near ~38 LY — it makes routes quick and shrugs off interdiction by simply leaving. Bulkheads stay Lightweight Alloy so survivability is escape-based, not armour-based. Its hold trails every dedicated freighter; its speed and style are the reason to fly it.

• Speed is everything — A-rate thrusters and outrun pirates rather than fighting them.
• Its hold is modest; for tonnage, even a medium Type-8 carries more.
• Mind the large-pad-only footprint despite medium-ship handling.
• A fine fast, cheap trader to fly while grinding Imperial rank toward a Cutter.