Krait PhantomPassenger

The Krait Phantom is an explorer first and a passenger ship second, but the same traits that make it a fine deep-space hull — a strong FSD on a light airframe, nine optional internals and a medium pad — let it run sightseeing tours capably. Fill its optionals with cabins and it carries up to ~94 economy berths, keeps a useful loaded jump range, and lands at the vast majority of stations and outposts the large liners are locked out of. For commanders who already own a Phantom, a cabin set turns it into a passenger ship at minimal extra cost.

The limits are real, though. It's a Faulcon DeLacy hull, so it earns no liner comfort bonus — passengers pay standard rates, not the premiums a Beluga, Orca or Lynx commands. Its biggest optional is only class 6, so the cabin suite is shallow next to a dedicated liner's, and a single class-6 first or luxury cabin caps the VIP capacity it can take. As a passenger ship it's the cheap, pad-flexible option for shorter sightseeing circuits — not the high-earning specialist.

Four things make the Phantom a workable passenger hull:

• Medium-pad access. Lands at the vast majority of stations and outposts — reaches sightseeing destinations the large liners physically can't dock at.
• Decent loaded range. Even full of cabins it keeps a useful jump range, so circuits with scattered drop-offs stay quick.
• Low cost of entry. At ~35.7M Cr the hull is far cheaper than any dedicated liner — and free of the rank gate the Imperial liners impose.
• Re-roles instantly. The same hull is your explorer or multipurpose ship; swap cabins for a scoop or cargo at a station.

A budget medium sightseer leading on best-in-class loaded range (~42 LY) and pad/cost flexibility, held to mid-pack by no comfort bonus and a shallow class-6 cabin ceiling.

The 64/100 headline is a verdict against the passenger 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 passenger work specifically. The role column is the maximum economy passenger capacity — but note that the dedicated liners also earn a comfort bonus (more profit per seat) the Phantom does not, while the Phantom lands on medium pads most of them can't use.

Same class — medium passenger ships

Among the mediums the Phantom carries the most economy berths and the best loaded range — but the Lynx Highliner out-earns it through the comfort bonus and a purpose-built cabin layout, which is why it rates higher despite similar capacity. The Phantom's wins over the Python and Asp are cabin depth and reach; none of the three is a true liner.

Other classes — the dedicated and budget options

The dedicated liners out-earn the Phantom per seat and the large ships out-berth it wholesale; the Dolphin matches its pad-anywhere flexibility with a comfort bonus on a far cheaper hull. The Phantom's distinct slot is the medium-pad commander who wants more berths and range than an Asp or Python without paying for a liner — it ties the rank-gated Imperial Clipper and clears the slow Type-7. A respectable mid-pack pick, not a podium one.

At ~35.7M Cr the hull is a real purchase but a fraction of a dedicated liner, and no rank or permit gates it. Cabins are cheap relative to the rest of the fit, so an A-rated sightseeing suite — maxed FSD, a shield and a cabin mix — lands around ~50M Cr all-in, with a light ~1.8M rebuy. That low rebuy makes it far more forgiving to fly into pirate-threatened tourist systems than a 150M+ liner.

The clinching argument is shared cost: the cabins swap out for a fuel scoop, scanner or cargo racks at any station, so the Phantom you already own as an explorer or trader becomes a passenger ship for the price of a cabin set. For a part-time tourist runner that's by far the cheapest way in.

A medium sightseeing fit — an economy-led cabin suite, a protective shield and a high-range FSD, hardpoints left clean. Initial is buy-only; A-rated is the passenger baseline; Engineered maximises loaded range and keeps the cabins safe. Drop the shield into a cabin slot for the absolute-max ~94-berth board on safe routes.

Buy the hull and fit an economy cabin suite — the class-6 and class-5 berths first for bulk seats.

Keep the stock Lightweight Alloy bulkhead (free, and the lightest hull there is), a shield generator and a shield booster, and add a heat sink for safe re-entry and landings.

A-rate the FSD and thrusters first to protect the loaded jump range that lets it work scattered boards.

A-rating priority for a medium sightseeing hull:

• 1FSD → 5A — Loaded range keeps scattered drop-offs quick; the defining stat. ~6M Cr
• 2Cabin suite — The payload; an economy-led mix fills the deep optionals. varies
• 3Shield Generator → 5C bi-weave — Passenger safety on threatened tourist routes. ~3M Cr
• 4Thrusters → 6A — Mobility for the loaded hull and quick station turnarounds. ~4M Cr
• 5Power Plant → 7A — Headroom for cabins, shield and modules. ~4M Cr
• 6Fuel Scoop → 3A — Self-fuels between distant beacons; takes one class-3 cabin slot. ~200k Cr

The passenger engineering pattern, range-weighted. Felicity Farseer (maxed) carries the FSD; pin blueprints for remote G1→G5 application.

Recommended order

• 1FSD Increased Range first — keep the loaded hull's reach so it works scattered boards; add a Guardian booster if a slot allows.
• 2Dirty thrusters to move the loaded hull and turn stations quickly.
• 3Bi-weave shield and Heavy-Duty boosters for passenger safety on threatened routes.
• 4Cabins aren't engineered — just fit the right classes for the board.

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

Engineered, the Phantom carries a shielded ~74-berth board (up to ~90 stripped of its shield) and still jumps ~42 LY loaded — the stock Lightweight Alloy hull, engineered Lightweight, keeps that range intact rather than trading it for armour. A 3A scoop lets it self-fuel between distant tourist beacons without a tender, and Super Conduits on the distributor keep the engine pool topped for repeated escape boosts if a route turns hostile. It lands on the medium pads the liners can't use, earns standard rates — no comfort bonus — and carries far fewer seats than a large liner, so it never tops the per-trip ledger. Its place is the cheap, flexible sightseer, not the high earner.

• A-rate and engineer the FSD first — loaded range is what keeps the Phantom working scattered boards.
• There's no liner comfort bonus — it earns standard rates, so lean on volume, low cost and pad flexibility, not per-seat profit.
• Its biggest cabin is class 6 — you can take one large first or luxury suite for VIP fares, not a deep premium board.
• Keep a shield and point defence on threatened tourist systems; the light rebuy still makes risky routes forgiving.
• Swap the cabins for a scoop or cargo racks and the same hull changes roles — it has those manuals too.