It's been long enough since the Mandalay first took off in Elite Dangerous for our community of veteran CMDRs to take it through its paces, and it's quickly become a favourite for exploring the cosmos thanks to its stellar jump range. Whether you're already a fan of the ship or are looking to try it out, Just About’s community of expert players has answered our call and put together some builds for all occasions.
While the Mandalay is an exploration ship first and foremost - and we have certainly got an excellent exploration build - our Elite Dangerous players have not been content to leave it at that, and we've got a couple of combat-focused builds on offer, though they are not for the novice spacefarer! With that in mind, let’s get our first build.
Exploration build
The Mandalay is a pretty flexible ship, but it’s most optimally suited to exploration, so it's no surprise that some of its most exciting builds are those that look to squeeze out every drop of its potential in this activity. Matt G has put together this highly detailed build to create a ship that can jump 80LY+ but doesn't skimp on armour, thrusters, and more.
Hardpoints
None (“this is an explorer”, as Matt notes)
Core modules
1C lightweight alloy, engineered to grade 5 heavy duty with deep plating
2A power plant, engineered with grade 5 overcharged with thermal spread
4D thrusters, engineered with dirty tuning to grade 5 with drag drives experimental effect
5A frame shift drive (SCO), engineered with increased range to grade 5 with mass manager experimental effect
4D life support, engineered with grade 5 lightweight to maximise jump range
3D power distributor, engineered with grade 5 engine focus and cluster capacitors for two boosts
5D sensors, with grade 5 lightweight to increase jump range
5C fuel tank
Utility mounts
(Optional) 0E shield booster with grade 5 heavy duty and super capacitors, if you want more stronger shields
Optional modules
6A fuel scoop
5H guardian frame shift drive booster, the biggest available for the Mandalay with a 10.5LY jump range
4D shield generator, engineered with grade 5 reinforced and hi-cap experimental
4A auto field-maintenance unit, powered down until required
2G planetary vehicle hangar, to do exobiology on planet surfaces
1E supercruise assist (optional, but doesn't impact jump range)
1E advanced docking computer, doesn't impact jump range
1I detailed surface scanner, provides +40% probe radius
2x 3A auto field-maintenance unit, powered down until required
If there are a couple of choices in this build that seem counter-intuitive, don’t worry, Matt’s thought it all through. “Normally, Overcharged is not a great choice on an exploration ship because of the added heat,” acknowledges Matt, in respect of his power plant. “But the Mandalay runs so cool that it can run Overcharged and still won't hit over 58% heat even with SCO engaged. I put Thermal Spread on because it helps mitigate some of the Overcharged heat - but actually you can throw Monstered on it instead if you need extra power and it still won't come close to overheating.”
Matt has chosen his thrusters very carefully, ensuring that you'll get good bang for your buck without losing out on jump range. "These are the lightest thrusters it can use," Matt explains, on the 4D thrusters, "and I engineered them with Dirty Tuning to grade 5 with Drag Drives experimental effect. This just gives it some extra speed - it'll hit over 340m/s at full speed and just touch 500m/s when boosting - more than enough for an explorer."
Since, according to Matt, there is "no point in fast recharge for explorers", he's opted for the 4D shield generator as another compromise between weight and power. "You want the most powerful shields that protect your ship for the least amount of weight", he explains. "These will protect the ship in a full-speed impact, and even when boosting at 500m/s the ship will survive - in my tests, the shields would be wiped out at 500m/s with just 1-2% damage to the hull."
CMDR I.N.K.V.I has taken things a bit further and has gone all out on the jump range, removing all optional modules except the 6A fuel scoop and 5H guardian frame shift drive booster, and swapping in a 4D power plant for a whopping 89LY range. On the flip side, JHenckes has foregone some jump range in favour of better manoeuvrability, with 5A thrusters with dirty drive tuning and drag drives, and a 5D power distributor with charge enhanced providing some extra oomph. If you'd like to see an exploration build in action, RicardosGaming has put together an excellent video outlining their own experimental build to maximise jump range.
AX hunter build
Leaving the realms of exploration far behind, LiquidMorkite has actively chosen to buck the exploration trend in favour of a build that can be used for combat instead. There are a few reasons they've gone for this, such as the four Hardpoints, lots of slots for Optional Modules, fast turns that let you outpace your enemies, as well as the fact it runs cold, which they dub an "essential factor for cold-orbiting AX builds".
Hardpoints
2x 1E beam lasers, engineered with long-range thermal vent
4x modded 2A guardian shard cannons or 4x unmodded guardian gauss cannons
Core modules
1C lightweight alloy, engineered to grade 5 heavy-duty with deep plating (or 1A military grade composite "if you want to be a bit more tanky")
5A power plant, engineered with grade 5 armoured and thermal speed
5A thrusters, engineered with grade 5 dirty tuning and drag drives
5A frame shift drive (SCO)
4D life support, engineered with grade 5 lightweight (can be grade A, if your canopy is breached too much)
5A power distributor, engineered with grade 5 charge enhanced and super conduits
5D sensors, with long range
Utility mounts
Sirius heat sink launcher
Caustic sink launcher
Shutdown field neutraliser
(Optional) Enhanced xeno scanner
Optional modules
5D hull reinforcement package
5D repair limpet controller
4D (guardian) module reinforcement package
4E cargo rack
2x 3D hull reinforcement packages
2A auto field-maintenance unit
2x 1D hull reinforcement packages
1D (guardian) module reinforcement package
The centre of any combat build is, of course, the weaponry, and LiquidMorkite has made great use of the Mandalay's available hardpoints thanks to four guardian weapons supported by a couple of beam lasers. While this is the optional build, not everyone has access to guardian weaponry, but don't worry as LiquidMorkite has a backup: "If you don't have [guardian weapons] unlocked yet, you might run multicannons that would be useful killing scouts and cyclops interceptors."
LiquidMorkite has also opted to make use of the plentiful optional slots on offer to seriously buff the Mandalay's defences, stating simply that "better hull from hull reinforcement packages, [means a] better chance to survive." If you're near a port where you can repair, you can buff your defences even more, replacing your 5D repair limpets, 4E cargo rack and 2A AFM with a 5D, 4D and 2D HRP respectively.
If, despite all that armour, you still find yourself in a pickle, this build gives you plenty of speed to beat a hasty retreat. Your 5A thrusters with dirty tuning and drag drives can propel you up to 560m/s, letting you outpace an interceptor. All in all, it's not too shabby for an 'exploration ship'.
Solo interceptor build
Staying with the combat-focused Mandalay builds, Xernoxious has come up with the Hyperion, a build made especially to take down Interceptors alone. Understandably, this isn't going to be a build for new players, something that Xernoxious is open about from the start, for two reasons: "It is a shieldless build", Xernoxious explains, adding that "It is also flakless so flying with FAOFF is highly recommended."
Hardpoints
2x 2B guardian gauss cannon
2x 1D guardian gauss cannon
2x 2D beam laser, engineered with long range and thermal vent
Core modules
1A military grade composite, engineered with grade 5 heavy duty and deep plating
5A power planet, engineered with grade 5 armoured and thermal spread
5A thrusters, engineered with grade 5 dirty tuning and drag drives
5A frame shift drive (SCO), with increased range and mass manager
4D life support, engineered with grade 5 lightweight
5A power distributor, with charge enhanced and super conduits
5D sensors, engineered with grade 5 lightweight
Utility mounts
4x sirius heat sink launcher
Optional modules
5D module reinforcement package
5D repair limpet controller
2x 4D hull reinforcement package, with heavy duty and deep plating
3E cargo rack
3D hull reinforcement package, with heavy duty and deep plating
2D hull reinforcement package, with heavy duty and deep playing
1B auto field-maintenance unit
2x 1D module reinforcement packages
Since this build is shieldless, you naturally want to avoid taking any hits, which is why Xernoxious states that in a battle with an interceptor, "it relies on cold orbiting to avoid taking damage from the interceptor's main cannon." However, you can't dodge everything, which is why this build is armoured up to high heaven with multiple hull reinforcement packages, all engineered with heavy duty and deep playing, as well as a couple of module reinforcement packages to boot.
However, this build can fire back hard on the offence thanks to its six hardpoints. Due to the small power distributor, Xernoxious has opted for two small and two medium guardian gauss cannons, but this also has an added benefit: "the convergence is better when set up this way", they explain. "This makes sniping hearts easier." Strong as they are, that small power distributor does mean you'll need to lower your FSD's priority whenever your hardpoints are deployed.
The 'a bit of everything' build
As should be obvious from the variety of builds above, the Mandalay is a bit of a jack of all trades and can be tweaked to go in any direction. Alternatively, you could make use of its rounded nature like jnTracks has, and create a build that can do a bit of everything, but is especially good
Hardpoints
2x 1G pulse lasers, engineered with rapid fire
4x 2D cannons, engineered with short range for high damage
Core modules
1C lightweight armour
5A power plant, engineered with armoured and thermal spread
5A thrusters
5A frame shrift driver (SCO)
4D life support
5A power distributor
5D sensors
5C fuel tank
Utility mounts
Sirius heat sink launcher
3x OD shield booster
Optional modules
6E cargo rack
5C bi-weave shield, engineered with thermal resist
4A fuel scoop
4H guardian frame shift drive booster
3C operations limpet controller
2x 2D module reinforcement packages
2x 1D hull reinforcement packages
1A auto field-maintenance unit
If it looks like this build is pretty standard, that's because it is, with jnTracks themselves describing it as their "standard quick combat setup". Starting with the hardpoints, we've got a combination of pulse lasers and cannons. The pulse lasers come with rapid fire, which jnTracks describes as "a bit of a sleeper mod" thanks to it dealing good damage for less distributor energy than a beam laser. Our cannons are short range since, while they do great damage, they don't tend to hit much beyond a certain range anyway.
One interesting choice in this build is the use of a bi-weave shield, which jnTracks uses lo-draw for more savings on distributor draw. It might not look like it on paper," they explain, "but this is ALWAYS the best experimental in real-world use since you'll need that distributor energy for something else in any situation when your shields are charging!"
If this build is a bit too standard for you, jnTracks has a separate "fun" build that they've used to hunt fighters at stronghold carriers. In this build, our hardpoints are completely replaced with four 2B seeker missiles and two 1B seeker missiles, all of which are "modded with high capacity and overload munitions." These are combined with an extra-overcharged 5A power plant, and a 5A prismatic shield with the reinforced mod, and the cargo rack has been swapped out for a 6A shield cell bank for extra defences. "For a skilled combat pilot, the shield and banks will keep you alive long enough to spend your ordinance on the insane cloud of SLFs the stronghold will launch at you."
To admire this beautiful ship in action, prepare to drool over our Mandalay images and videos, and to get inspired for new adventures in its most-suited activity, check out these day-in-the-life video diaries from Elite Dangerous explorers. Which Mandalay build will you be running first? Do you think you could make a better one? Let us know in the comments below!
Some text has been edited for brevity, clarity, spelling, punctuation, and grammar. You can find the original wording for all submissions here. Image credit: Frontier Developments, Ilyssoll, Kralone, and Moonshade Gaming.
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