I am currently playing at rank 6, and i would like to try out a rank 6 engineer - but i don’t know should i go for Alligator-M or Hydra 2?
Can you more experienced pilots please share your opinion and knowledge about these two ships, in as much detail as possible?
Thank you for helping 
Hydra 2, Alligator is not yet mobile enough to compensate for lack of any tanking, at least Hydra can tank a little bit. Bonus is that will let you go for Styx (Best T3 FREE engineer, Valor is prety good but cost real moneys)
Hydra 2 all the way. What makes Fed engies good is their speed, but without Energy Emitter you wont afterburn much, so Hydra 2 will just make 100 times better.
I am currently playing at rank 6, and i would like to try out a rank 6 engineer - but i don’t know should i go for Alligator-M or Hydra 2?
Can you more experienced pilots please share your opinion and knowledge about these two ships, in as much detail as possible?
Thank you for helping
The Hydra 2 -> Styx link was added explicitly because players wanted to stop grinding LRF’s. I was one of the people asking.
Styx is probably universally agreed to be OP, except by the devs. I had an elite Anaconda but I wanted the Styx.
You want the Hydra 2.
I agree with xKostyan and residente. Alligator was my my go-to until I found the Hydra 2.
ALWAYS choose Empire ships. Dont ever doubt it.
ALWAYS choose Empire ships. Dont ever doubt it.
Until the devs finally nerf hull tanking like they’re “looking into it.”
Until the devs finally nerf hull tanking like they’re “looking into it.”
Yes, probably in 2017.
So it is all about the extra ~2000 hull that a Hydra 2 has more than the Alligator M?
So it is all about the extra ~2000 hull that a Hydra 2 has more than the Alligator M?
It’s around 8k if you fet them with the same modules.
The Alligator has a shield + hull slot, the Hydra only a hull slot, so overall you get higher resistances on the Alligator, just less raw hitpoints. They are both very viable.
Personally if you go for only one of them I’d go Alligator because it opens up a lot of fun engineers and guards down the line. Ideally get both because the two engineer lines are so very different in play style, in particular once you reach tier 3.
I have enjoyed Alligator more, due to highier rotate speed and speed over all. Hydra is durable, but brick.
My rule in combat is always to focus fire Federation Engineers first because they die so much easier. If you want to stay alive, fly Empire.
JPHack would have flown a Fed engie like an inty. But like what Residente said, the Alligator-M isn’t mobile enough thanks to the energy issues that plague all T2 ships. So stick with the Hydra 2 if you want to not die.
Come T3, and it’s time to make the decision all over again. I have a Styx and I might pick up an Anaconda.
I have a Styx and I might pick up an Anaconda.
You should, the Styx is boring, the Anaconda is much fun!
Now reading this i question myself again. Once i flew Emp Recons and Fed Engies (simply because they are the mainline), before i really considered factional differences. Then i switched around, because Recons have to be fast, so started leveling that, and Emp Engies are tough and heal for more, so started that line too. Now I’m not sure about the Engie line, at Styx I started to remember how fun it was to chase ships with my fast and furious Fed Engies…
What do you mean by “Emp Engies heal for more”?
As far as i can see both engineer frigates have identical healing modules?
What do you mean by “Emp Engies heal for more”?
As far as i can see both engineer frigates have identical healing modules?
The Styx has a +20% ship bonus. The feds only get that on the rank 12 engineer (and on the rank 2 but lol), the imperial engineers again with the Naga at rank 14.