Quick answer: The Anaconda Mk II is Faulcon DeLacy’s new large multirole ship for Elite Dangerous. It has 7 hardpoints (1 huge, 4 large, 2 small), a Class 8 Frame Shift Drive, 8 utility mounts, up to 750 tonnes of cargo and a large landing pad requirement. On the test server the standard version costs just over 337 million credits at Shinrarta Dezhra. Frontier says it will be the anchor for future large ships in the game.
Right then Commanders. Frontier have finally done it. The old faithful Anaconda has a big brother, and it’s not just a new coat of paint on a ship we’ve all been flying for the best part of a decade. I took the Anaconda Mk II out on the test server, went through the shipyard, outfitting, liveries, the cockpit and the flight model, and this is everything I found. If you’d rather watch than read, the full video is above.
What is the Anaconda Mk II in Elite Dangerous?
The Anaconda Mk II is a large Faulcon DeLacy multirole ship. Frontier are positioning it as a new benchmark for large ships. It’s built to be very good at almost everything without replacing the specialists that already own their roles.
Frontier have been clear on where it sits. It won’t out-jump the Caspian and it won’t out-trade the Panther Clipper. But it trades better than the Caspian and jumps better than the Panther. Jack of all trades, master of none, and in Elite that’s often exactly the ship you want parked in your fleet.
It keeps that long snake-like nose from the Mk I, although from some angles it looks a bit Corvette-ish to me. Put the two side by side in the shipyard and there’s more than a passing resemblance.
How much does the Anaconda Mk II cost?
On the test server, the standard Anaconda Mk II came in at just over 337 million credits. That was at Shinrarta Dezhra with the Elite discount applied, so expect to pay a bit more elsewhere.
Like the other recent ships, there are three versions:
- Standard – the bare minimum. E-rated modules and the base paint job.
- Stellar – A-rated loadout plus extra liveries.
- Galactic – the lot. Everything in Stellar plus the ship kit and the holo kit.
Stellar and Galactic come with the same modules. Nothing in either pack is something you can’t already get in game, so this isn’t pay to win. It’s paint, kits and early access.
Standard vs Stellar vs Galactic: what’s the difference?
| Standard | Stellar | Galactic | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Modules | Bare minimum, E-rated | A-rated pre-built loadout | Same loadout as Stellar |
| Jump range (unladen, test server) | 20.48 ly | Around 27.4 ly | Around 27.4 ly |
| Extra liveries | No | Yes | Yes, everything in Stellar |
| Ship kit and holo kit | No | No | Yes |
So the real choice is simple. If you just want the hull and you’re happy to build it yourself, the standard version does the job. If you want early access, the paint and the kit, you’re looking at Stellar or Galactic. Either way the modules are the same as you’d find in game, and the jump range gap is all down to that A-rated FSD and power plant.
What are the Anaconda Mk II hardpoints and internals?
| Spec | Anaconda Mk II |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Faulcon DeLacy |
| Hardpoints | 7 (1 huge, 4 large, 2 small, no medium) |
| Utility mounts | 8 |
| Frame Shift Drive | Class 8 |
| Max cargo | 750 tonnes |
| Landing pad | Large |
| Crew seats | 3 (multicrew) |
| Hangars | Vessel bay compatible |
| Price (standard, test server) | Just over 337 million credits |
That’s one hardpoint fewer than the Mk I, and you’ll notice there are no medium slots at all. What you lose in hardpoints you gain elsewhere. The Frame Shift Drive goes up from Class 7 to Class 8, there’s a Class 8 internal for cargo, and it supports the new Mk II modules, a Mining Optimised Hardpoint and Ablative Armour. Bung a Class 7 shield on it and you’ll be laughing.
The huge hardpoint sits forward on the nose and is the one everyone is going to be talking about. The two small hardpoints are tucked down underneath. If it were mine, I’d stick turrets on those two.
What loadout comes with the Stellar and Galactic versions?
The pre-built Stellar and Galactic ships are kitted out like warships. Here’s what’s fitted:
- Multicannon in the huge hardpoint
- 3E pulse lasers, plus a 4C multicannon
- 1A Mk II ablative military grade armour
- A-rated power plant
- A-rated Frame Shift Drive with SCO
- 6 shield boosters, a point defence and a heat sink launcher
- 7A fuel scoop and 7A multi limpet controller
- Vessel hangar and Mk II large planetary vehicle hangar
- Hull reinforcement packages
- Mk II cargo rack holding 96 tonnes
- Advanced docking computer
Multicannons and pulse lasers means this thing can shoot all day. Some of this you’ll rip straight out. Remember a bought ship comes with zero rebuy. Once you start swapping modules, your rebuy goes up. My advice if you want early access: buy one, then buy a standard version as well and build it how you like.
What can you fit in the Anaconda Mk II outfitting?
Once I deployed the ship and went into outfitting, the first thing that hits you is the size of it. It’s massive. In the optional internals you’ve got an empty Mk II storage compartment, and you can get a good Class 6 in there. There are military compartments too, which is good news for anyone planning a combat build. Rip out what you don’t want and put in what you will.
On the weapons side, you’ve got the four large hardpoints and that huge hardpoint right at the front. It’s going to be really interesting to see what the community does with that big gun right in the middle of the nose. With a Class 8 internal for cargo and Mk II module support, you can load this thing up with a decent amount of cargo and still keep it protected.
Who is the Anaconda Mk II for?
Combat, exploration, mining, trading. It’s built to have a go at all of them. If you’re the kind of Commander who flies one ship for everything and doesn’t want to keep swapping between specialists, this is the one to look at. If you live and breathe one role, the specialist ships still win at their own game, and Frontier have said as much. For everyone in between, the Mk II looks like the ship you take out when you don’t yet know what the session is going to be.
What is the Anaconda Mk II jump range?
On the test server, the A-rated Stellar and Galactic versions showed around 27.4 light years unladen, dropping to about 25.7 laden. The standard version showed 20.48 light years unladen and 17.88 laden. So the A-rated build gives you roughly seven or eight extra light years before you’ve touched an engineer.
How fast is the Anaconda Mk II?
With all pips to engines, the stock A-rated version hit 189 m/s, and the boost showed up to 248 m/s. Engineering will push that up, obviously. It chunks along like you’d expect a big ship to, but it doesn’t feel like a brick.
What liveries and ship kits are available?
The liveries I had unlocked were:
- Yellow
- Faulcon Copper (probably my favourite, I do like my metallics)
- Faulcon Forest
- Desert
- Arctic
- A snake-themed green
The Galactic version gets you the ship kit. You get prong and barrel options, swept or forward angled wings, and a set of spoilers. The Mk II Zenith spoiler is animated and has a spinning dish on the back. There’s another dish underneath that spins too. For me it’s all about the dish. Just give me a spinning dish and I’m a happy Ricardo. You also get a green holo kit, the Mk II Ember, which is very Tron. It didn’t seem to show properly in the station but looked much better out in space. Not sure if that’s a bug.
One word of warning for the tall Commanders out there. That underside dish sits right by the landing ramp. Mind your head.
What is the Anaconda Mk II cockpit like?
Big. There’s loads of room in there. The pilot seat is now in the centre, following Frontier’s recent design approach, with the two other crew seats off to the right. There’s a stand-up engineering console at the back, plenty of glowing panels, and big fans in the floor. Don’t drop your coffee down there.
Outside you get glowing heat sinks under the hull when she’s running hot, heat dissipators that open up, new landing gear that looks like it’s come off a folding robot, and a launch sound that’s more of an eruption. Good touches. Well done Frontier.
Should you replace your Anaconda Mk I?
I wouldn’t sell it. I’d keep a Mk I in the fleet. The Mk II isn’t as sleek. There’s a lot going on with it, especially with the kit bolted on. But it’s clearly the do-everything ship, the one you’d take out about town when you don’t know what you’ll be doing.
The bigger story is what it says about the future. Frontier say this ship is the foundation for large ships going forward. Does that mean a new Imperial Cutter? A Type-20 to replace the Type-10? No idea yet. But if this is what’s coming out of the art department, I’m all in. I’ve also had a go at the bigger naming question in did Frontier miss its chance to bring back the Boa?
Will I fly one? Of course I will. Will I lament when it gets blown up? Of course I will.
Anaconda Mk II FAQ
How many hardpoints does the Anaconda Mk II have?
Seven: one huge, four large and two small. There are no medium hardpoints. The original Anaconda has eight.
What size FSD does the Anaconda Mk II use?
A Class 8 Frame Shift Drive, up from Class 7 on the original Anaconda.
How much cargo can the Anaconda Mk II carry?
Up to 750 tonnes.
Is the Anaconda Mk II pay to win?
No. The Stellar and Galactic packs give you early access, liveries and kits, but the modules are all things you can get in game.
Is the Anaconda Mk II better than the Caspian or Panther Clipper?
Not at their specialities. Frontier say it won’t out-jump the Caspian or out-trade the Panther Clipper, but it trades better than the Caspian and jumps better than the Panther.
What are you building first? Combat, exploration, mining or trading? Let me know in the comments on the video, and subscribe on YouTube for Elite Dangerous news every Sunday. For more ship breakdowns, check out the complete Elite Dangerous guide.
o7 Commanders.
