Elite Dangerous Chieftain Bounty Hunter Build

Imagine diving into a firefight in Elite Dangerous, with lasers flying past you, bounty credits stacking up, and your Chieftain proving once again why it’s a top pick for bounty hunters. This is the thrill of the Chieftain build designed for hunting down bounties, and once you’ve experienced it, there’s no turning back. The Chieftain offers an unparalleled mix of firepower, agility, and durability, making it a fan favorite among Elite Dangerous players who prioritize combat and want to rake in credits efficiently.

At the heart of this build is strike efficiency. You’re in it to collect as many bounties as possible, as fast as possible, without having to retreat or repair often. The Chieftain, known for its exceptional maneuverability, is the ship that gives you the tools to stay in the fight longer and engage targets with precision.

Let’s dive into the specifics of this bounty-hunting machine:

Hardpoints Configuration

One of the Chieftain’s major advantages is its hardpoint placement. For this build, maximizing your damage output is crucial, but balancing between thermal and kinetic damage will allow you to tackle a variety of enemies with different resistances.

Hardpoint	Weapon Type	Purpose
2x Large	Gimballed Beam Lasers	Shield-stripping powerhouses. These lasers help take down enemy shields quickly and efficiently.
1x Large	Gimballed Multi-Cannon	This is where your hull-shredding damage comes from once the shields are down.
3x Medium	Gimballed Pulse Lasers	Efficient energy usage and continuous damage output. These will help with sustained shield pressure and won’t drain your distributor as quickly.

These weapons give you a balance between energy weapons to tackle shields and kinetic options for tearing through hulls. The gimballed versions ensure that your shots land even during intense dogfights when keeping your crosshairs on target can be tricky.

Utility Mounts

To complement your hardpoints, your utility mounts will focus on survivability and versatility. Since you’ll be bounty hunting, which often involves combat in both close-quarters and open space, your utility setup should keep you in the fight longer:

Utility Mount	Equipment	Purpose
2x Shield Boosters	A-grade	Enhances your shields for extended survivability.
1x Chaff Launcher	Disrupts enemy targeting, making it harder for them to land consistent hits.
1x Kill Warrant Scanner	Essential for bounty hunting to maximize profit by scanning for additional bounties across jurisdictions.
1x Heat Sink	Helps manage heat buildup from weapons and evade missile locks.

This setup gives you both offensive capability (Kill Warrant Scanner for better bounties) and defensive measures (Shield Boosters and Chaff). Heat management becomes important in sustained combat, and the Heat Sink will prevent overheating issues when firing beam lasers.

Core Internals

Your core modules are where the Chieftain excels. The right balance of power, defense, and agility will give you the edge over your opponents:

Core Module	Class & Rating	Purpose
Power Plant	6A	To handle the energy-hungry loadout, including lasers and shield boosters.
Thrusters	6A	Maneuverability is key, and the Chieftain’s agility lets you out-fly most larger ships.
Frame Shift Drive	5A	While not primarily a jump-focused build, having a decent FSD allows you to pursue bounties across systems.
Life Support	5D	Lightweight to conserve mass, extending your flight range and agility.
Power Distributor	6A	Essential for managing energy-hungry weapons. Prioritize pips to weapons and engines for a balance between firepower and mobility.
Sensors	5D	Lightweight, with enough range to spot targets early but not so heavy as to burden the ship.
Fuel Tank	4C	Standard for short-to-medium range bounty hunting sessions.

With this setup, you’re looking at a balance between agility and durability. You won’t need to sacrifice power to remain maneuverable, allowing you to stay on your target's tail while dishing out significant damage.

Optional Internals

This is where the build can be tailored based on your playstyle and bounty hunting habits:

Slot	Module	Purpose
6	Bi-Weave Shield Generator	The faster recharge rate helps keep you in the fight for longer.
5	Hull Reinforcement Package	Adds extra hull integrity, giving you more breathing room during extended fights.
4	Fighter Hangar (optional)	If you want to add a fighter to provide additional firepower or distraction, this is a great option.
4	Shield Cell Bank	Provides extra shield recovery in a pinch, allowing you to push through tough encounters.
2	Guardian Module Reinforcement	Protection against shutdown fields and extra module integrity for longevity.

The Bi-Weave Shield Generator is particularly effective for bounty hunting since you’ll be engaging multiple targets. The faster regeneration rate means you can return to full strength quickly between engagements, allowing for continuous action. The Hull Reinforcement Package ensures that if shields fail, you have enough hull to sustain damage and survive.

Combat Strategy

Now that you have your ship fully outfitted, let’s talk combat strategy. The Chieftain thrives in close-quarters combat, and staying mobile is crucial. Your strategy should focus on disabling enemy shields as quickly as possible, followed by a barrage of multi-cannon fire to shred their hull.

1. Start by targeting the biggest threats – Use your beam lasers to quickly drain shields while staying evasive. Utilize the Chaff Launcher to disrupt enemy targeting, making it harder for them to hit you.

2. Once shields are down, switch to your multi-cannons and pulse lasers. This combination allows you to deal consistent damage to the hull while maintaining energy efficiency.

3. Stay on the move – The Chieftain’s thrusters allow for tight turns and fast acceleration, enabling you to evade incoming fire while staying on your target’s tail.

4. Use your Heat Sink when needed to manage the thermal load from your beam lasers and avoid missiles.

5. Cycle power between weapons and systems as needed – in combat, keeping 4 pips to weapons and 2 pips to engines will give you the balance needed for sustained firing and agility.

Earnings and Profitability

Bounty hunting in Elite Dangerous is lucrative when done efficiently. With the Kill Warrant Scanner, you’ll maximize your earnings by collecting bounties from multiple jurisdictions. A well-outfitted Chieftain can consistently take down high-value targets, making it one of the best mid-sized ships for grinding credits in this career.

A typical bounty hunting session can net anywhere from 500,000 credits to several million, depending on the target systems and whether you’re operating in a High-RES (Resource Extraction Site) or hunting pirate lords from missions. Your earnings can be further boosted by bounty hunting in factions that offer bonus payouts.

Summary

The Elite Dangerous Chieftain bounty hunter build is all about efficiency, maneuverability, and firepower. With the right setup, you’ll be able to take on multiple enemies, stay in the fight longer, and maximize your earnings from bounties. The combination of shield-stripping beam lasers, hull-shredding multi-cannons, and a solid utility mount setup makes this build a go-to for any pilot looking to make their mark as a feared and respected bounty hunter.