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I got lucky enough to get a mission for building one MDSF.. in Thyn's Excavation of all places! At least i got one of my questions answered

Now, all i have to do is park a small freighter and check on it occasionally. This time i'll be more careful

Set it to use CLS then you do not need to check as often.

MDS cannot be used to automatically mine targetable 'roids (ie 'placed' 'roids: the ones viewable on the sector map); to break them up: this must be done manually (using MDS or with missiles if you use this method). NPC miners will not destroy 'placed' 'roids no matter what weps they're equipped with; they'll simply pick up rocks or similar within their designated area. If they're equipped with any sort of gun they'll use that to break down larger chunks into sizes they can collect for ore

However, as others above have said, /if you pilot a ship with wep pwr capable of utilising the MDS/ then go ahead & use it by all means if you wish. Note that not all ships capable of /fitting/ the MDS have the wep power to /use/ it!

Personally I ignore it unless it's plot-specified: missiles are far easier to use for all sorts of reasons

Best place to put a MDS is on a fast moving M6 that you yourself fly. I never bother with it on a freighter, there's no point, standard fighter weapons are all a mobile miner needs. But cracking rocks is a useful occupation for you to spend some time doing once in a blue moon, and it's slightly more efficient to have at least one MDS handy rather than spending expensive consumables like missiles to do the same job.

But you never need more than 1.

BTW someone mentioned equipping one on a Springblossom. That... is actually impossible. The Springblossom has no compatibility with Utility Slot weapons. Meaning the best m6 to use is probably the Split Dragon, with other useful options including the Heavy Dragon, Hyperion, Heavy Centaur Prototype and OTAS Skiron