Newb needs advice

[WhiteKnuckle]

Kashua, my advice was geared towards someone just starting out. Obviously struts don't fix everything, and like you said can even cause problems. It was also slightly tongue in cheek, I guess I should have said "MOAR STUTZ!!!!11!"

And sure you can land very heavy landers with nukes, but for smaller craft the low TWR offsets the ISP advantage. And if the OP is having problems with his landers tipping over/bouncing, then he should be working with a small, easy to control lander, that behemoth you made is very cool, but probably not well suited as a trainer.

[capi3101]

Tipping over can be handled by widening the base of the lander, done by radially mounting girders or I-beams and placing the lander legs on them. The long I-beam in particular is useful when you're using nuclear engines, as they are quite capable of being extended past the end of the engine bell.

Kashua's lander has an example of that very phenomena. The short girders weigh less; the I-beams stick out more - it's a tradeoff, like many other things in the game.

[Wooks]

At present all I'm using is the unmodded basic game with stock parts.

As you should, is the better way to understand the game. I highly recommend the new Scott Manley series for beginners: