By this standard, there isn't really any use for fixed angle weapons that don't have WMD or pseudo - WMD. I'd say this is accurate with the current system, but there should be some kind of buff to those(or nerf to their alternatives) so that they aren't the absolute last choice.gunship256 wrote:Ease of use in various situations may be enough to justify a weapon's low or zero WMD rating. Weapons have some useful characteristics that are not all WMD-related. For example, this is what I'm typically looking for in a complete set of weapons:
1. Compartment damage at long or short range (missiles; WMD weapons; rapid-fire weapons; weapons with a particle, frag, or area effect)
2. Long-range base busting (missiles, howitzers, lancer cannon)
3. Shield against incoming missiles (autodefense turrets; weapons with a particle, frag or area effect; dual/alternating configurations; fast-firing weapons with some shot inaccuracy [don't exist?])
4. Omni or tracking capability for pesky gunships and for running away
In addition to the lack of a real role for fixed dogfighting weapons that isn't filled more effectively by omni weapons, howitzers and the lancer cannon seem to be as good for dogfighting as their non - WMD counterparts.
The solution I'd advise to keep weapons from being too powerful would be to try to include a matching drawback for every strength/role a weapon has, so that we don't end up with weapons like the dual flenser, which is cheap, has massive DPS, kills compartments effectively, and is lethal in dogfights, without having a single weakness until the damageType curve finally kills it towards the end of the Ungoverned Territories.
For example:
Long ranged weapons should have low firerate or shot speed to make them less effective in dogfights.
Base busters should have high energy use or use ammunition, to make it less desirable to use them on any old target.
Omnidirectional weapons should have shorter ranges, trading easier aiming for harder dodging.
Weapons with multiple strong points should have multiple matching drawbacks, making them potentially very useful, so long as their users are skilled enough to work around their flaws. This solution also provides capital ships with a much needed advantage other than internal HP - turreted fixed angle weapons will be meaningfully superior to their omnidirectional counterparts.