Missile reaction time

[wrathkin]

Well... in that case they should be given chain guns with high RoF, range and velocity, since they _should_ be able to kill anything smaller than themselves.

Actually, I would prefer that, no missiles, and no anti-capship weapons.

That would also leave room for missile boats with multiple heavy long-range missile hardpoints (with ammo!) for long-range strikes against, for example, gunships to remove the anti-figther/bomber screen and, say,a couple of lvl5 turrets for last-ditch defense against fighters and bombers. They should preferably be able to put serious hurt on at least everything smaller than a BC, but be able to soak significantly less damage than a gunship. A 'pure' support craft, but effective when in that role.

The thing is, we (or at least I) don't want that matches should be 'fair', but that every class has a conceivable use where it cannot be replaced.

A proposal:

Remove GB missile turrets altogether.
Remove GB anti-capship weapons (GB vs GB will become painfully slow)
Raise velocity, range and RoF of GB weapons, lower damage to match
Introduce new class 'Missile ship' with longest-range heavy, high-speed, slow-turning missiles, ammo, weak hull and a few medium-level turrets.

That would make:
Fighters: Hard counter to bombers, soft counter to fighters, missile ships
Bombers: Hard counter to capships, missile ships, soft counter to gunships
Gunships: Hard counter to fighters, soft counter to bombers
Missile ships: Hard counter to gunships, capships at range
Capships: Hard counter to gunships, missile ships up close.

Now, a 'hard counter' can expect to take out what it is countering rapidly and with small expected losses at similar skill level. A 'soft counter' can take out what it is countering, but expect to take substantial losses or take a while to do it.

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John Johnson - Master of Synth.Foods-Convoy|049
Hans Adler - Synth Foods escort wing

Sebastian Wrath - Zoner in a Temporary Autonomous Zone ([TAZ]Punchin'Seb)