Advantage - Missile Bays

[phavoc]

As I was writing down the launch tube rules and put in the idea that small craft could add their thruster speeds to their catapult speed, it got me thinking - should missiles fired from bays also be capable of having a speed advantage? Bays for missiles are pretty damn big, and there's no reason why they shouldn't be able to benefit from a little 'push' via electromagnetic tech. We have it for spinal mounts, we could have it for bays. And it would make sense that smaller ships with only turrets and barbettes to fire their missiles from would be at a disadvantage to a larger capital ship. And this could be where smaller ships would have no -DM for firing at shorter ranges and larger capital ships would, because they are optimized for longer range.

A possible thought for the alternate tech chapter I suppose.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

If we want simplicity we could say that missiles launched from bays have one round less flight time than given in the Missile Flight Time table.

Note that most warships will probably launch missiles exclusively from bays.

 

[Nerhesi]

If we want simplicity we could say that missiles launched from bays have one round less flight time than given in the Missile Flight Time table.

Note that most warships will probably launch missiles exclusively from bays.

Then we should be upping the flight time of all missiles by 1 round to compensate. As it stands, Missiles are pretty damn good - at this point I'd want 2 nerfs for everyone 1 boost we give missiles. Frankly, I'd be looking at a couple of nerfs to start before doing anything.

 

[wbnc]

If we want simplicity we could say that missiles launched from bays have one round less flight time than given in the Missile Flight Time table.

Note that most warships will probably launch missiles exclusively from bays.

Then we should be upping the flight time of all missiles by 1 round to compensate. As it stands, Missiles are pretty damn good - at this point I'd want 2 nerfs for everyone 1 boost we give missiles. Frankly, I'd be looking at a couple of nerfs to start before doing anything.

so far we have the following drawbacks on missiles.
Expensive
Susceptible to EW/PD
take up space for ammo
can be evaded/outran
Delay time between launch and impact
can be shot down by ships adjacent to the target/ or other vessel executing a close escort maneuver( depending on revised rules final form)

counters to missiles
Evasion maneuvers
Laser turrets
Automated point defense systems
Chaff/pebble from sandcasters
EW
ECM Stealth/Emission absorption( to complicate Lock-on checks)
availability of fast burn boosters to outrun missiles for short periods of time.

that's 12 basic drawbacks/counters to the missiles which have lock on, smart trait, and loads of damage as basic perks. a list much larger than most other weapons system
compared to
Lasers: evasion, armor and sand.
Particle beams: evasion, armor, radiation shielding, and Nuclear dampeners to defeat radiation trait..and they are less effective in atmosphere.
rail guns: ammo cost and volume, armor.limited range
Meson weapons: Meson screens. some types of armor.

now if you want to allow the use of fragmentation missiles, and nukes and other wide area of effect weapons to hit missiles while in transit...that would round out a hefty list of counters and drawbacks.