Have You Ever Run Out of Missiles?

[DigrizJB]

I'm working on ship design, and wondering how many salvos do you think would be appropriate for a 1,000T patrol craft or escort ship? What about for a 4,000T fleet escort or a 20,000T "Cruiser"?

Primarily interested in your thoughts about warships that are designed to actively engage an enemy fleet of comparable size. Is an additional 12 salvos for a bay weapon, giving it 24 total salvos enough ammunition? Or will you expend all of your missiles before the shooting stops?

Do mass drivers have similar ammunition requirements? Or would they require more / less ammunition?

 

[Condottiere]

Depends on doctrine and circumstances.

In theory, the Solomani Confederation Navy has a heavy missile loadout, but member navies might have their own view what's optimal for their circumstances and order of battle.

In practice, if you plan on facing down lots of two kilotonne plus opponents, torpedoes; and if you're running low on torpedoes, appear to make a torpedo run, whether or not you actually launch, becomes speculative on the other side.

 

[AnotherDilbert]

It's better to launch more missiles at once, than to have more reserves.

If you can overcome the targets PD, you will likely kill it quickly. If you can't swamp PD, you will do little damage, and it doesn't matter how many salvoes you can throw.

In general 12 rounds should be enough... You will only run out of missiles in a very target-rich environment.

 

[CordwainerFish]

You will only run out of missiles in a very target-rich environment.

"I am completely out of ammo. That's never happened to me before." - Burt Gummer, Tremors 2

 

[Condottiere]

Depends on rate of fire and going full dog.

 

[Galadrion]

It also depends on deployment - if you're going to be on a patrol loop for (say) three months, and run into several opposing forces between opportunities for a resupply, it might well be possible to face the choice of shooting the magazines dry, or aborting the patrol loop to run for resupply.