A few weapon questions

[ytman]

As SolForce I invested heavily in a line of HCL cruisers each using a different fitting of HL. Currently I run an Assault Bridge/Armor combo and have seen it perform well. However, after battle the craft only reports double digit damage inflicted by the HL. I have a pretty good idea as to why the weapon underperforms but it seems a bit different from how the weapon performed in vanillia SOTS1. So the question is: is using HLs against Liir Cruisers a pointless endeavor? On a general scale are HLs more of an anti-Dread weapon?


Fusion Torpedoes have begun to be being fielded by the Liir and they are devestating. Its not uncommon for one volley to critically damage any of my best line cruisers. What best mitigates Fusion Torps?

[Weidekuh]

Laser or Phalanx PD are very good against tracking torps. Even if they don't kill them, they will reduce their damage greatly. (fusion and AM torp damage gets reduced when they take damage.)
Also going in close range reduces their damage as well since their damage increases with flight time.

[Exavier724]

Chances are the damage listed in the battle report is only Structure Damage done to the enemy. Hitting the armor grid doesn't actually do any physical damage to the ships Structure until you get all the way through it.

Beam weapons drill narrow but deep holes in the armor but they are a DoT style application. If the beam doesn't stay in the same place it may not even touch the structure but rather rake the armor in pulses. This means that you essentually end up with lower damage since bolt/bullet style weapons just have to strike an area with no armor once per shot to do full damage to the Structure. On the up side your beams probobly cut nice holes in your enemies armor to allow this to happen more frequently which is why they are still very dangerous... Especially against late game DNs or LVs that can have a huge ammount of armor layers to punch through first.

SOTS1 was pretty much about pure damage. SOTS2 has an element of mixed weapon synergies & tactical planning to your loadout designs

[ColorfulWings]

And it is glorious!

[Mecron]

and yes a torp hit directly to structure is devestating

[Starknight]

and yes a torp hit directly to structure is devestating

Heh. No wonder the Liir can't stand up to my LV Carrier fleets (1 LV Carrier, 2 DN Carriers, 2 CR Carriers, 3 CR PD ships)... most of the BR slots are filled with Torpedo BRs mounting AM Torpedoes (and 3 missile launchers). Each wing is effectively a Torpedo CR (if the Hivers had such a thing).

[Sofiabern]

so the first thing is determining what will be best for your build and your weapon you want to infuse, what are you running right now?