High Delay Ion Cannon means I would use Claws instead. The choice between Claws and Thunders is do I want defense (Claws) or offense (Thunders). TaLaR explained Thunders' weaknesses, and those weaknesses are enough that I do not use them very often. I tried Thunder spam, and while it is good for steamrolling inferior forces, they are a bit too flimsy against stronger opponents.
If Thunders get High Delay Ion Cannon, I want old 0.8a two-shot Swarmers (or the old-school single Harpoon) back in exchange.
They blabbed about how its massive speed causes the Ion Cannon to miss often. So then, the hullmod? Would make it hit more *reliably* but have less total damage output. Overall still a nerf, but less of a total and direct downgrade.
I do not know if such a hullmod alone would work. Do shots inherit source velocity? (I think it does but I do not remember for sure.) No amount of shot-leading will help, at least not without another bonus to speed up shots, the shot speed bonus comparable to old pre-0.8a Ordnance Expert 5.
The makes that Wing Command fighter speed bonus a problem. I would want it for Warthogs and bombers, but not Thunders. Sort of like Defensive Systems 3 being a liability on AI phase ships (when I want endurance on the battlefield).