I don't think getting shot in the engines with missiles is random.
pilums coming out of the FoW (either due to some flanking ship or something behind you, or they are coming back for another try) is random.
salamander speed boost, while it goes off at the same time, is random because we can't see WHEN it will off.
you can't even tell when a ship is or isn't going to launch a missile, so yes it is a rather random.
(Another point: the flux dissipation penalty can't be compensated for if you're already at full vents - which is fairly common for smaller ships.)
this is not a point at all, they are already very much compensated for when at full vents. see the graph, you do not need much to get back to where you were( actually, some of them ARE gains, albeit extremely small ones ).
Comparing the ARU like that misses the fact that it has an impact beyond just engine repair.
since it's JUST the engine repair that's relevant to the discussion, there's no reason to drag anything else into it.
I don't think Insulated Engines should be discounted, either
i wasn't discounting them, just showing him that "hey, you're using the wrong numbers."
he potential downside is greater, or at least more concentrated in time, but on the other hand, it can be much reduced with skill.
its not even just the potential downside, there's also the downside of just being unable to wade into combat, you actually HAVE to consider things more critically, whereas armour / shield mod users do not. this is where it's fairly inbalanced, one playstyle has to work a fair bit harder to achieve the same result that actually is EASIER for the other 2 as they aren't even at that bad of a disadvantage, as most of the ships that need to move quick either has a way to do so ( jets / burn drive ) are naturally fast (hound, anything high tech) can tele ( anything high tech ) or can have long range weapons ( just about everything above destroyer ).