Major Update: Version 0.10 - Post-Tournament Rebalance & Content!Consider it a late Christmas present if you like. Not nearly as much rebalancing as I was expecting to have to do after the tournament, but it's what I've got, and as always there's a bunch more content for you to play with.
Foremost in the balancing, you'll find that the
Harrier has done away with the Flux Shunt hullmod, and replaced it with a unique custom
"Blockade Shield" mod, helping set its role as a defensive cruiser in stone. Both the Retribution and the as-yet-unintegrated Vendetta have also received healthy speed buffs.
New content! Rounding up 2017 with a tasty mix of tech-levels, we welcome two new frigates to the mix.
The Mirage-class Skiff is a pirate missile boat not unlike the Kite in performance, but it can harbour a nastier bite and you may find it harder to swat! On the opposite end of the spectrum the
Insurgent-class Phase Frigate arrives, a far more sensible attempt at a phase ship than its previously removed namesake, which aims to impress with its energy weapon-boosting system and capable frontal firepower.
Two new fighter wings also join the mix, both strangely enough with an anti-frigate strike role. High-tech fields the
Enigma, a burst-beam-wielding fighter that can ruin the day of many a frigate, while the pirates present the hot-tempered
Firebird, a speedy bomber armed with a brand new MIRV version of the Swift missile. Watch out!
Speaking of the Swift missiles, all forms of the Swift have received tasty
custom sound effects courtesy of MesoTronik, as has the Starbreaker Particle Beam, the primary weapon on the Starlifter.
Other than that, a new large missile weapon graces the field, hoping to fulfil a missing role in the base game's doctrine: that of a large missile with unlimited ammo. I present the
Anaximander MRM Launcher, a swarm-based heatseeking missile system that predates the infamous Salamander and makes a great centerpiece for the WIP Vendetta.
Experimental content is also being added this time around, in the form of a new always-available
"Reconnaissance Package" hullmod. This modification is exclusive to frigate hulls, and grants bonus sight range in combat as well as an increase to the zero-flux engine boost, at the expense of cargo space and peak performance time (not to mention a fair few ordnance points). This is a heavily debated piece of content, and as such I implore widespread testing and experimentation, and feedback on whether the hullmod is overpowered at all - or if it even works for you!
That's it from me though, so enjoy the last few hours of the year and try not to do anything stupid.
And of course, enjoy the update, and don't forget to give feedback!
As always, check the OP for more details.