Nice idea actually. Introduce a SWITCH_ABLE mount type (currently we have turret, hardpoint, hidded and hangar) that can be switched from its current turret size to a 1 size larger hardpoint at a cost of 10 OPs for small and 20 OPs for medium. The hardpoint should retain the original weapon type.
The switch for the mount type should be in the weapon list menu as the last (or first) option. The representation of a switch-able mounts on a refit screen could be a circle or a hex. The hardpoint will always face the original direction of the turret mount and will have a +-2 deg arc.
Thus a lasher with its 3 small turrets could get the one pointing forward switched to a medium hardpoint for 10 OPs and get a chaingun for another 10 points leaving 30 for other equipment. BTW Lasher already has two small missile hardpoints that wont be switch-able
the reason i said 5OP for converting is because larger size weaponry already cost more OP to use AND you are sacrificing the ability to turn. furthermore, larger weapons also uses more flux(save missiles), which will also pose a greater risk of using, since the cost of converting the mount would have been otherwise used on capacitors/vents. converting directly increases flux usage and indirectly decreases capacitors/vents.
the reason why i said you can choose which direction of the converted hardpoint to any angle of the original turret, is because some turret initial directing is awkward to say the least. take the lasher for example, the 2 front turrets faces at around 30degree outwards for each side. it would be rather hard to use and limit the use of converting. but if one was to be able to choose the angle of the converted hardpoint(again, it's within the angle permitted by the original turret), one can choose to have them both facing exactly the direction of the ship is facing, which is generally a viable placement. again, this directly increases the flux/sec and decreases how much capacitors and vents can could have applied.
say if i DID do that to a lasher, and put two heavy mauler in the converted hardpoint. a normal heavy mauler uses 12OP but also with the cost of the conversion, it would be 17OP each. with both of them, one would be already using 34 out of 50 OP. which probably leaves only PD weapons for the rest of the mounts, and no OP for hull mods or siginificant amount of capacitors/vents.
Would be nice with this if you could downgrade the turrets aswell.
i forgot about this. thx for reminding me.
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COMPLETELY IRRELEVANT BUT MIGHT AS WELL ADD IT IN:
i think the same idea of spending OP to change a mount around can apply to for example, changing from ballistic to energy mount. but this might break immersion, to some extent. it doesnt make a lot of sense, using a TT-ship with majority being ballistic mounts.