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[TheGoldenChicken]

I've recently been experimenting quite a lot with tactical lasers with integrated point-defence AI, and so far, it looks pretty good...Too good almost.

As far as I can see, the only difference between tactical lasers with 1000 range and PD lasers with only 400, is a slower rotation and a 25 higher flux/sec on the tacticals, almost nothing.

So my question is this: Is there any reason to use PD laser instead of tactical lasers if you have the points to use integrated point-defence AI? To me it just seems like more versatility, having beam weapons capable of damaging ships as well as fighters and missiles...

[Goumindong]

The slower rotation is a big deal for fast moving weapons. And the extra flux use is a thing as well.

The other issue is the beam extend time. Against fast moving targets the beam will not reach the target before it has moved into a position where it should not be firing. The beam will turn off not having hit anything.

Also 1 extra OP

[DatonKallandor]

Lots of extra OP for not a lot if any increase in PD effectiveness and they're extremely crap for anti-ship work because they'll keep turning off to switch to targets and never actually hurt anything properly.

[Schwartz]

The best way to use Tac Lasers is to mass them with range bonus & turret gyros and NO IPDAI. IPDAI makes Tac Lasers focus on missiles which is an absolute waste and exacerbates the slow turning issue. Make them focus on fighters instead. If you're worried about missiles, add a Burst PD or something.

Tac Lasers turn slow while firing and beam weapons take a little time to extend. This means they can flicker on and off when switching between targets and become overall quite inefficient if you force them to deal with missile swarms. Fighters are different, as these take many seconds to kill.

The best beam builds are the ones that work synergistically. That is, you use Tac Lasers, Gravitons, HILs or Tachyons all together, ideally on several ships. The more beams you have, the better they become as they have to overcome 'critical mass' of an enemy's soft flux dissipation.

[mosshadow]

Why do Tac Lasers need to reach out and touch something while all PD lasers are instantaneous? Tac lasers and HILs should be as quick as PD lasers.

[Thaago]

Why do Tac Lasers need to reach out and touch something while all PD lasers are instantaneous? Tac lasers and HILs should be as quick as PD lasers.

I don't know, but its pretty crippling in terms of IPDAI. Despite what it might look like, LRPD will just do better because it spends so much more time on target and not helplessly flickering.

[FooF]

Why do Tac Lasers need to reach out and touch something while all PD lasers are instantaneous? Tac lasers and HILs should be as quick as PD lasers.

I don't know, but its pretty crippling in terms of IPDAI. Despite what it might look like, LRPD will just do better because it spends so much more time on target and not helplessly flickering.

I wonder if its a holdover from some long-ago time when LRPD lasers didn't exist and Tac Lasers were a bit too much of a do-everything. I can't remember if/when Tacs were ever considered "too good" or, more likely, they just haven't been touched in 5-6 years...

[SCC]

Tactical lasers are actually terrible with IPDAI and it only works acceptably with capital ship grade ITU and accelerated turret gyros, but it's way better not to bother and just use LRPDs instead.

[DatonKallandor]

Why do Tac Lasers need to reach out and touch something while all PD lasers are instantaneous? Tac lasers and HILs should be as quick as PD lasers.

Because PD Lasers are optimized for missile defense and the other beams aren't?

[Tartiflette]

What would be worth testing too is PD Laser with IPDAI against Tac lasers, as well as LRPD with IPDAI. I suspect the double damage to missiles will change the results a lot.

[Thaago]

I haven't done rigorous testing, but if I want a "zone of denial" vs missiles, I will use an Eagle with LRPD and IPDAI.

[Grievous69]

I haven't done rigorous testing, but if I want a "zone of denial" vs missiles, I will use an Eagle with LRPD and IPDAI.

I think you meant an Enforcer with 5 Dual Flaks

[Mondaymonkey]

Tactical laser vs PD laser. Who won? LRPD, off course! 

I haven't done rigorous testing, but if I want a "zone of denial" vs missiles, I will use an Eagle with LRPD and IPDAI.

I think you meant an Enforcer with 5 Dual Flaks

Too small area. Eagle with LRPD can protect himself and couple of ships nearby.

[TheGoldenChicken]

Thanks for all the answers, guys

After doing some more testing myself, I can safely confirm what you've been saying: Tac lasers with IPDAI lose out pretty handily on everything but extremely long range. Morever, the tac lasers don't really do their job of offing ships when there's missiles or fighters around.

Guess I'm redoing my odyssey now

[Thaago]

Interesting thing about non-IPDAI tac lasers: they can be very effective anti-missile swarm weapons, but only by accident. Because they pass through missiles (unlike LRPD) they can actually hit dozens of missiles at once. Same thing with Graviton beams. This usually happens with an Eagle where its focusing its beams forward and all the missiles pass through the beam zone.