Hello, I've been trying out the weapons in this mod and I think most of the weapons could do without the "STRIKE" and "USE_VS_FRIGATES" hints in the weapon_data.csv file.
The presence of the "STRIKE"(without a corresponding "USE_VS_FRIGATES") tag can even make some cruisers/destroyers oddly toothless against opposing frigates given the OP tradeoff from mounting an expensive superweapons generally meaning it's other weapons tend to be more anemic/left empty. This let's frigates relentlessly bully ships that would in actuality just delete them, especially since many of these weapons have fairly high projectile velocities, making them actually pretty decent at hitting frigates, but the AI/autofire will refuse to even use these weapons against them because of the "STRIKE" tag.
Even the presence of both tags (allowing the AI to fire it at all ships except fighters) can be unnecessary on weapons like the Supercharged Fusion Beam and the Hyperpulse Repeater. Both are actually straight up effective at deleting incoming frigates and fighters, as they are either a rapid-fire or constant beam weapon with high projectile/beam velocities, allowing them to unerringly target frigates or fighters without any risk of "wasting" a shot on a fighter that long cooldown burst beams/projectile weapons might have. The Fusion Beam especially since that can't even miss unlike the hyperpulse repeater.
Even the plasma storm is effective against fighters and frigates given it's homing + re-target capable projectiles, but the AI straight up won't fire it at them because of the strike tag. This one does have a high flux cost per "shot" given it's barrage nature, but even then I'd personally rather a ship fired and be fluxed out but having killed some enemy frigates or fighters over sitting there and refusing to defend itself.
I think the presence of both the "STRIKE, USE_VS_FRIGATES" tag combo could potentially be useful on the really slow firing non-AoE weapons like the devastator lance (with it's 24 seconds refire delay + self-damage detriment) to not waste a shot on 1 or 2 fighters. The weapons with 8-10 seconds re-fire delays are a bit more dubious, since they don't lose out quite as much from having "wasted" a shot on fighters so could do with both tags or neither. Since ships will still prioritize shooting at their main target (ie. other frigates, destroyers, cruisers or capitals) unless there is nothing in that weapon's range/arc, the risk of "wasted" shots on fighters even without the tags are still relatively minimal outside of maybe the initial approach.
The slow firing but AoE weapons like the Phalanx and BFG are also a bit debatable about the usage of the tags, since they are fairly effective at deleting incoming wings of fighters, but would be rather wasted on a solitary fighter off in a corner. Personally, I think they both don't need the tags since the Phalanx with a re-fire of only 10 seconds loses less from a wasted shot and can wipe whole wings of fighters on a hit; while the BFG although having a 30 second re-fire delay, is absolutely monstrous against fighters and can potentially delete an entire opposing fighter force in a single shot.
(The Phalanx currently only has the "USE_VS_FRIGATES" tag without the "STRIKE" tag, which at least to my understanding doesn't do anything on it's own? Since the "USE_VS_FRIGATES" tag is meant to work with the "STRIKE" tag to un-restrict the weapon from targeting frigates, but without a corresponding "STRIKE" tag to restrict targeting frigates and fighters in the first place, the weapon would already be able to target frigates by default)
Then there's the Black Hole Generator with it's massive re-fire delay of 70 seconds + massive friendly-fire capable AoE..... I admit, I straight up don't trust the AI to use that weapon so I've never given it to an allied ship
.
But apart from ammo limited non-homing weapons like the Terror MRM, I feel that none of the weapons should have
just the "STRIKE" tag given the behavior that causes against enemy frigates. (Not sure about the Cluster Torpedo since that weapon seems special)
Mind you, I'm not claiming to be an expert or anything, but that's just my personal opinion on it so feel free to ignore it if you disagree. Hope I don't sound too negative, I am enjoying the cool weapons/modules you've added.
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Topic: [0.95.1a] Superweapons Arsenal v2.5b Storms are coming! (Read 275194 times)