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[Cryovolcanic]

It's been doing OK for me so far. It's reasonably common and offers a nice blend of range, OP cost and efficiency in the M ballistic slot. I particularly like the 800 range without additional investment into Ballistic Rangefinder on ships that have a bunch of M ballistics. I also much prefer it to the Arbalest Autocannon as early-game M ballistic kinetic damage.

However, an issue remains that if I am using M ballistics for shield damage, where am I getting my HE? Needs to be matched with an efficient torpedo on things like the Enforcer, or paired with an escort/big brother that offers HE damage. If I'm using Heavy Maulers (which I have a hard time finding in the early game) then I mostly want to range-match with HVDs anyway.



It also looks like we have a clear progression of some kinetic ballistic lines now

Railgun line: Railgun-->HVD-->Gauss - long range, high accuracy, low DPS, low efficiency, rare
Needler line: Light Needler-->heavy needler-->storm needler - good accuracy, high DPS, medium range, OP expensive, rare
Autocannon line: Light AC-->HAC-->Mark IX (?) - not sure if Mark IX goes here. This seems to be the middle of the road for kinetic ballistics, with medium-to-longer ranges, medium-to-poor accuracy, medium efficiency, and quite common.

The machine guns are point defense. No idea where the Arbalest AC fits in. Doesn't seem similar to LAC/HAC.

[Princess of Evil]

Mark IX is the efficient chugger of the large ballistics. Smaller ships don't really want one, but it's great for capitals.
Railgun is the second highest DPS small ballistic. Same as AMB - doesn't really make a lot of sense but it does mean it's a good gun even for larger ships.
Machineguns aren't point defense. Vulcan and flak are point defense. Machineguns are SO guns.
Arbalest would be a cheap generalist if it weren't so inaccurate. Better in hardpoints but hardpoints don't want a cheap generalist.

[Thaago]

I don't think they are overpowered, but I do think they are useful, especially when their recoil can be managed. In terms of what HE to pair with them: depends on what other mounts are available. Phase Lance is great now for Falcon/Eagle for that role. Heavy Mortar is acceptable for closer in work, but Heavy Mauler is probably the best choice, especially as enemies will try to retreat once on high flux and might move out of mortar range.

[Princess of Evil]

I like supporting HE with kinetics one slot smaller. Railguns for mediums and basically anything on the list for larges. Hellbores are a lot more terrifying when spammed and supported by medium KE.

[Lawrence Master-blaster]

HAC was always 800 range. What changed was flux efficiency.

IMO it's still one of these weapons that works "on paper" but you almost never put them on actual ships because there's always something else to prioritize.

[Death_Silence_66]

The core problems with the HAC remain, it's poor accuracy and lack of an HE pairing. Even if these were resolved, it would be hard to justify using over the safety and consistency of 1000 range ballistics.

[Thaago]

I agree that the accuracy needs mitigating with skills, hullmods, or hardpoints, but having ~55% more DPS and higher flux efficiency is a pretty good justification...

(I don't find an HE pairing a problem because I don't believe exact range matching is important.)

[Doctorhealsgood]

The better efficiency made me actually use it. Normally i just stick to arbalests.

[Goumindong]

HAC got buffed?

HAC was always a really really good medium gun. One of the premier medium guns really. It’s accuracy wasn’t good but it’s not worse than the arbalest and at 800 range and higher DPS…

Ok so. Some things.

Accuracy is kind of an overrated stat for Kinetic guns. Accuracy is good but the primary value of accuracy is so that high armor penetrators can hit the same spot. Or hitting small ships. But anything cruiser sized will be a hard with its shield up. You just have to force the enemy to keep its shield up.

Efficiency is an overrated stat for kinetic damage. Almost all kinetic damage is efficient against enemy shields. It is just about always more efficient to shoot your flux into their shields than to absorb the flux they’re shooting into your shields.

As a result the three real voices you had for medium kinetic were

HVD for range
HN for dmg
HAC for a mix.

And there were lots of times that HAC really was the ideal pick