I run a Tempest as my main frig now and it's far from underpowered. Twin Phase Beams set to autofire
Phase Beam;
Range 700
Dps; 150
Flux/s; 160
Ordanance Points; 12.
Light Dual Auto Cannon
Range; 600
DPS; 143
Flux/s; 143
OP; 5
(A lasher with two L-Dac's and a targeting unit would make a Tempest feel rather limp.
Sure we're talking about a drop of 40 range, and 7 dps. But we're also taking Kinetic damage. and OP7 means we have 2 medium missile slots, and 3 OTHER small ballistic slots., If we took the idea of point defence and decided it wasnt for us, much like your tempest we could be pulling 715 dps for 25 OP, while youre making 300 dps for 24 OP. getting yourself an extra 40 range. This is of course not including if we were against shields where the L-Dac's perform even better than your pew pew toys) (oh and we also make less flux)
But but muh versitility!
The Light Assault gun is the High-Ex smaller brother of the L-Dac. (L-Dags Pleaaaaase)
Range: 600
DPS: 160
Flux/s: 160
OP: 5
once again, 2 OP for a targeting unit, we're at 660 range. and are still doing more dps than you, and massively lower OP cost. infact you could afford 3 L-Dacs and 2 LAG's for about the same OP cost as your phase beams, and do about 600 dps regardless of material.
Also as Ishman pointed out. dont forget needlers;
Range; 800
DPS; 147
Flux/s; 118
OP; 9
and a final nail in the coffin. (Edit; not really i went on for a fair bit)
lashers also sport 2 missile racks.
Harpoon MRM pod at OP5 can do a one-fight damage of 2,250 high-ex
Or
Sabot SRM pod the same but in kinetic style.
A tempest meeting a lasher would have a large problem. Could it take 2,250x2 damage (which stock from a sabot is 750dps x2) of kinetic to its shields, and then withstand autolaoders taking a massive dump with 5 LAG's?) (or even 3 Lags, 2 L-dacs, 2 sabot pods)
Phase beams are good* but youd need to be rocking 99% flux boosting your DPS to 200 while sacrificing much of your survivability.
Tempest sports 2,500 stock flux capacity. and a 90* omnishield.
Lasher Loves you with 2,100 stock flux cap, and 150* omnishield.
We're not even talking cost per deployment here, 20% lasher vs 40% tempest.
or Peak Performace buff (240s lasher vs 180s tempest)
Or even, and this was a suprise to me
Stock ordanance points
Lasher; 50
Tempest; 45
So you gain ONE speed for loosing; 1 missile hardpoint; 3 small ballistics. And any hope of mounting point defense?
Spoiler
Status; Light Dual Auto-told