Loooking at the past few posts, this is kind of why I think Plasma- equipped ships are one of the most viable way(s) to go.
hear me out: for a
heavy slot , you gain the ability to pay about ~14~ ep +- (ex: grav thruste (or other heavy gun) for a special heavy mount, OR you can take 3x normal naval in the
same heavy mount. Ex: 3x sunblaster is 15ep, no special resources. A cruiser with 2 heavy slots can mount basically
twice the firepower of an escort (or even a light cruiser) if it wants to fill the same role.
This means for example that a cruiser can trade ALL of its heavy slots for 6x plasma (sub a lance, or a fusion mortar, or point defense as necessary for role) and -still- wildly outgun an escort or light cruiser,
while trading (almost)
all of its naval weapon slots for better defensive systems.
Example: give up 3 naval weapons for an energy barrier, when
everyone and their mom equips massed las-lances.
(plasma trades against las-lances favorably, especially against those of
inferior species technology and the energy barrier gets the hits they DO get in, and are thus mitigated.)
Even the most bleeding edge imperial vessel will be a mix of lascannon(handled by energy barrier)/macrocannon(handled by armor or holofield) and torpedo(handled by escort fighters). orks: Kinetic and torpedos (handled by superior speed, strikecraft, range(assumed) and armor
I think there's room for a cheap(comparatively speaking) or equivalent all-plas heavy cruiser. (plasma engines
powering plasma
munitions is probably one of those areas where you can get ahead, technologically speaking) (see
vehicle chassis design II's starlight reactor OR Psykrystal Capacitractor, except as a capital design choices instead of a vehicular one., which means it only has room to grow in the future.
Just make sure to give it at least 2 engines (of any type) so it can take a hit and not be mission killed/dead in the water.
Here's an example:
Take a
Clipper type cruiser (this is the same as a carrack, if two of its naval guns were refunded for FULL cost instead o half cost). Swap 2 heavy for 6x plasma. (suncannon, 1x gravs or mortars, doesn't really matter). Add 2 fusion engines, energy barrier, holo shield, thats 9 system slots. Six guns, great survivability.
great. that means there's 3 system slot
and four (naval gun or 4 system slots) here. Grav shield? Ez. Hangar? Ez. Extra engines? ez. go up to
ten guns - also ez. Want to remake this as a -light- cruiser, and gain an extra hull or a turn off every construction? Fits in a dhow(1 heavy into 3x naval+3x naval default) easily, with one system slot spare. Want to go heavy and pile the armor or speed instead? there's 3 +4(gun exchange) slots open. Fill it to your hearts content, but consider:
if youre fighting Imperials: You get to deal with: Macrocannons(handed by holo field and armor, or grav field), Las lances(barrier field), Torpedos(handled by strike craft and point/ciws defense), and Strike Craft (handled by point/ciws defense).
if you're fighting Eldar(ex: biel-tan scare): Its las-lances everywhere. Holofields and Energy barriers carry the day.
If you're fighting Orks: Kinetics(handled by holofields and/or grav field), fighters+ bombers(handled by fighters, point defense, holofields, and depending on mutions, other barrier system). wierd orky shit: Giant cannons(holofield, grav field) or superlasers(energy, grav +- being fast enough to not get in its kill box)
If you put a -tiny- bit of thought into your defensive systems, you get a killbox that works against all of the
most common enemy types while having weapons that have a favorable matchup against the same.
1 capital space of Hangar saves you a
ton of grief dealing with any enemy that uses torpedos or missiles, and is still an offensive or ally-defensive tool (you can send excess fighters to screen allies). (if pd is 1 space, and ciws is 2, and a hangar is 1 for 3 squadrons, which
really does the most work in a battle - considering strikecraft can do work entirely outside of PD/CIWS normal range? (examble: an enemy light escort launches one bays worth of torpodoes. You send one squadron to deal with it, send one to attack, and one to cover the attackers. They spent 1 gun slot/2 system points for the priviledge of having your fighters say 'nah, better luck next time' for only 1 space cost in hangar In terms of space, one point of hangar can nullify up to -three- enemy torpedo bays, or 6 space worth of weapons for the price of one - and then go on the offensive while they reload.))
Tldr, I think a heavy flexible plasma cruiser is a great (even
glorious) workhorse. If you're married to fatesever PD - just add it, it has room. If you like heavy hangers - just add it, it has room. if you want to run circles around enemies and double the engine count - add it
, it has room.
Want to give the middle finger to your enemies? Just spend all 4-7 slots left on armor instead, and be both a hard target AND a tough cookie.
