BB 64 – The Rocketeer

Torpedo! Torpedo! Torpedo!
With the Aegis release we will see missile boats get their own version of the tracking enhancer and the tracking computer. On the forums there have been calls for new ‘missile defence eWar’ to counter these new modules. Is this needed? Are smartbomb ‘firewalls’ enough? Do defender missiles need an overhaul to make them actually worth using? Do we need the missile version of the remote tracking disruptor? Or do we go all Star Trek and have Point-Defence Phaser Banks? Banter on!

Hi all,

There is something about missiles. Something not quite right. They’re a slow delivery weapon system only hitting (only!)  supersonic speeds. The other delivery mechanisms for hurt, pain and destruction are, for practical purposes, nearly instantaneous.

Missiles… aren’t. Back in the old days, lobbing a set of cruise missiles out to 225km would mean a wait of somewhere between 20 and 30 seconds before payload delivery. A rokh with railguns will do a darn sight less damage admittedly, but would not give the opponent to warp out. A loooooooooooooooong opportunity to warp out.

Here’s the thing: I don’t mind that they’re comparatively slow (and it’s much better than it used to be), but the sheer fact that  500kg chemical cocktail of hell class exotic explosive still does less damage than a rack of 1400mm artillery cannons just doesn’t fall into line with what missiles are all about.

They’re a guidance system, strapped to a very large bomb. bolted to a rocket. They should, after the agonizing wait to see if they hit, do a considerable amount of damage.

Missiles IMHO should be the king of alpha. Drop the ROF by all means for the larger weapon systems (cruises and torpedoes), but up their alpha to match their true annihilative profile. What a missile catches up to and detonates cleanlyupon, ought to be in a world of hurt.

As to the upcoming changes, I think CCP is in something of a tough spot. Missile boats are already behind the 8 ball in that by the time you compromise your tank for tackle, any other mid slots are going to be very precious indeed. On the other hand rapid light missile launchers with any adjustment to damage application are going to be a nightmare for smaller class ships.

Its also going to be difficult ensuring that the delay that missile damage has in larger fleet battles is balanced correctly. If you’re losing three, four, five or more ships before your DPS finally arrives at target (and that DPS is diminished because of it), where is the tipping point for missile DPS? Too much and it’s hideously overpowered, too little and each missile based fleet needs to factor in significantly more attrition.

In practice, I can see people using the new modules but by far it will be the PvE crew rather than the PvP. PvE can always be tanked for a specific situation or application and risk having a resist hole for example. PvP can do the same, but are far more likely to lose a ship. Those mid and low slots are gold.

In principal, I think the new modules are a good idea but may not go far enough. Additionally, outside rigs, there was no ability to tune for either flight time or damage application, something all other weapon systems had access to (optimal/fall off and tracking).

The question as always is balance. Something the Fozzie-brained amongst us are far better at doing. I expect that CCP will implement as advertised, But if there aren’t balance passes down track, I’ll be very surprised indeed,

Go see http://sandciderandspaceships.blogspot.co.nz/2015/06/eve-blog-banter-64-torpedo-torpedo.html for more banters

H

P.S Moar alpha!