Ship Builds & Load Outs Projectile Weapons Ammo Magazines

[Stormprooter]

Talking about the cannons and multi-cannons here - I understand we may see a new type called the auto-cannon which fits somewhere between the two coming at some point in the future as well.

Basically, what I would like (and I am not demanding, or trying to present a case to make it happen) is the ability to use some of my ship's slots to house extra magazines of ammo for projectile weapons. I would be happy with a delay for a magazine swap, extra weight and power for an 'autoloader' module, and perhaps slightly smaller magazine sizes (say 10% less per mag) as a balance for this.
My reasoning is, that I do love the cannons and especially mutli-cannons, but I feel the ammo level is not high enough (especially for combat zones). As such, I now tend to use them (if at all) as a secondary weapon to lasers, and always gimballed (to make sure as many shots count as possible).
If I had the option to use ship slots to house more ammo, I would happily go back to using fixed multi-cannons all round, which I find to be more fun (& more dogfighty)

This is simply a personal wish, if it doesn't happen, then it doesn't happen - beam lasers will suffice, if it does happen I will be an even happier bunny than I am now

Anyone else for more ammo?

 

[Lunchmoney]

Anyone else for more ammo?

Yep.


....

 

[Sathayorn]

Talking about the cannons and multi-cannons here - I understand we may see a new type called the auto-cannon which fits somewhere between the two coming at some point in the future as well.

Don't forget the Fragment Cannons, which I understand nobody uses because of the limited ammo.

 

[katheb]

Don't forget the Fragment Cannons, which I understand nobody uses because of the limited ammo.

I really tried to use them, I was point blank with an equal sized ship and unloaded the entire clip directly... And ended up running out of ammo without it dieing. [shields down of course.]

 

[emmpeabee]

Yes to carrying spare ammo as cargo - imagin the language when someone scoops a tonne of spare AMMO for a gun he did not have...
Mike

 

[Stormprooter]

Don't forget the Fragment Cannons, which I understand nobody uses because of the limited ammo.

Yes of course, the frag cannons too - I haven't used them as I'm not a 'shotgun' type, and they are effecively big space shotguns - but yes, the ammo thing also applies here.
Not sure what the niche is for frag cannons - perhaps for a large or slow maneuvering ship to be able to scatter ordnance at a smaller, faster ship - just like shooting clay pigeons with a shotgun?

 

[Brian]

Would love to have ammo stored in cargo racks - it should take a while for the ammo to be transferred to each gun though, say a couple of minutes unless you have a crew working on it in the case of anacondas or similar.

Brian

 

[Ceekay]

No issue with additional ammo as long as it has mass that impacts ship performance, just like any "cargo"

 

[Brian]

No issue with additional ammo as long as it has mass that impacts ship performance, just like any "cargo"

Which should decrease with every round fired!

Brian

 

[Stormprooter]

Would love to have ammo stored in cargo racks - it should take a while for the ammo to be transferred to each gun though, say a couple of minutes unless you have a crew working on it in the case of anacondas or similar.

Brian

For this, I'd have a new "autoloader" module which stores the ammo and also reloads or swaps out the gun magazines - this would use up some power, and the magazine size would be a bit smaller compared to a single fixed magazine as balances. Naturally they would be different classes (no of mags held) and have the usual ratings A -> E which would affect reload times, along with the module's residual mass (with no ammo) and power usage.

 

[Brian]

For this, I'd have a new "autoloader" module which stores the ammo and also reloads or swaps out the gun magazines - this would use up some power, and the magazine size would be a bit smaller compared to a single fixed magazine as balances. Naturally they would be different classes (no of mags held) and have the usual ratings A -> E which would affect reload times, along with the module's residual mass (with no ammo) and power usage.

+1 Rep!

Brian

 

[Stormprooter]

+1 Rep!

Brian

Cheers for the rep!

Thinking on this more, the game would probably need a new type of each projectile weapon, which is capable of being reloaded in this manner (and obviously much more expnsive ). There is also a challenge for the game designers on how to create the mechanics to make it all work too. I would probably go for something along the lines of having to retract the gun hardpoints (and optionally also hit a key to reload) in order for a reload to happen, that would make the gun unusable until reload is complete, at which point it could be deployed again.

It's definitely not as straightforward as I first imagined it

 

[Ceekay]

Cheers for the rep!

Thinking on this more, the game would probably need a new type of each projectile weapon, which is capable of being reloaded in this manner (and obviously much more expnsive ). There is also a challenge for the game designers on how to create the mechanics to make it all work too. I would probably go for something along the lines of having to retract the gun hardpoints (and optionally also hit a key to reload) in order for a reload to happen, that would make the gun unusable until reload is complete, at which point it could be deployed again.

It's definitely not as straightforward as I first imagined it

Engineerin' stuff never is
How about an auto loader module with different classes to match the weapon class and different grades with faster reload speed and better reliability/damage resistance, perhaps additional pre-charged weapon capacitors in a similar module (charge restored at a station facility) might be worth considering (kinda like SCB's).

 

[Cargobane]

The reload from cargo hold should take about as long as it does to restore shields.

 

[DidierDrbois]

Would love to have ammo stored in cargo racks - it should take a while for the ammo to be transferred to each gun though, say a couple of minutes unless you have a crew working on it in the case of anacondas or similar.

Brian

No issue with additional ammo as long as it has mass that impacts ship performance, just like any "cargo"

Agreed on all fronts. IF there's to be additional ammo in cargo hold, there must be severe drawbacks. Merely 'losing' an internal slot is not a drawback, it's a joke. But this is what most of the kids want and imagine is going to be. More ammo, more power, more and bigger guns. For absolutely free. You guys think straight and good. I like that a lot.

 

[Deathwatch]

Im thinking it could be a extendable cargo add on now it depends if the weapons load internally within the ship or externally and the module could be be designed to ship ammunition into the weapon for example this could extend the length before a reload because it can always provide ammo from the cargo hold.

Of course there should be the risk that taking ammo in your cargo hold if they can breach your hold you might end up going sky high if they ignite your ammounition hold.

 

[DidierDrbois]

Im thinking it could be a extendable cargo add on now it depends if the weapons load internally within the ship or externally and the module could be be designed to ship ammunition into the weapon for example this could extend the length before a reload because it can always provide ammo from the cargo hold.

Of course there should be the risk that taking ammo in your cargo hold if they can breach your hold you might end up going sky high if they ignite your ammounition hold.

Could be a sub-target. With less HP than the power plant of course.

 

[Ben_BigBen]

Getting into the realms of MechWarrior here - I really like the way they have done it in terms of where you store the ammo and whether it'll take the power plant out depending on where you put it - it does get quite complex on the critical hit rolls, chance of explosion, etc so I'm not sure Elite needs to go that far.

Love the idea of ammo but needs appropriate penalties something like no "part loading" i.e. you have to run out of ammo first before you can re-load and the time penalties and stowing hard points already mentioned.

 

[SilverbladeTE]

Keep it simple!
I agree with the ideas but you shouldn't mess with the guns and their base ammo counts, that's just more complexity and a pain in butt
~
internal module with mass, each has a class and a FIXED mass which is used for ammo
ie, A 5A for cannon would hold a LOT of ammo and reload fast but of course cost a lot of money, probably several million in line with other modules of size and class.
a 2E would hold little and reload very slow.
I'd imagine a size 2 would reload one gun x4 or two guns xx2 basing it off the cargo amount of the largest cargo module of that size!
BUT the size of the weapon needs larger amounts bigger it is
~
So

• Size 2 = 4 reloads for a Small Weapon, 2 for medium, 1 for Large no Huge
• Size 3 = 8 reloads for Small, 4 for medium, 2 for large, 1 for huge
• Size 4 = 16 Reloads for small, 8 for medium, 4 for large, 2 for huge
• Size 5 = 32 reloads for small, 16 for medium, 8 for large, 4 for Huge

etc


Reload time probably 30 second for best, 2 minute for slowest.
Only reloads when gun is empty