Fancy, Decorative Hardpoints

[Distant Carrier]

So I was just thinking "There's not enough to do right now among those of you at Frontier Developments", and I've come up with a great idea to fill time: hardpoint modules that aren't really weapons.

Examples:

1. Something that leaves a trail of smoke, a colored trail, maybe that glows in a pretty way, although I already have engine effects that kind of do that. This item is included for completeness.
2. Something that might be useful for ground support stuff - maybe something that drops a supply pack ( for my add-on suggestion of giant FPS battleground maps )
2. Something that might be useful for station-centric coordinated space battle support stuff, beyond beam weapon support modifications.
3. Something that has some kind of targeting function or scanner function, maybe a pod that can scan individuals at a settlement from afar, or do other targeting pod type stuff.

4. Many things, even existing things, than can be painted and customized - and also more of the awesome styling of the 2D and 4D Manticore Cannons, which are boss and excellent imo.

This would be especially fun on Eagles or Imperial Eagles - for when us Eagle types get tired of the cute and endearing pew-pew against the likes of large, shield-tanked vessels. Oh, speaking of that it would be really nice to be able to outfit my Eagle(s) to big game hunt - i.e. ship killer weapons that are less universal but more functional than torpedos. I want that Corvette to panic when it sees me instead of attempting to smear me across it's front landing gear hatch, and that would be really great

 

[Craith]

So I was just thinking "There's not enough to do right now among those of you at Frontier Developments", and I've come up with a great idea to fill time: hardpoint modules that aren't really weapons.

Examples:

1. Something that leaves a trail of smoke, a colored trail, maybe that glows in a pretty way, although I already have engine effects that kind of do that. This item is included for completeness.
2. Something that might be useful for ground support stuff - maybe something that drops a supply pack ( for my add-on suggestion of giant FPS battleground maps )
2. Something that might be useful for station-centric coordinated space battle support stuff, beyond beam weapon support modifications.
3. Something that has some kind of targeting function or scanner function, maybe a pod that can scan individuals at a settlement from afar, or do other targeting pod type stuff.

4. Many things, even existing things, than can be painted and customized - and also more of the awesome styling of the 2D and 4D Manticore Cannons, which are boss and excellent imo.

This would be especially fun on Eagles or Imperial Eagles - for when us Eagle types get tired of the cute and endearing pew-pew against the likes of large, shield-tanked vessels. Oh, speaking of that it would be really nice to be able to outfit my Eagle(s) to big game hunt - i.e. ship killer weapons that are less universal but more functional than torpedos. I want that Corvette to panic when it sees me instead of attempting to smear me across it's front landing gear hatch, and that would be really great

May I introduce you to to cytoscramblers, advanced missile launchers, retributors and railguns (mixed as you prefer)? they won't get a player corvette to panic, but properly engineered it makes short work with npc ones. Currently I use 2x advanced missile launchers + 1x cytoscramblers, if you get a ship with point defenses you need to plan your attack angle though. Rails are safer (no counter), but you have to aim better to blow up the power plant. Retributors are simpler to use but take longer on average.

Guardian Plasma Chargers are fun, they deal pure absolute damage, but they have trouble with hardness and can't be engineered, so lose out in the end.

I'd love to have more versatility in outfitting (Cytoscrambler is kind of essential for nearly all builds), small plasma launchers would be great for example, some of the tech broker weapons would be great if they were available and competitive with g3 engineered weapons.

for your suggestions:
1. already overlaps with coloured exhaust fumes (although I often not use them anymore, with the way they make it monochromatic). Not sure it is needed, especially since the hardpoints are forward aiming
2. Not sure that would make sense as a hardpoint, it sounds more like something you'd drop from your carge hold
3. a fixed targeting laser would be nice, that other ships could lock onto (just target it normally like a ship, it counts the point where it collides with something as the point of target). Turrets, gimballed weapons aim for it and ignore chaff, missiles don't need to lock on first. Short range (500m), fixed only, no damage on its own, no microgimballing. A pure support weapon, big ships won't be able to use it efficiently since they can't stay on target as well as small ships.
4. not sure what you ask for here.

Generally I like everything that gives small ships more flexibility in the game.

 

[Distant Carrier]

Ah, thank you. I've been struggling for a long time on and off to puzzle through loadouts on both my CD Eagle and the iEagle. I currently have two adv. missile launchers on my iEagle, but I've set it up for long range exploration atm so they are lightweighted, just emergency weapons. When I get back to the bubble i'll probably definitely do the cryptoscrambler grind, or just put a rail on it.

Also, I thought of the designator pod idea too - you've visualized it perfectly. I thought it might be too specific for this application, but it sounds really fun. And agree, agree with 1 and 2 - 4 was just about livery on hardpoints. I'd love to paint these two adv. racks to match the amazingly brilliant white of the stock iEagle paint job.

As for the 2D/4D Manticore cannons comment, I think the styling is awesome, and it would be very cool, now that I think of it, to have different manufacturers for each weapon. i.e. Core Dynamics might have a weapon systems line that specialized in rugged, hard hitting stuff, while Gutayama might have a more finicky line of long range, very accurate stuff overlapping, along with other mfgs. and their design philosophies on integrated systems.

Thanks for the good reply, this clarifies all I was thinking of. Wish me luck with my iEagle out in the void! "I say you can do with a Falcon anything that you can do with an Eagle, a Lightning or a Hornet. That's been my working assertion. The mods are getting a little expensive... but it'll be fine." - unknown engineer at non-existent facility

 

[Distant Carrier]

Also, specialized ground attack weapons would be really perfect. My tiny exploration build iEagle keeps getting equiped with lightweight missles, then de-equipped when my obsession changes to speed and jump range. I only consider them for various POI stuff, or when on foot mission running where heavy artillery occasionally is wanted.

It would be very cool to have a dedicated ground attack hardpoint option - something that can actually target ground units, mainly because of drone stuff. Goliath drones especially... I just played hide and seek with one trying to escape a facility where I had become unpopular, and they are terrifying even with an upgraded L-6 (6 hits and it only became very, extremely angry)