Guided Missiles

[CMDR Argent Steel]

We have lots of different armaments to choose from but I have a suggestion for one that just seemed right to me.

An armed warhead like most other missiles but which is assisted by laser guidance. The laser would be of the harmless variety and could be mounted either fixed or gimballed, the goal being to paint the target and keep the target painted so that the missile finds its mark. Chaff could foul the laser and cause the missile to lose guidance as well as a pilot managing to break line of sight sufficiently to shake the laser. The advantage I see to this armament could be missiles at long range, making it a weapon that could be deployed against an enemy that is farther than normal energy or kinetic weapons can reach. After all, since the laser is lower energy it needn't carry enough power to do damage and the missile is doing all the work of carrying its payload to the target. This could be a good option for someone trying to fling hatred at an enemy at ranges greater than other weapons allow.

That's my pitch.

 

[Psycho Romeo]

laser guidance

Holy balls. This would make an awesome weapon mod (engineers) in general. A more agile ship with a fixed designator mod beam leaser could keep it on target, allowing their turret/gimbaled wingmates to ignore chaff and what not.

It would immediately tag a silent running ship as targetable too.

 

[CMDR Argent Steel]

Holy balls. This would make an awesome weapon mod (engineers) in general. A more agile ship with a fixed designator mod beam leaser could keep it on target, allowing their turret/gimbaled wingmates to ignore chaff and what not.

It would immediately tag a silent running ship as targetable too.

That's a thought I hadn't considered but it makes plenty of sense. The only thing that I question is why if chaff fouls the targeting of normal laser weapons would it not also do the same for a targeting laser? Although I suppose it'd make sense as an engineer upgrade to have a targeting laser that is capable of ignoring chaff.

 

[Psycho Romeo]

That's a thought I hadn't considered but it makes plenty of sense. The only thing that I question is why if chaff fouls the targeting of normal laser weapons would it not also do the same for a targeting laser? Although I suppose it'd make sense as an engineer upgrade to have a targeting laser that is capable of ignoring chaff.

Chaff works by creating a screen of heat. A fixed laser designator might circumvent this by not using heat to mark a ship, so that other gimballed/turreted/seeking weapons can distinguish the

wheat from the chaff.

 

[CMDR Argent Steel]

Works for me. I think it'd be a really nice addition to available weapon systems either way.