Newcomer / Intro Projectile vs Beam weapons... strengths / weaknesses?

[Mandrid]

Just curious about when to use energy weapons, and when to use projectile weapons. I'm getting the sense from the forums here that energy weapons (eg, beams) are best vs shields, and projectiles (eg, multicannons) are best vs hulls. Correct?

 

[FlyingBlind]

Also use projectile weapons when low on energy and beam weapons when flying far out into deep space cause you won't be able to resupply.

 

[Sythrix]

I'm not an expert, but I mounted a beam laser on my ship and I can personally confirm it saps their shields much faster than my multi-cannons. When they drop, I open up with the multi-cannons. when they're reloading, I start back up the beam laser. Works pretty good.

 

[Vampyre111]

Beams also knock down shields fast and projectiles take down the hull faster.

 

[8ballirish]

Yes, higher class energy weapons are also relatively effective against hull's but often not as effective as lower class projectile weapons for the purpose of destroying hull's.

 

[Hamerstein]

Thermic (which includes beam weapons) vs. Shields

Kinetics vs. hulls

Railguns are good for either

Explosive weapons (missiles, mines) work well against both too - but are particularly devastating to hulls.