![[VR] DDM_Reaper20](https://d2aefvhu2f0gi9.cloudfront.net/data/avatars/m/44/44021.jpg?1588332101){kind=avatar}
First off, no, engineering won't change this at all.
As to why . . . balancing. Railguns are powerful. They can be engineered (with certain effects, heat is reduced by 40%, and let's not forget super penetrator and feedback cascade -- one harms SCBs (shield cell banks), disrupts shield recharge from those banks, and damages the banks, the other penetrates hulls (and, therefore, components) even better.
Their piercing value is insane, MUCH better than that of MCs, missiles, or lasers.
Now imagine them without a firing delay. There is a reason why class 3 and 4 railguns are still missing, and removing the firing delay would make them even more powerful -- too powerful.
If you want a version that's a little easier, Imperial hammers Auto fire. You still have to wait first time but after that you can just hold down the trigger.
If you don't like the railgun delay, try the plasma accelerators.
PAs have instant firing, but slow travel time as the trade-off. It is like throwing snowballs at the enemy. Similar to railgun it takes some practice to know when it is a good time to fire. And choosing which enemy will be faster and easier to defeat. Depending on how your brain works it might be easier. What is more difficult for the cmdr: delayed firing or slow travel time? For some reason I find PAs easier because of the similarity to throwing snowballs.
Edit: I usually use PAs in combination with some gimballed weapons because I find after the first shot hitting the speedy little ships with PA very difficult. For these guys I save the PA shots for only obvious easy hits. (PvE, mostly FA on, I'm not great at combat but I destroy NPCs just fine)
PAs have instant firing, but slow travel time as the trade-off. It is like throwing snowballs at the enemy. Similar to railgun it takes some practice to know when it is a good time to fire. And choosing which enemy will be faster and easier to defeat. Depending on how your brain works it might be easier. What is more difficult for the cmdr: delayed firing or slow travel time? For some reason I find PAs easier because of the similarity to throwing snowballs.
Edit: I usually use PAs in combination with some gimballed weapons because I find after the first shot hitting the speedy little ships with PA very difficult. For these guys I save the PA shots for only obvious easy hits. (PvE, mostly FA on, I'm not great at combat but I destroy NPCs just fine)
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Long range fixed burst lasers
For example, a Corvette with a pair of huge long range fixed burs lasers will do 2x 3shots, in 1.6s, doing like 120 dmg.
No delay
Great to nail Powerplants from a distance
Large bursts are less impressive tho. Mediums are rather mellow.
But i've used them in both large and medium incarnations and they can be ok-ish
I'd prefer a charge-up cycle but instant release rather than the trigger delay to mitigate them being OP. I'd also prefer they be more damaging but VERY demanding on power. Something that you can't launch very often but when you do and it lands, it counts. High enough draw that loading up every slot on an Anaconda is simply not possible.
That's the typical balance on powerful sniper weapons. Slow to get the next shot off. And hard to get on target at close range.
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No delay rails... make me drooling 
My favorite railgun replacement is that Guardian "hold down to charge" plasma gun, forget the proper name for it. A pair of engineered ones were rewarded at one of the last CGs before the Live / Legacy split. I absolutely adore those guns. I have my pair on a cold DBS, and they dish out serious damage on both human and AX ships alike. They are like the best of both worlds between a rail gun and a plasma accelerator. I hold down the trigger to build up a charge, but it fires when I want it to fire (when I let go of the trigger), not on a timer, making it way easier to line up my shots. And while not instant, the projectile is way faster than a ball of plasma. Oh, and you can rapid-fire these at partial charge, which is great for taking out fast-moving fighters!
Best CG reward EVER! (well, at least for me)
If rails had no delay then even numpties like me could use them! 
I do enjoy using PAs though.
I do enjoy using PAs though.
For giggles max out some APAs with rapid fire / all the fast gizmos and slap those lads into a Vulture.
I like the way you think.
I love railguns, though my newest corvette only uses one class 1 (long-range, plasma slug -- just to entice enemies to stop fleeing and get closer) (PVE only, therefore, not necessary), and I'd sell one of my two corvettes to get class 3 and class 4 railguns . . . and, yes, I realise they'd be so power-hungry, you'd likely see the lights dim every time you deploy those suckers.
It needs the capacitators to charge up enough energy. This energy cant be maintained indefinitely and dissipates quickly.
You could invent some space magic to make it persist, but we wouldnt want to engineer every skill requirement away, would we?
You could invent some space magic to make it persist, but we wouldnt want to engineer every skill requirement away, would we?
Supercapacitor and battery can store electrical energy in quite long time. So almost of modern prototypes of rail gun and coil gun shoot a bullet instantly after pushing trigger/switch, by using pre-charged energy.
This is not RL this is all space magic.
The Guardian Plasma Charger
Guardian Plasma Charger
Fixed-mount plasma weapon, based on researched Guardian technology. There is a limit of 4 experimental modules per vessel.In-Game Description The Guardian Plasma Charger is a plasma-based weapon that utilizes Guardian technology. It can be unlocked through a Technology Broker. Different modes...
elite-dangerous.fandom.com
Agreed!
They were a pleasant surprise, even when used outside of AX combat.
@Hawkcode - You should definitely consider checking them out! o7
![[VR] Mad Mike](https://d2aefvhu2f0gi9.cloudfront.net/data/avatars/m/27/27910.jpg?1553527108){kind=avatar}
anyone remember the bug which gave ai rapid fire rail guns (or was it beam plasma i cant remember) back in the day?
they were brutal and not something which should be in the game.
they were brutal and not something which should be in the game.
I think it was a plasma repeater one-shot kill sumthing like that
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They are slo af. I hate them. How do you even hit with this crap? Same for cannons. Useless.If rails had no delay then even numpties like me could use them!
I do enjoy using PAs though.