[grumbler]

Tim,

What I am doing is trying to create a metric by which to evaluate weapons aaginst one another (within type) so that cost (in minerals and tonnage) can be adjusted so that the weapons are roughly equal in cost-benefit. For instance, right now the Minbari have 2 Medium weapons, the Fussion Cannon and the Molecular Disrupter. The FC fires more often (once per turn vice once per four turns) but is shorter-ranged, takes more space, and inflicts less damage. However, it hits all but seekers and the MD hits only ships. It is becoming clear from my analysis that it is better to shoot for heavy damage less frequently than for less damage more frequently, but the exact metric is not yet clear.

In the case of heavy weapons, the Neutron Laser, the Antimatter Converter, and the Molecular Pulsar, it is a bit clearer. The AC is only slightly lighter than the NL, has the same reload rate (4 turns) and has nowhere near the range. There seems to be no reason whatever to build this weapon, as there is a better one that does the same thing. Howver, the MP can hit more than just ships, and so even if you have good NLs you need the MP as a secondary weapon.

My idea on ship loadouts has been based on the "weapons mount" idea. In essence, everything up to the Destroyer would use light mounts, and there would be increasingly powerful mounts for the groupings of:
DD, HD, and CLs would use standard mounts,
C, HC, and BC would use cruiser mounts,
BB, DN, HDN would use Battleship mounts
BS, HBS would use baseship mounts.

In my scheme, each ship would mount two primary weapons. The differences between the ships in the groupings would be that the later ships would incorporate more short range weapons and armor. Thus, you might find
Minbari DD with 2 Molecular Pulsars
Minbari HDD with 2 MPs and a PD weapon
Minbari CL with 2 MPs, a PD weapon, and more armor
Minbari C with 2 MPs (in a heavier mount)
Minbari HC with 2 MPs (in a heavier mount)and a PD weapon
Minbari BC with 2 MPs (in a heavier mount), a PD weapon, and more armor
etc.

Does this make sense?