How best to use Null Space weapons?

[Joe Cool]

Fleets made up of ships armed with DUCs always beat fleets made up of Null Space Weapons, because of the reload time. I've heard the Null Space Weapons are great, so there must be a trick to using them. I'd appreciate any tips anyone has to offer! Mixed fleets, to push the enemy back while my NSW's reload, maybe? Maximum range tactic, to keep them out of range of the DUCs? (This didn't make much difference in my efforts.) Also, are there any super potent weapons combos out there? Anything particularly effective for a race with talismans?
Thanks!
Joe

[Joachim]

heh ya, I like the Null Space weapons but I dont think they are the best 'power-play' weapon available. My personal choice of later game weapon set up is one Null space, a couple of shield depleters then anti-polarons. I like the single null space and the chance it gives to knock out critical systems first off - and the whole Null Space weapon just apeals to me for some reason!

James.

Lurk re-engaged.

[Baron Munchausen]

Null-space is a siege weapon, mainly. You use it against huge enemies (like starbases) that you could not damage for a long time if you had to break through the shields and armor first. It works well as an ambush weapon on satelites, too. But the reload time is a problem so yes you need to use it only as a 'secondary' weapon and have a decent complement of regular weapons.

[Cyrien]

For late game probably the most potent general purpose weapon strategy is shield depleters and anti-proton beams. For mid game you want phased polaron beams. Early game is the DUC.

This is assuming no access to specialty weapons from another racial trait and an unmodded game.

Other weapons such as the null space or the wave motion have their uses in specialty fields such as breaching heavily armored and shielded ships/bases for the null space or taking something out at long range in the first volley with better than normal to hit chances for the wave motion.

The only other basic weapons I use are the ripper beam with tractors and repulsors in combination and the meson.

Most of the time though I take a racial trait that offers some weapons of its own. Then I use those.

[Gwaihir]

I was a big fan of racial weapons for a while, but now I tend to use the standard. I haven't really found a racial weapon that tops the standard set if well planned - - - does anyone have a different opinion on this?

[Cheeze]

Racial weapons can top the standards depending on your strategy. Take Organic technology as an example. Yes, I think the standard weapons are superior in terms of range and firepower, however, replacing mineral cost with organic resources allows an empire to build ships more quickly and maintain a far greater number of ships than a standard race is capable.

That a standard ship may outfight an organic ship given all other equal circumstances may be safe to say, but when an organic fleet builds 40-60% faster, it can wear down a "superior" enemy through sheer numbers and reinforcements.

But I'm not telling you anything you don't already know.

On a different note, I do like Null Space weapons for their special ability. I would equip a large enough ship with Null Space, followed by 1 or 2 Shield Depleters, an Ionic Disperser, and then a couple of APB's/DUC's/whatever. Even though they no longer skip shields, I still have a special place in my heart for the Engine Destroyer weapons.