Just a thought game: do you think the rules for secondary weapons in this game are intuitive? Flavorful?

Yes?

It makes sense for missiles and torps: The 2-3 range ones need time/distance to lock on to a target, just like modern aerial warfare. Close-range rockets also make sense the way they are designed. Kind of an in-your-face high-damage/short-range hit that's like a shotgun blast. The only one that doesn't quite make sense is cannons, but the effects of the various cannons require specific range rules. Obviously, Autoblaster is the prime example. And HLC's are a permanent 4-dice attack, so they need some sort of setback besides the non-crit thing.

I think they are misprinted. No range modifiers were supposed to be rule of missiles and torpedoes.

Rule was badly written and now it makes cannons same as missiles, but without ammo limit.

As it is: not really intuitive nor flavorful.

Not for cannons. I don't see a reason why your lasers have trouble hitting things at a distance, but your heavy lasers do not. Same thing for close range...how could a standard laser be easier to use, but a heavy laser or ion canon not?

Also, on the topic of torpedoes, I never understood the lumping together of chance to hit and damage done. Under what circumstance would a torpedo hit something, but only do the same damage as a laser blast?

It's too late to implement now, but I had my own missile/torpedo tweak. Defenders (as in target, not the ship) don't roll defense dice vs missiles/torps unless they take a stress token (simulates activating countermeasures/evasive action). Might add value to them.

I think they are misprinted. No range modifiers were supposed to be rule of missiles and torpedoes.

Rule was badly written and now it makes cannons same as missiles, but without ammo limit.

As it is: not really intuitive nor flavorful.

the way I see it, cannons are just missiles that are actually worth taking

Intuitive? not really. without the rule, the assumption would be that secondary weapons function the same as primary weapons. This is a common mistake with new players. But the rule is counter-intuitive but is meant to encourage and boost the usage and effectiveness of secondary weapons. Is it flavorful? In the sense that it allow more diversity? I guess so...?

the rule, at a guess, is meant to further distinguish the weapons and to remove weirdness

for example: the base attack value of range 1 only secondaries such as prockets and auto-blaster

the rule, at a guess, is meant to further distinguish the weapons and to remove weirdness

for example: the base attack value of range 1 only secondaries such as prockets and auto-blaster

Exactly. Most torps and missiles have a range 2-3, as well as the HLC. You want those to be effective through that entire truncated range. Same for prockets and AB as above. They have only one range, you don't want to further increase the dice over what they are already costed for. Besides the rule is a good one use when distinguishing between noobs and old timers.

I see it that secondary cannons are more powerful than primary lasers and negate that extra evasiveness at range. They are just aimed differently. Same with the other cannons, they aren't as easy to pinpoint closer targets because of the unique aiming mechanisms, or what ever. All this gives you room for some cool unique pilot skills like Kavil getting extra dice out of arc (making that blaster turret totally worth it with an aggromech). I can see a pilot adding their range one bonus to cannon and/or turret weapons, as well as some pilot getting his extra green die at range 3 against scondaries.

Purely as an academic exercise: Cannons have a more powerful beam than regular lasers, so they don't lose beam collimation at range three. They don't react as quickly to the fire command, though, so they can't be aimed as precisely in a close up furball.

(But then why don't cannons have a range four band where the defender does get an extra green die? Um, well... Hey, look over there!)

gameplay >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> fluff is why

though it'd be nice to be able to shoot PWTs somewhere where they can't shoot you back (not worth how ridiculous the coverage would be, though, there's a reason why epic takes place on such a massive table)