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[Maxsimal]

Assuming you have sufficient range to have time to fire off all the missiles, using a reloadable launcher + magazines will give you more missiles in total than the same space in box launchers.

It's an interesting way of performing a time-on-target strike with only one ship, with the limitation of course that the ship will be ineffective if it doesn't have room to pull off the firing run, eg coming out of a warpgate or getting ambushed.

Yeah, my low tech bomber would get only half as many missiles with box launchers.  The ratio also improves in favor of the time on target bomber as you tech up magazine efficiency a little more.  Another advantage, as mentioned, is that each missile is a separate salvo.  I think that's huge in Aurora because
- Gauss only gets to shoot at 1 missile with all 4 shots
- Area defense PD, including AMM's, can only shoot at one missile at a time unless the PD has more than one FC.

Actually, at that point it's kind of a cheat.

[Flying Dice]

The main problem with that design is that it's only feasible in a single situation: advancing on a detected enemy across a large distance. It's useless in JP defense/assault, useless when fleeing from enemy ships, useless without good sensor coverage, marginally useful against larger fleets that aren't all in the same TG, and marginally useful against large numbers of small, fast ships. It could be an effective special role vessel, but not the core of a fleet.

[FritzPL]

Keep in mind this is low tech. Very low tech, at TL5 I think I can design a craft and a missile that make this idea a tiny bit more universal. I mean, the better tech, the less space we use on the ship, the more space we have for sensors, PD, armor and other stuff.
About the salvos, though - don't the explosions affect missiles flying close by? It's logical and not at the same time, and I haven't had the opportunity to find out yet.

[Flying Dice]

No, they don't. The tech isn't the problem, either, it's the basic concept. The only way for it to work is if the missiles and ship have identical speeds, for the ship to be constantly moving towards the target, and for the missile and sensor range to be long enough to fire enough missiles to make it appreciably better than a single ship firing salvos. Oh, and making the magazine large enough to be worthwhile without slowing the ship too much.

In practical terms you'd be better with a very large ship with multiple launchers, because a smaller ship can only carry so many missiles, and there's a certain point where it would just be easier to use FACs with box launchers.

[Crimson]

After a few months of not playing Aurora, I'm back again. Tried to run my previous game which quickly reminded me of the hour long interrupts I can never seem to get out off. I think I'm just gonna start a new game. Kind of sad though since that 1 million ton ship I designed a few months back may never see any action. 

About the salvos, though - don't the explosions affect missiles flying close by? It's logical and not at the same time, and I haven't had the opportunity to find out yet.

Explosions only damage their target and nothing else.

[Metalax]

Amusing bug spotted over on the Aurora forums. If you design a PDC that is 500 tons or less in size, it can be built using fighter factories instead of construction factories.
Gives those factories something to do until tech advances to the point fighters become viable. It will probably be fixed for the next version.

[Jacob/Lee]

Amusing bug spotted over on the Aurora forums. If you design a PDC that is 500 tons or less in size, it can be built using fighter factories instead of construction factories.
Gives those factories something to do until tech advances to the point fighters become viable. It will probably be fixed for the next version.

I've never used PDCs, or fighters for that matter. What can you possibly fit in that 500 tons that could make it semi-useful?

[Another]

Box missile launchers?

[Sheb]

PD for your planet? Hangar for one fighter?

[Metalax]

Amusing bug spotted over on the Aurora forums. If you design a PDC that is 500 tons or less in size, it can be built using fighter factories instead of construction factories.
Gives those factories something to do until tech advances to the point fighters become viable. It will probably be fixed for the next version.

I've never used PDCs, or fighters for that matter. What can you possibly fit in that 500 tons that could make it semi-useful?

Some ideas off the top of my head for a 500 ton PDC
Mini-AMM Bases, a single firecontrol and as many size 1 launchers as will fit.
Mini-ASM Bases, single firecontrol and size 6 launcher.
Mini-Hangar for a single 250 ton fighter.
Mini-Sensor Base, should be able to fit a size 7-8 sensor in one.

As for fighters they can serve various roles, relatively disposable sensors, reusable first stages for long range missile strikes, additional point defence platforms, equipped with light beam weapons for chasing down fleeing and crippled ships, emergency fast fuel/supplies/missile delivery and so on.

[Carnwennan]

Huh, is there a way to get PDC's to target planets? I am trying to design a cheap, planet-based geosurvey buoy launcher, but it doesn't seem possible

E: I suppose I could try it with a ship, lacking engines and such. But then I would need a shipyard to make them.

[forsaken1111]

Huh, is there a way to get PDC's to target planets? I am trying to design a cheap, planet-based geosurvey buoy launcher, but it doesn't seem possible

E: I suppose I could try it with a ship, lacking engines and such. But then I would need a shipyard to make them.

I think the trick is to put a waypoint on the planet and target that.

[Flying Dice]

Huh, is there a way to get PDC's to target planets? I am trying to design a cheap, planet-based geosurvey buoy launcher, but it doesn't seem possible

E: I suppose I could try it with a ship, lacking engines and such. But then I would need a shipyard to make them.

I think the trick is to put a waypoint on the planet and target that.

Wouldn't that not work if you have planetary orbits on (as they are by default)? IIRC waypoints can't be associated with planetary bodies like that, and would remain where placed.

[forsaken1111]

Huh, is there a way to get PDC's to target planets? I am trying to design a cheap, planet-based geosurvey buoy launcher, but it doesn't seem possible

E: I suppose I could try it with a ship, lacking engines and such. But then I would need a shipyard to make them.

I think the trick is to put a waypoint on the planet and target that.

Wouldn't that not work if you have planetary orbits on (as they are by default)? IIRC waypoints can't be associated with planetary bodies like that, and would remain where placed.

I don't actually know. I usually don't play with orbits on.

[Carnwennan]

I don't actually know. I usually don't play with orbits on.

I play with orbits enabled, so this wont work, unfortunately.