Missile design

[PSI (OP)]

So my colony on Mars is starting to have unrest due to insufficient military protection, so I'm trying to design a PDC for them.
Problem is, I haven't designed missiles before, so I'm a complete newb at this. At this point, I'm pretty much at the first tier of missile technology.

Any tips?

[Rich.h]

Not sure if this is totally correct, but unless you have some manufacturing ability on Mars then a missile PDC could be a long time in the making. The PDC parts will need to be built then possibly shipped (if you lack manufacturing). They will then need assembled on Mars, so you now need a ship to haul those parts (Your freighter designs should be able to do this anyway). Also you need a ship to carry construction brigades to assemble the PDC parts, along with actually having construction brigades researched and built. Finally you will need a ship to carry the missiles you intend to arm the PDC with, unless you have specified your freighters as collier ships.

It will probably be both cheaper and faster to either build a force of small gauss ships (you do not need reactors for them), or build up some garrison forces and ship them to Mars.

Forgot to mention that missiles you design for PDC use are likely to be specialised and not a great deal of good for ship platforms.

[PSI (OP)]

While I understand that PDCs aren't the most effective thing to use, I would still like pointers on making the most effective missiles and fire controls with the tech that I have.

[sublight]

The great thing about a PDC for calming the citizens is that the population only cares about the total HS devoted to beam weapons and missile launchers. Slapping a set of ICBM launchers along side a modern missile fire control is a cheap way to keep people happy (even if it is of minimal military utility)

As for generic missile tips...

• Design a 0.1MSP 'PlaceHolder' engine at 1/2 of your maximum missile engine power. The placeholder is a great way to mess around in the missile design window to keep a feel for range (about equal if 2.0-3.0 total engine size) and speed (double). Design a new engine of the total size at maximum power when you have something you like.

• Your anti-ship missiles should probably be 30-40% warhead, 50-60% engine, and 1-20% fuel/armor/sensors/agility/ect

• For optimal damage the warhead should be the square of a number (1,4,9,16...), or at least a half step (2,6,12,20...). Everything else has a damage template that is skewed toward shallow penetration.

• Smaller missile can more easily penetrate missile defenses. Larger missiles have longer ranges. Size 4-5 is one of the most popular size ranges.

• In the early game I consider a 1-HS M-FC (3-HS Active) as short ranged; a 2-HS M-FC (6-HS Active) as medium ranged, and a 3-HS M-FC (9-HS Active) as long ranged. If cost is no limit going larger is often better.

[NihilRex]

http://aurora2.pentarch.org/index.php/topic,5855.msg60061.html#msg60061

I use the missile designer part of this.  Most the info for it can be found in the missile design box, or on the missile constants tab.

Faster is better, range should be the same as the FC or a bit shorter.  Personally, I design FCs first, and missiles second.  Some do the other way around.

[ptb_ptb]

I can't see how to add sensors to to missiles in the Missile / Buoy Design screen.

Help please. 

[Rich.h]

Under the section that has the inputs for warhead, fuel, agility, reactor. There is a sensor section which you input your numbers the same as before with an addition box for the resolution size being used. Then just play with the math to get your desired sensor ability.