Cool. Is a missile fire control needed to launch toward a waypoint? Or can I make a fighter that is just an engine and a box launcher so long as the missiles have onboard sensors?
Missiles (or any weapon) needs the appropriate fire control to work.
Now, missile sensors can be quite myopic compared to ship sensors. It is entirely possible for the missile to pass a target completely while never picking it up on sensors.
For example. A missile moves 1500km in one 5 second pulse. A target sits at 2000km from the missile's current position. The missile has a sensor range of 400km. So at start it is 2000km from the target. Next pulse it is 500km from the target. Third pulse it is 1000km past the target. All the while never getting the target in it's range.
I know. You say, "But Erik! It
was in range when it passed!"
Yes, yes it was. But how the checks are completed, The target never existed in the missile's sensor envelope during a sensor check.
From my experience, the best place for missiles with sensors are mines. Mine triggers, releases 20 missiles. Missiles say "Ooh! Juicy target!" And boom. Ex-target.