Plasma FAC?

[Andrew]

I would prefer the term 'target drone' 

[UnLimiTeD]

"FAC" is already it's own ship type, you gotta be careful with those words.^^

[Girlinhat (OP)]

I know, but since the design is only in theory, the terms are kind of fluid

[UnLimiTeD]

I don't get that one. 

[Vanigo]

Something to consider is that, AFAICT, IR lasers have exactly the same power and range as plasma carronades, and cost half as much. The advantage of the carronades is that it's faster to research any given caliber, but for something you're mounting on an FAC, you won't want a very big weapon anyway. Plus, lasers have the smaller/slower firing techs, making them even more suited for the job.
Really, I don't know what carronades are supposed to be good for.

[blue emu]

Really, I don't know what carronades are supposed to be good for.

Jump Point defense. Don't Carronades dish out several times more damage at point blank range?

[Girlinhat (OP)]

I successfully mounted a 20cm carronade on a 20HS FAC with 6 layers of armor, got 2 into a light carrier and deployed them.  Forgot to equip them with a fast enough firecon, but I manage to get a 25 damage shot on an enemy fighter at 0 range and simply destroyed it.  Looking at it closer, it would be an absolutely brutal bomber craft, made to take out mainline destroyers and such.  1250 km/s tracking isn't grand, but it's not terrible against big ships (not fighters).

[Brian Neumann]

The big advantage of carronades is their cost.  The cheapest laser is a 10cm while the same reasearch cost carronade is 15cm which does twice the damage.  Other than that the laser is a better weapon.  It will quickly outrange the carronade and it's damage profile is deeper so for large lasers they will penetrate more deeply rather than having a broader crater the way the carronade does.  Personally I almost never use the carronade because of this, but if you are in a hurry to get a big slow firing weapon for point blank beam weapon combat then the carronade is the way to go.  The 25cm carronade is a 4000 research point project so from scratch this would be 7,000 research points.  This is about what the 15cm laser costs to research.  Damage potential is 6 vs 16 at point blank range.  Take your pick depending on what you need.

Brian

[Vanigo]

I manage to get a 25 damage shot on an enemy fighter at 0 range and simply destroyed it.  Looking at it closer, it would be an absolutely brutal bomber craft, made to take out mainline destroyers and such.

Wait, 25 damage? I thought 20cm beams did less than that? That would make them more useful if a 20cm carronade does more damage at point-blank range than a 20cm laser.

[Girlinhat (OP)]

I seem to recall 25 damage.  Or maybe that was the ramming damage that was done to me...  Maybe it was 10 from the carronades?  It was still enough to one-shot a fighter, I remember that!

[UnLimiTeD]

"Enough to oneshot a fighter" equals 4.
The main boon of carronades is indeed the cheap research cost, plus a not too expensive actual weapon.
They have a rather flat damage profile, but as far as I remember the actual damage is quite decent.
You already start a level higher than other beams if I remember right?

[Brian Neumann]

You already start a level higher than other beams if I remember right?

Two levels higher actually, that is what makes them dangerous.  You can get a decent size without lots of time researching them.

Brian