So far, I defend myself with anti-missiles.
But I keep reading that you're supposed to form three layers: Anti-missiles for long range interception, CIWS and small energy weapons for point range defense, and bigger energy weapons for middle range interception.
But I don't understand how, at higher tech level, this can be used.
I take the example of my own tech level in my game.
I have laser tech with a range of 1. 2m km. But since I want a fast firing laser, I reduce it to 480. 000km so it can fire every 5 secs. So that mean it start to deal some "ok" damages at 240. 000km
I put this in a turret with appropriated trackspeed.
And now the firecontrol. My tech level allow me to build a firecontrol that hit for 50% at 240. 000km
So all this point out that I can expect some interception at 240. 000km, 320. 000km max (but with a really low %)
Now, at my tech level, I can easily make missiles that goes at 40. 000km/s and still deliver quite a punch. On the tracking side, its bad, I can have max 25. 000km/s with the firecontrol, but it "only" reduce the hit chances.
No, the real problem is, at this speed, the missiles cover a freaking distance of 200. 000km per 5 secs!!
That means my lasers will only have ONE opportunity to fire, and then its point defense! With one more engine tech, I start to design missiles that goes at 70. 000km/s, that means 350. 000km per 5 secs, that means, with a little bad luck, NO interception chance!
In my opinion, lasers have awful range, to the point where they are useless for area defense. Against 10. 000km/s missiles, they can have their utility, since they could fire multiple times. But against fast missiles, they not only lose on the hit chances, but on the number of interception chances, to the point where they're totally useless.
As I said, so far I only focused on anti-missile missile defense, because I didn't see a point in lasers. Am I wrong? Is there something I overlooked?