Beam weapons seems a lot stronger than the other options

from GalCiv2 Forums
They are always small and do a lot more damage per size, than other weapons...

Once you get to Ion beam, it's a really cheap tech for some reason, compared to weapon techs of the same level, and it increases in damage every level, surpassing the missile damage of the same level...

Am I completely off here, or is do other people think so as well?
8,343 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I've always favoured how cheap it is per unit of damage over the amount of damage per size of the weapon myself.
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You also have to take into account that weapon size scales with hull size. AFAIK missiles scale the least, meaning they are more effective on large / huge hulls than beam weapons.
Galactic Civilizations IV
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
A while ago there was an excellent post that may have even been on the wiki that compared the weapon types and it showed that missles were always the best choice. It had color graphs and everything...

It was done by either Wyndstar or Iztok or Mumblefratz, I'm really sorry that i don't remember which; I guess because i consider them all experts. If someone knows where that comparison is could you post the link here, I'm sure a lot of people would benefit from it.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
As much as the Wiki is a fantastic source of Information, it's kind of out dated.

The Information on it is great, but I think that it's in need of some serious updating, especially when it comes to some of the new features added by Twilight, and even Dread Lords.

Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Beam weapons are good, but it is better to choose any different technology than the other races use. The reason: if most of the races use some weapon technology, they usually use the protection against this technology. However, if you have a weapon, that does not match their protection, you can beat much stronger foes: defender shield 16: gun 4 is as effective as laser 16 (4 = sqrt(16)).
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I don't use beam weapons for one simple reason. Dead Lords. When they show up with their 120 beam defense ships I damn well don't want to be using beam weapons.
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Beam weapons are good, but it is better to choose any different technology than the other races use. The reason: if most of the races use some weapon technology, they usually use the protection against this technology. However, if you have a weapon, that does not match their protection, you can beat much stronger foes: defender shield 16: gun 4 is as effective as laser 16 (4 = sqrt(16)).
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In Dread Lords this was true but in ToA I've noticed that an AI species' weapon type seems to be constant from game to game - rather than all civs picking one of the three, each race has a type that their AI favors every time. For example, Drengin use mass drivers while Iconians use missiles.

A Thalan game I started tonight has the Korath using beams, Iconians with missiles, and Drengin with guns. I could have sworn Korath preferred guns like their cousins, so maybe there's some variance, but overall you can't count on an AI weapon standard.

On the other hand, the fact that ships with fleet modules are always targeted first allows you get more mileage out of defense: simply stack defense mods on a ship with any fleet module and it will tank for a fleet full of ships with nothing but guns.
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I agree that the "Best" weapon for the job is the one that your enemies don't have a defense against. I have noticed that, in ToA, there is more variation in weapons/defenses amongst the different races. So I will routinely poll the other races and research what weapons to best choose and what defences to best pursue.

It is great when one race racks up heavy shields (for example) only to get taken down my by small ships with guns or missles as weapons.