[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
How about making PPBs 75% as effective as APB 4-8 (IE: 75% as much damage)? This sticks with 5 levels, and makes them start at about the same point as if the player had reasearched APBs instead of Physics 2. Stopping with APB level 8 means they won't be anywhere near as powerful as late-game APBs.

I hate this idea.

It TOTALLY nerfs the PPB. It turns it into a niche weapon that is only usefull if you are facing an enemy with non-phased shields. What you end up with in comparison to the APB is a weapon that takes much more research to get intially, costs twice as much and is less effective from the start, never gets any closer in damage and falls way behind in damage and range by the end because the APB branch is so much longer.

The only time the PPB would be advantageous would be agaisnt normal shields, and the heavy research costs means that the APB player can keep up in shield tech, getting phased shields about the time the PPB gets PPB, and the APB player will be ahead in weapons tech.

The only redeeming quality of this idea is that it so neuters the PPB that people will stop using it. Over time this will translate into more players using shields and stopping with the high end normal shields. The sneaky player inside me sees this as an opportunity to pull a switch on someone at a crucial moment in a game and catch their heavily normally shielded fleet with their pants down. But this would depend so much on timing and luck that it could almost be classified as a desperation move. The player that depends on this as a strategy is going to lose a lot more then they win.

Geoschmo