[dogscoff]

Here's an idea on the ECM/ combat sensor debate... how about doing away with the ECM and CS components completely, and building the bonuses into ships / weapons respectively.

It would create a huge mess of new components (meson bLaster II + CS I, meson bLaster II + CS II...) but you might find / write a script to generate them automatically. Would the game engine be able to handle such a huge components.txt file?

Not sure what this would achieve in termms of game balance, bnut it could be interesting. It would certainly give the modder more control over the whole combat bonus system.