[oleg]

In another thread, Alpha Kodiak posted this observation:

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Ok, here is the complete scoop on Ionic Dispersers, at least as run from the simulator. There is no carryover of damage from shot to shot, even in the same volley. I set up a group of 5 sats armed only with a single Ionic Disperser II each. Brought a target ship up close and let fly. No matter how many hits, there was no damage done. I switched to Ionic Disperser IVs which do 30 points of damage per hit. In the first volley, there were three hits. That should have caused 90 damage, enough to destroy 4 engines. However, only three engines were destroyed, one per hit. I then switched to Ionic Disperser Vs which do 40 per hit. As expected, each hit destroyed two engines.

My final conclusion, which causes me severe grief in trying to build my latest AI, is that it is a total waste to put unmodded level I or II Ionic Dispersers on destroyer or smaller ships, as well as small satellites. That is tricky enough, but it also means that it is a waste to put Ionic Dispersers that individually do anything other than even multiples of 20 damage when modified by their mounts. Getting the AI to recognize that will be just about impossible.
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I think it has some serious repercussions for Ionic shield. As it is now, even IS 1 can not be destroyed by Ionic dispersors no matter what ! Well, except for largest base mounts. SE usually choose the biggest components to be hit first. That means that IS can soak infinite amound of damage from ID without even a scratch with only occasional hits been registered to engines.
There might be some balansing problems with IS.