[Taera]

Very well.
I'll have to say again that this change realy improves the balance. Even back at SE3 days i realized how efficient if ID at crippling an enemy, and the very many strenghts of this weapon made it realy dangerous, especially if used against you.
On the other hand, I have to agree with MB that this was the only answer to ships using PPB/NSP, especially when talking about NSP - i've set strategy to max. weap. range and just outshoot the enemy - the winning design was torpedoes and ID.

Now talking about PPB.
I have to say this is _the_ strongest, best, whatever weapon in the game.
It is realy easy to get it - lvl.2 physics and to research - only 5 levels beginning from 5k cost.
By the time i am researching my APB 7 the enemy would already have PPB 5 which does quite more damage. Very well, lest see...(starts the game)

APB 12 does only 5 more points of damage and has 8 range. PPB 5 has only 2 less range (when using high-tech armor and electronics, the 2 extra range wont save you - you'll miss). There is hardly any difference in cost.
Meson bLaster is no way compared to PPB.
Torpedoes. Have the same range at max level and does almost the same or less (on closer distances) in its two-turn ROF, and takes more space and thrice(sp) longer to research.
WMG might be the answer due to longer range and bonus to-hit. Still if it does not kill the target, it will be killed untill recharged. Does less damage than PPB in same time at any range, costs by half more and takes almost twice the space.

Only several racial technologies can be roughly compared to the weapon, but then again they either do less damage, cost more or take more space.

Very well, the answers i see:
*Decrease the damage
*Increase the ROF to 2 (IMO best solution)
*Make it more difficult to reach (say physics lvl2, astrophysics lvl1, Energy Stream/Pulse Weapons lvl3)

The PPB in SEIII was doing less damage (exactly the amount the emmisive armor could reflect) and was more difficult to reach on the technology tree.
I strongly suggest for people to think it all over because this weapon for the moment is _the_ most unbalanced.

I also have to agree about the crystalline weapons but this one is less urgent IMO.