[Master Belisarius]

Rollo: of course that I respect your opinion, ok?

But please see again the numbers that Raynor posted:

Wep Damage Rng size Research Cost(medium)
APB XII 65..45 (8) 30Kt 1,600,000 (ROF 1)
Meson VI 35..35 (6) 20Kt 510,000 (ROF 1)
PPB V 60..60 (6) 30Kt 290,000 (ROF 1)
WMG III 140..140 (8) 70Kt 4,212,000 (ROF 3)
GHB V 145..40 (8) 60Kt 290,000 (ROF 2)

It mean that for only 290,000 of research points, you have one of the BEST weapons in the game (and IMHO, the best weapon because WMG and APB are very expensive to research and can't skip standard shields).
The PPB is great even against Phased Shields! And if your opponent have lots of Phased Shields V, you can use a cheap Shield Depleter to help.

The only problem with the PPB was their range: against ships with the old Ionic Dispersers had strong problems. But with the fixed Ionic Disperser, the PPB is more powerful, IMHO of course.

Again IMHO, think that's something wrong if you can have the best weapon in the game, for only 290,000 research points!!!

I have noted that in my PBW games, I don't need to use more weapons than PPB (some times Shield Depleters and Boarding Ships)!

Until now, I never have moaned about it, because believed that the standard weapons never would be changed again by MM, and because believed that the general idea was "you don't like a weapon, then just mod it in your way, because the SE4 standard weapons will be not changed again."
But after the Ionic Disperser fix, now I want to see fixed the PPB and PDC (man, the missiles are a very bad option!).

About your point that if the PPB is fixed, then, the next should be fix the APB or something else, I disagree: now is very expensive research a good weapon like APB XII or WMG III, then, are balanced weapons in my view.