[Growltigga]

I agree, APB's will eventually outstrip MB's (maybe a moot point as most people research physics to get phased energy weaponry pretty quickly).

My tactic is to research combat support and sensors pretty early on. This way, I can use DUC V's or MB's to dangerous effect due to the bonus to hit. DUC's are cheap to research so a couple of these on a frigate (supported by a couple of PDC's if you are fighting a missile heavy race or armour is fighting another close assault-type race) is going to be a hard combination to beat

The big driver for early weapon choice is configuring your ships to take on whatever is facing you. I generally start with missiles and against a human player or some of the TDM races (the Pyrochette or the Colonials come to mind), this will not work for long as they come at you with missiles and DUC's/APB's respectively and stacks of PDC's. You cant really hurt each other that much.

So, for example, against the pyrochette I will retrofit my ships to DUC armed close assault ships with stacks of PDC's. Against the Colonials, I will reconfigure with combat sensors, APB's and heavy armour. Against a human, it really depends

[ August 20, 2002, 09:06: Message edited by: Growltigga ]