Shard Battery

Last modified by Kajar on 2024/07/14 18:41

Shard Battery

ShardBattery.jpg
TypeMain Gun
Available FromARG ANT PAR HOP TEL MIN ALI TEM TRI RIP VIG QUE
Fitted ToSmall and Medium ships
RoleAssassination, Anti-Medium, Anti-capital
Required LicenseMilitary License (+10)

In-game Description

The Shard Battery is essentially a spaceborne shotgun, that makes up for its low effective range and accuracy by inflicting devastating trauma against shields and hull alike. At its core, it is functionally similar to the Bolt Repeater that it was originally developed from. However, the ejection of multiple projectiles at once requires a wider barrel aperture, a larger spacing between shots, and generates a higher energy drain. When it comes to its damage output, the Shard Battery has been compared to the Plasma Cannon, but it offers a slightly different range of applications. Skilled military pilots may occasionally make use of this weapon against small targets in an attempt to end the fight quickly, but it is generally agreed upon that one should try to avoid these situations. The Shard Battery reaches its fullest potential against larger and slower targets such as M-sized ships, which cannot as easily evade its projectiles. It is also especially effective against capital ship surface elements, provided that the pilot can find an opportunity to target them from the blind spots of nearby turrets.

The Mk2 variant fires fewer shards at a higher speed but with a shorter interval. This raises the overall damage output and improves the weapon's accuracy, especially against more nimble targets, but in turn incurs a quicker heat build-up.

Tactical Overview

Everyone likes shotguns. Every game has one. This one is ours.

Throw any pretense of finesse out of the window. Now we go charging in and start blasting! It is the straight-up opposite of the Beam Emitter.
With the Shard Battery, you get an insane damage output, but only for a limited time. Still, even the sustained damage output is very respectable and can even threaten capital ships if employed by a relatively small number of fighters.

The usage of the Shard Battery is straightforward as well, consisting of getting as close as possible to the target and then pulling the trigger to blast it to bits. It can dismantle fighters very quickly. Medium targets also get ripped rather quickly.

However, the heat efficiency is atrocious! You will be overheating in less than 10 seconds, and if your target is not dead, something has gone horribly wrong. The heat efficiency is so bad that you need at least three Small Mk1 installed to have the damage potential to destroy a fighter in a single heat cycle. You still need at least two for the Small Mk2. The Medium variants aren't much better.
Make your shots count!

The rather large spread of the projectiles doesn't help this tight damage potential. It is a shotgun, after all. Even if you have the theoretical damage within a heat cycle to destroy a target, enough bullets likely miss, and the target survives the onslaught. And you sit there, slowly cooling down.
Using the boom-and-zoom approach is highly recommended as the high heat generation prevents effective use in extended dogfights.

 

Advantages:
- Very high damage output

- Mk2 variants can threaten capital ships

- Fast projectiles

- Available from most factions

 

Disadvantages:

- Extreme heat generation

- Very high dispersion, only effective at close range

- Low total damage per heat cycle

 

Specifications

 Small Mk1Small Mk2Medium Mk1Medium Mk2
Damage Per Second245475374730
Sustained Damage Per Second136258209407
Damage Per Shot5x 494x 956x 785x 146
Shots Per Second1/s1.25/s0.8/s1/s
     
Projectile Speed2880m/s3456m/s4032m/s4838m/s
Maximum Range2304m2305m3685m3687m
Dispersion1.25°1.00°1.25°1.00°
Rotation Speed107°/s107°/s71°/s71/s
     
Heat Generation Per Second1225/s976/s1464/s1170/s
Heat Generation Per Shot1225122011711170
Heat Dissipation Per Second2000/s2000/s2000/s2000/s
Maximum Damage Until Overheat2205418032766570
Cooldown Delay When Overheating1.13s1.13s1.13s1.13s
Reactivates At After Overheating9500950095009500

Construction Cost

Universal Build Method

 Small Mk1Small Mk2Medium Mk1Medium Mk2
Credits22.365 - 27.335135.242 - 165.29627.152 - 33.186111.308 - 136.043
Energy Cells510510
Weapon Components825540
Advanced Electronics220410

Closed Loop Build Method

 Small Mk1Small Mk2Medium Mk1Medium Mk2
Credits22.365 - 27.335135.242 - 165.29627.152 - 33.186111.308 - 136.043
Energy Cells10310255121
Hull Parts946736
Claytronics1816

Terran Build Method

 Small Mk1Small Mk2Medium Mk1Medium Mk2
Credits22.365 - 27.335135.242 - 165.29627.152 - 33.186111.308 - 136.043
Energy Cells5010050100
Metallic Microlattice37953588
Silicon Carbide414213
Computronic Substrate215312