Interceptor Missile
Type	Tracking Missile
Available From	ZYA FRF CUB
Fitted To	Tracking Launchers
Role	Disabler
Required Licence	None

In-game Description

Warden, Guardian, Sentinel. This weapon system has a lot of fitting names, almost all of them indicative of some sort of protective nature, and is one of those rare cases of a truly defence-oriented weapon with an underlying idealistic background. The blueprints were distributed anonymously, and roughly at the same time, to a great many factions, in the face of an influx of Split raiding ships. While the origins of the system remain shrouded in mystery, it presents a very real and often-lauded tool today, that often sees use in defensive turrets on trade and cargo ships, as well as on defensive installations in various sectors. While the system is primarily intended to be used as a defensive, counter-missile tool, it is also quite capable of warding off potential aggressors. With a salvo-based firing solution, a ship under attack can quite quickly put out a very large quantity of defensive fire which is often enough to dissuade or destroy an opportunistic assailant.

Tactical Overview

The Interceptor Missile's in-game description and I seem to have very different ideas of what it is actually used for. While it is advertised as a defensive weapon against pirates and Split raiders, it actually serves as an excellent tool for piracy, exclusively available from the Split factions. Far from being defensive, it's an offensive asset, especially considering that medium traders lack missile launchers, and large traders have limited missile capacities.

Indeed, the Interceptor Missile is designed for intercepting traders. With its remarkable speed and an extreme range of 39km, making it the longest-range weapon in the game (although players are limited to a lock-on range of 29km), it proves invaluable for pirate activities. NPCs pilots and turrets are not subject to this range limitation.

The main ability of the Interceptor Missile lies in its capability to disable the Travel Drive and Boost of any ship it hits for 30 seconds, rendering the target vulnerable. Pirates can then leverage this window of opportunity, either by persuading the freighter to drop its cargo through "aggressive negotiations" or by preparing a boarding party.

Advantages:
- Extreme 39km range. Longest range of all weapons in the game

- Very high speed

- Travel and Boost disable can be useful in many situations when used with some creativity

Specifications

Construction Cost

Universal Build Method

Closed Loop Build Method