Guided Missile
Type	Tracking Missile
Available From	ZYA FRF CUB
Fitted To	Tracking Launchers
Role	Anti-Fighter, Anti-Medium
Required Licence	None

In-game Description

The Starburst, whose name comes from its peculiar warhead, is a missile that embodies the Split mentality of hitting hard. So hard in fact, that by some measures, it carries arguably the most powerful warhead available for any missile weapon shy of a torpedo-class munition. The incredible destructive power of the weapon, along with its classification, has been the source of no small number of legal disputes between the Split, seeking to keep it as a missile for export purposes, and certain non-Split wishing to have it reclassified as a Torpedo for their own benefit.

The Starburst uses a special kind of fuel, in the form of a continuous rod that extends through almost the entire length of the weapon. This rod serves as both fuel for the engine, and as the source of its destructive potential. The rate of combustion is kept under control by spraying the fuel-rod with a dampener-agent, without which the burn-rate spirals out of control much in the same way as a star going supernova, albeit on a much smaller scale.

Tactical Overview

The Starburst Missile represents a modification by the Split of the Heavy Guided Missile. Despite the in-game description claiming it to be "...the most powerful warhead available for any missile weapon shy of a torpedo," its actual performance falls short quite a bit. In reality, it offers only marginally more damage than the standard Heavy Guided Missiles, and with a longer reload time, resulting in lower overall DPS.

All other statistics, including speed, range, and flare resistance, remain identical to the original. The primary distinguishing feature of the Starburst Missile lies in its superior maneuverability compared to other heavy missiles, placing it somewhere between heavy and light variants.

In practice, the Starburst Missile performs similarly to the Heavy Guided Missile. Its slow speed limits its ability to catch most targets, making it best suited for launching during head-on engagements. And is moderately effective for destroying turrets on L and XL ships.

Specifications

Construction Cost

Universal Build Method

Closed Loop Build Method