So, I like tough ships to run more dangerous trade routes. Maybe with escort, maybe without, would actually need to test to see how much firepower is required.
There are few ships that I have had my eye on:
Starfarer Gemini,
Hercules (I'd go for M2 because the other models just cost way more, transport less, and have barely any additional armaments)
Merchantman
And Carrack.
Also considered Connie at one point, but wanted something with bit more cargo space, and Connie has kinda poor turret coverage anyhow (Or alternatively, less cargo space)
So, I was trying to figure out how to compare the ships, one part of it certainly is the weapons. Rather than just going to draw turret coverages and detailed dps maps, I wanted to simplify it into a single comparable number.
Simply put it would be the sum of all weapons, their size times their number, however, size 2 isn't quite twice as good as size 1, so I took a look at Laser Autocannons and divided and multiplied their DPS with each other until a pattern emerged. Doing (DPS_COMPARED_SIZE / DPS_SIZE_01) / COMPARED_SIZE consistently gave around 0.8, +/- 0.05, so I decided that 0.8 was good enough magic number.
So I got a simple comparative firepower formula: SUM(Size * amount) * 0.8. Now, Needed something for the missiles as well, mainly I was concerned that if I would choose between ship with one size 1 laser or ship with one size 1 missile, I'd much rather want the ship with size 1 laser. Missiles are powerful, but they're single use, vastly reducing their DPS output. But they must count for something, so I figured that 0.2 will do, as it's neat.
Anyhow, here are the results:
Starfarer, Gemini = 49.2
Hercules M2 = 16
Merchantman = 27.2
Carrack = 12.8
As you can see, the reason I like Starfarer Gemini is, it has guns. On closer inspection, it also has nice coverage on turrets. Now, since Hercules, Merchantman and Carrack aren't out yet, it's entirely possible their weapons will get upgraded, though I don't think their positions or number will change. Maybe some missiles will be added.
Now, Starfarer has the smallest amount of cargo, for now. However, when those 6 large tanks come into play, it'll be able to carry much more of certain types of commodities. Also, it can generate fuel, which can be sold. So, money for nothing. Nice.
Hercules, on the other hand, has a very large ramp for the cargospace, meaning that, while Starfarer can fit some snubs and even racing ships inside it, they need to be rammed inside and can't be deployed fast. So Hercules might be a viable pocket carrier, you certainly could fit 40 angry space bikers inside. Also, it's plating is supposedly very sturdy, though so is Geminis. I'm bit meh on the turret placement tho.
Merchantmant... well, lots of cargo. Second best firepower score, although if you look at it more closely, those guns are mostly fixed. If you need to fight a moon, that'll work, but... No, just. No. Lots, and lots of cargo space tho, and perhaps some unique abilities when trading. No idea what the carrier capabilities of this ship are, but I would assume you can fit some ships in the cargo space, and you'll probably have a large enough door to fly them out of.
Carrack. Okey turret placement, but man, so small weapons. Barely any firepower. Supposedly very fast quantum times tho, and you can really do a lot more than just trade with this one. Second largest cargo space as well, and a dedicated hangar for a small ship. Though whether that is better than deploying snubs from the back of a hercules remains to be seen.
So, so far I'm kinda leaning in the direction of Starfarer Gemini. Just because, man, it has so much firepower compared to anything else. I mean, Size 6 double turret alone is just nuts! And then throw in couple more turrets, some gimbaled weapons and a bunch of missiles and you need to ask yourself if you'd really want to mess with an angry Gemini.
Anyhow, what do you guys think?
