Yes peytros but if those are nation exclusive weapons he would not be able to use it.
It is my understanding that this guns are supposed to be "nation locked" (think of it as requiring a "nation gene" to operate - like in Stargate SG-1 & Atlantis series).

Yes, that would make the most sense as I see it.

The Itani blaster is now close to the Ineubis Raven Ion Blaster (while being decidedly better), with the Widowmaker's speed and the shortest delay for precise energy weapons, period. That's fine, it's supposed to be a high-end, hard to get weapon for Itani pilots only. Fair enough.

In contrast, you dampen the Serco gun too much, in my opinion. It is supposed to be a heavy, hard-hitting L-port weapon. Not the raptor of L-port weapons.

Kierky's original stats
Your proposed stats
My suggestion

Damage: 2100 1500 1800
Velocity: 225 m/s 215 m/s 215 m/s
Energy: 36/bolt 40/bolt 40/bolt
Delay: 0.45 0.40 0.45
Mass: 950 kg 1200 kg 1050 kg
Port: Large Large Large
Level: 10/8/8/2/- 10/8/8/2/- 10/7/9/-/-
AutoAim: Good Good Good
Grid: 5 10 10

For comparison:

Plasma Annihilator
Damage: 1800
Velocity: 202
Energy: 70/blast
Delay: 0.50s
Mass: 1400kg
Port: Large
Autoaim: Good
Level: -/-/7/-/-, 25 Queen Kills
Grid Energy: 11

Mega Positron Blaster
Damage: 1200
Velocity: 205
Energy: 18/blast
Delay: 0.25s
Mass: 500kg
Autoaim: Okay
Level: 2/-/2/-/-, 10 Queen Kills
Grid Energy: No idea. Not on wiki. Didn't pay attention while playing.

i think making such "good" weapons only available to one nation is sort of a problem though because lets face it when you are a newb and start a char you don't really know whether you are going to be a great light pilot or a great heavy pilot.

sorry for being a bit o/t

also the itani gun renders the raven obsolete

Spose you could always use some of the other weapons out there. Like the good ole Neut, the still kicking AAP and the not-to-be-trifled-with Megaposi. Not to mention flares and the ubiquitous gatling turret.

It will, however, sterotype the different nations somewhat more than they already are. If we are down that route, make the UIT gun a cash-leach gun that drains you for 50k credits per hit. That'll suck:).

Oooooh see, a pony.

Players can buy and sell weapons to one another so it wouldn't be a complete disaster.

But, more importantly, I don't see what vacant niche these weapons are supposed to fill. What is the point of adding better versions of existing weapons when things are so nicely balanced now?

@Toshiro
your suggestion works, round weight to 1100 kg and its perfect. :)

@peytros
As i see things, the idea about this guns is to make them "nation specific" in regard of the backstory, nation specific ships & nation technology advancement.
You don't know who is who when you start but as your char progresses you can find out what suits you best and create a new char.
Itani technology is all about light ships and weapons, Serco are into heavy and armored and UIT are in whatever they can steal from Serco/Itani with some inventions of their own. Proposed guns are on that track.

P.S. It does not make Raven obsolete since everyone can use Raven and only Itani can use Itani gun.

@Pointsman
If you check above... there is a "nation gene" idea about ability to actually use nation specific weapons. You could buy them off another player, yes, but if you are not serco you would not be able to use their nation specific heavy gun, etc. etc.
Reason or niche?
Better immersion, to accentuate differences in nation technology and make nations more unique.
God knows VO needs more of that, not just all generic ships and weapons produced by TPG and its minions.

Combine that with my idea for nation specific fightercraft, and we're all set!

Alas, we will have to wait for "New Faction System" to be implemented.
Incarnate was never too keen on taking my "nation gene" theory seriously, he probably likes existing chaos more.

Ah, Sorry, I only read the OP and skimmed the rest. I don't like the "nation gene" idea.. at all. All pilots are human so it doesn't make sense to me from an RP point of view, and it becomes a balancing nightmare. It might be nice to require someone to jump through some hoops to access alien technology but forever locking someone from what might be the best tool for some purpose seems deeply unfair.

You never want to make players feel compelled to re-roll after they have sunk effort into a character. It's boring and oppressive.

None of this is to say that the three main VO cultures shouldn't differ from one another. But additions to the game should open possibilities for players, not close them.

And back on topic.. by niche I mean role in pvp.

Serco Gun: My proposed changes in light of bojansplash's suggestion.

Damage: 1850
Velocity: 215 m/s
Energy: 40
Delay: 0.40
Mass: 1200kgs
Port: L
Level: 10/8/8/2/-
AutoAim: Good
Grid: 10

Itani Gun: My proposed changes in light of bojansplash's suggestion.

Damage: 550
Velocity: 210 m/s
Energy: 11
Delay: 0.12
Mass: 280kgs
Port: S
Level: 10/8/8/2/-
AutoAim: Good
Grid: 6

UiT Gun: My proposed changes in light of bojansplash's suggestion.

Damage: 650
Velocity: 205 m/s
Energy: 14
Delay: 0.15
Mass: 450kgs
Port: S
Level: 10/8/8/2/-
AutoAim: Okay
Grid: 6

----------------------------------------------------------

@ peytros

Your childish inference suggests that I am self-centered. However this is not about what I want, it's about what the community would consider "balanced". I am not in this to create unbalanced super weapons for my own benefit. I am adding content. Plus you need to pay more attention to what is suggested before you go ahead and make conclusions. I intended this to be for "Faction Personnel" only, which means, as an Itani, I, cannot purchase or use this serco weapon.

@ bojansplash

As balanced as those weapons are, they lack "the edge" over other energy weapons as special "Faction Variants". I found in your suggestion that in the serco weapons' case, you have reduced damage per second, and increased energy per second dramatically. This weapon is too weak now, so I have slightly increased its damage. The serco weapon can now fill the gap between the gauss (very large bolt, slow delay, very good autoaim, and high damage), and the Rail Gun (very small bolt, little autoaim, high damage, extremely fast and huge energy per shot).
With the Itani gun, I actually love what you've changed. I will change to your variation.
Same goes for the UiT gun.

Thanks for your suggestions, please verify the stats and see if you like the changes.

oh yeah i forgot its childish to point out obvious oversights and flaws and peoples suggestions how stupid of me and last i check faction personal doesn't lock a ship or weapon from people of another race.

"estrian prosis is the only ITAN memeber to fly a SCP which is why he wants that serco gun so bad"

Keywords of assumption
"Which is why",
"wants that gun so bad"

Imho, guns look well balanced now, only thing is... Incarnate has a final say and we would require "nation gene lock" for them in order to make them truly nation specific.
However, "nation gene lock" would come up handy for all nation unique equipment and ships.
As I said before, I do not see it happening in the near future.
It's taking GS years to finish new faction system. We almost got it, at least Incarnate announced it happening "soon" 6 months ago but as it happens it was just another "soon".
Fact remains that "nation gene lock" would indeed solve some faction system problems we have now and is on the track with the general idea of a new faction system.

Read what Incarnate has to say about faction exclusive things here:
http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/3/20563?page=2

I agree, these weapons are now pretty balanced. I've been hoping that Incarnate would say the magic words. "Faction Redux is in the next update". Would be really cool. Oh, and bump.