Harpoon Missile Launcher mk i

Large Port
Mass: 600kg
Energy Drained from target: 250
Ammo: 5
RoF: 2 seconds
Proximity: 5m
Splash: 15m
Velocity: 300m/s
Guidance: Very low (like 1 degree/s low)
Fuel: 12 seconds
Grid: 10

Harpoon missile launcher mk ii

Large Port
Mass: 800kg
Energy Drained from target: 300
Ammo: 6
RoF: 2 seconds
Proximity: 5m
Splash: 15m
Velocity: 350m/s
Guidance: Very low (like 1 degree/s low)
Fuel: 12 seconds
Grid: 10

EDIT 1: Changed fuel life from 6s to 12s

Designed to slow fleeing targets, particularly those capable of infinite boost by removing stored energy in the powercell. Even if a ship is capable of running turbo indefinitely it would be slowed by needing to reengage turbo after having its powercell drained.

Sounds like a good counter to the 'Hound.

I question that it can hit a hound.

at 300m/s and no AA, it'll hit a hound or anything else the pilot firing it has the skill to hit.

Though, 300m/s seems excessive to me. That's getting up to rail gun speeds.

I think it'd be more interesting to set it's velocity at 150 or something a little more reasonable. That makes getting the missile strike in early important, but still gives the target a chance to flee.

Or you can have it at say... 75m/s base and add/subtract the speed of the ship firing: kind of like flares or energy but it would also home.

If he means relative speed (like an energy weapon, flare, rail) then 300 is fast.

If he means absolute speed (like a missile) then you need to subtract the target speed to figure the relative speed.

Since he specified guidance (like a missile) then I assume he means absolute speed. So chasing a hound it would be 300 - 225 = 75. or for the mkII, 350 - 225 = 125.

He only gave it 6 seconds of fuel, which means even the mkii would have to catch a hound inside 750m.

Perhaps more like 20 seconds of fuel would be better, and reduce the mkii to 325.

I still don't think it will hit anything smaller than a moth.

Yes I meant absolute speed since as far as I know guided weapons function like that when targeted. I suppose doubling fuel life to 12 seconds would work better to bring a target that would otherwise jump outside of 1000m to forcing it to jump within 1000m.

I personally think a dumb-fire system like flares would be better/more fun. If the person fleeing is dumb enough to stay in a straight line, a decent shot will bring them out of turbo. If they're actually dodging while fleeing, that's far more interesting of a chase for both parties involved.

^^^ +1

I hate to speak for swag man, but if I understand him correctly, his intention is that the missile will be easy to dodge, if you are willing to drop out of turbo long enough to actively dodge it. In this case, it might take slightly more dodging than say a rail. A rail you see coming, and you tap turbo while holding a strafe and changing angle ever so slightly, so the rail will cleanly miss you. The missile would require that you wait until it is getting close, and then strafe hard and let it pass you. This is a theory. And that is all it will ever be unless we see something like this in game.

Personally, I prefer the "Accelerator Beam".
http://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/3/20132#250930

I think the point is that this is for someone turboing away from you, Roda. And you don't usually see rails coming at you in that scenario (cf. flares).

I fly with mouse look on. I can look in any direction while I am in turbo. Of course I see rails coming. Doesn't everyone fly this way?

No, I hate mouselook and will only engage it to look around when turboing. If I'm being chased by someone who may/does have rails, then I'll use it, but I suspect many people don't do this.