A small port add-on that has the ability to reload currently equipped launchers from ammo crates kept in the cargo hold. When activated the reloader would reload any empty launchers IF there was a compatible ammo crate in the cargo hold. (Crates would vanish after being used)

Each ammo crate would take up 1cu of space and each launcher type would have an ammo crate with which it is compatible, so no loading swarms with sunflare crates.

Ammo Reloader

Mass - 600kg
RoF - 5 seconds
Energy - 100
Grid - 4

Ammo Crate Mass
25% of corresponding launcher for rockets
30% of corresponding launcher for guided weapons & mines

Example names - Crate of Sunflare Rockets, Crate of Rail Gun Pellets, etc.

Possible uses include granting the Behemoth Heavy Miner its true role

Example Fitting

Behemoth Heavy Miner
S port - 1x Ammo Reloader
L Ports - 2x Lightning Mine Launcher
Cargo - 140 Crates of Lightning Mines

This has been suggested a number of times, in a number of forms. It is still a solid idea.

Personally I think it should be possible to reload from ammo crates without a special addon. It should take about 2 full minutes and 250 energy to do, which makes it essentially useless in a direct combat situation, but it would enable prolonged operations away from stations. That would do wonders for military pilots, especially, as they could then run extended sorties into enemy space, The current model of "undock, fire a couple times, maybe kill something, dock" is both boring and limiting.

Personally, I'd like to see "integrated" ammo go the way of the dodo and all ammunition become cargo-based, but thats just me...

I like ladron's variant of the idea best.

Personally, I'd like to see "integrated" ammo go the way of the dodo and all ammunition become cargo-based, but thats just me...

This would be fine, but discrete integrated ammo gives us a nice way to deal with packaging, especially since all cargo must be an integer number of cu's.

No matter how its done, this is a great idea.

I am not sure we even need to sacrifice a port to reload. Simply requiring 2 minutes to reload and the extra mass will prevent reloading from unbalancing combat. I do like the cargo based idea for ammo as it would greatly add to the "fun" factor of the game by eliminating time wasting runs back to base.

I am not sure we even need to sacrifice a port to reload. Simply requiring 2 minutes to reload and the extra mass will prevent reloading from unbalancing combat.

Yep, that's what I said.

So, I don't think I'm understanding this. Would it be for reloading yourself, others, or both?

Yourself. That is absolutely clear from the OP, though, so I'm really not sure what you're talking about.

Why don't we just make more varieties of ammo weapons? Heavy ones with lots of ammo, light ones with almost no ammo, weapons with lots of ammo but uber long firing delays, and maybe some contact detonation-only rockets that have shit loads of ammo (kind of like the raven rocket in EVN), etc. etc.. This, although a cool idea, simply seems like compensation for lack of weapon variety and in the end it just seems like it would be much simpler to just make more weapons.

Both! If you can carry ammo, there can be 'powder ships'. Blockades or sieges require resupply. It'd add a whole new strategic dimension.

Chaakin: No, I don't think that's an accurate categorization of the fundamental problem. More varieties of weapons are always welcome, but ultimately the reason for this suggestion is to enable long-term strategic operations away from a station. This (especially) includes the 'powder ships' that toshiro mentions.

come to think of it ammo crates should explode with the ship....random flares anyone?

come to think of it ammo crates should explode with the ship

Maybe. I imagine that would make implementation more difficult, and wouldn't really add much value anyway.

Fireship, ladron? It would be interesting to load a Connie with nukes and crash it into another capital ship.

Heh, well there is that.

I was thinking an XC full of flares......