Background (Read when bored)

Okay, this is going to be a long one so if you aren't familiar with meta-game large port setups (Prometheus/Centaur/Warthog/Ragnarok loadouts) then you're going to get bored.

The premise of this thread is about large-port plasma guns. They're crap, we all know they're crap, but something you might not be aware of is that on balance (i.e. considering all factors) the devastator Mk II is superior to the Annihilator. The DPE and DPS stats are the first hint at this, listed last below:

Devastator MkII
D: 1600 | S: 200m/s | E: 60/blast | DEL: 0.4s | W: 1200kg | GP: 4 | DPE: 26.67 | DPS: 4000

Annihilator
D: 1800 | S: 202m/s | E: 70/blast | DEL: 0.5s | W: 1400kg | GP: 11 | DPE: 25.71 | DPS: 3600

If you analyse the differences between then two (improvements are bolded, unbolded means drawbacks), it comes out as follows:

D: +200 | S: +2m/s | E: +10/blast | DEL: +0.1s | W: +200kg | GP: +7

Put simply, for an additional 200 damage and 2m/s you have to sacrifice 10 energy per blast, 0.1s delay, 200kg and a whopping 7 grid power. It's not even a side-grade to the Devastator Mk II, it's a small step down. You also need 25 queen kills and more licenses to unlock the weapon.

I am aware that issues with the way weapons work may mean that the 0.1s delay actually doesn't hold true in the game, but even if we discount that particular quirk it's still an inferior weapon due to the poor DPE.

We need to buff this weapon, not just because it's bad in its own line, but also because its totally scheißhaus compared to the gatling turret and it doesn't have to be this way.

Suggestion (TL;DR start here)

Plasma Annihilator

Stats
Required licenses/standing:
-/-/7/-/-
Admire standing
Requires Queen Hunter II

Damage: 1800
Delay: 0.4s
Energy: 65/blast
Speed: 205m/s
Grid Usage: 8
Mass: 1300kg
Volume (as cargo): 1 cu
New DPS: 4500
New DPE: 27.69

New comparison line to Devastator Mk II:
D: +200 | S: +5m/s | E: +5/blast | W: +100kg | GP: +4

Notes

It's a subtle change, but this moves the annihilator up to 2nd place for best large port DPS weapon, first place is the megapositron at 4800, but at least this is now better than the gatling turret's 4000 and properly fits the extra effort and cash required to obtain the weapon.

This has always bugged me, and it's far time that we gave it a proper fix.

I would also strongly recommend adding concussion to all large port gauss. The projectile is nearly as large as a capital gauss and that has massive concussive force, but more to the point it would make people think twice when selecting a large port weapon and more clearly define the large port plasma weapons as viable in meta-game combat.

Don't forget its limited availability. Only a few stations in grey space sell Plasma Annihilators.

+1 to re-balancing this weapon. It's supposed to be a top-tier gun, but its limitations outnumber its strengths.

+1

+1. I always loved the large plasma weapons.

+1

+1

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+1

+1

+5 Scheißhäuser

+1

+1

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+1

I forget, how many unequivocal up votes does it take to get implemented?

Only one. But there is also only one voter. Hint: his name is displayed in a particular shade of orange.

+1

-1 new weapons are more important than overadjusting established weapons

How about adjusting new weapons like the Gatling HV?

If it's an "improved" weapon nobody ever fucking uses, how is it overadjusting?

No, nevermind, keep right on adding useless pieces of shit nobody uses and tout all the NEW WEAPONS the game has. That's the big money there.