Weapons

Overview

Each weapon system consists of a computer linked to at least 1 module of the same type (Cannon Computer with Cannon Barrel, etc.). Weapon modules in a physically-contiguous grouping are considered one group, and will output 1 projectile (unless modified otherwise). Larger groups have a directly proportionate increase in damage output and power cost per firing of the weapon. Although several groups can be linked to one computer, the total power cost is increased by 10% for every subsequent group for cannons and beams, and by 2.5% for missiles. Damage pulse has no penalty for multiple groups linked to the same computer.

In each group, one block is defined as the "output": the location from which projectiles are emitted. The output of a group can be changed by aiming at the desired block and pressing R. The text which appears while aiming at a block will read "[R]: Make Output (CURRENT)" if that block is the current output for its group, and "[R]: Make Output" otherwise. The direction in which a weapon fires, relative to the ship it is on, depends on the orientation of the primary weapon computer. Because of this, players should be sure to place weapon computers in the default orientation unless they intend to make a weapon with non-standard characteristics (eg. vertical-launch missiles).

Coloring

The projectile or effect color of any weapon can be altered by linking the primary weapon computer to any light emitting block.

Primary Weapons

System	Effect
Cannons	Fires a single powerful projectile in a linear trajectory. Deals significant Kinetic damage and has high block penetration power. Every shot also produces recoil that is exerted on both the shooter and the target. The shooting entity (unless anchored to a Space Station) will have its bow recoil upwards. A target that is hit will be pushed back at the point of impact. The amount of recoil depends greatly on the damage output of the cannon system.
Missiles	Fires a relatively fast moving dumb fire missile. Deals Heat damage and is best suited for area-of-effect attacks that destroy multiple blocks at once. It also makes use of a replenishing ammo supply. The amount of missiles that can be fired depends on the amount of missiles that the entity can load. Missiles also can be shot down with cannons. To prevent this missiles have hit points to them. The amount of HP depends on the missile's damage output.
Damage Beam	Fires an instantaneous laser beam that deals damage over time. Deals tremendous EM (Electromagnetic) damage and is great at dropping shields. Its damage potential is based on its range. At less than 400m it will deal its full amount of damage to a target. Any range greater than 400m then its damage output begins to drop the further away the target is. The lowest damage output possible is 40%.

Mines

System

Effect

Mine Layer

Lays out a customize-able mine into space. Multiple mines may be laid however each mine layer system can only support one output module. Players must arm the mines by pressing and holding Right Click. By placing additional modules adjacent to the Mine Core players can alter the nature of the mines that that system can lay. For instance, placing the Cannon Type Mine-Module will change the mines into projectile firing entities while using the Missile Type Mine-Module makes the mines fire heat seeking missiles. Other mine modules add other properties such as stealth and friendly fire avoidance.

Other

System

Effect

Warhead

Warheads are raw explosive blocks that will explode if they physically collide with another entity or any damage is dealt to them. They have no means of propulsion so any entity that wishes to make use of them must also have sufficient thrust to move. Their defining trait is their explosions ignore shields making ideal for ship based torpedoes. They can also be triggered remotely using Logic Signals or by simply pressing R (unadvised).

Weapon Linking

The properties of a weapon system can be modified by linking to other weapon systems or effects. Each weapon may only support 1 secondary and 1 tertiary system at a time.

In linked weapon setups, the primary system is commonly referred to as the "master", with secondary and tertiary systems being termed "slaves". Only weapon systems can be used as secondary systems, not support tool systems. Secondary systems provide the bulk of statistic alterations, affecting at least 2 of the following values: damage, power consumption, range, projectile speed, and projectile quantity. Secondary (and tertiary) systems are a trade-off: For example, a beam system slaved to a cannon quadruples the damage of the cannon, and doubles its projectile speed, but also quadruples both reload time and power consumption.

Slaved systems lend their block-count to the primary system for purposes of damage and power calculations (which are linearly calculated per block), but do not act independently when slaved (they do not emit projectiles, and only the primary system is added to the hotbar and fired).

The effectiveness of secondary and tertiary systems is derived from their size proportional to the primary weapon system: if the total block count of a slaved system is equal to that of the primary system, its modifications will be applied at 100% effectiveness. If the slave's block count is only 50% of the primary, all changes applied will be 50% as strong as normal. A slaved system cannot be more than 100% effective: block-counts greater than those of the primary system are redundant.

Weapon systems can also have effects linked to them as tertiary systems, providing further modifications to weapon stats. These usually change what the weapon does with its damage output: for example, Increasing the penetration power of the weapon.

Master/Slave Chart

Primary	Secondary
	Cannons	Missiles	Damage Beam
Cannons	Machine Gun +Increased Rate of fire +Decreased reload +Decreased Power usage -Decreased Damage per bullet	Charge Shot +Can be charged +Increased Damage -Increased Power usage -Increased Reload	Sniper +Increased Damage +Increased Projectile Speed +Increased Penetration -Increased Power usage -Increased Recoil -Decreased Rate of fire
Missiles	Heat Seeker Swarm +Increased Missiles per shot -Decreased Projectile speed -Missiles are indiscriminate	Nuke +Increased Damage +Ignores Shields -Increased Power usage -Increased Reload -Propulsion-less -Takes time to arm	Homing +Increased Damage +Increased Projectile Speed +Can lock-on to targets -Increased Power usage -Increased Reload
Damage Beams	Pulse Beam +Increased Rate of fire +Decreased reload -Decreased Damage -No Latch on	Lock on Beam +Increased Damage +Locks on +Increased Burst time -Increased Reload -Increased Power usage	Death Beam +Increased Damage +Increased Burst time -Must be charged to use -Stops shields regenerating while charging -Increased Power usage -Increased Reload -No latch on

Effects

A tertiary system is an effect computer slaved to a weapon system. For the purposes of any per-module cost or value (damage and power consumption), effect modules increase the effective module count of the primary weapon, up to the same limits applied to secondary systems (cannot exceed 100% efficiency). Effects apply all of their modifications after total block count is found.

System	Effect
Kinetic	Increases the amount of Kinetic damage a weapon system deals to a target.
EM (Electromagnetic)	Increases the amount of EM damage a weapon system deals to a target.
Heat	Increases the amount of Heat damage a weapon system deals to a target.