Interceptor weapon selection: what for?

[a_beorning]

You never can change interceptor's gun (and you do not need to).

You can change heavy rocket to light rocket of same tear - but what for?

Choice between one heavy and two light - meaningfull, but, as I get it, no good for balance.

Yes, this combo box had its function when interceptor's weapon was more flexible. When it was manufactured, and you had an option to load old rockets remained in storage (better then none!) when you have not enough modern ones.

But now, when interceptor's ammo is automatically supplied and automatically kept up-to-date, what these combo boxes are for?

For illusion of free choice?

[kabill]

It's a legacy thing. No reason to get rid of it, even though with current game balance its large redundant.

It still has some use for Foxtrots (giving them light missiles can be helpful against certain UFO types in a pinch) and leave open the possibility of different weapon types for modders, too.

[a_beorning]

Yes, I didn't think of modders.

[Anderty]

Answer is pretty easy. Tactics.

With missile weapons, you have more flexible approaches to use it in dog fights, or against agile ufos, which can dodge your shots. That way, even if newer interceptors have heavy slots, it's not mandatory, to place there heavy mount.

For auto canon it is quite funny, yes. Thought, may be in hardcore mode, you can make mod or something, to actually manufacture weapon, before place it on aircraft. Thought, if aircraft can't be lost anyway, it's kinda just pointless. But still, as an option, it's ok. As well, you always want to know exactly, what's equipped in your craft, and that's what for current window is for.

[Max_Caine]

Does no-one play with Maurauders then? The ability to switch between heavy and light is important for the Maurauder because it fills both anti-fighter and anti cap ship roles, to do that you have to pick the loadout.

[a_beorning]

I use mauraders and never switch to light. They are already versatile enough.

They fight nicely versus fighters using only gun (rockets disabled) and beautifully shot down fatties using heavy rockets.

Pair of marauders easily kills even a battleship and fears no "air-superiority" interceptors.

Lack of gun was critical vulnerability of Foxtrots, but Foxtrot with light rockets was still a sitting duck versus fighters and nearly useless versus heavies.

So before maradeurs I had to support Foxtrots with dogfiters, losing in speed and range.

I really miss possibility to put a gun in rocket slot (as it was in OG). This option can return a flexibility to interceptor usage.

(Maybe current tier gun in heavy rocket hardpoint and previous tier gun in light hardpoint?)

And another idea: equipment slot (it was in XCom:Apocalypsis).

You can mount extra fuel (extended distance), or improved radar (extra detection range&chance), or ECM/stealth module(halved enemy weapon range), or afterburner (extra speed), etc. - but only one from list.

[Max_Caine]

I don't like getting hanging around with the gun - I'm not good enough to avoid getting hurt. I prefer to shoot interceptors down with a single missile and suffer no possibility of damage. But if you're facerolling battleships, go try my Flying Circus mod.