On May 31st, 2024, a new 3.23.18 PTU drop for Star Citizen introduced a missile rebalance that standardized speed and lock ranges across different sizes, potentially favoring certain missiles like the Rattler. While the goal is to enhance torpedo gameplay against capital ships, concerns have been raised about minimum lock ranges affecting effectiveness, particularly for stealth ships like the Eclipse, prompting calls for further adjustments to improve torpedo signatures.
On May 31st, 2024, a new 3.23.18 PTU drop was released for Star Citizen, featuring a missile rebalance. The new specs aim to equalize the speed and lock range of missiles across different sizes, which some consider a lazy approach. Previously, there was more individuality in missile specs, with varying speeds and lock ranges for different types of missiles. However, the new specs now standardize these aspects for size one, two, and three missiles.
For size two missiles, the speed is now set at 1029, except for the Rattler missiles, with lock ranges ranging from 1,000m to 10,000m. In contrast, the old specs showed more differentiation, with varying speeds and lock ranges for different types of size two missiles. This change may lead to a shift towards using R missiles due to their advantage under the new specs. The lock range for size two missiles remains consistent at 500m to 5,000m.
Size three missiles also see equalized speed at 858 and lock range at 1,500m to 25,000m under the new specs. Size four missiles maintain the same specifications, while size five torpedoes now have a lower speed of 560 but an increased lock range. The size seven torpedo, the Helon 7, still has a minimum lock range of 5,000m, potentially rendering it less effective. The new Argus torpedo speed has been reduced to 514, with a minimum lock range of 5,000m.
The goal of the missile rebalance is to enhance classical torpedo gameplay and ensure torpedoes are most effective against capital ships. However, concerns have been raised about the minimum lock ranges potentially making torpedoes less effective, especially for stealth ships like the Eclipse. There is a call for further work on missile and torpedo signatures to allow for a stealthier approach upon firing. Despite the changes, there is hope for continued improvements and adjustments to fulfill the fantasy of torpedo gameplay in Star Citizen.