[Spaceships] Idea for new system: VLS

[Snoman314]

Decided this had deviated enough to justify a new thread

Originally Posted by Langy

I agree, but that's fine, because, as I said, there's very little to no reason to use the normal system.

You can still use it if you want a ridiculous number of reloads, of course - with that same SM+7 major battery, you could have a 30 shot VLS in two major batteries or you could have a single launch tube and 45 reloads in one major battery and one cargo hold. It's not particularly useful, but you can still do it. It's also easier to reload than a VLS.

Why would you want to balance it in regards to the normal, non-VLS method, anyways? Non-VLS missiles suck in comparison to VLS missiles in real life, which is why the US Navy stopped using. The only thing better than a VLS system is a hardpoint, where the missile is on the outside of the ship and doesn't even need a seperate launching mechanism. It'll be an exposed system, but it'll also be able to carry twice as many missiles as a VLS system.

When I said you made sense logically, I meant that what you say makes sense given real-world considerations. I'm trying to ignore that and add a reasonably balanced variation on the missile system, that can fit within the existing rules. I don't want to redesign the whole spaceships design system. (Although I'm a fan of the work done with regards to arbitrary sized ships).
With that in mind, I'll try to analyse it a bit more from a balance point of view (while shutting my eyes, sticking my fingers in my ears and going LALALALALALALALA with regards the realism).

So, having a VLS allows the ship to fire missiles more rapidly. Lets say that it allows you to fire however many missiles it carries in no more than one game turn, regardless of length (so 20 seconds).
This would convey an advantage, as it allows more/multiple targets to be engaged simultaneously, and improves the odds of overwhelming defensive fire.
I want this to be an option that isn't clearly better or worse than the existing system, so a disadvantage is required. The options I can think of, but I'm open to other ideas:
- Ammo capacity is smaller than the existing type of system
- Can't be reloaded from within the ship. Routine to reload in dock, at standard freight handling rates. Requires an EVA to reload from cargo in space, rolling against freight handling, hazardous materials, armoury(Heavy Weapons), Piloting(high/low-performance spacecraft) if using a tender/auxiliary with arms or something, or limited by freefall/vacc-suit if in suits. Maybe even a long task.
- That's all I got for disadvantages.

Now it will depend on the setting as to whether more or less ammo is required to balance things, but I think some value can be arrived at, after all it can be said that the usefulness of missiles at all is setting dependent. So for that reason some suggestions would be especially welcome here.
I suggested half the number of shots in the thread where I first mentioned this, but that was a complete pluck. I havn't played enough space battles to get a feel for what would be suitable. I'm hoping for suggesttions here.