Torpedoes should be fast, low-agility intercept weapons — not single-engagement Reverb delivery systems

Human torpedoes currently feel less like a complete weapon class and more like single-engagement Reverberating Cascade delivery systems.

Their extremely low speed, limited ammunition and lack of synthesis make them impractical for sustained PvE. In PvP, most of their meaningful value comes from surprise attacks against targets that either cannot react or do not notice the launch in time.

Equipping a torpedo pylon usually means sacrificing a hardpoint for one engagement and then returning to a station.

I do not think the solution is simply giving torpedoes more damage, stronger tracking or a shorter lock-on time. That could make close-range Reverb attacks oppressive without creating meaningful counterplay.

Instead, I would redesign human torpedoes as fast but poorly manoeuvrable intercept weapons.

THE BASIC FLIGHT MODEL

- Keep the existing long lock-on process.

- Add a distinct “torpedo lock detected” warning before launch.

- Add a separate and more urgent warning when a torpedo is actually launched.

- Increase their speed substantially, potentially accelerating to roughly 900–1,200 m/s.

- Greatly reduce their lateral tracking and maximum turning rate.

- Give them one strong interception pass rather than allowing them to repeatedly circle back towards the target.

- Add a short arming phase or minimum effective distance to prevent unavoidable point-blank launches.

The central trade-off would be speed against manoeuvrability.

A fast or agile ship should be able to evade by changing its vector at the correct moment. Once the torpedo has committed to its interception path, it should have very limited ability to compensate for sudden lateral movement.

Large and slow ships would have more difficulty evading and would therefore need to rely more heavily on Point Defence, ECM, positioning or support from other ships.

Fast ships evade. Heavy ships defend.

LOCK-ON AND COUNTERPLAY

The long lock-on time could remain as an important balancing mechanism.

However, the lock should be slightly more stable. A brief interruption should cause the lock progress to decay rather than immediately resetting it to zero.

In exchange, the target should receive a clear warning that a torpedo lock is being established.

That would turn the lock-on period into an interaction between both pilots:

- The attacker must maintain position and complete the lock.

- The defender can reposition, break line of sight or prepare countermeasures.

AMMUNITION

I would give each launcher one additional magazine:

- Class 1: 1 loaded and 1 reserve

- Class 2: 2 loaded and 2 reserve

- Class 3: 4 loaded and 4 reserve

The reserve magazine should have an extremely long reload time, potentially 30–60 seconds depending on launcher size.

This would allow a dedicated torpedo ship to engage more than one target without turning torpedoes into sustained-fire or spam weapons.

Torpedo synthesis should also become possible, but it should be deliberately expensive, require higher-grade materials and perhaps restore only one magazine at a time.

ADDITIONAL EXPERIMENTAL WARHEADS

Proximity Warhead

Detonates when passing very close to the target, but deals less direct damage, module damage and armour penetration than a direct-impact torpedo.

Its purpose would be threatening smaller or faster ships without making a near miss as destructive as a direct hit.

Shield-Penetrating Warhead

Allows a limited percentage of damage to pass through active shields.

This should not completely ignore shields. Something around 20–30% bleed-through could allow torpedoes to threaten external systems or gradually damage the hull without invalidating shield builds.

Ion Warhead

Temporarily interferes with the target’s propulsion system.

Possible effects could include:

- Temporary boost inhibition

- Reduced thruster output

- Increased ENG distributor consumption

- A very short thruster reboot after a direct hit on the drives

It should not permanently immobilise a ship after one arbitrary hull hit.

EXISTING WARHEADS

Reverberating Cascade should remain the dedicated anti-shield-generator option.

Penetrator Payload should remain the dedicated internal-module option.

Mass Lock Munition should remain focused on preventing escape.

These should be specialised choices rather than the only effects that make torpedoes useful.

THE INTENDED RESULT

The goal is not to make torpedoes universally superior, effortless or impossible to avoid.

The attacker would need the correct distance, angle and timing. The defender would receive a clear warning and an opportunity to react.

- Fast ships evade through timing and vector changes.

- Heavy ships rely on Point Defence, ECM and positioning.

- Dedicated torpedo ships can complete more than one engagement before returning to a station.

- Different experimental warheads create different tactical roles.

- Torpedoes become dangerous without becoming unavoidable.

They should feel like genuine high-threat anti-ship weapons: fast, frightening and destructive when used correctly, but clearly telegraphed and counterable by a pilot who reacts correctly.

I posted the more detailed version on the Frontier Suggestions forum:

[INSERT FRONTIER FORUM THREAD LINK]

I would particularly like feedback on these points:

1. Would roughly 900 m/s be more appropriate than 1,200 m/s if the turning rate were heavily restricted?

2. Should torpedoes accelerate after launch, or immediately travel at maximum speed?

3. Would one reserve magazine with a 30–60 second reload be sufficient?

4. Should synthesis restore a full magazine or individual torpedoes?

5. Which additional warhead would create the most useful new role: proximity detonation, shield bleed-through or ion disruption?

Fly safe, Commanders. o7

CMDR APATHEIST