Fast Reactors vs. reactors

[pendell]

So while playing I seem to have noticed something ..

A "fast reactor" is different from a "reactor" in that a fast reactor has no MP penalty when using it's ability.  For example, if I have a fighter with 4 MP and 1 AP,  using that 1 AP doesn't subtract my MP . I still have four moves.   

By contrast, my 2AP/3MP cruiser pays a penalty for firing its weapon.   If I fire on my first move I have 1 MP of move left.

Does a standard reactor forfeit 1 MP for every AP used? More? 

Anyway, that seems to explain the advantage of fighters ,which are the only class of ship which can use a fast reactor. They can use hit-and-run tactics to fire on the enemy then dart back out of range.  A cruiser or bigger ship has a conventional reactor, so they aren't going to be doing hit-and-run.  However, it seems you can mount much, much bigger weapons on a cruiser. All the claims on the max damage thread are from capital ships -- haven't seen any from fighters.  Likewise, you can mount torpedoes on a cruiser hull, and hit the enemy from long range.  Fighters are restricted  to guns and boarding only. 

Is that correct? Have other people noticed the same thing? 

Respectfully, 

Brian P. 

[squee]

If that's true, it's probably a bug. Fighters with fast reactors should lose MP for the turn when they use AP.

[Cory Trese]

That's not true in any version we've released since the balancing for AP/MP spending was added.

1. AP/MP use is consistent across all difficulties
2. AP/MP use is consistent across all reactor types
3. AP/MP use is consistent across all ship designs
4. There is no known issue with these rules
5. I just spent about 15 minutes testing it and all passed 100%

[pendell]

Strange. Next playthrough I'll look at this behavior. Perhaps I have misunderstood something.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[Cory Trese]

Jul 21, 2014 14:48:22 GMT -5 pendell said:

Strange. Next playthrough I'll look at this behavior. Perhaps I have misunderstood something.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

Sounds like you might have just missed the numbers of the screen or gotten off track in the calculations.

I play hours every day so I'll keep my eye out for it. So far, spent about 10,000 MP and AP in the auto-test and it is 100% correct.

[pendell]

Okay, I think I've figured it out.
For mp  greater than  0 , consuming 1 ap costs 1 mp.

I have a fighter with 1 ap and 4 mp. Thus if I fire once I can move 3 times.

I have a torpedo cruiser. Its barracuda torpedo consumes 2 ap. I have 3 mp.
Which means if I fire at the start of my turn, I will have 1 mp with which to move. Alternatively, I can do all my moving first, THEN fire.

So fighters are more agile than cruisers, but this is not due to the difference between fast reactors and reactors. Its the specific combination of high mp reactors and low ap guns that make fighters fast.

Is that correct? Or am I still off?

Is there any other difference between fast reactors and reactors, besides the kind of ship it goes in?

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[Cory Trese]

pendell you are 100% correct about the AP/MP system.

Off the top of my head (not looking at the code right now) :

Fast Reactors Repair Faster, Refuel Slower.

The equations that balance Fast Reactors keep the Mass lower, but allow more MP.

Fast Reactor ships allow repair by Carriers.