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I think the fitting is the main problem with them, they use more than cruise. the range is worse than blasters and makes no sense because it's the same as hams, but if ccp want to make them a proper short range weapon rather than yet another mid range, I'm down

Taking this at face value, why the continual erosion of the sandbox? Further limiting modules and ship bonuses to certain things really hurts the freedom the sandbox offers. Definitely a step in the wrong direction.

I am not sorry, they are not.

Heavy missiles are still the worst kind of weapons in EVE and HAMs being a close second.

Here Fozzie read this:

Heavy missile explosion radius base = 100m

Heavy missile explosion velocity base = 200m/s

Heavy ass missile base explosion radius = 75m

Heavy ass missile base explosion velocity = 250m/s


Medium missiles fixed. What is so damn difficult with that?

RLML changes.. ehh, its not fixing the main issue. Their burst damage is oppressive, having a longer reload doesn't solve anything when they have enough damage per magazine to wipe most cruiser sized ships off the field. They are a support weapon/anti-frigate correct? Why should they be able to stomp out cruisers with 1 magazine?

Anyway, this is what i'd suggest for RLML, which goes along with what some others have mentioned.

-Their magazine size needs to be reduced and reload time reduced to compensate, this lowers their damage per magazine, but doesn't really affect the burst damage.

-keep the velocity bonuses to the hulls, but reduce the range of all light missiles. As far as small ship weapons go, light missiles have ******** range anyway. Most small long range weapons max out around 20-30km, not 42km. Reduce their base range and let the hull bonuses still apply, resulting in a net range nerf, but still keeping the flexibility of the hull bonuses.

If caracals didn't have such high damage per magazine, their range wouldn't be a huge issue. From a nullsec or home defense fleet goes, i think them having a good role as anti-support with range does fill some valid roles for groups defending against things like inty fleets or kiting gangs. Doing the other things mentioned here would still allow them the same role, but not make them quite as powerful.

-RLML need higher fittings to balance them out better. Caracals with dual LSE's, invuln, DCU and x3 BCU and shield rigs is stupid. There is no trade-off. Make them sacrifice a rig for a CPU rig, or drop a BCU, or at least meta some mods so they aren't getting max EHP/damage

HML Buff:

Really? Another 5% buff? FIX.THEIR.APPLICATION.

Plus, by buffing HM damage yet again, you're buffing RHML more than the HML themselves.

So, i'll use a HML drake for example, i'm doing about 400dps with 3 BCU and 6 heavies, this bonus will bump that to about 420 dps. Woooo... still terrible application. I'll see maybe a 5 dps increase because it still applies like ass.

Keep in mind, this drake is fit with a Rigor, missile computer and target painter just to apply somewhat decently. Is this your idea of being balanced? I need 3 application mods + crash just so i can apply more than 50% of my damage to anything that isn't a BC or shield tanked cruiser?

Also, 5% buff will do nothing to cruisers that fit HML, doing a pitiful 280-300dps when equipped on most cruisers.

I'd be fine with lower damage, if i didn't need to use 3 slots just for application so they apply. I don't even care if i still had to use 2 slots + crash, or just 2 slots. But tweak their application some. I'm not saying they need to smack frigates out of space with no effort of application, but adjust their application. Let HML synergize with target painters or missile computers, and let HAMs synergize with webs for application by adjusting explo velocity down really low on HAMS and high on HML.

Application with heavy missiles and HAM's was always the problem not the raw damage. With HAMs on cruisers you need a TP/Web to fully apply and it's just not practical to do that often enough that they'd be competitive.

I am ok with this.

Leave the rlm alone. Do not change them. Improve the damage bringing (signature of explosion or explosion speed) on the heavy assault missiles. The problem is not in the RLM but in the absence of choice. Other missiles just do not suit. HAM have no damage in real combat against cruisers.

Agreed with others, the RLML issue is more the burst damage during the clip, the long reload is almost inconsequential if you delete your target before you ever need to reload. Decreasing clip size so that rapid launchers are still good to delete ships downclass, but not a no-brainer versus same-size or higher opponents, is probably a better idea. It would make same-size missiles a more obvious "sustainable" DPS solution versus downsized missiles as a utility pick.

increase HM damage by 4.20%

So before the changes, the barghest has on faction missile:

30.3km on siege missiles
94.3km on rapid heavies
222km on cruise missiles

After the changes, the bargest will have on faction missiles:
30.3km on siege missiles.
62.9km on rapid heavies.
222km on cruise missiles.

It just highlights the problem with large missile ships all over. They just dont have a decent mid-range option. You either go cruise, which hit like garbage on even BC's, OR you go so close range, there is no point in using them in the first place.

Suggestion: Make siege missiles a viable mid-ranged option. Why on earth siege missilles are SO short range in the first place is a bit wierd. You're basically incentivising people not to use them because turrets are so much more versatile.

I don't think you are going to get to the core of why missiles need balancing by just looking at heavy missiles tbh.