Coil guns far superior to laser in early game

[Rugroll]

Not to far into my first game in utopia, and get attacked by the ai, with a stack of 23 corvettes, with a power of 1.2k, with lvl 2 coil guns and the other difference to my ships is an upgrade to the sublight engines. My stack consists of 18 corvettes and 2 destroyers, at 700 firepower, with lvl 2 lasers, and the same armour and shields.

How is there such a large difference, when i thought the weapons are pretty similar early on? also does the engine upgrade make that much of a difference if the weapons are similar?

 

[henzington]

Were they militarists and/or fanatic purifier because from my play through as fanatic purifier the fire rate bonus is a huge dps bonus.

 

[Alblaka]

Coil guns far superior to laser in early game

Fixed the thread title for you.

Arguable, the difference flattens out when Plasma Throwers come, but of course early on Kinetics rock, because Kinetic has bonus damage against shields, whereas Laser has bonus damage against armor. But Corvettes don't have relevant armor stats.

 

[Rugroll]

Both myself and the opposing empire are fanatic militarists, so that shouldn't make any difference.

So any laser faction will just lose like myself when I've not researched plasma, when against coil guns. Seems silly that a empire can just run over another one so easily when at the same tech level.

 

[Alblaka]

So any laser faction will just lose like myself when I've not researched plasma, when against coil guns.

You'll even loose with those, if you pit them against early-game corvette fleets.

Basicly, Kinetics are the best weapons overall, with the sole exception that Armor is insanely powerful, late-game ships (Cruiser+) can cheaply stack armor and Plasma Thrower is extremely effective at countering armor, and the only valid counter to armor.
Aka, everyone armors, because it's OP, the only good counter is plasma, therefore plasma is required. Past that, the general consensus is to use Kinetic Artillery (because Kinetics can into stronk) in combination with plasma. And the occasional Tachyon Lance (which, combines high range alpha strike with some armor pierce).

 

[Rugroll]

Ok, thanks for clarifying.