Photon Torpedo

Photon Torpedos are guided energy missles who hunt and seek down opponents, using their own payloads to maneuver themselves. With their high velocity, mobility and high damage potential they are even able to kill fast and agile vessles easily. It takes 2 x 5 fields to install this weapon. Both, a frontal and side version, are useable.

Pros:
 * strong anti-shield weapon (2000 standard damage / 2500 if overcharged)
 * 10s relaod time (8s if rapid fire)
 * item high velocity
 * only energy is needed for realoading

Cons:
 * damage reduction over distance
 * high intial building cost (25 standard)
 * need of an excellent reaktor since high realoading costs (500 or 625 energy per shot)
 * short firing radius (400 units; not scalable)

Conclusion: Strong late-game weapon if opponents rather use shields than armor. Also very convincing weapon vs corvetts and frigatts where not-guided systems (anti-matter cannons, nullfield guns...) tend to fail.

Comparision to the Plasma Torpedo: The Photon Torpedo is very strong against shields and have high velocity, capable of following enemys in sharp angles and sidestepping. On the other hand Plasma Torpedos got no damage reduction at range and have higher over-time damage against armor and ship hulls but much lesser damage against shields.

Naming: Photon Torpedos are named from Star Trek under the more formal name "Photonic Torpedos". They do not use light (photons) as primary explosion-source but a reaction of matter and antimatter with an annihilation process.