Missle/Torpedo Types (WIP)

Offensive - The main offensive weapon in ship to ship combat. This device is about the size of an adult Human's fist and weighs about 1 kilogram. They move at 85 to 95 PSL and do atomic blast levels of damage when they hit, due to the kinetic energy of impact. Most have a range of 1 to 1.5 light minutes.
Defensive - The main defensive weapon against incoming offensive missiles in ship to ship combat. Defensive missiles can also be used as enemy fighters, which are smaller missiles (about 1/3 of a kilogram). They move slower than offensive missiles (60 to 70 PSL), but with twice the acceleration. They have a range of only 5 to 10 light seconds.

Surface to Air
Surface to Surface
Surface to Space
Air to Air
Air to Surface
Space to Surface
Space to Space

Smart Missiles - Extended-range, high-endurance missiles that rely on a combination of ship, drone and organic active/passive sensor systems to find targets and destroy them. At kill speed, smart missiles can achieve upwards of 90 PSL. Smart missiles are most effective at less than one AU, but special variants can extend that range to 3 AU when combat operations permit missile control "handoff" from platform to platform. Smart missiles can be called back or neutralized in flight.

A torpedo is a self-propelled, self-guided weapon. Torpedoes of some type are part of the standard weaponry of most vessels.

Torpedoes are primarily used in space combat as an alternative to directed energy weapons. Torpedoes can be configured before launch to fit various specifications. Normally a torpedo is equipped with a warhead, and the explosive yield of this warhead may vary depending on the type of torpedo. Torpedo launchers bring the weapon into the launch tube and allow fire control from the ship's bridge, although a torpedo can be launched manually. Most of the time a tactical officer is responsible for target acquisition and launch sequence.

The maximum effective range of a torpedo depends on its type. Range is dependent on propulsion and acquisition capabilities. Propulsion is categorized basically by whether the torpedo is warp-capable or uses another method of propulsion. Some types of torpedoes are equipped with a self-destruction mechanism. For those types, if a torpedo needs to be aborted and destroyed, due to for example a targeting acquisition problem, it can be destroyed.

The torpedo guides itself via internal sensors that can be configured by the tactical officer. The advantage is that a firing pattern can be established whereby multiple torpedo launches can be coordinated to hit a single target and thus make the best use of every torpedo's explosive yield. When necessary, the device's internal sensors can be replaced by specialized sensor packs, allowing for additional flexibility in use; for example, using a sensor pack designed to detect gaseous anomalies could enable a torpedo to lock onto impulse engine emissions. After configuration, the torpedo can be fired and will automatically acquire its target. Some torpedoes feature advanced artificial intelligence to make the decisions about target acquisition, defensive maneuvers, etc.

A guided missile is a self-propelled projectile used as a weapon. Missiles are typically propelled by rockets or jet engines. Missiles generally have one or more explosive warheads, although other weapon types may also be used.

Guided missiles have a number of different system components:

* targeting and/or guidance
* flight system
* engine
* warhead

Guidance Systems
Missiles may be targeted in a number of ways. The most common method is to use some form of radiation, such as infra-red, lasers or radio waves, to guide the missile onto its target. This radiation may emanate from the target (such as the heat of an engine or the radio waves from an enemy radar), it may be provided by the missile itself (such as a radar) or it may be provided by a friendly third party (such as the radar of the launch vehicle/platform, or a laser designator operated by friendly infantry). The first two are often known as fire and forget as they need no further support or control from the launch vehicle/platform in order to function. Another method is to use a TV camera - using either visible light or infra-red - in order to see the target. The picture may be used either by an operator who steers the missile onto its target, or by a computer doing much the same job. Many missiles use a combination of two or more of the above methods, to improve accuracy and the chances of a successful engagement.

Targeting Systems
Another method is to target the missile by knowing the location of the target, and using a guidance system such as INS, TERCOM or GPS. This guidance system guides the missile by knowing the missile's current position and the position of the target, and then calculating a course between them. This job can also be performed somewhat crudely by an operator who can see the target and the missile, and guides it using either cable or radio based remote-control.

Flight System
Whether a guided missile uses a targeting system, a guidance system or both, it needs a flight system. The flight system uses the data from the targeting or guidance system to maneuver the missile in flight, allowing it to counter inaccuracies in the missile or to follow a moving target. There are two main systems: vectored thrust (for missiles that are powered throughout the guidance phase of their flight) and aerodynamic maneuvering (wings, fins, canards, etc).

Engine
Missiles are powered by an engine, generally either a type of rocket or jet engine. Rockets are generally of the solid fuel type for ease of maintenance and fast deployment, although some larger ballistic missiles use liquid fuel rockets. Jet engines are generally used in cruise missiles, most commonly of the turbojet type, due to its relative simplicity and low frontal area. Ramjets are the only other common form of jet engine propulsion, although any type of jet engine could theoretically be used. Missiles often have multiple engine stages, particularly in those launched from the ground - these stages may all be of similar types or may include a mix of engine types.

Warhead
The warhead or warheads of a missile provides its primary destructive power (many missiles have extensive secondary destructive power due to the high kinetic energy of the weapon and unburnt fuel that may be onboard). Warheads are most commonly of the high explosive type, often employing shaped charges to exploit the accuracy of a guided weapon to destroy hardened targets. Other warhead types include submunitions, incendiaries, nuclear weapons, chemical, biological or radiological weapons or kinetic energy penetrators.