Sniper turrets under powered?

[Jesterman]

I dont know if this was in a different thread or not.

I havent played ai war for months easily, only starting back a few days ago when i read about the micro update (and when i got a computer that didn't suck royally)
Sniper turrets were always a little underwhelming, however with the full 60 minute reload, i have to pump the entire ship cap into a location to make any notable difference, and often times, even then, it takes multiple multiple MULTIPLE shots to even damage a ship. If they are supposed to be so weak, then someone please help me with a viable strategem using them.

Furthermore, i have attempted to use them on offence as well as defence, both of which are equally underwhelming.

Thanks for any help anyone can provide.

[Jesterman]

Sorry i mean 60 second. durr

[Ozymandiaz]

I use them with the sniper focus fire control node to take out ships that fly around outside my defense clusters.

They are not meant to be a sole defense of a system mind you, works best ins medium sized clusters I have found on strategically important planets.

For a "free tech" they are not too bad, but I would not mind a 45 sec ROF

[Jesterman]

I use them with the sniper focus fire control node to take out ships that fly around outside my defense clusters.

They are not meant to be a sole defense of a system mind you, works best ins medium sized clusters I have found on strategically important planets.

For a "free tech" they are not too bad, but I would not mind a 45 sec ROF

since your here, please explain what the focus fire control node does (for both the sniper and non sniper version)
I've tried them but i dont notice any different effect. and i guess I'm having issues understanding the description in game.

[Fleet]

Focus fire means, roughly, that instead of using targeting logic that spreads around the damage, snipers will instead choose targets based on maximum damage / casualties. For example, if there are 5 enemy ships, without focus fire, perhaps in one round of shots all 5 will go to 80% health. With focus fire, one may die, the others staying at 100%. Not sure how accurate the example is, but I think thats the idea.

[Spikey00]

I honestly say I very rarely use sniper turrets, mainly because of their effectiveness, and cost per unit, unless there is very specific reason for me to do so (ie. chokepoint w/blackhole machine, etc.).

[keith.lamothe]

I use them in massive bulk (often the entire cap) as a supplementary battery on a key defense planet.  All together it's a pretty significant punch; it can even be worthwhile when "manning" your own defenses to keep the sniper battery on low power (and thus not auto-firing) and use them when "I need this one thing dead now" in the middle of battle, since they have such a long reload.  I also used to use them in small clusters on backwater-but-occasionally-gets-a-few-enemies planets to clean up over time, but I find that when I do that the AI has ships that are immune to snipers

All in all, I'd say the snipers are pretty close to balanced considering they cost no knowledge.  The crystal cost can be a little stiff when building all 396 in the cap.

On the other hand, their knowledge-cost cousins, Spider turrets, are a much more powerful thing

[Kjara]

I'm the other way, I tend to set up defenses around my command stations in most cases, and stick about 20 on every planet to take care of wandering guys that are trying to kill my harvesters. 

[superking]

I consider them underpowed and quite unless as the AI uses them. now if the AI was changed to use sniper turrets in big groups like it does with spiders, it might be a different matter

[Ozymandiaz]

I consider them underpowed and quite unless as the AI uses them. now if the AI was changed to use sniper turrets in big groups like it does with spiders, it might be a different matter

True, the new spider clusters can be a real pain