Pretty much. The only thing that can reach the MLRS out of the tractor ball early is the Missile Frigs and their ilk. Everything has flaks in range. Squish.
Fair enough.
Ok, here's the thing: I want there to be some short range turrets. What would have to happen to the flak for it to be competitive with other turret types at their current range? And it doesn't have to be exactly the same, I'd be willing to add 500, maybe 1000, to ease placement, but more than that is getting out of the territory I'm aiming at.
They need to not die on contact with the enemy, that's the primary problem. Here's the standard situ:
Average wave of say 400-500 ships coming in for later game (when you start looking at needing AoE turrets). You're tractored and FF'd, and not pulling my tazer-lock routine. Got some gravs up as well. You've got yourself some flaks and lightnings, and then everyone outside at range on your whipping boy.
They hit. Everyone gets off the alpha salvo (kinda, with lightning, now...). Around 350 ships are left, and every lightning and flak turret you own are dead. They seem like a waste of money.
I'd personally be happy if you quartered their damage and quadrupled their hitpoints/armor. At least then they'd last long enough to do something outside of tazerlock. Right now they're one hit wonders.
Reducing the impact of FFs on their shots would also help them. At 10% they go useless.
