This is a terrible idea.

1) Having a lot of downtime is just bad gameplay design. In a gang, you might stay on the field to provide point and webs, but if you are solo, you basically are going to kill 1-2 targets and warp out. And then nobody gets to do anything for the next 40s while you reload. It promotes non-interactive gameplay.

2) Its not intuitive. Its yet another thing that vets know that noobs dont.

3) Its not that people use rapid lights because they are really good. We use them because the other medium missile systems are utter trash. I would love to be able to use heavy missiles again, but there is just no reason since they are currently the worst weapon system in the entire game for anything but giant blobs.

4) There is no alternative. You can use normal shield boosters instead of ancillary boosters. You can use normal armor reps instead of ancillary reps. There are good reasons to choose each. For medium missile launchers, there isnt any alternative to rapid lights. Heavy missiles are too slow, do too little damage for the fitting, and apply too poorly. Heavy assaults are too short range, and apply even more poorly.

5) While roaming, its can be very difficult to make a 40s reload when going gate to gate. This will just slow gangs down, with no real reason to do so.

Making this change will basically just end the use of missile ships in small gangs. People will just go to other ships, instead of dealing with the possibility of being tackled and having to wait for close to a minute to return fire.

If you want people to choose heavy missiles, then make heavy missiles be something besides a trash tier weapons system.

This thread reming me about HML nerf...

People are really attached to their OP stuff.

Right now, RLML are almost always better than HML on cruisers, and they almost obsolete destroyers : they are OP.

HML might have been slitghly overnerfed (people cryed for it though ; I mean those who used them...), but LM have been overbuffed I think. But then the problem is light missiles, not RLML in themselves.

As for this new mechanic, I find it excellent. And people are completely ignorant about what these 40s means. In this version, a Caracal will be able to kill 2 or 3 frigates before reloading 50seconds later. In fact, this is a huge buff for FW situations where they already obliterate frigates because they will now do it faster before warping out anyway. It's simple : if the fight last less than 2 minutes, you'll be better served than before ; and if it last longer, dps will slightly fall, but you might have taken the advantage anyway.

As for those crying about the anti cruiser capabilities of RLML, this is exactly the proof of their OPness : they should not replace HAM or HML...

Missiles... *sigh*

Fun fact: A cerb with normal light missile launchers will do MORE sustained dps than a cerb fit with rapid light missile launchers

Go away chessur this is a conversation for grown ups.

All of the above ships quoted can be killed by a cookie cutter rifter. (yes even after the 'nerfs') if he has a good warp in.

All you have actually done is reinforced that the RLML caracal will have to flown with similiar tactical thought as other ships than can kill frigs. Currently these ships are good at killing frig because of the tactics needed not because the weapon system is good at killing frigs. After the changes the RLML carcals et all will have to start tactical thinking rather than just plow into that frig gang and press F1 and farm km's.