Is there any point to using point defense instead of scramblers? I used PD to start, but the scrambler seems so much more effective.
Short answer: No
Long answer: Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
What’s the downside to scramblers? More crew? power? weight?
Here’s the breakdown (cruiser modules only):
Cruiser Point Defense System: Cost 132, Power 7, Crew 8, Weight 99, Hit Points 105, Range 380, Fire Interval 800
Hi-Speed Point Defense: Cost 144, Power 7.5, Crew 8, Weight 103, Hit Points 111, Range 370, Fire Interval 700
Automated Point Defense System: Cost 155, Power 8, Crew 2, Weight 124, Hit Points 105, Range 310, Fire Interval 800
Guidance Scrambler Beam: Cost 132, Power 12, Crew 8, Weight 130, Hit Points 105, Range 380, Fire Interval not specified
So the scrambler has a higher power requirement than any PD and a higher weight than the non-automated PD modules.
Oddly, there is no value specified for the fire_interval variable in the scrambler module file. Maybe that’s why it seems to fire so fast? If there’s no restriction on how quick the scrambler recharges that might explain why it always seems to come out head and shoulders above PD for effectiveness.
PD is ok against a single missile, but it takes too long to recharge to take on multiple missiles and rockets can sometimes get through (actually, they get through a lot!). Scramblers are your best friend. They might be heavier, power hungry, and crew intensive, but they get the job done and they get it done well and quickly. No missiles/rockets hitting your ships is waaaaay better than some hitting your ships.
Another benefit of the scrambler comes from the fact that each missile launcher can only have one missile out at a time.
If I use PD, the missile is destroyed and the turret that fired it can fire again (assuming its fire interval is up).
If I use a scrambler, the missile starts to wander and the turret that fired it has to wait for the missile to run out of fuel before it can fire again.
Not much of an advantage depending on what kind of missile you’re intercepting, but definitely food for thought.