Missile

Missiles are self-propelled projectiles. Torpedoes, mines, guided bombs, and depth charges also fall under this category.

They come in 3 sizes: Small, Medium, and Large (S, M, and L). S-class holds 4 missiles per Missile Launcher, and 4 modules per metre length. M holds one missile per launcher, and 2 modules per gantry. L-launchers are 2x2x1, and their gantries contain a single module each.

Overview

 * Versatile due to large selection of modules. Can be used both offensively as weapons and defensively as decoys or missile interceptors.
 * Expensive, but compact.
 * Can be guided.
 * High ammo consumption.

Minimal Missile
A minimal missile consists of:
 * a Missile Launcher, which defines in which direction the missile will be launched.
 * S-class launchers, and all Rail Launchers have integrated Gantries. For M-, and L-class normal launchers, you need an additional gantry-block.
 * a Missile Controller, which allows the player or AI to fire the missile.

For example, this launcher fires a 5m long missile in the direction of the launch pad: G G G G G L MC

Where:
 * G - Medium Gantry
 * L - Medium Launcher
 * MC - Missile Controller

Missile Modules
Looking at a Gantry and pressing Q allows you to select the missile modules. S-class gantries contain 4 modules, M-gantries contain 2, and L-gantries contain just one. The rear of the missile is at the top of the list and the tip of the missile at the bottom.

A list of modules follows:

Flight Characteristics
Most of the important info is given when editing a missile. Some notes for optimisation:
 * Components generate less drag when further back.
 * Fins (twice normal drag), secondary torpedo propellers (x4), and radar/sonar buoys (x5) generate more drag.
 * All heads have reduced drag (60%), missile-interceptor heads, torpedo sonars, single-pixel IR-seekers, and thumper heads have drag even below normal heads (all 40% according to the 2.2.27 patch notes, but testing shows they generate different speeds).
 * Fins generate more turning force when far from the centre of mass. Place at the ends of the missile – rear for maximum speed, even mix of rear and front for compromise between turning and speed.
 * Turning thrusters also apply more force far from the CoM, but generate no additional drag. They have 2.5 times the force of a fin, are unaffected by air-density, and use 1 fuel tank in 5 seconds. Only engages when the angle to the target is above 10°, has a 5° inaccuracy.
 * Short range thrusters operate at 0.75 thrust per fuel (generating 450/4,500/45,000 thrust for 600/6,000/60,000 fuel on S/M/L missiles). They cannot burn longer than 5s.
 * Variable thrusters generate 1 thrust per fuel. They're limited to a max thrust of 300/3,000/30,000.
 * Torpedo propellers generate 2.5 thrust per fuel, limited to 200/2,000/20,000 thrust, or 80/800/8,000 fuel per second.
 * Secondary torpedo propellers operate like normal torpedo propellers, but their significant drag reduces total speed.
 * Each fuel tank (or 1 unit of internal space used for fuel) holds 1,000/10,000/100,000 fuel.
 * Lifetime is 10/20/40s for missiles, 20/40/80 for torpedoes and bombs. A regulator increases that by 100% of the base value (so an S-class torpedo with 2 regulators has 3 * 20s = 60s lifetime).

Other Notes

 * Missiles are unaffected by gravity while powered by a Short-Range Thruster or Variable Thruster.
 * Missiles deal thump damage on impact detonation even without a warhead. The damage depends on the reinforcement of the missile (thumper head, bodies, internal space used for reinforcement), the size (both length and class), and the speed. AP is 20.
 * Required accuracy only works on turreted missile systems. Hull-mounted missiles ignore required accuracy, and always fire if a target is within range – If you need them to e.g. only fire when the target is in front of your craft, you will need to limit firing arcs.

Fragmentation
All fragments have an AP-value of 6. Each warhead spawns its fragments at its own location, so keeping the warheads near the nose can slightly increase the number of fragments that hit.

Explosive
For general information on explosive damage, see Damage.

Damage increases linearly with number of warheads. Radius increases less than linearly.

Internal space (due to APN guidance, target prediction guidance, or one turns) can be converted into HE. 1/2 of a warhead for S, 15/16 of a warhead for M, 127/128 of a warhead for L. Proximity fuses also provide internal space, but only 4/5 of a module for M, and 39/40 for L (cannot be placed on S-missiles).

The explosion is centered on the average position of all explosive warheads in the missile. Therefore it is advantageous to have the warheads near the front of the missile for a head-on hit.

Underwater missiles have greater explosive damage, to a maximum of 1.5x damage at 5m depth. Explosive radius is also increased to up to ?x, but not exceeding the cap of 30m (information on underwater radius may be obsolete, explosion-algorithm and missiles changed since).

If the missile has a proximity fuse, the explosion instead originates 90% of the way towards the triggering object from the fuse position. This does not affect the underwater damage bonus.

EMP
EMP-warheads add an EMP-charge. Charge-strength is 200/2,000/20,000. Will jump up to 6m if the impacted block is destroyed by the missile's thump damage.

It is possible to use missiles as shield-killer, using EMP. Unlike APS-, and CRAM-shells they pass through shields, delivering a large EMP-payload that can destroy Shield Projectors. It is also possible to use Particle Cannons for that.

Thump Damage
All missiles deal thump damage if impacting on a block. The damage dealt depends on impact-speed and modules. AP is 20. One body-module is worth 20 additional normal modules. While the patch notes claim that a thumper head increases damage as much as 1.5 bodies, the UI shows it is counted as one body – Nonetheless, a dedicated thumper-missile will do better with a thumper head, due to the head's lower drag. Bodies and thumper heads have the additional advantage of increasing the missile's health.

Internal space used for reinforcement will also increase thump-damage.

Missile Interceptor
Interceptors target hostile missiles. They will distribute all available interceptors to comfortably kill as many missiles as possible, and prioritise missiles larger than themselves. Interceptors trigger when very close to their target, or in range but moving away, and are destroyed when triggering, damaging up to 3 missiles within 15/30m. Should they miss, or should the target be destroyed, the interceptor will acquire a new target.

Missile interceptors are not available for large missiles.

HE warheads do not damage hostile missiles, even if placed on an interceptor, though they did in the past.

Evasion
Very fast vessels (above around 100 m/s) may be able to outrun missiles, or at least require faster and therefore shorter-ranged missiles to catch. This depends heavily on the missile, range, and whether you're moving towards the missile – moving towards the missile may allow it to use APN or target prediction to intercept a faster vessel, while moving away from a faster missile can cause it to run out of fuel before reaching you.

Very manoeuvrable vessels may be able to dodge missiles, though this is less reliable than outrunning them.

Softkill Measures
IR seeking missiles can be decoyed with flares or diverted to unimportant places with Heat Decoys.

Sonar seeking missiles can be decoyed by sonar buoys, while radar seeking missiles can be decoyed by radar buoys. Note that both will likely still get a lock on large vehicles – Their tendency to target large craft can, however, be used to lure them to a large craft with active defences.

Missile Laser Emitters can't lock onto vehicles surrounded by smoke generated by Smoke Dispensers or smoke shells, so Laser Designated missiles have difficulties hitting vehicles in the presence of smoke. Laser Beam Riding missiles do not require a lock, only a direction, and hence have no such difficulty.

Hardkill Measures
Missile health is given by the UI when editing the missile. Larger missiles (both class and length) have more HP, and thumper heads, bodies, and using internal space for reinforcement further increase this. Their armour-class is 1, meaning 2 AP is enough to deal full damage.

Missile Interceptors, Laser Munition Defences, and weapons controlled by Anti Missile Cannon Controllers can destroy hostile missiles, once they have been detected.

Detection Range
Detection range is listed by the UI. It depends on a missile's class, length, and thrust. As a rule of thumb, it can be assumed that S-missiles spend roughly one second within detection-range, M-missiles about 2-4s, and L-missiles upwards of 5s.

Do note that an active radar seeker is detectable from much further away by Passive Radars.

All ranges in metres. Only applies above water. If the powered detection range is smaller than the unpowered one, the unpowered range will be used. E.g. a 1m S-bomb has a detection-range of 110m (100m base + 10m from length). Adding a thruster will increase this to at least 116.9m. However, at 2m length an S-missile with minimum thrust will have the unpowered range of 120m instead (as 116.9m is smaller than 120m).

Below-water, only Passive Sonars can be used to detect missiles. All ranges in metres. Only applies below water.

Missile Launcher Components

 * Missile Launcher: Determines where and in which direction the missile will be launched from. S-class launchers contain one built-in gantry.
 * Also available as Missile Rail Launcher. These contain modules on all size-classes, are lighter, and more vulnerable.
 * Missile Controller: Core-block of any missile-system. Allows player or Local Weapon Controllers to fire the missiles.


 * Gantry: The missile itself. Contains the missile's internal modules. 4/2/1 modules per gantry for S/M/L.
 * Also available as Missile Rail Gantry and Missile Rail Gantry (invisible). These are lighter but less durable compared to normal gantries. The invisible variant is identical to the regular variant but is ,as the name implies, invisible.
 * Missile Hatch: Special gantry variants that opens and closes depending on the presence of enemies.
 * Missile 6 Way Connector: Connects other parts of the missile launcher together.
 * Ejector Add On: Each Ejector gives the missile an initial speed-boost, depending on the size-class. Connects directly to the Missile Launch Pad. Up to four may be stacked on S or M launchers, up to 8 on L launchers.
 * Missile Laser Emitter: Used for missiles with laser beam rider receivers or laser designator receivers.
 * Identify Friend or Foe Add-On: Ensures that missiles only target enemies and not friends. Does not prevent triggering if hitting a vessel.
 * Staggered Fire Add-On: Allows multiple launchers to be fired in sequence.
 * Missile Winch: Used to reel targets in with a harpoon missile.
 * LUA Transceiver: Used to communicate with a LUA receiver module on the missile.

Strategy

 * Place high-drag components at the rear of the missile so they contribute less to the missile's overall drag.
 * Within reason, shorter missiles are more manoeuvrable than long missiles. Combined with their higher rate of fire, it is usually advisable to not build "doom-sticks".
 * However, building too short may leave insufficient room for all required components.
 * The larger the missile-class, the higher the theoretical ammo-efficiency. A 1m "missile" with exclusively fragmentation-warheads at 180° cone would deal a total of 24,000/120,000/600,000 kinetic damage (with 6 AP), costing 25/100/400 ammo – 960/1,200/1,500 damage per ammo.
 * Practically, smaller missiles can still be more efficient against smaller and more agile targets. Larger missile-classes may deal overkill damage, are more vulnerable to interceptors, and typically easier to evade.
 * Magnets can be used as a very effective guidance, if placed on the nose of the missile. However, they will also "lock" onto friendly vehicles, making high-range magnets potentially dangerous for your own fleet.
 * Missile interceptors can also act as torpedo-interceptors, if placing a ballast-tank and propeller, instead of a thruster.
 * Placing buoys and/or flares on interceptors can make hostile missiles fly towards them, making interception easier.
 * A missile-drone (or torpedo-drone) can be supplied with ammo by a larger vessel when within its Supply Radius. This can allow for very compact drones with high firepower and little risk of explosions.
 * With proper code, a Lua receiver can act as a combined seeker, guidance, and fuse, saving module slots on the missile. With a good script it can also provide more intelligent behaviour.

AI
Considerations when letting an AI use missiles:
 * Laser-guided missiles (both designated, and beam-riding) need good bearing-accuracy to work accurately. Range-accuracy is not required.
 * Remote-guided missiles need both good range-, and good bearing-accuracy. On top of that, they require significant processing power (1/4/16 per missile), and the required General Purpose Processing Cards can increase total cost significantly.
 * IR-guided missiles typically need a "good estimate" of the target's position. How good the estimate needs to be depends on the IR-signature of the target, and the range.
 * Active radar and sonar seekers can often work if simply fired within 90° of the target – Against sufficiently large targets, a vertical-launch radar-seeking missile will not need a one-turn. Against low-return vehicles (alloy and rubber can be used to reduce both radar-, and sonar-return, although this will not help large vehicles much) at medium-long range, you will need more accuracy, however.
 * Consider limiting the range on the Local Weapon Controller to only fire when the target is within range. Moreover, you can set a minimum and maximum altitude
 * For torpedoes, you will want a maximum altitude of about 5-15m (altitude is measured from centre of mass and CoM can be above the waterline on boats, with waves potentially pushing them up further).
 * For missiles, a minimum altitude of about -10m can prevent shooting submarines.
 * Anti Missile Cannon Controllers do not work on hull-mounted weapons. If you want hull-mounted missile-interceptors, you need an Automated Control Block firing the missiles.
 * However, whether you use turrets or ACBs, an AI on the craft needs to be aware of the hostile missile. Use Munition Warners to detect missiles. Passive radars can be used to increase detection-range against active radar seekers, and passive sonars are required to detect torpedoes.
 * A drone spawned using a Subvehicle Spawner will return to the mothership if the AI is set to fleet move mode. You can use an Automated Control Block setting the AI to fleet move if low on ammo to automatically return and rearm.

Examples
This is not intended as a complete list, but rather to show some of the most basic types of missiles. Feel free to experiment, and/or create a separate page with more pre-made designs, which you can then link here.

Bomb
This gives us two modules.
 * M-class used for the screenshot
 * 1x Gantry

Configuration (rear -> front):
 * 1x Fragmentation Warhead set to 120° (the magnet ensures the bomb will point roughly towards the enemy, but may still hit at an angle hence a bit more than 90°)
 * Alternatively a HE-warhead, but that can cause chain-reactions if dropping several bombs.
 * 1x magnet set to 3 seconds. Range depends on how far away the launching vehicle is after 3s.

Guided Bomb/Grenade
This gives us six modules. As a bomb, best if faced horizontally. As a grenade, you must use ejectors to achieve sufficient speed.
 * M-class used for the screenshot
 * 3x Gantry

Configuration (rear -> front):
 * 1x Fins
 * 1x Target Prediction Guidance
 * Alternatively, if used against near-stationary targets, another warhead
 * 3x HE warhead
 * Single Pixel IR Seeker
 * Alternatively another seeker of your choice, but this has the lowest drag – Needs to point roughly towards the enemy, consider using radar-guided bombs if you cannot ensure that
 * Internal space used for HE

Unguided Rocket
This gives us eight modules. Must be turreted using a Two Axis Turret, or the entire craft must aim accurately with its hull. Due to the high speed and health, rockets may have more success piercing enemy active defences (like LAMS or CIWS).
 * M-class used for the screenshot
 * 4x Gantry

Configuration (rear -> front):
 * Short Range Thruster
 * 2x Fuel Tank
 * You can use one or three fuel tanks instead, depending on the desired range – 2 fuel tanks achieve roughly 1.1km powered range, with about another 400m gliding, if launched horizontally.
 * 3x HE Warhead
 * 1x Body
 * Thumper Head

Torpedo
This gives us ten modules. Best if facing roughly towards the enemy (+/- 90°).
 * M-class used for the screenshots
 * 5x Gantry

Configuration (rear -> front):
 * Torpedo Propeller (set to 1,500 thrust)
 * 1x Fins
 * 1x Fuel Tank
 * 1x Ballast Tanks
 * 1x Target Prediction Guidance
 * 4x Explosive Warhead (perhaps fragmentation, but HE gets a 50% bonus underwater)
 * Torpedo Sonar
 * Internal space used for fuel

Variant with a one-turn and more agility – This will allow the torpedo to be launched from almost any orientation, and is more likely to hit agile targets:
 * Torpedo Propeller (set to 1,400 thrust)
 * 2x Fins
 * 1x Ballast Tanks
 * 1x Target Prediction Guidance
 * 1x One Turn
 * 3x Explosive Warhead
 * Torpedo Sonar
 * Internal space used for fuel
 * Note that this relies heavily on the internal space and will likely need at least one fuel tank if scaled down to S-class

Short-Range AA Missile
This gives us twelve modules.
 * S-class used for the screenshot
 * It is recommended to keep these S-class, as small missiles tend to be faster and more manoeuvrable, on top of getting a higher volume-of-fire and needing less space to work at all.
 * 3x Gantry

Configuration (rear -> front):
 * Variable Thruster set to 0 ramp time and 220 thrust
 * 3x Fins
 * 1x APN Guidance set to a gain of 1
 * 1x Fuel Tank
 * 3x Fragmentation Warhead set to 140° cone-angle
 * 2x Fins
 * Infra-Red Seeker or Single Pixel IR Seeker
 * Radar-guidance is only recommended if planes are the only target in-play, due to the radar-seeker's tendency to target large craft.
 * Internal space used for fuel

Long-Range Cruise Missile
This gives us ten modules. If scaling it down, remember that the lifetime of missiles is limited, and you may need either greater speed or a regulator to achieve the desired range using smaller classes.
 * L-class used for the screenshot
 * 10x Gantry

Configuration (rear -> front):
 * Variable Thruster set to a ramp time of 10s and 4,800 thrust
 * 1x Fins
 * 1x Target Prediction Guidance
 * 1x Fuel Tank
 * 4x Fragmentation Warhead. Cone angle to whatever you prefer, but recommended below about 150°
 * 1x HE Warhead
 * Active Radar Seeker
 * Internal space used for HE

Using more HE would likely deal overkill-damage, and exceed the radius-cap of 30m even more.

Exceeding an effective range of about 2km is usually not necessary, as no faction-craft is allowed to have an intended range greater than that – You will only encounter ranges above 2km if you choose to do so, or if a crippled craft is unable to close distance.

Missile Interceptor

 * S-class gantries used in the screenshot
 * 2x gantries (Warning, using hatched gantries will require Automated Control Blocks to open)

This configuration allows for 8 slots, which is actually more than needed but also allows for faster turning

Configuration, Rear -> Front


 * Variable Thruster. Thrust set to 69, Activation Delay set to 1s
 * Fins x3
 * APN Guidance. Gain set to default (2)
 * Fins x2
 * Missile Interceptor
 * Internal Space used for Fuel

This vertical launch interceptor is primarily used for close-medium ranges as the 5 fin modules and the activation delay on the thruster allows for a very small turning circle.

Engine thrust where fuel and lifetime depleted in same time
$$thrust = \frac{-(2*fuel)}{ramp+(2*delay-2*life)}$$