Plasma Rifle or Cannon better?

[Colt Ward]

Is the Plasma Rifle or Cannon better for a conventional fighter interceptor?  Which weapon on a cheap CF frame is more likely to cause a ASF to either keep away or be lost?

[HobbesHurlbut]

One does only heat, the other does heat AND damage. Your decision.

[Kit deSummersville]

I hope it isn't too cheap; you'll need a fusion engine to handle the heat output of those things.

[Weirdo]

One does only heat, the other does heat AND damage. Your decision.

Make that decision after you've looked at the heat scale for fighters. That thing's scary.

[HobbesHurlbut]

Make that decision after you've looked at the heat scale for fighters. That thing's scary.

Well having that damage in atmospheric fights helps a bit...*prepares the lawn*

[TigerShark]

Well having that damage in atmospheric fights helps a bit...*prepares the lawn*

Depends on the rule set being used. The lawn dart thing has always been the first to go whenever I've played Aero. StratOps rules for threshold damage are much more fair.

[Colt Ward]

Make that decision after you've looked at the heat scale for fighters. That thing's scary.

Well, the weight difference also factors in . . . you can get 2 Cannons for the weight of 1 Rifle though if using Turbines that gets problematic putting the extra heatsinks on.

The price would still be less than a full ASF or Small Craft and definitely cheaper than a loaded troop transport like a Union if a mob managed to knock it down.

[Col Toda]

Clearly the Plasma Rifle is a better choice . First base damage is 7 or better so you have a higher chance to break the threshold number on other fighters heat impacts piloting  and any ground support mission becomes that much more dangerous, as surface control issue may happen . You have pair it with LRMs if you lose initiative or double down with medium range weapons and go the thunderbolt / 10 route . 2 plasma rifles and 2 thunderbolt 10s would discourage most any fighter .