Does nobody know if there is a difference or not?

Why not go test? That's the only way any of us have figured anything out.

Dragar wrote:

Why not go test? That's the only way any of us have figured anything out.

That's a great idea that I will do now that I know the community here doesn't know :D

I simply wanted to tap this great resource first!

After testing this question severla times last night, I believe you have a correct understanding of the situation. A heavy module will do more damage but is more susceptible to FLAK defense because it doesn't increase the number of missiles fired, only makes the missiles do more damage. The lower damage output of a 4x module is offset by turning basic missile launchers into makeshift swarm missile launchers which can bypass FLAK defense more successfully. 

The solution, as I would suggest it, would be to have a couple of swarm missile launchers on a ship in your basic weapon slots and put your missiles in the heavy slot, this will maximize your damage output and allow your heavy hitting missiles to bypass FLAK because of your swarm missile launchers. 

Valadeus wrote:

After testing this question severla times last night, I believe you have a correct understanding of the situation. A heavy module will do more damage but is more susceptible to FLAK defense because it doesn't increase the number of missiles fired, only makes the missiles do more damage. The lower damage output of a 4x module is offset by turning basic missile launchers into makeshift swarm missile launchers which can bypass FLAK defense more successfully. 

The solution, as I would suggest it, would be to have a couple of swarm missile launchers on a ship in your basic weapon slots and put your missiles in the heavy slot, this will maximize your damage output and allow your heavy hitting missiles to bypass FLAK because of your swarm missile launchers. 

Yes, I came to the same conlclusion as well.

However due to the firing rate difference between Heavy Module and a normal slot with 4x as mentioned by gap:

gap81 wrote:

The tactic of using a combination of swarm and torpedo style missiles while in theroy and in practice works, is not as effective as it could be. This is largely due to the two weapons having differing rates of fire, so that the swarm clusters and torpedos often do not arrive at the target same time. Thus flak can still pic off the Torpedos with regularity.  They will however line up occasionlly so they do arrive en mass, so the idea does work in practice; just not during each and every salvo fired.  

It will only sometimes help to have one in the heavy and one or more in the normal 4x slots.

And even when they are arriving at the same time, there is still a chance your heavy missle gets targeted by Flak rather than the others.

So in conclusion, unless you know for certain your enemy is not using Flak, it is best to use your Heavy Module for an energy weapon.

Thanks all, this was fun!

I like the way you think. As it stands beams may make the mosy sense for a heavy slot for the very fact that they have a 100% hit rate and are effective at all ranges. Thier biggest drawback is their damage output in comparison to other weapons when they are utilized at their optimal range. the heavy slot dors some to rectify this for beams, and makes them a much more reliable and compelling choice than they would otherwise be. 

I could also see a case for railguns for similar reasons as their ability to bypass defenses could make for some terribly devestating damage, but only if you get those cloaks that allow you to jump to short range in the first round of combat.