Change weapon types into weapon families to add variety

Each weapon right now is the weapon for its class, for example the sword or the Lance or the hammer. The best all and end all for the weapon.

But in actuality each weapon in game is more of a family of weapons. There are many different blades, staves and mallets all designed to do the same job in a different effective way.

I propose that Beam, Torpedo, Laser and Projectile be made into categories of weapons, giving more variance and diversity to weapon selection and game play.

At the moment Projectile guns pull double duty, both as main weapons but also as flak defence against missiles. My proposal would separate these effects into different weapons, Cannon and flak, with the potential additional types like artillery, shotgun, gatling and possibly others, each with different damage profiles and playstyles. 

Beams and lasers would be in the same family now but would be joined by blast, cone, array, sniper, bolt, arc and others.

Torpedo would be joined by missile, rocket, pod, tactical, strategic, swarm, with the possibilities of bomb and mine for field changes before combat.