Missile Design Window Layout
Added: v2026.01.25
The Missile Design window is where all missile ordnance is created in Aurora C#. Missiles are measured in Missile Size Points (MSP), where each MSP equals 2.5 tons. The window allows you to allocate MSP across engine, warhead, fuel, sensors, ECM, and other components, with performance calculations updating in real-time as you adjust allocations. (Note: The “Agility” field is displayed but has no gameplay effect as of v2.2.0 — hit chance now uses the speed ratio system.)
Window Layout
+============================================================================+
| [1] Missile Design [_][X] |
+============================================================================+
| Missile Name: [2]__Javelin ASM Mk III___________ Race: [3] Terran Fed v |
| Total Size: [4] 6 MSP (15 tons, 0.20 HS) Series: [5] Anti-Ship______ |
+----------------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
| [6] MSP ALLOCATION | [7] PERFORMANCE SUMMARY |
| +----------------------------+ | +-----------------------------------+ |
| | COMPONENT MSP % | | | Speed: 28,400 km/s | |
| |----------------------------| | | Range: 184 M km | |
| | Engine: [__3.00] [50%] | | | Endurance: 107 minutes | |
| | Warhead: [__1.50] [25%] | | | Agility: 32 km/s^2 | |
| | Fuel: [__0.75] [12%] | | | Damage: 6 | |
| | Agility: [__0.00] [ 0%] | | | Hit Chance: 72% (vs 5000 km/s) | |
| | Active Snr: [__0.50] [ 8%] | | | ECM: 10% reduction | |
| | ECM: [__0.25] [ 4%] | | | Detection: 42,000 km | |
| | ECCM: [__0.00] [ 0%] | | | Seeker Res: 100 (anti-ship) | |
| | Decoys: [__0.00] [ 0%] | | | MR per Mag: 33 missiles | |
| | Term Guide: [__0.00] [ 0%] | | | Cost: 3.71 BP | |
| | Retarget: [__0.00] [ 0%] | | +-----------------------------------+ |
| | Geo Sensor: [__0.00] [ 0%] | | |
| | | +-----------------------------------------+
| | Remaining: 0.00 MSP | | [8] ENGINE CONFIGURATION |
| +----------------------------+ | +-----------------------------------+ |
| | | Engine Tech: [Nuclear Pulse v] | |
+----------------------------------+ | Engine MSP: 3.00 | |
| [9] WARHEAD CONFIGURATION | | Boost Level: [__2.0x] | |
| +------------------------------+ | | Max Boost: 2.0x (racial) | |
| | Type: [Standard v] | | | Fuel Mod: 1.00x (no penalty) | |
| | Strength Tech: [Wrhd-3 v] | | | EP Output: 170.4 | |
| | Damage: 6 (1.5 MSP * Str 4) | | +-----------------------------------+ |
| | Warhead Count: [__1] | | |
| | Damage/Warhead: 6.000 | +-----------------------------------------+
| +------------------------------+ | [10] SENSOR CONFIGURATION |
| | +-----------------------------------+ |
+------------------------------------+ | Type: [Active Sensor v] | |
| [11] EXISTING DESIGNS | | Resolution: [__100] | |
| +------------------------------+ | | Sensor Size: 0.50 MSP | |
| | Name Size Spd | | | Detection vs Res 100: 42,000 km | |
| |------------------------------| | | Detection vs Size 6: 12,600 km | |
| | Javelin ASM Mk I 6 22800 | | | EM Signature: 3 | |
| | Javelin ASM Mk II 6 25600 | | +-----------------------------------+ |
| |>Javelin ASM Mk III 6 28400 | | |
| | Stiletto AMM 2 48000 | +-----------------------------------------+
| | Trident Heavy 12 18200 | | [12] DESIGN CONTROLS |
| | Probe Survey 4 0 | | +-----------------------------------+ |
| | | | | [Save Design] [New Design] | |
| | | | | [Copy Design] [Delete Design] | |
| | | | | [Rename] [Show Materials] | |
| +------------------------------+ | +-----------------------------------+ |
+-------------------------------------+-----------------------------------------+
| [13] MATERIAL BREAKDOWN | [14] DESIGN NOTES |
| +--------------------------------+ | +-----------------------------------+ |
| | Duranium: 1.2 Tritanium: 0.8 | | | Fast ASM for size-6 launchers. | |
| | Boronide: 0.5 Uridium: 0.3 | | | Trades range for speed and ECM. | |
| | Corundium: 0.9 | | | Pair with Stiletto AMM escort. | |
| +--------------------------------+ | +-----------------------------------+ |
+============================================================================+
| [15] STATUS: Design valid. Fits Size 6 launcher. Magazine capacity: 33. |
+============================================================================+
Element Descriptions
[1] Title Bar – Displays “Missile Design” with standard window controls. The window can be repositioned and resized.
[2] Missile Name Field – Editable text field for naming the missile design. Use descriptive names that indicate role and generation (e.g., “Javelin ASM Mk III” for the third-generation anti-ship missile). Names appear in launcher assignment lists and ordnance production queues.
[3] Race Selector – Dropdown selecting which race’s technology pool to use for available engine, warhead, and sensor technologies.
[4] Total Size Display – Shows the missile’s total MSP allocation, weight in tons, and hull space equivalent. This determines what launcher size is required (a 6 MSP missile needs a size-6 or larger launcher). Updates dynamically as you adjust allocations.
[5] Series Selector – Optional classification field for organizing missiles by role (Anti-Ship, Anti-Missile, Bombardment, Survey Probe, etc.). Used for filtering in other windows.
[6] MSP Allocation Panel – The core of missile design. Each row represents a component category with an editable MSP value and percentage of total size. The “Remaining” counter at the bottom shows unallocated MSP. All fields accept fractional values (e.g., 0.75 MSP). Adjusting any value triggers recalculation of all performance figures.
[7] Performance Summary Panel – Real-time calculated performance based on current MSP allocations and technology levels:
- Speed: Missile velocity in km/s (Engine EP / Total MSP)
- Range: Maximum distance before fuel exhaustion in millions of km
- Endurance: Time the missile can fly before running out of fuel
- Agility: Displayed for reference but no longer used for hit calculation (v2.2.0+ uses speed ratio system; see Appendix A: Formulas) \hyperlink{ref-img-missile-1}{[1]}
- Damage: Total warhead damage on impact
- Hit Chance: Estimated probability against a target at specified speed
- ECM: Percentage reduction applied to enemy point defense accuracy
- Detection: Onboard sensor acquisition range at the missile’s sensor resolution
- Seeker Res: Sensor resolution (determines what size target the seeker can acquire)
- MR per Mag: How many of this missile fit in a standard magazine
- Cost: Build point cost per missile
[8] Engine Configuration Panel – Detailed engine settings:
- Engine Tech: Dropdown selecting the missile engine technology (Nuclear Pulse, Ion, Magneto-Plasma, etc.)
- Engine MSP: Amount of MSP devoted to the engine (mirrors the allocation panel value)
- Boost Level: Multiplier applied to engine output – higher boost means more speed but exponentially more fuel consumption when exceeding racial max boost
- Max Boost: Your race’s current maximum boost technology (exceeding this incurs fuel penalties)
- Fuel Mod: Current fuel consumption modifier (1.0x = no penalty, higher = exceeding max boost)
- EP Output: Effective engine power for this configuration
[9] Warhead Configuration Panel – Warhead settings:
- Type: Standard, Laser, or Enhanced Radiation warhead
- Strength Tech: Current warhead strength technology level (determines damage multiplier per MSP)
- Damage: Calculated total damage (MSP * Strength)
- Warhead Count: Number of independent warheads (v2.2.0+) – splits total damage across multiple attacks
- Damage/Warhead: Damage per individual warhead when using multiple warheads
[10] Sensor Configuration Panel – Onboard missile sensor settings:
- Type: Active, Thermal, EM, Home-on-Jam, Geological, or None
- Resolution: Target size the sensor is calibrated to detect (1 = missile-size, 100+ = ship-size)
- Sensor Size: MSP allocated to the sensor (minimum 0.25 MSP for any effect)
- Detection vs Res: Detection range against targets matching the sensor’s resolution
- Detection vs Size: Detection range against the missile’s own size category (for reference)
- EM Signature: Electromagnetic emissions generated by the active sensor (makes the missile more detectable)
[11] Existing Designs List – Scrollable list of all saved missile designs for the selected race. Shows name, size (MSP), and speed. The currently selected/loaded design is highlighted with “>”. Double-click a design to load it for modification or review.
[12] Design Controls – Buttons for managing missile designs:
- Save Design: Saves the current allocation as a named missile design
- New Design: Clears all allocations to start fresh
- Copy Design: Duplicates the current design under a new name (useful for Mk II iterations)
- Delete Design: Removes the design permanently (cannot delete if missiles of this type exist in magazines)
- Rename: Changes the missile name without affecting the design
- Show Materials: Toggles the material breakdown display
[13] Material Breakdown – Shows the mineral costs per missile: Duranium, Tritanium, Boronide, Uridium, Corundium, and others as applicable. Visible when “Show Materials” is toggled on.
[14] Design Notes – Free-text field for recording design intent, tactical pairing information, or version history.
[15] Status Bar – Displays validation status, required launcher size, and magazine capacity. Warns if the design has issues (e.g., no engine, sensor below 0.25 MSP minimum, exceeding maximum missile size).
Common Workflows
Creating a New Anti-Ship Missile
- Click New Design [12] to clear all fields
- Set the Total Size [4] to match your launcher size (e.g., 6 MSP for size-6 launchers)
- Allocate Engine MSP [6] to 40-50% of total size for a fast missile
- Select your best Engine Tech [8] and set Boost Level at or below max boost to avoid fuel penalties
- Allocate Warhead MSP [6] – check that damage meets your needs in the Performance Summary [7]
- Allocate Fuel MSP [6] – watch the Range value in Performance to ensure the missile can reach expected engagement distances
- Allocate Active Sensor [6] at 0.50 MSP minimum for reliable terminal acquisition
- Set Resolution [10] to match expected target sizes (80-120 for capital ships)
- Optionally add ECM [6] (0.25 MSP) to improve survivability against point defense
- Verify Remaining [6] shows 0.00 MSP (all space allocated)
- Name the missile and click Save Design [12]
Adjusting Speed vs. Range
The fundamental trade-off: more engine MSP = faster missile but less room for fuel. To adjust:
- Note current Speed and Range values in Performance Summary [7]
- Increase Engine MSP [6] – speed increases, but total fuel capacity decreases
- Watch Range decrease as fuel MSP is reduced to accommodate the larger engine
- Alternatively, increase Fuel MSP [6] at the expense of engine or warhead
- The Boost Level [8] provides another lever – higher boost increases speed without changing engine MSP, but incurs fuel consumption penalties above racial max boost
- The sweet spot depends on tactical doctrine: alpha strike ships need speed, patrol missiles need range
Adding ECM to a Missile
- Allocate exactly 0.25 MSP to ECM [6] – this is the fixed cost regardless of ECM level
- The ECM level applied is your race’s current Missile ECM technology
- Each ECM level provides 10% reduction to enemy energy weapon accuracy and 10% reduction to enemy MFC lock
- Check the ECM line in Performance Summary [7] to verify the reduction percentage
- The 0.25 MSP must come from somewhere – typically reduce fuel or warhead slightly
- For high-threat environments, also consider Decoys [6] (0.50 MSP each) which provide probabilistic defense against both PD beams and AMMs
Designing an Anti-Missile Missile (AMM)
- Set Total Size [4] to 1-2 MSP (small, to fit more in magazines)
- Maximize Engine MSP [6] (60-70% of size) – AMMs need extreme speed to intercept incoming missiles
- Set a very small Warhead [6] (0.1-0.3 MSP) – even fractional warhead strength >= 1.0 auto-kills missiles
- Set Fuel [6] to the minimum needed for your PD engagement range (AMMs fire at short range)
- Set Active Sensor [6] at 0.25 MSP minimum with Resolution [10] of 1 (anti-missile resolution)
- No ECM needed (AMMs are not targeted by enemy PD)
- Consider Multiple Warheads [9] to counter enemy decoys (v2.2.0+)
Configuring Multiple Warheads (v2.2.0+)
Added: v2026.01.25
Multiple warheads split a missile’s total warhead strength across separate independent attacks. This is particularly effective for AMMs targeting decoy-equipped missiles, or for improving hit probability against maneuvering targets.
- Set Warhead MSP [6] to your desired allocation – this determines total warhead strength
- In the Warhead Configuration Panel [9], set the Type dropdown to “Standard” (laser warheads do not support multiple warheads)
- Verify Damage [9] shows your total warhead strength (MSP * Strength Tech level)
- Adjust Warhead Count [9] to the number of independent warheads (default is 1)
- Check Damage/Warhead [9] – this shows the damage each individual warhead deals
Note: Each additional warhead beyond the first requires 0.1 MSP of space and costs 0.1 Tritanium. A missile with 5 warheads needs 0.4 MSP more than a single-warhead design with equivalent strength.
Damage Calculation:
| Total Strength | Warhead Count | Damage per Warhead |
|---|---|---|
| 6.0 | 1 | 6.0 |
| 6.0 | 2 | 3.0 |
| 6.0 | 3 | 2.0 |
| 1.2 | 3 | 0.4 |
Trade-offs – Single vs. Multiple Warheads:
- Single warhead: Maximum damage per hit, ideal for penetrating heavy armor
- Multiple warheads: Multiple hit chances per missile, effective against decoys and maneuvering targets
- MSP cost: Additional warheads consume 0.1 MSP each, reducing space for engine, fuel, or sensors
- Fractional damage: Warheads with strength < 1.0 have reduced effect against armor and internals (see Section 12.3 Missiles for fractional warhead mechanics)
AMM Anti-Decoy Strategy:
When targeting missiles equipped with decoys, each warhead independently rolls to hit the missile or a decoy:
- Design an AMM with warhead strength 1.2 and 3 warheads (0.4 damage each)
- Each warhead attacks independently with probability weighted by decoy count
- Any warhead hitting a decoy removes it; any hitting the missile destroys it
- Multiple warheads dramatically improve kill probability against decoy-protected missiles
Warning: Fractional warheads (strength < 1.0) against missiles follow special rules – see Section 12.3 Missiles. Ensure each warhead has at least 1.0 strength for guaranteed kills, or accept probabilistic destruction.
Key Relationships
Note: Understanding how missile parameters interact is critical for effective design:
- Engine MSP vs. Speed: Speed = Engine EP / Total MSP. More engine = proportionally faster.
- Fuel MSP vs. Range: Range depends on fuel amount divided by (consumption rate * speed). Faster missiles consume fuel faster, requiring more fuel MSP for equivalent range.
- Boost Level vs. Fuel Consumption: Exceeding racial max boost applies a linear fuel penalty from 1x to 5x. A 4x boost with 2x max tech means 5x fuel consumption.
- Warhead MSP vs. Damage: Damage = Warhead MSP * Warhead Strength tech. Higher tech multiplies all warhead investments.
- Sensor Size vs. Detection Range: Detection scales with square root of (sensor sensitivity * target cross section). Doubling sensor MSP does not double detection range.
- ECM vs. Survivability: Each ECM level = 10% harder to hit. But 0.25 MSP is a fixed cost regardless of level – make sure your ECM tech is worth the investment.
- Decoys vs. PD: Each decoy absorbs hits probabilistically. Multiple decoys dramatically reduce PD effectiveness but cost 0.50 MSP each.
- Total Size vs. Magazine Capacity: Larger missiles store fewer per magazine. A 12 MSP missile takes 4x the magazine space of a 3 MSP missile.
- Launcher Match: The missile must fit your launcher. Designing a 7 MSP missile when you only have size-6 launchers means you need to redesign or build new launchers.
Tips and Shortcuts
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Optimal warhead strengths are perfect squares (1, 4, 9, 16, 25) due to the square damage profile applied to armor. A warhead strength of 9 creates a 3x3 damage pattern – more efficient than 8 or 10.
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No-engine missiles (0 MSP to engine) create stationary buoys useful for sensor pickets. They cannot move but can carry sensors for persistent surveillance.
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Minimum sensor size is 0.25 MSP. Anything below this has no detection capability. This is a common mistake that wastes MSP.
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Fractional warheads (v2.2.0+) with strength < 1.0 have reduced kill probability against missiles. Ensure AMM warheads have at least 1.0 effective strength for guaranteed kills.
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Active Terminal Guidance (0.25 MSP, requires Uridium) provides an accuracy multiplier during final approach. The tech progression ranges from 20% to 90% bonus – worth the MSP on expensive anti-ship missiles.
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Retargeting (0.50 MSP) lets a missile make multiple attack passes if it misses, persisting until fuel depletion. Excellent on expensive heavy missiles where each round is precious. Limited to one attempt per time increment (v2.5.0+).
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Copy Design is your friend for iteration. Load “Javelin Mk II”, copy it, rename to “Mk III”, adjust for new technology, save. This preserves the evolutionary history.
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Magazine efficiency: Smaller missiles pack more rounds per magazine. A fleet of size-2 AMMs stores 6x more rounds than size-12 ASMs in the same magazine space. Balance salvo weight against ammunition depth.
References
\hypertarget{ref-img-missile-1}{[1]}. Appendix A – Missile Hit Chance (Speed Ratio System, v2.2.0+). Missile agility was removed. Base_Hit_Chance = 0.1 * (Missile_Speed / Target_Speed). The Agility field is still displayed in the window but is no longer used for hit calculation.
Related Sections
- Section 8.5 Weapons – Missile launchers, box launchers, and launcher sizing
- Section 8.6 Other Components – Magazines and missile fire controls
- Section 12.3 Missiles – Detailed missile combat mechanics
- Section 12.4 Point Defense – How missiles are intercepted
- Section 12.5 Electronic Warfare – ECM and ECCM interactions
- Section 7.4 Tech Categories – Missile engine, warhead, and sensor research