Feature Idea: Late-Game Superweapon Systems (Three Variants)

I would like to suggest a set of three late-game superweapon systems, designed for strategic, large-scale warfare rather than fast or repetitive combat.

These weapons would represent ultimate engineering projects, requiring rare components, massive infrastructure, and significant risk to operate. Each weapon fulfills a different strategic role.

Core Concept

• Fires a single, extremely heavy kinetic projectile
• Fully physics-based (no laser beam)
• Designed for orbital bombardment and capital-scale targets

Gameplay Characteristics

• Extremely high power consumption
• Long charge and cooldown times
• Requires rare late-game components
• Strong recoil forces requiring structural reinforcement
• Very long effective range

Impact Behavior

• Deep penetration through multiple layers
• Damage unfolds progressively instead of instant destruction
• Impact creates a slow-motion shockwave, similar to a nuclear-style energy release, without becoming an arcade weapon
• Causes cascading structural failures rather than a single explosion

Core Concept

• Missiles are guided by a continuous laser designation
• Requires line-of-sight and active targeting
• Targeting ship or satellite must remain exposed during guidance

Gameplay Characteristics

• High logistical cost (missile production, guidance systems)
• Vulnerable to countermeasures and point-defense
• Encourages coordinated multi-ship or satellite gameplay
• Missiles can be intercepted or misdirected if the laser is disrupted

Tactical Role

• Precision destruction of specific systems (reactors, weapons, engines)
• Strong counterplay and risk-reward balance
• Ideal for coordinated fleet operations

Core Concept

• Emits a wide-area directional energy wave
• Does not instantly destroy targets
• Temporarily disrupts or damages systems over a large area

Effects

• Power systems destabilization
• Thrusters and gyros temporarily disabled or weakened
• Shields or defensive systems (if present) overloaded
• Structural damage increases over distance and exposure time

Gameplay Characteristics

• Massive energy requirement
• Long cooldown
• Requires specialized capacitors and rare components
• Primarily a control and suppression weapon, not a one-shot kill tool

• Late-game only
• Extremely expensive and resource-intensive
• Clear counterplay options
• Strategic, not spam-able
• Physics-based and industrial in nature
• Designed to create cinematic but balanced moments

• Emphasizes engineering, logistics, and preparation
• Encourages orbital gameplay and large-scale construction
• Avoids arcade or fantasy combat
• Supports modular design and future modding
• Creates meaningful late-game goals for players and factions

Even if these weapons are not implemented directly, a framework for late-game superweapon systems would give the community and modders powerful tools to expand Space Engineers 2 in creative and balanced ways.

Thank you for considering this idea.