Do i really need 2 torp launchers on my teir 2 cruiser, thats half my weapons slots for a weapon that is only useful sometimes as ideally you will be broadsiding the whole time. Also, why no option for having your torp launchers skewed 90 deg. so that the front covers right and rear covers left or some such thing, then you could really broadside

I'd like to see side-on launchers as well. I have three Phaser arrays on my Cruiser at the moment - one fore, 2 aft. the second fore-slot has a quantum launcher. Makes for devastating broadsiding, then use evasive maneauvers to bring a torpeado barrage to bear on the vict... I mean, target.

For smaller vessels the broadsiding on its own usually brings them down rather quickly. It also means that small swarms of enemies (like fighters and mines) go down quickly as well.

From experience from flying around with the Thunderhawk (Miranda/ShiKhar/Centaur Variant), I've wanted Torpedoes fore and aft.

I usually knockdown enemy shields and then if I fly past them or they are fast and fly past me, I've always wanted to use a Torpedo on their shieldless area.

Still not sure though if I want to go Escort or Cruiser though.

As a T2 Crusier Id say, no you dont need 2 torps. I went with 1beam/torp of your choice "i like quantum" up front and 2 phasers in the rear. Now in my T3 cruiser I dont have 2 Torps I use 3. 1phaser/1photon/1quantum torp up front. And 2 phasers and a Mk5 Photon in the rear.

The reason I do that is you have alot of fire power when you start combat going right at something. And once they start to get behind you, you have 2 phasers and a torp to hit'em with.

Oh and as far as your ? about sideways torp. I cant remember that ever happening in Trek. Torps go for or aft.

I went with all Beam Array's, and EPS Flow Regulators to maintain high damage. When I got my Exploration Cruiser I saved one slot for a Torpedo Launcher And yes, side mounted weapon slots would be nice.

They also never really broadsided in trek, because they were generally trying to line up the devestating torp shots, but who's to say that things haven't changed in the last 40 years. It came to mind because one of the devs in an interview was mentioning that their system allows for having a mounted weapon that is skewed x degrees this way or that, but that no current weapon system uses the skew function.

The critical rule of the Cruiser is being able to fight at any angle. With the terrible (and apparently "working as intended") turn rate of cruisers, you need to be able to fight no matter which bearing the enemy comes at you from. This is why the aft launcher is so essential. It can also lead to some pretty nifty tactics though most of them require Tactical Captain skills, at least IMO.

http://forums.startrekonline.com/showthread.php?t=89623 is a good read if you haven't done so already.

Being able to customise weapons to a certain degree as the crew of the USS Voyager NCC 74656 did while alone in the Delta Quadrent, would also be a fantastic addition to Star Trek Online.

Remember when their liberated Borg Bridge Officer known as Seven of Nine adapted their torpedoes to infect the Undine (Species 8472) attack ships with modified nano probes?

cruisers dont need side bays just use beam arrays on aft and fore cause they both have 250 degree arc so they will shoot when u broadside

i agree with having one on ur fore with t3 cause the will give u the extra punch on ur targets hull when u take their shields down with all ur beam weapons

On my T2 Science ship I found an aft torpedo tube and 3 phasers the better option, as the tougher enemies almost always were at my rear when their facing shields were (about to be) gone. Not sure if this would work on a T2 Cruiser with their turn rates though, or maybe its just an weird thing that works with my play style....