Something that I would like to see back in a Starmada game is a “Spinal Super Weapon”. It's a common trope and I feel like there is a place for a system that is NOT designed as part of the weapon system in Starmada, but is something that a ship is quite literally built around. It feels like a very high proportion of "Hero Ships" and quite often the Big Bad's command ship mount one. This would be like a wave motion gun, reflex cannon, meteor gun, planet cracker level item.

Here is what I was thinking-

The scale of the weapon is dependent upon the size of the ship it is built into, with the Hull = to the DMG rating of the weapon system. Before the weapon can be fired it must be charged/primed/energized. During the Combat Phase the controlling player declares that they are charging the ship’s main weapon; no other weapons fire may be declared though point defenses and tractor beams may still be employed during the turn. During the End Phase the controlling player rolls a Die and records the result. This is continued until the total energy points equal or are greater to 10. On the next combat phase the weapon must be fired. No other weapon fire may be declared this turn though point defenses and tractor beams may be employed as normal. Draw a line from the hex directly in front of the ship and proceeding across the map in a strait line all the way to it’s edge. Every vessel that occupies a hex that this line crosses (including friendly ships) take a number of Hits equal to the DMG rating of the weapon system. Every vessel in a hex adjacent to the straight line suffers a number Hits equal to ½ the weapon’s damage rating, rounding down.
There is no need to roll Impact as all hits succeed. Flares, Decoys, Stealth and Cloaking have no effect on this attack.

Any Fighters, Shuttles, Seeker flights or Minefields in the direct path or adjacent hexes are removed from the game.
On the end turn following the discharge of the weapon roll a Die. On a roll of 1, the ship which fired the weapon may not issue any new movement orders, employ any weapon systems (including point defenses and tractor beams) or begin charging the Spinal Super Weapon for another shot. On a roll of 2 or 3 the ship may plot new movement orders but may not fire other weapons systems though point defenses and tractor beams may be employed as normal, and the Spinal Super Weapon cannot begin recharging. On a roll of 4 or 5 movement orders and weapons may be completed as normal on the following turn, however the Spinal Super Weapon cannot begin charging. On a roll of 6, the firing ship suffers no restrictions on the following turn.

Anyway, just something I have been thinking about for a bit. Trying for something that has something like the effects seen on screen or read in books for a myriad of “super weapon” systems. Devastating, but with limitations, trade-offs and vulnerabilities that can be exploited.

Any thoughts?