zeek wrote:I'd call the fire beam and advanced user weapon. It requires you to have some other way of lowering enemy's shields, it is a damage over time type of weapon, and it is almost entirely worthless against auto ships. The damage over time aspect of the fire beam means it's not very effective at taking down enemy systems in any predictable manner. It also means battles are drawn out longer than battles using other weapons. So, you probably need stronger defenses to carry you through the long fights. It's also not a good weapon to stop an enemy from fleeing a fight. You're unlikely to take out the whole ship, piloting, or engines quickly using the fire beam.
That being said it is a fun weapon to use. Especially if you have sensors level 2 or 3. That way you can watch the enemy crew scurry around trying to manage the fires.
I've actually found the Fire Beam to be extremely effective at stopping enemies from escaping. If you fire it through the cockpit, they tend to be a bit distracted, and they often run out of the cockpit if you set three or four other rooms on fire.