Modular Destroyer 2 image - R.E.A.R.M. - The Unofficial Classic HW 2 Expansion mod for Homeworld 2

yes

Glad you like it.

Flak cannons in Homeworld are just an anti-fighter weapons (and they do their job very well).
I didn't modify flaks in this mod yet. Those are the regular flaks of the Flak frigate.

But some useful comparison:
Destroyer with only kinetic turrets (the default one) do 1034 damage and it can engage all kind of targets.
Destroyer with only ion weapons do 1255 damage, but it can shooot only at frigate class and higher and it's more expensive.

Destroyer armed only with flaks do just 575 damage, but it's an ultimate fighter killer. Two flak DDs can take out one regular destroyer. But it's weak against swarms of frigates, even corvettes and equal number of big capital ship.
So, if your opponent has only skrikecrafts, you'll going to wipe them out without single scratch (and it's definitelly fun to watch). If he has bigger ships, you have a problem.
So it's not good to build DDs armed only with flaks, they're still not that good, even there're 8 flak cannons (to answer your question), but it's a good thing to build one flak destroyer, though.

Normally I would expect people to arm their DDs with 3 ions and one flak, or maybe two ions, one kinetic and one flak or two flaks, two ion, depends on situation. I've just finished one game, I had 9 of them and every single destroyer was different, so it's hard to guess.

I didn't even think about it, it's a very interesting idea. And by modular slot you mean different missile types, or completely different weapons?
I'm afraid I don't want massive forward facing ion beams, it would be a little too much (maybe just weaker ones), but pulsar battery or kinetic turrets could be pretty nice.
I think I will do it, I like it.

OK, it's done, the fifth weapon position is also customizable.

Actually, i still don't know how to do the Vaygr Destroyers. I've had a very clear picture before. But now I have this thing and half of my planned DDs are suddenly useless.

But, I can tell you this: It would be unfair to not make similar ships for Vaygr, but I think that Vaygr will probably get less options and more specialists. I don't know, this Destroyer is brand new and surprising even to me, so I have to think about it. Mine-trap dispenser sounds like a good compensation for less options, but I wanted to keep the minetraps unique, I just don't know at this moment.

It can still change a lot. But I will probably go the way of 2 major weapon subsystem for Vaygr, while 4 minor for Hiigaran, or something like this.

It was the plan, but I've found out that it's not that easy to have an animated subsystem. I think there's a way around it (for example to have the animated missile silo inside the ship and play the animation only when the subsystem is present or something similar), but I've decided it's not worth it (at least not now, maybe later).

Instead of it, I'll probably make the cloaked destroyer, which will have a flat surface and hidden weapons just like the F-22, F-35 and similar (with fixed weapons, not modular, so animated).

And yes, 26. 4x6 + 2. I've also decided, that the two torpedo batteries will be normally buildable, but the second two will be unlocked by research (to prevent the torpedo mayhem).

thanks.