Imbalance: missiles v beams

[Taqwus]

Consider using carriers? Missiles can't target fighters...

Do research PD, and use fleets with overlapping fields of PD fire (currently, since the distance function is $L_{\inf}$, I prefer wall -- almost all of my ships will be able to simultaneously commence firing at any given target).

A more long-term goal is to research propulsion and stellar harnessing. Solar Sail III + 6x Quantum Engine --> 12/6 speed, which will match any missile in the unmodified game (only plasma IV/V can go 6, IIRC. And you really don't need QE; the level below it + Sail III gets you 11/6 due to rounding). Then use a variant of the Maximum Range strategy, with "Maximum Range/Don't Get Hurt" as the movement strategies. If you're a Propulsion Expert race, you can even be *faster* than the fastest missiles (13/7 in a BC hull; BB drops you to 12/6, even a DN will be 11/6 -- still as fast as a Plasma IV/V).

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-- The thing that goes bump in the night

[God Emperor]

As I have mentioned in another thread, I have enabled point defence at game start (but made subsequent researching a bit more expensive). This means that missiles (and fighters) have to be employed in mass to achieve results.
In order to make the AI more challenging, I have altered their DesignCreation files so that they have to include 2 PD per 100kT of ship and have decreased the space requirement for AI PD....
The AI opponents are much tougher to knock over......