Beam array · 250°
A normal beam array covers 250°. Fore and aft arrays can overlap when the ship is broadside. More forgiving arcs help preserve firing uptime while maneuvering.
STO / Weapon styles · PvE only
Beams or cannons?
Firing arcs, multi-target modes, and why Alan chooses beams for now.
Why I use beams for now
Coverage versus concentrated fire
Dual cannons / DHC · 45°
Normal Dual Cannons and Dual Heavy Cannons use a 45° arc. They generally offer higher base DPS than standard beam arrays, but that potential needs targets kept in arc.
These are weapon subtypes: single cannons normally use 180°, turrets 360°, ordinary Dual Beam Banks 90°, and omni beams 360°. Special wide-angle weapons can differ. “Cannons” does not always mean 45°, and “beams” does not always mean a wide array.
Scatter Volley’s secondary-target cone is distinct from the weapon arc. Keep the primary target inside the weapon’s own arc; the ability’s 90° area does not make a standard dual cannon a freely aimed 90° weapon.
Multiple-target modes: compare the ranks
These percentages describe damage per shot relative to that weapon’s normal shot. They are not final-build DPS multipliers.
| Rank | Fire at Will | Scatter Volley | Accuracy rating change, both modes |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | 80% · −20% per shot | 100% · no per-shot damage change | −50 |
| II | 85% · −15% per shot | 105% · +5% per shot | −40 |
| III | 90% · −10% per shot | 110% · +10% per shot | −30 |
Fire at Will has a per-shot damage penalty at every rank, but the penalty decreases as the rank rises. Scatter Volley I has no per-shot damage bonus or penalty; it still has an accuracy penalty. Rank II and III add +5% and +10% damage per shot—not +105% and +110%.
Fire at Will adds a fifth pulse instead of the normal four and can engage two targets per pulse. Scatter Volley can engage up to three targets in its cone. Extra shots, available targets, hit rate, power, traits, and time on target determine the actual result. A per-shot penalty does not mean Fire at Will reduces overall encounter DPS.
Higher base damage still needs delivery
Dual-cannon builds trade narrower coverage for higher base damage potential. An enemy outside the usable arc is an opportunity lost, so ship handling and target placement become more demanding. Compare equivalent equipment and the full build, rather than treating every cannon subtype as stronger than every beam.
For Alan, a beam array that continues contributing while he manages the rest of Def1ant is valuable. A more demanding cannon setup may suit another pilot—or a future build—without changing why beams make sense here.
Sources & scope
Rank values and firing behavior: Fire at Will reference and Scatter Volley reference. Weapon arcs and baseline comparison: ship weapon reference. Practical build context: STO BETTER Energy Basics. Special equipment can have exceptions; check its tooltip.
Alan’s choice of beams and his comfort with broadside piloting are his experience and preference. This page compares common energy-weapon setups for PvE.