Rocket Batteries (KH)

<p>I brought this up in the Dreadnoughts discussion, but rather than go off on a tangent there I'll post it here. The Basic boardgame explains that a ship with multiple rocket batteries can only fire one in a combat turn, while any/all laser batteries can be fired inthe same turn.<br /><br />The campaign book says that each battery system must have a separate program (so a ship with two laser batteries must have two LB programs, a ship with four rocket batteries must have four RB programs). It also goes on to say in the modifications section that any battery may be exchanged for a &quot;rocket battery with four shots&quot;. Then when you go to the &quot;arming civilian ships&quot; section, MHS (minimum hull size) is taken into account to determine if any penalties apply.</p><br /><p>Between the two books there is a certain amount of contradiction. If each battery requires a separate program, then <strong><em>why</em></strong> can't two RBs fire simultansously? If any battery can be exchanged for a RB w/4 shots, how does that fit in with the arming civilian ship rules? Does that mean if you add a laser battery to a HS:6 freighter at no penalty, it can be later swapped for a four shot RB at the same no penalty versus designing the ship withthe RB that would induce a penalty? How is it a laser battery that occupies 25 cubic meters of space (according to the tables in the back of the Campaign Book) can be freely swapped with a 40 cubic meter Rocket Battery, and then add in four salvos at an additional 10 cubic meters each? Seems to me that a Laser Battery could be freely swapped for three laser batteries, that being the case...<br /><br />In any event, the point I made in the dreadnought section is that with all the restrictions on a RB system (short range, limited supply, MPO*, only one can be fired each turn), how did it become the mainstay weapon on warships? Why would anyone arm a warship with 8 rocket batteries and only two laser batteries? <br /><br /><br />{EDIT} * my bad, it's not a MPO weapon --- defensive fire is permitted.</p>