I don't understand, Admiral. In fluff, Imperial factions don't like lances in SM fleets. On the tabletop though, How could you think that they would gain a big boost? In actual play, Bombardment Cannon is an even greater weapon than lances against ships.
How would a tradeoff for an inferior weapon be seen as OP? Its not an argument of need, but flavor.
Even if it were flavor, as you pointed out, IN don't like lances in SM fleets and grudgingly accept the ones on escorts which they prefer to keep that way. To make BCs work well, the SM needs to have the target in the Closing or Moving Away profile. So it makes things harder to use while still retaining the deadliness. That's something IN can live with as going abeam would help minimize the threat. So whether game play or fluff, there is still no need or requirement in flavor for it.
Like I pointed out, right. The text no where states the strong 'if it shows up on a capital ship the chapter is toast' sentiment that some seem to follow. While abeam, the lance option gets an extra shot, yes, though not with the triple-crit-threat that BC has.
If its a balance problem you are worried about, front fire only further decreases the value of the lances.
While you may see no need or requirement for it, some players do, and that the fluff of their chapter would have SC lance examples.
I would point out that there isn't much need or requirement from fluff to keep them from it. The idea 'lances can only go on escorts'
is one that was hypothesized, not one that is found anywhere in fluff. Actually, it is mentioned that exception is taken to the Nova because it is a pure gunboat, and an SC with lances is far more diverse. Zero evidence to suggest that only escorts would be allowed lances, or that they would be any more deadly on capital ships.
Also, marine escorts are very expensive next to Imperial ones, a lot of novas is extremely points prohibitive for the punch you get.
I don't think so. IN Firestorms are only 10 points less. SM actually gets quite a lot for those 50 points. +10 cm speed advantage at the expense of 1 turret and then the SM rules.
Edit: I want to know if you are opposed to this:
'For every 750 points, one standard Strike Cruiser may replace its str3 bombardment cannon with a str2 30cm forward firing lance battery'
Its obviously a weaker option than the l/r/f BC, and yet still not completely pointless. While a much weaker option, in the event of an abeam, blast-marker shrouded target in the prow arc, it will give you one more 4+ shot than the BC option, though without the 4+ critical.
Weaker, not completely pointless, and limited. Hopefully that is an option everyone can agree on, from fluff and balance purposes.
Yes. Why? Because you already pointed out, BCs can be better than lances. So why would SM have to get the lance? It's already enough that SM get the BCs. It is just trickier but no less deadly in the right circumstances especially now that the BM problem looks like it will get resolved the way it is. It works with the fluff while giving SM a chance to win fleet action. In your proposal 2 lances in 750 points in a fleet where it can take 145 point 6+ armor, 25 cm speed, 90' turn SCs are significant. In 1500 point matches, That's 4 lances supported by BCs and WBs and lances on Novas if the player wanted to include escorts. That's a serious threat to IN. It is NOT pointless. That is the point. It's not weaker since it makes things easier for SM. A ship targeted by WBs, BCs and lances would be neutralized and unless a fleet brings lots of lances, the opposing fleet would have a hard time striking back. You almost always have to compare every race to IN which is one of the more basic races. Adding lances to the SM even in limited amounts would tilt things to SM significantly.
Actually BC are deadlier against IN than other fleets, in that their armored prows are not only useless, as with against lances, but they are actually a liability. And its not like lances are even always better at ship killing. Its just another weapon in the game, one that sacrifices number of potential damage for greater chance at singlular damage. If you wanted lances, youd take novas, 3 for the pricfe of 2, and more agile.