In The Black loadouts
Best In The Black Loadouts — Weapons & Builds (May 2026)
Weapon comparison and ranked loadouts for every class — laser vs railgun vs cannon vs missile.
Weapon family quick-reference
| Family | Range | Heat | Burst DPS | Sustained DPS | Best vs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulse Laser | 2 km | Low | Mid | High | Light fighters |
| Medium Cannon | 1.5 km | Mid | High | Mid | Medium hulls |
| Plasma Cannon | 1.2 km | High | Very High | Very High | Heavy duels |
| Light Railgun | 8 km | Mid | Very High | Low | Snipe lights |
| Heavy Railgun | 12 km | High | Extreme | Low | Capitals |
| Short AAM | 3 km | — | Burst | — | Lights, finishers |
| Long AAM | 10 km | — | Burst | — | Heavies, snipe denial |
Best beginner loadout — any ship
Default to 2× pulse laser + 1× short AAM. The pulse laser is forgiving because heat is low and tracking is gentle; the missile is your finisher when your target's shields drop.
Best Kolibri Axe ranked loadout
- 1× Medium Cannon (primary alpha)
- 2× Pulse Laser (sustained DPS, anti-light)
- 1× Short AAM (finisher)
- Reactor: 60% engines / 30% weapons / 10% shields
Best Reus Comet PvE loadout
- 1× Medium Cannon
- 2× Pulse Laser
- 2× Short AAM
- + Long-Range Sensors (Contract recon reuse)
Best Hyperion Mk 3 anti-capital loadout
- 2× Heavy Railgun (1.5 s cycle, 12 km optimal)
- 2× Long AAM (Capitol-class warhead)
- Reactor: 50% weapons / 40% shields / 10% engines
- Gunner-seat priority: pre-aim, do not chase.
Laser vs Railgun vs Cannon — which to learn first?
Pulse laser. Tracking weapons teach you how to lead and predict in a Newtonian model. Once you can land 70%+ of pulses, swap to a railgun for the satisfying one-tap moments.