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Weapon progression: Basic human --> Plasma --> Laser ? --> EP ? --> Particle

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MonkeyHead:
A request for clarification please! My understanding of weapons in relation to each other is as such:

Basic weapons are generally outmatched by plasma based equivalents in terms of power at a loss of accuracy, save for special-case weapons (explosives, flamethrower, sniping and some pistols).

Plasma weapons are generally outmatched by lasers despite a loss of power due to better accuracy and low TU usage, save for special case examples (plasma blaster).

However, from here I get muddled. I can clearly follow the progression from Sniper to encased sniper/EM rifle to coilgun, and the pistol progression from basic to plasma to laser to particle. It is the encased plasma rounds for Assault rifle and HMG baffle me - they are much more damaging than laser fire but less accurate. I seem to be able to research and produce encased rounds before being able to manufacture laser weapons in signifigant numbers in order to replace plasma rifles and my HMGs. Is one intended to replace the other or are they meant to sit side by side as a choice to make beween accuracy and damage before the arrival of particle beams, as the progression seems far too sudden... I just end up a muddled mess in the mid game not knowing what the purpose of each is, arming troops with a hodgepodge mix of basic human, plasma, laser and encased plasma weapons not really understanding the intended role of each, then needlers show up with thier own special case of lots of low level hits from all over the place. Could someone clarify this for me - what are the intended benefits and drawbacks of lasers and encased plasma weapons when compared to one another?

H-Hour:
If you encountered encased plasma right after laser, you were probably slow to reach lasers, which are available 3 months earlier. There is supposed to be some overlap, though, as you phase in New weaponry. In my last game, some base garrisons were still using a few plasma rifles at the end because I prioritized other production.

MonkeyHead:
That... makes sense. I had made aircraft and craft items a priority, then nano-armour and other weapons before lasers. I think I get it now. EP replaces laser weapons in general, other than the pistol which will be the best pistol until the arrival of particle beams, the sniper rifle where the EM rifle and coilgun are better if the soldier is strong enough carry them.

3 months still seems like quite a close time though.

Soandso:
I've never had the lab time to research laser or particle tech.  I use plasma rifles and blasters.  The few times I've had EM ammo it seems to kill faster, but I have no idea what damage type it counts as.

MonkeyHead:
Update...!

So, made it to very late game. A summary of my findings follows.

Turns out that my playstyle (long range combat and saturation fire) suits EP rounds over particle beam rifles and blasters, and needlers. The HMG with EP rounds kills all with ease, even at long ranges, making it way superior to the innacurate and high TU requirements of the particle blaster. Possibly thr particle blaster could be re-classified as a close combat weapon, as save for the pistols, there is little in the way of progression for that soldier class save for moving to plasma blasters from flamethrowers/shotguns, and the occasional plasma blade bezerk charge. The heavy needler is also less fatal than the HMG EP rounds, even if it is more likley to land a hit due to sheer volume of fire.

There is little to choose between the EP loaded assault rifle and Particle rifle, though the devastating full auto fire mode of the assault rifle for close up violence gets it the nod over the slightly more damaging in single shot and burst mode particle rifle, with its slightly worse accuracy and occasional lack of an ammo supply. Manufacturing EP rounds in abundance is proving to be easy if I keep a steady stream of UFO's being dismantled. Particle pistols have too spotty an ammo supply to be useful and are horribly innacurate compared to the laser pistol, even when firing the laser pistol on burst mode.

Hybrid rockets are very much fun, and the antimatter railgun rounds live up to thier billing - way more fatal than the coilgun. I have found little use for gas grenades - they play the same role as incendiary grenades, and the time spent producing them is better served keeping my EP round stock up. By this late stage I dont really need stunned aliens - I have 2 facilities full of live Taman and Sheevar.

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