Running a private server for a group of 5 players on insane and we've noticed a few things about early game torpedoes.
Torpedoes are not available at the equipment dock within any of the starting area zones, despite there being iron and titanium launchers, we have not found any to buy moving coreward until hitting systems with naonite. However, if you are fortunate to hit deep scan sites in the early areas, you will run into pirates and hateful factions that instant shoot them upon you as soon as you jump in system.
Note, this isn't a problem for me, being insane difficulty it feels just about right, with the exception that the available supply of PDC's and torpedoes at equipment docks early game ought to be a bit higher to account for a bit of a learning curve to those just starting to experience the glory of a torpedo turning their hard built iron bricks into a debris field.
Our solution to the early torpedo shortage was to stick to sectors with gates and using local npc ships as meatshields and some boom and zoom tactics to whittle down larger pirate/alien fleets and salvage any wreckage we could get our hands on.
Moving forward I know there are plans to allow for torpedo loot, but I wonder if also we'll get the opportunity to manufacture them at the fighter factory?