Unless I'm completely off base I think it can be done for infantry, and provide fitting variance and flavor if people are willing to take a hit to the universal utility of damage mods.

Why not aspect the damage modifications themselves to provide a specific bonus rather than a flatline damage add applicable universally?

Example for light weapons:

EM Burst Charge: modification to the dropsuit's weapon system enhances it's shield penetration providing +5%/+7%/+10% shield penetration.

Micro-warhead optimization: modifications to the ammunition/focusing crystals woth DCMA tech used to harvest morphite allow greater armor penetration in the field. +5%/+7%/+10% armor penetration.

Overheat insulator: reduce weapon heat buildup by 5/10/15%

Coolant injection: Increase heat dissipation by +5%/+10%/+15%

Just as examples.

Heavy weaponry is trickier but I think it is doable but should require a few drawbacksdue to their raw destructive capacity. Damage mods suck.

Example:

Magnetic Field Stabilizer: This modification reduces Forge Gun charge time by 5/10/15% at a cost of 10% additional PG fitting requirement for the forge gun.

Antimatter hotload: Loading volatile AM bottles into the forge gun allows for greater shield penetration at the cost of overall penetrative damage +5%/+7%/+15% damage to shields -1%/-3%/-5% to base weapon damage.

Juiced engine: this tweaked engine accelerates tge rate of fire of the Heavy Machinegun at a dire cost in longevity. +5%/+7%/+10% to HMG rate of fire. The drawback is +10%/+14%/+20% heat generation.

Just a few ideas. Not necessarily the kind of thing that is balanced but Im looking more for ideas on whether it's possible or even desirable.

Attack forum warriors! Your ideas for alternates to vanilla damage mods welcome!

I demand humiliation ammo. When shot with said ammo, your screen is covered in off-white splotches. Damage is reduced by 10% rate of fire is increased by 5%. <-- Its the ammo you want to use when the enemey team deserves some serious humiliation.

Only if the new mods are low slot items. Damage mods remain in the highs, but shield suits need something to help them with damage without sacrificing tank.

How about a mod that makes the forge gun teleport grots and panicked snotlings into your armor?

*checks notes.*

Dammit wrong game, carry on.

The less complex the mod the better. I would keep light and sidearm mods with a flat bonus and put penaltied mods on heavy weapons.

But more to the point can one take a vanilla damage mod, copy it to the database as a new item, rename it and hack out the old bonus script and insert a new one?

But doing things like this might make bringing back some vehicle mods feasible and crack the door open for marauders, enforcers and buffs to dropships.