29 replies to this topic

[Dashwood Fox]

NARC needs many improvements. ECM disrupts it, the launcher weighs twice as much as a SSRM2, can only be fired within 270m, lasts 20 seconds, and has ONLY 6 missiles per ton of ammo. There's almost no reason to carry it when you can put 2 Streaks in it's place and carry TAG.

I understand that it's range, weight and ammo is keeping with the lore, and I'm all for that. But with ECM being so prominent and being able to counter it makes it nonviable. It's pretty dissatisfying to fire 1 of my only 6 missiles onto a Mech just to have it fall under an ECM bubble and become as useless as if I had fired an missed. Especially considering how much risk and work it can be to get in close to the enemy position when you're alone and the rest of your team is firing from long range.

The risk and added weight is almost rarely worth the reward. If you want to make scouts play like scouts, make scout equipment more useful.

So my suggestions:
-More ammo per ton. (Maybe 12 missiles per ton?)
-Make it so ECM doesn't counter it.
-Make its effects last longer. 40 to 120 seconds.
-Make the missiles stack-able, so 1 NARC beacon counters ECM coverage for the Mech it's on. If that Mech is covered by 2 ECMs, then it would take 2 beacons on the same Mech to counter it.

Edited by Dashwood Fox, 21 April 2013 - 04:59 PM.

[Kibble]

ECM is supposed to counter NARC that is what it was desiged to do. However I do agree with the more ammo per ton and time duration.

I had made a suggestion post about NARC as well.
http://mwomercs.com/...lrm-suggestion/

[Sybreed]

NARC should last 30 seconds, independent of LRM dmg done to target, can be fired up to 620m (really, if you hit from that far you deserve the narc bonus) and ammo per ton needs to be increased to 10.

It also needs to make LRMs travel way higher and have a much sharper angle of attack, making them the ideal poptard nemesis.

There, I just turned NARC into a nice piece of equipment.

[FrostCollar]

NARC does desperately need to be buffed. I'd love to see it get alternate ammo, but it seems that lies far, far in the future. Note also that NARC is currently bugged. Check the known issue thread. NARC is supposed to provide targeting info for all teammates as if someone is targeting the enemy mech, but doesn't. Still, that only makes NARC better, not good.

So, let me take a look at your suggestions:

• More ammo per ton. (Maybe 12 missiles per ton?) - Yeah, definitely. It's a tool - why should it have so few shots?
  
• Make it so ECM doesn't counter it. - With the current state of ECM, this is absolutely required to make it worthwhile.
  
• Make its effects last longer. 40 to 120 seconds. - Yeah, sure. I'd be willing to try no time limit actually, but this would be better.
  
• Make the missiles stack-able, so 1 NARC beacon counters ECM coverage for the Mech it's on. If that Mech is covered by 2 ECMs, then it would take 2 beacons on the same Mech to counter it. - I'd have to disagree with this, though. There are so few NARC beacons already balancing based on multiple ones seems a bit tricky. However, given that NARC is so weak already I'd even be willing to try this.

[Neolisk]

Please add a poll. Sounds like a good idea.

[Dashwood Fox]

Poll added! I like the feedback. I can also add more suggestions to the poll as they come.

[Kibble]

Actually the higher travel arch and sharper angle of attack was suggested by me but meh who am I to argue

[Dashwood Fox]

I don't know if how I feel about increasing its range. It would make it easier to use but I also think keeping its current range makes it most effective on scout Mechs that can get in close and escape quickly, encouraging more people to take on exclusive scouting roles.

Kibble, on 21 April 2013 - 03:35 PM, said:

Actually the higher travel arch and sharper angle of attack was suggested by me but meh who am I to argue

Sorry! Fixed.

[Sybreed]

Kibble, on 21 April 2013 - 03:35 PM, said:

Actually the higher travel arch and sharper angle of attack was suggested by me but meh who am I to argue

oh sorry, I honestly didn't read your suggestions, but cool to know great minds think alike

BTW, the 30 seconds duration and 620 M are arbitrary numbers.... open for debate.

The important part is that NARC stays there even if you did more than 30 LRM dmg to the target (which is the current limitation I believe). I don't know why the devs took the time to put such a restriction.

IMO, 30 seconds sound long enough. If anyone on the map can target you and fire LRMs that have a sharper angle of attack, you're gonna have a bad time.

[Zyllos]

If the effects of NARC lasted MUCH longer with no damage removal element, then make ECM actually have a drawback to using it, then NARC will be balanced.

Running an ECM mech should have a drawback when compared with other variants, you would see less ECM. Then NARC would make getting non-LoS targets and making indirect fire more predominate, then you would see teams having to choose between running an inferior firepower mech but having ECM to block NARC, along with BAP and other stuff.

ECM should not hide all targets within 180m but instead make their locking time increased by 200% or however long it does now. GECM should only be hiding the mech equipped with it, so that it can scout or flank people. AECM should make missiles unlocking to all targets within 180m but you can still pickup targets on sensors.

TAG should have it's ranged reduced back to 450m so that you will have to put yourself in harms way. But it totally nullifies all ECM (can not be countered if within 180m) and has infinite ammo

Edited by Zyllos, 21 April 2013 - 03:45 PM.

[FrostCollar]

Another suggestion: make it stack with Artemis.
Currently it doesn't. Kind of odd when TAG does.

[Zyllos]

FrostCollar, on 21 April 2013 - 03:44 PM, said:

Another suggestion: make it stack with Artemis.
Currently it doesn't. Kind of odd when TAG does.

It's because PGI is afraid that if they make NARC viable in any way, it will be too powerful.

Just get a few ECM scouts to NARC some targets and let the LRMs rain death.

Oh, they have ECM of their own.

And if ECM had a drawback, you will begin to see teams running only 1 or 2 GECM mechs to counter NARC, BAP, ect.

The only teams running a ton of GECM is to use it to flank enemies but those mechs will be reduced firepower for their weight class.

Edited by Zyllos, 21 April 2013 - 03:47 PM.

[Kibble]

NARC should also "show" the target without the mech that fired the NARC to maintain visial lock.

If you don't want to give away the mechs position then just have BB say something along the lines of "NARC beacon transmitting" and then anyone with missles fire them and the missles will go to that beacon

If I remember correctly that's pretty much what NARC does.

Edited by Kibble, 21 April 2013 - 03:49 PM.

[FrostCollar]

Zyllos, on 21 April 2013 - 03:45 PM, said:

It's because PGI is afraid that if they make NARC viable in any way, it will be too powerful.

So if they buffed NARC the 3 NARC Commando would be devastating to an Atlas? This scaredy-cat attitude is ridiculous.

Kibble, on 21 April 2013 - 03:48 PM, said:

NARC should also "show" the target without the mech that fired the NARC to maintain visial lock.

If you don't want to give away the mechs position then just have BB say something along the lines of "NARC beacon transmitting" and then anyone with missles fire them and the missles will go to that beacon

If I remember correctly that's pretty much what NARC does.

This should be the case but isn't. It will be fixed in a future patch.

Edited by FrostCollar, 21 April 2013 - 03:53 PM.

[Zyllos]

FrostCollar, on 21 April 2013 - 03:52 PM, said:

So if they buffed NARC the 3 NARC Commando would be devastating to an Atlas? This scaredy-cat attitude is ridiculous.

It's just an assumption, but I have no other idea on why they will not make NARC better.

[FrostCollar]

Zyllos, on 21 April 2013 - 04:02 PM, said:

It's just an assumption, but I have no other idea on why they will not make NARC better.

Given recent answers from the devs, I find it a credible theory.

[Liege]

sorry, i knowed you guys spoke about it but wheres the "remove LRM damage limitations" option?

[Dashwood Fox]

Liege, on 21 April 2013 - 04:46 PM, said:

sorry, i knowed you guys spoke about it but wheres the "remove LRM damage limitations" option?

Added

[Liege]

cool. Re-voted

[FireSlade]

Something to add to the suggestions and it comes from the NARC page on Sarna is that you could load special SRM ammo into the launchers that allowed it to home in on the NARC beacon. Granted there would need to be some balancing with the ammo so that you wouldn't see SSRM6s everywhere. The same would have to be done with LRMs to give them a bonus to tracking. I do like the whole switch the IFF on the enemy's mech so that his team shoots him and they still stay red to your team.

Edited by FireSlade, 21 April 2013 - 05:18 PM.