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[Buzzkillin]

So I came up with an idea over the course of today about consumables, and how to give them more of purpose and make them more valuable to use.

First I just want to throw in my opinion of coolant flush. I don't think it belongs, and encourages more a lazy type of play. If someone can depend on coolants, whether it is very limited amount of use. Someone can make builds to be large alphas, and try to guarantee a kill or two. Players need to be encourage to manage their heat and build mechs around efficiency. While we don't exactly know how coolant flush will affect gameplay, I feel it is best to avoid it. I see players that constantly shutdown in combat and be punished for their mistake, including myself, and that is how it should be. No "get out of shutdown" free card.

Now to Community Warfare. I do like the idea of artillery and airstrikes and any other outside source adding to battle can make it more dynamic. And these kind of attacks happen in the battletech lore, so it fits. What I don't like is that everyone has access to them. As some people are worried about people bringing 20+ airstrikes in battle. So my suggestion is having airstrikes, artillery, and another other outside influence available to the House/merc group. From what has been talked about we would get house points to use for special paint, and items. How about if we make it where if you play in 4man or 8man (just an idea), 5% of that the collected house points from all players playing together will be added to a house pool for your group. Just like how GXP is. Then, the leader can suggest what to spend those group house points on, and the players will vote on it, giving still some control on where the resources go.

So for example. say airstrikes cost 100 points and artillery is 125 points. The leader can suggest we can get 5 airstrikes, or 2 artillery and 3 airstrikes. And if players like where the resources are being spent, they'll say yes to confirm it. Say you need 70% of the players to yes to be confirm the purchase. Now you have the resources. And you are in a battle during Community Warfare. A planet needs to be held for it's bonuses(it's an example.) and can't afford to lose it. Scouts can give coordinates on the battle grid where to drop these airstrikes or artillery, and who ever is in charge, be your leader or an officer acting as lance leader, (who can only bring in these modules), can confirm where to launch the strike. This allows communication between the group on how the consumables to be spent. They are now treated these consumables like valuable resources and to be used when they are needed. So large groups fighting on multiple fronts may stretch their resources thin and may split them up. Lance A has access to X amount, Lance B has access to Y amount. And the consumables only belong to the group, no player can hoard them and just leave with them since, since they can only be used by leaders.And this can go same for other future consumables PGI has planned such as UAVs they have talked about. Make it available to players speced as scouts.

So what about lone wolves? Well right now I can't think of anything for them, but I feel with this kind of play style, it would encourage lone wolves to join communities an play more as a team in community warfare. As this is a team game, and it would be really nice to see large house units or mercs units become well known through their style of play, or their team work, or how ever else.