5 replies to this topic

[FrostCollar]

Simple enough. I think this may have been mentioned by the devs before, but I'm not sure.

AMS is not at all effective against streaks and against LRMs speed and cover are generally superior options to wasting space and tonnage on another piece of equipment. So I suggest there be a module that buffs AMS. It could remove or reduce the dead zone or increase AMS damage. What do you think?

[Deathlike]

I guess that could be OK.. perhaps increasing the rate of fire by 25% and/or increasing the range by 50% (or some combination of the two with reduced values) probably wouldn't be too overpowered...

[MaddMaxx]

Deathlike, on 06 March 2013 - 09:51 PM, said:

I guess that could be OK.. perhaps increasing the rate of fire by 25% and/or increasing the range by 50% (or some combination of the two with reduced values) probably wouldn't be too overpowered...

If both, you would be required to carry 6 tons of ammo to get through a Match or it would again be totally pointless. Having 1 ton last 1:30 in.. not sure about that.

Edited by MaddMaxx, 07 March 2013 - 10:18 AM.

[Jetfire]

I like the idea of twin upgraded AMS systems eating through LRM 20 salvos. Like an umbrella for missile rain.

[Strum Wealh]

Well, we have a Dev statement regarding how effective (or not) AMS is.

Thomas Dziegielewski, on 30 January 2013 - 11:14 AM, said:

Standing still, At 180m a single AMS will shoot down 1.8 SSRM missiles.
Running away from source will probably intercept both at that range.

Anything less than 100m will be hard pressed to intercept any SSRM.

AMS range is 200m.

AMS 2 damage / sec
SSRM 1 hitpoints
SSRM SPEED 200m/sec

Generally, AMS can only shoot down 2 SRMs/SSRMs, or 4 LRMs (LRMs have half of the flight speed and the same HP per missile, so AMS has twice as long to fire on them) or 1 Narc beacon (which has twice the number of HPs per missile and a velocity approximately matching that of the SRMs).

Any module that would increase the effectiveness of AMS would essentially have to do (at least) one of three things:

• increase AMS range beyond 200 meters (giving AMS more time to do its work)
  
• increase AMS per-shot damage (thus increasing its DPS output, allowing it to dispatch missiles more quickly)
  
• Increase AMS rate of fire (thus again increasing its DPS output, again allowing it to dispatch missiles more quickly)

The last point would also necessitate carrying more ammo to make up for the loss of per-ton battlefield longevity, while the other two would be more along the lines of "straight-up buffs". The last point is also arguably the easiest to reasonably justify (as working the AMS firing mechanism at a higher rate; the other two would logically require using a different munition type to get the same results), and the offsetting point arguably makes it less of an "obvious must-have" than the other options (which, to some, equates to being "more balanced").

Your thoughts?

[Beeman]

I'm not at all concerned with SRMs but now that LRMs corkscrew toward their target...it's much more devastating to be hit by them. Before they made sense, they'd soften targets up for everyone else(and occasionally score a kill or two) but now it's like...I got hit by ONE LRM15 volley and both of my hunchback's torsos were gone >_>

A module that improves the effective range, damage or speed of AMS would be a great way to balance this out.

Or just reduce the damage of LRMs a bit. Then again, even before this drill-missile change, I'd rarely see people using AMS >_>