4 replies to this topic

[HammerSwarm]

In BT there are various types of projectiles. Auto-cannons have Flak, Tracer, Regular, Flechette, Armor Piercing, and Incendiary. There may be more that I did not come across in my quick search of Sarna. LB-X Auto-cannons can shoot a solid shot or the buckshot style rounds that are now included. These ammo types come in at various points in the time lines but right now we should have Flak, Regular, and Tracer at least. LB-X Auto-cannons should have Solid Shot and Buck Shot already.

The TLDR summary is that this should be on the agenda and pushed client side ASAP because it's a needed mechanic. It is one mechanic that would add to 2/3 of the weapons classes at some point.

The Mechanics of it all
We're reloading a gun, so we need to eject the shell, Pull the magazine, reload the magazine, and load the new shell.

Step 1 how would I even select this?
There is already a system for weapons groupings in the bottom right corner of your screen, this should be added onto this. A button like 'right alt' should be bound to switch between weapons groupings and ammo select, and then the arrows and control could be used to select ammo for weapons at the point when you want to switch.

Step 2 Switching
When a switch is initiated the current round should be drained from the gun +(reload time), the ammo loading system should be dumped back into the storage bin +(ammo unloading time), The new ammunition should be loaded into the ammo feeding system +(ammo loading time), and finally the gun should be reloaded +(reload time)

So your gun would be down for Time = 2*(reload time) + (ammo unloading Time) + (ammo loading time) the variation in recycle/reloading time between weapons would be a weapons dependent variable. The other two variable could be constants, controlled as a mech quirk, or even controlled via a module.

Current Ammo Types
Auto Cannon
Regular - This is the ammo we are all accustomed to. This would not change in the slightest.
Flak - This would be a flack round round for shooting down incoming air strikes. It would launch a flak round that would be effective against aircraft and infantry. It would do no damage to mechs other than perhaps as a distraction (lots of smoke).
Tracer - This would do 1 less damage (1,4,9,19). but would offer tracers allowing friendly targets to see what you are shooting more easily. It would leave a smoke trail in daytime maps, and a fiery visible trail on night maps. It would be additionally useful when firing at long distance targets that aren't against a backdrop for hitting them if you are missing.
LB-X
Regular - This is the buckshot we all know and love. This would be the crit seeking round that does the tight area damage.
Solid Shot - Used as a solid AC load akin to the A/C-10. It would come in the same quantity as the buckshot as to not make this OP compared to the regular A/C-10.

Future Ammo
Flechette(3055) - Anti Infantry (-damage against armor/+more crits)
Armor Piercing(3053) - Pierces armor more easily (+damage/-range)
Precision(3062) - Longer Range

This would also work for missiles although I am less familiar with those weapons and the timeline of various ammo types.

[Syllogy]

They've said that they would like to do this. However, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done on other projects. I don't think it's time just yet.

[HammerSwarm]

Now is the perfect time, we're getting more ballistics focused mechs: the Jagermech, the Highlander, and the Blackjack (June?) and they've talked about adding an airstrike consumable. They need to add the countermeasure at the same time as they add airstrikes.

[HammerSwarm]

Pushing this back to the top for additional feedback.

[Strum Wealh]

Canon AC/10 Ammunition Costs:

• 6,000 c-bills per ton (standard HEAP shell)
  
• Armor-Piercing (AP) ammunition (3059): 4x price of standard (HEAP) ammunition
  
• Caseless ammunition (3055): 1.5x price of standard (HEAP) ammunition
  
• Flak ammunition (2310): 1.5x price of standard (HEAP) ammunition
  
• Flechette ammunition (3055): 1.5x price of standard (HEAP) ammunition
  
• Incendiary ammunition (year unknown, assumed to be in the 2300s): 2x price of standard (HEAP) ammunition
  
• Precision ammunition (3062): 6x price of standard (HEAP) ammunition
  
• Tracer ammunition (2300): 1.5x price of standard (HEAP) ammunition

Prices vary by AC type (cheaper for AC/2 and AC/5, more for AC/20).

AP: increased likelihood of "through-armor critical hits", but half (round down) of the number of rounds per ton; otherwise identical to Standard/HEAP ammo (TechManual, pg. 208; TotWar, pg. 141)
Caseless: 2x ammo per ton; otherwise identical to Standard/HEAP ammo (TacOps, pg. 352)
Flak: proximity-detonated Shrapnel shell, delivers 0.5x damage against 'Mechs and full damage against infantry and airborne aircraft; otherwise identical to Standard/HEAP ammo (TacOps, pg. 352)
Flechette: delivers "a shotgun-like blast of metal shards", with 2x damage against infantry and 0.5x damage against 'Mechs and vehicles; otherwise identical to Standard/HEAP ammo (TechManual, pg. 208; TotWar, pg. 141)
Incendiary: 2 additional units of damage against unarmored infantry, can start fires in the environment, explodes in AC barrel if the weapon takes a critical hit; otherwise identical to Standard/HEAP ammo (CBT Master Rules, pg. 133)
Precision: "uses specialized gyrojet shells that incorporate advanced targeting circuitry, enabling them to auto-correct their aim while in flight", allowing for limited in-flight guidance but with half (round down) of the number of rounds per ton; otherwise identical to Standard/HEAP ammo (TechManual, pg. 208; TotWar, pg. 142)
Tracer: inflicts 1 less unit of damage than Standard/HEAP ammo, but is otherwise identical (TacOps, pg. 353)

The visual effect on the in-game Standard/HEAP rounds effective makes them tracers already, and the incendiaries could perhaps be tweaked to allow them to deliver some amount of heat (say, 0.1* Damage) to a target 'Mech...