11 replies to this topic

[BATARA KALA]

In the Battlemech/MechWarrior universe, didn't the pilot on the ground, in the air, and in space auto-eject from a mech that was about to detonate from damage?

I have a faint memory from the "Aerotech" rules that something like this happened.

If this was the norm, will MWO be adding this action just before a doomed mech dies? There would be the jettison of the pilot pod from the mech, rocketing into planetary orbit, to be retrieved by friendly forces (like Coast Guard or Navy/Dry Navy).

[blinkin]

i am more than a little concerned this will lead to G.I. Joe syndrome. <-go watch some of those old cartoons you will quickly understand.

[Nathan Foxbane]

Battletech rules did indeed encompass this. However most pilots voluntarily disabled the auto-eject system, because it would often eject them from a still combat viable 'Mech. The became particularly common practice on any 'Mech that had CASE mounted despite an XL engine as a mission kill due to side torso engine damage was of little threat to the pilot's well-being.

[Durant Carlyle]

You are already assumed to eject, land safely, run around avoiding the enemy, and be picked up by friendly rescue forces. They just don't show it. Just like they don't show the salvage operation necessary to return your destroyed 'Mech back to its bay and get it back up and running again for your next match.

And by the way, there was no pilot "pod" -- on all but a few 'Mechs, the chair that the MechWarrior sits in is the only thing that ejected. On those special few 'Mechs, the entire head rocketed off the 'Mech. Even then, they wouldn't ever reach orbit. They would fly up and away, then attempt a safe landing after getting some distance.

[Marcus Amakiir]

but i think the whole idea of ejecting would be a nice little add to atmosphere... since for now the mechs are just falling on the ground.... that would be a nice indicator for a confirmed kill...
i would be absolutely against an manual eject but shortly before the destruction of the mech that would be awesome and add a little bit more depth into the game

[Adrius ADI Manthays]

"EJECT" it's a must have atmo feature for me!

rgr&out

[Redwood Elf]

Durant Carlyle, on 09 April 2013 - 10:17 PM, said:

You are already assumed to eject, land safely, run around avoiding the enemy, and be picked up by friendly rescue forces. They just don't show it. Just like they don't show the salvage operation necessary to return your destroyed 'Mech back to its bay and get it back up and running again for your next match.

And by the way, there was no pilot "pod" -- on all but a few 'Mechs, the chair that the MechWarrior sits in is the only thing that ejected. On those special few 'Mechs, the entire head rocketed off the 'Mech. Even then, they wouldn't ever reach orbit. They would fly up and away, then attempt a safe landing after getting some distance.

Seriously, how do these guys think you gain experience for piloting skills if your pilot can die every single battle?

What, do they want to have to roleplay their pilot trying to make his way off the battlefield while avoiding being trampled by the mechs running around? (remember, your pilot is smaller than the smallest mech's HEAD), trying to doge PPC blasts 10 feet wide, etc?

Edited by Redwood Elf, 02 August 2013 - 10:50 AM.

[Alreech]

Redwood Elf, on 02 August 2013 - 10:49 AM, said:

Seriously, how do these guys think you gain experience for piloting skills if your pilot can die every single battle?

What, do they want to have to roleplay their pilot trying to make his way off the battlefield while avoiding being trampled by the mechs running around? (remember, your pilot is smaller than the smallest mech's HEAD), trying to doge PPC blasts 10 feet wide, etc?

Would be fun, but only if you can name the Pilots and if the XPs would flow more plentiful
"My new Pilots name is Lars Hasek-Davion III - Lars Hasek-Davion II died five matches before"

At the moment most players leave the server the moment they haven been killed or if the last of their buddys have been died.
So Ejection after the Mechs destruction could be only a nice animation played after it goes boom to improve immersion - like the start up sequence before the start of the round.
After the Ejection you cold leave or be spectator.

If MWO ever include salvage,repair, rearm and refit in the Game (and it doesn't look like that ever happens) ejecting and walking around on the battlefield could be an option.
Yes, the enemy might be able to kill your Mechwarrior, but humans are cheap, Mechs are expensive... even if your pilot dies your Mech will be still here (if it's not captured by the enemy)

And maybe some options could be added to avoid death:
The ejected pilot on foot might call in an VTOL for evac ?
The other team might call in a VTOL with troopers to capture or kill him (AI controlled soldiers without mechs). If captured he will be "released" after the fight for a ransom, in other words he will lost Credits while his captors get extra Credits.
Killing a Pilot will rob your team of extra XPs.
The pilot may have a small pistol, the AI Troopers stun guns and rifles - if he kills to much of them, they will start using the rifles...

And players who shoot at ejected Mechwarriors must consider that it can happen to them too... especially if they eject after killing one in the actual match.

Edited by Alreech, 02 August 2013 - 12:41 PM.

[Alreech]

ULFHRAFN, on 09 April 2013 - 08:17 PM, said:

In the Battlemech/MechWarrior universe, didn't the pilot on the ground, in the air, and in space auto-eject from a mech that was about to detonate from damage?

In the Battletech tabletop Mechs don't detonate from damage. A Mech is considered destroyed if the Center Torso is destroyed, but that don't means that the Mechwarrior is killed.
Mechwarriors are killed by destruction of the Cockpit/Head and if they took to more than five points damage.
Mechwarriors take one point of damage for each hit in the head, even if there is still armour.
They take two points of damage if the ammo explodes, regardless of the amount or type of ammo.
Most ammo explosions are strong enough to cause the mech to fall.
Mechwarriors take one point of damage if the Mechs falls down and they are not skillfull enough to block the impact.
But without center torso = no legs, no arms and no gyro = no chance to block the impact.

So in the tabletop Mechwarriors have a high chance to be killed by this third point of damage, because they get unconcious and other players decided to finish the Mech off, before the Mechwarrior wakes up again.

If you play the Mechwarrior RPG most players use the auto eject or eject if their Mech is to much damaged.
If they don't eject, the Gamemaster wil probably try to kill the Mech or the Mechwarrior (because any other action would be not sensible for troops in combat).
If they eject, the Story went mostly from "We are Mechwarriors, defending a planet" to "We are Fugitives, desperately trying to stay free & alive and to get our Mechs back". ;-)

Edited by Alreech, 02 August 2013 - 01:05 PM.

[Krivvan]

Alreech, on 02 August 2013 - 12:39 PM, said:

If MWO ever include salvage,repair, rearm and refit in the Game (and it doesn't look like that ever happens)

They did, until it was removed for a variety of reasons including extremely negative feedback.

[Alreech]

Krivvan, on 02 August 2013 - 01:02 PM, said:

They did, until it was removed for a variety of reasons including extremely negative feedback.

I know.
Without the possibility to retreat - for example to your Dropship - such a system is to unfair.

Even if you can retreat most Groups won't be able to make a fighting retreat to save credits, especially if you use a slow Assault Mech. Using Medium Mechs what you can afford to loose would be more sensible.

[Redwood Elf]

Alreech, on 02 August 2013 - 12:58 PM, said:

If you play the Mechwarrior RPG most players use the auto eject or eject if their Mech is to much damaged.
If they don't eject, the Gamemaster wil probably try to kill the Mech or the Mechwarrior (because any other action would be not sensible for troops in combat).
If they eject, the Story went mostly from "We are Mechwarriors, defending a planet" to "We are Fugitives, desperately trying to stay free & alive and to get our Mechs back". ;-)

Our very first Mechwarrior RPG started out with our mechwarriors having been captured and having to escape from our cells, fight the guards, get to the mech bay, and steal mechs (from a random selection, not the mechs our pilots were necessarily skilled at driving...my character was skilled in LAM conversions, but wound up driving a Marauder)