9 replies to this topic

[ASHRID]

I'd like to see LAMs & Arrow IV in MWO.

I've read several posts with the pros/cons of LAMs and I haven't seen anything that couldn't be overcome, worse case you limit the LAM to Mech and AirMech modes only (i.e. not Aerospace mode).

You can't get a LAM over medium weight, all LAMs had pretty limited weapons loadouts and they can't have any of the lostech structural/engine upgrades so you're not going to get drops filled with them.

The proposed/upcoming actuator damage system also dovetails with LAMs getting stuck in whatever mode they were in.

What you are going to get (moreso if you were able to have Aerospace mode) is a new dynamic for recon players beyond running as fast as they can (with or without jump jets and ECM)

I suspect Arrow IV isn't as difficult to balance as people fear. The system is already huge and we already have critical slot splitting in the form of XL engines. Ammo per ton is low and you need a tag spotter to launch.

Yes its potentially a game changer if people stay grouped but maybe that's a good thing in the current meta where it's all about bringing the most firepower to bear rather than lances being able to operate in roles/individually?

While the Arrow IV missiles should be subject to massed AMS fire the shooter obviously has an (IMO justified) expectation that Arrow IV missiles will take considerably more AMS fire to bring down than an LRM. However given that the Arrow IV should be targeting groups of enemy Mechs the target is more likely to have the required massed AMS,

I'll stop short of proposing that Arrow IV use the same mechanics as the consumable artillery strike (mainly because I haven't got enough experience of artillery strike to form an opinion)

[CDLord HHGD]

No Guardian Mode Vertiechs please..... Every LAM is under the auspice of the HG lawsuit and an unseen anyways.

Arrow IV has potential..... Must read up on it.

[CDLord HHGD]

OK, so yeah, I'd say the Arrow IV is viable, however, I'd treat it like an mech-bound Arty strike. Maybe have modules to provide the additional functionality of the different missile types. It would also require TAG or LOS (similar to LRMs actually).

[James The Fox Dixon]

cdlord, on 18 October 2013 - 04:56 AM, said:

No Guardian Mode Vertiechs please..... Every LAM is under the auspice of the HG lawsuit and an unseen anyways.

Arrow IV has potential..... Must read up on it.

You are mistaken that all LAMs are under the auspice of a HG lawsuit. The Wasp, Stinger, and Phoenix Hawk received new art and are now Reseen with new record sheets in TRO 3085 plus the Shadowhawk LAM. They released 3 new LAMs for Jihad: Final Reckoning that the Word of Blake used. Those mechs are the Yurei, Pwwka, and Waneta. As you can see LAMs are alive and well as are new rules for them that will be in Interstellar Operations and there is nothing HG can do about it.

Edited by James The Fox Dixon, 18 October 2013 - 05:09 AM.

[Mechteric]

Since this game doesn't even have aerospace fighter combat, it makes zero sense to add Land Air Mechs.

[ASHRID]

CapperDeluxe, on 18 October 2013 - 06:27 AM, said:

Since this game doesn't even have aerospace fighter combat, it makes zero sense to add Land Air Mechs.

Granted there is less justification for LAMs if Aerospace mode can't be used but you don't see any use for AirMech mode?

[General Taskeen]

Arrow IV is a joy to behold in MW:LL. Sit back in my cozy Catapult hiding spot, and lob a missile half way across the map onto a Madcat and watch it go boom!

[9erRed]

Greetings all,

The Arrow IV system, if implemented, has many plus's and some drawbacks for the weapon.

1. Reintroduced in 3044 (from helm Memory Core info) - so it's in timeline.
2. 12 to 15 Tons system (12-Clan / 15-IS)
3. 12 to 15 slots (12-Clan 15-IS) - So that limits some Mech's from carrying it.
4. Only 5 Rounds Ammo per ton
5. Produces 10 heat but that may be changed by PGI.
6. Damage 20/10 (20 to target, 10 to radius area)
7. Can be equipped with standard area saturation missile or homing missiles.
(which work in concert with a forward unit carrying TAG)

8. Various warhead types available in this timeline.
•Arrow IV Homing Missile (TAG seeking)
•Cluster Arrow Missile (low altitude air burst of bomblets- top attack)
•Inferno-IV Missile (think napalm)
•Smoke Arrow Missile (area fire- 120m wide smoke wall, gone in 30 sec.'s)

Now the Dev's have also talked about additional warhead types for what we have right now, they are looking at an EMP strike and a Napalm type effect. Both are suited to the Arrow IV system unless they were looking at a consumable item and "Off Board" units.

And yes, I have played that same element in MW'LL and it truly is a decimating system, especially liked the shockwave that was produced upon impact. But the large smoke trail from the missile defiantly gave away your launch location. (3000 mtr. range dumb fired, 5000 Taged or Narc'd) In MW'LL the missile followed the shooters reticle during flight so needed to keep the target in sight or go for an area impact.

If PGI could do it as well here, the really big maps would work excellent.
[and you would be quickly hunted down by everything fast from the other team.!!]
- Fire and Move takes on a whole new meaning with that weapon system. -

Note: NO Land air mech's..... Edit: removed reference to LAM's and Canon.

(The Dev.'s have fudged the visual graphics of Mech size and terrain/ground objects to fool the pilot and player into seeing the objects in relation to the height of normal mech's. [as stated by Bryan on one of the NGNG podcasts] If the player was to step out side of the Mech onto the ground, the visual differences would be glaring and obvious.
If an aerial component were added to any of the current Maps we would need a complete redo of everything, At least 3000 mtr heights and considerably larger maps, probably in the range of 6Km sizes. [I'm referencing MW:LL Maps for a workable size.] So that is probably not going to happen.)

MWO is designed as a Ground Combat Simulator and would require a complete terrain and map redesign to allow for anything outside of Mech's to be used. We can't even get the UAV viewpoint enabled, so in my opinion I don't see any air units happening.

Later,
9erRed

Edited by 9erRed, 20 October 2013 - 08:59 AM.

[ASHRID]

9erRed, on 18 October 2013 - 07:34 AM, said:

Note: NO Land air mech's..... It's not Canon it didn't happen. It's from cartoons and not the Battle Tech universe.

Later,
9erRed

I'm pretty sure there are several official sourcebooks that disagree with you on that point.

[James The Fox Dixon]

9erRed, on 18 October 2013 - 07:34 AM, said:

Note: NO Land air mech's..... It's not Canon it didn't happen. It's from cartoons and not the Battle Tech universe.

Later,
9erRed

Land-Air 'Mechs appeared in Tech Readout 3025 (original) and they re-appeared in TRO 3085 plus in Jihad: Final Reckoning. Plus there is the novel Far Country among others. They are canon as this is the list of canon from Sarna.

http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Canon

Whatever we establish for research material for the authors is canon.
Currently, that list includes:

• All sourcebooks and novels produced for BattleTech by FASA and Roc in the United States
  
• All sourcebooks and novels produced for Classic BattleTech by FanPro and Roc in the United States
  
• All sourcebooks and novels (including electronic publications, such as BattleCorps) produced by InMediaRes (and its subsidiaries, BattleCorps and Catalyst Game Labs) in the United States
  
• All material produced by WizKids for the MechWarrior: Dark Age/MechWarrior: Age of Destruction game lines