4 replies to this topic

[wanderer]

Yes, I said AMS. Not LRMs, SRMs, or Streaks. AMS.

Right now, AMS works by doing literal damage to missiles- X amount per second, and enough AMS systems can obliterate small flights harmlessly. Likewise, large salvos are then forced into use to stuff so many missiles down the pipe that AMS chokes on it, the infamous 60-missile death clouds spewed by assault 'Mechs and overdoing-it Catapults alike.

In tabletop, AMS was pretty similar. You'd roll a die to see how many missiles went FOOM in midair, another one for how many shots it took, and then if the reduced flight hit, you'd check to see how many unmolested missiles actually landed on the 'Mech vs. dirt.

This was changed later. Rather than AMS blowing a random number of missiles away, it simply reduced the roll for how many hit- that is, a single AMS engaging an LRM 20 would reduce the maximum number to 12. Two would reduce it to 9. Three, to six.

However, a flight also could not be reduced below a "2" result on the 2d6 roll for "number of missiles hitting"- each AMS flight puts a -4 on the roll, to a minimum of 2. This meant that no matter how many AMS engaged, an LRM 20 would be in effect an LRM 6 at worst. A 15 minimally became a 5. A 10, 3 missiles, and a 5, one. Any number of missiles could be determined using said chart- in MWO terms, there's a listing for anything from a 2-missile shot up through a 40, though since missiles are reduced per launcher, 20 would be the realistic maximum needed.

Rather than complex DOT voodoo, a missile flight in MWO could simply be given 4 "health". Each AMS engaging it will take away 1 to a minimum of 1 "health", reducing the flight size accordingly (whittling it down toward the "center" core of missile(s) )- and expending X amount of ammo in the process. AMS would still have it's tics to engage each flight, but would only shoot at any given one once.

Voila. AMS no longer utterly neuters smaller flights of missiles yet remains potent against bigger launchers as well.

Edited by wanderer, 21 March 2014 - 07:56 AM.

[MonkeyDCecil]

No, this would change nothing, and make AMS suck. People are not carrying as many missile as possible, because of AMS. They are doing it because this game prompts boating.

[Phromethius]

Also, perhaps you are not explaining your method well. I read this as each missile would still be intact with 1 health. Wouldn't that mean that ALL missiles would hit? AMS is supposed to intercept a number of missiles and destroy them in flight. This is what it does at this time. With the new flight speed I see LRM 5s go through if you are the sole owner of the AMS unit. If a nearby unit also is equipped then yes it gets shut down. Where is the problem in that? ECM, Beagle, 2 v 1 encounters all work that way.

[Varent]

wanderer, on 21 March 2014 - 07:55 AM, said:

Yes, I said AMS. Not LRMs, SRMs, or Streaks. AMS.

Right now, AMS works by doing literal damage to missiles- X amount per second, and enough AMS systems can obliterate small flights harmlessly. Likewise, large salvos are then forced into use to stuff so many missiles down the pipe that AMS chokes on it, the infamous 60-missile death clouds spewed by assault 'Mechs and overdoing-it Catapults alike.

In tabletop, AMS was pretty similar. You'd roll a die to see how many missiles went FOOM in midair, another one for how many shots it took, and then if the reduced flight hit, you'd check to see how many unmolested missiles actually landed on the 'Mech vs. dirt.

This was changed later. Rather than AMS blowing a random number of missiles away, it simply reduced the roll for how many hit- that is, a single AMS engaging an LRM 20 would reduce the maximum number to 12. Two would reduce it to 9. Three, to six.

However, a flight also could not be reduced below a "2" result on the 2d6 roll for "number of missiles hitting"- each AMS flight puts a -4 on the roll, to a minimum of 2. This meant that no matter how many AMS engaged, an LRM 20 would be in effect an LRM 6 at worst. A 15 minimally became a 5. A 10, 3 missiles, and a 5, one. Any number of missiles could be determined using said chart- in MWO terms, there's a listing for anything from a 2-missile shot up through a 40, though since missiles are reduced per launcher, 20 would be the realistic maximum needed.

Rather than complex DOT voodoo, a missile flight in MWO could simply be given 4 "health". Each AMS engaging it will take away 1 to a minimum of 1 "health", reducing the flight size accordingly (whittling it down toward the "center" core of missile(s) )- and expending X amount of ammo in the process. AMS would still have it's tics to engage each flight, but would only shoot at any given one once.

Voila. AMS no longer utterly neuters smaller flights of missiles yet remains potent against bigger launchers as well.

have to agree with Promethius. your post is a little confusing.

Also im not sure a ton and a half item with ammo should negate missles much. You should need cover and terrain and movement to mostly avoid missles. AMS should just buffer them a little bit to make them 'slightly' less devastaing and take the edge off.

[Majorfatboy]

Normally I'm rude as hell towards "nerf" threads, but on this one I simply disagree.

It's not just the damage that LRMs do, or their tracking abilities, the rocking is a problem too. A problem that many players exploit like mad.

Take the Cata A1 with six LRM5's on chain fire. When it turns it's wrath against a mech with no AMS. That mech gets sawed into kibble. If the A1 goes after a mech with a single AMS, most of the LRMs are intercepted, but one or two still make it through, in a constant stream, rocking, blinding, and deafening the target untill they die.
But then the magic happens! The Cata A1 targets a mech with twin AMS. The twin AMS system knocks everything out of the air, saving the player from a cheap, talentless, cheese-flavored death! The same also happens when two or more single-AMS mechs huddle up.

But forget about the Cata A1 stringcheeser. Think about what happens when multiple mechs cut loose with single small LRM systems on a single target. The same thing happens. The target mech goes down not from damage, but because the player was to busy getting Shaked, Rattled, and Rolled to even walk a straight line.

No, AMS as it is now is a perfect counter. Mechs that don't carry AMS get punished for thier foolishness by the lurmrockers; Mech who do carry AMS punish the lurmrockers.