17 replies to this topic

[InspectorG]

What if LRM's had an option to target an area on the map instead of an individual target?

You pull up the map with 'B' and where you put the cursor is where the LRMs drop.

The target area would be moderately sized and the damage would be diluted a fair degree but it could be used as like a poor-mans-arty. A little more tactical flexibility for a weapon i dont really enjoy using.

Later on this could be used with the Arrow missile system and used to drop landmines, etc.

I also envision this with changes to LRMs that were given a damage buff but a 10sec cooldown, as many others have suggested.

[Livewyr]

I had proposed this back in CBT.. making indirect fire a map selection option. (With longer range)

While keeping lock-on LoS. (And then give them some limited guidance with Narc/TAG, etc..)

[Biglead]

InspectorG, on 29 July 2014 - 08:16 AM, said:

What if LRM's had an option to target an area on the map instead of an individual target?

You pull up the map with 'B' and where you put the cursor is where the LRMs drop.

The target area would be moderately sized and the damage would be diluted a fair degree but it could be used as like a poor-mans-arty. A little more tactical flexibility for a weapon i dont really enjoy using.

Later on this could be used with the Arrow missile system and used to drop landmines, etc.

I also envision this with changes to LRMs that were given a damage buff but a 10sec cooldown, as many others have suggested.

As long as some sensible restrictions are applied. Maybe require Command Console, Beagle active probe and some expensive module for it to work.

[AztecD]

^^ just take an arty, cheaper and it wont kill your available tonnage

[Henree]

how then do we sell consumeables? besides lrms have been nerfed too much to be any good that way

[InspectorG]

Well, over an arty, you can use it many times.

Damage may be diffuse but near the end of a brawl when components are exposed, you likely get more crits.

It can be used as an area denial system.

It can be dropped at bottlenecks.

It could be dropped onto an ECM obfuscated area.

Unlike an arty,you arent relying on LOS visual to place it.

Eat up enemy AMS ammo...i can hear the sweet cries of nerf now...

Ridgehumpers would have to worry about the mortar-like effect.

As far as wasted tonnage, well, leet players dont use LRM much anyway. This would be for pug fun. Or maybe for Stock mode should we be blessed enough to get it. Im not the biggest fan of LRM anyhow but i could find uses like this for it.

Your team wants to push you could drop an arty, THEN keep carpet bombing.

And again, with later tech, the Arrow system, you could lay landmines. Of course, used with a spotter/TAG you get better results.

[InspectorG]

Henri Schoots, on 29 July 2014 - 08:59 AM, said:

how then do we sell consumeables? besides lrms have been nerfed too much to be any good that way

Consumables? Use both. Drop an arty, follow up with carpet bombing, just like real life.

LRM nerf? Well, i mainly pilot light so i rarely stay out in the rain. I suck at using LRMs and try to use them as brawl support. The long range bombing, im no good at currently.
A damage buff with a longer cooldown as others suggested seems fine to me.
In BT, you could use LRMs for a couple different effects. I would like to see some in MWO.

[EvilCow]

Excellent idea, it could be a good counter to hill humpers and pop tarts. Light damage but still damage. It would also be nice to be able to select an area size not just a location. Of course a large area would mean very light damage.

The problem is that the game currently encourages a quick and efficient push so there is not much camping but it is this kind of things that could make the game more varied.

[InspectorG]

Biglead, on 29 July 2014 - 08:33 AM, said:

As long as some sensible restrictions are applied. Maybe require Command Console, Beagle active probe and some expensive module for it to work.

Module, yes. Other equipment(that doesnt even work how BT uses it) no. The ammo strain would likely be balancing enough versus the more diffuse damage. You are spreading damage over area to pressure targets to move out of cover, not outright destroy them. Or you are trying to deny targets of a lane of travel or a place to hide. You are trying to break up a murderball. You are trying to break up the ECM huddle. You are flooding a cap point with LRMs. You are paving a lane for your team to push.

A down side is good comm skills would be needed, as well as planning. Pug strong points both!(not really)

EvilCow, on 29 July 2014 - 10:54 AM, said:

Excellent idea, it could be a good counter to hill humpers and pop tarts. Light damage but still damage. It would also be nice to be able to select an area size not just a location. Of course a large area would mean very light damage.

The problem is that the game currently encourages a quick and efficient push so there is not much camping but it is this kind of things that could make the game more varied.

It could give certain boats another role. In stock matches, where AMS is lacking, LRMs are brutal if used properly...most stock mechs start with around HALF max armor. The other side of the coin, most stock mechs carry little ammo. Skill required.

[Almond Brown]

Or they could just add Mortars to MWO.

Mech Mortar/8
Technical specifications
Heat - 10
Damage 2/shell (varies by ammo type)
Minimum Range - 6 (180m)
Short Range - 1-7
Medium Range - 8-14
Long Range - 15-21 (450m - 600m)
Tons - Inner Sphere: 10
Clan: 5
Critical Slots
Inner Sphere: 5
Clan: 3
Ammo Per Ton 4

They also come in 1/2/4 versions.

Edited by Almond Brown, 29 July 2014 - 11:06 AM.

[Sandpit]

I don't see this happening. you're basically asking for LRMs to be the only weapon in the game that can fire and hit without any kind of LoS at all. That's a huge imbalance. Essentially what your'e asking for is unlimited (or limited only by the number of LRM boats and ammo) arty strikes with no cool down, no way to counter them, etc.

Essentially you're asking for arty and air in the form of LRMs. You just eliminated the ability to find cover, break LoS to lose missile track, negated ECm, negated radar dep, and added in a unlimited arty. That would be a HUGE imbalance and I'd have to agree that at that point LRMs would be OP

[SolasTau]

Technically that exists in BattleTech... in a few different forms no less.

Arrow IV, Long Tom, and Thunderbolt LRM systems all fit that bill and function essentially as described.

Notice how they aren't in the game for us to use....

(Course now I see the OP mentioned the Arrow system)

Edited by SolasTau, 29 July 2014 - 11:13 AM.

[EvilCow]

The mortar would be interesting for a more concentrated effect, the LRM rain could be just a light damage applied to an area. LRMs fired in area mode could have a modified damage model, more splash than pinpoint on hit.

For example 0.33 damage per missile in a 2mt area. A very light effect that can only accumulate if you are dumb enough to stay there and take more.

AMS should still have effect on it.

Edited by EvilCow, 29 July 2014 - 11:18 AM.

[InspectorG]

Almond Brown, on 29 July 2014 - 11:02 AM, said:

Or they could just add Mortars to MWO.

Mech Mortar/8
Technical specifications
Heat - 10
Damage 2/shell (varies by ammo type)
Minimum Range - 6 (180m)
Short Range - 1-7
Medium Range - 8-14
Long Range - 15-21 (450m - 600m)
Tons - Inner Sphere: 10
Clan: 5
Critical Slots
Inner Sphere: 5
Clan: 3
Ammo Per Ton 4

They also come in 1/2/4 versions.

They could and eventually should. What part of the timeline were mortars used?

[CDLord HHGD]

I'd love to see this done for Arty and Air Strike.

Via the battlemap interface, the company commander can put down a request for fire on the map grid and his team would get a message that there's a request for arty/air (even he'd get the message too and can respond). First one to push the button to activate responds, others the timer kicks in.

[InspectorG]

Sandpit, on 29 July 2014 - 11:11 AM, said:

I don't see this happening. you're basically asking for LRMs to be the only weapon in the game that can fire and hit without any kind of LoS at all. That's a huge imbalance. Essentially what your'e asking for is unlimited (or limited only by the number of LRM boats and ammo) arty strikes with no cool down, no way to counter them, etc.

Essentially you're asking for arty and air in the form of LRMs. You just eliminated the ability to find cover, break LoS to lose missile track, negated ECm, negated radar dep, and added in a unlimited arty. That would be a HUGE imbalance and I'd have to agree that at that point LRMs would be OP

Well if i remember, im BT you could do this for a couple reasons: Start fires(pointless in MWO but could be very brutal in TT, hence the Firestarter chassis), destroy cover(pointless here cuz no destructible terrain). The idea is to translate that over some to give LRM more tactical use.

You can already dumb-fire them. This would be a way to do it without using LOS, you would just aim it at the red arrows on the 'B'map...or GUESSTIMATE.

Flight time vs moving targets means it will miss often.

And since its damage over area, it will do less damage. LRM10 lands for 5 damage or whatever.

Counters?
Well, movement.
Proper scouting to suppress the enemy LRM boats.
Wasted ammo: the shooter has to weigh waste vs firing all over the map.
Opponents can see the trail of LRM and their own LRM boat can lob some in retaliation.
Dont camp at the obvious campsites on the map.
The LRM boat that wants to carry lots of ammo will worry about ammo explosions.
They can make BitchinBetty show where incoming fire is likely to land on the map, even in 3rd person shouldnt be hard.

[Sandpit]

EvilCow, on 29 July 2014 - 11:17 AM, said:

The mortar would be interesting for a more concentrated effect, the LRM rain could be just a light damage applied to an area. LRMs fired in area mode could have a modified damage model, more splash than pinpoint on hit.

For example 0.33 damage per missile in a 2mt area. A very light effect that can only accumulate if you are dumb enough to stay there and take more.

AMS should still have effect on it.

Sandpit, on 29 July 2014 - 11:11 AM, said:

Essentially you're asking for arty and air in the form of LRMs. You just eliminated the ability to find cover, break LoS to lose missile track, negated ECm, negated radar dep, and added in a unlimited arty. That would be a HUGE imbalance and I'd have to agree that at that point LRMs would be OP

no thanks

cdlord, on 29 July 2014 - 11:48 AM, said:

I'd love to see this done for Arty and Air Strike.

Via the battlemap interface, the company commander can put down a request for fire on the map grid and his team would get a message that there's a request for arty/air (even he'd get the message too and can respond). First one to push the button to activate responds, others the timer kicks in.

same i have been suggesting that since implementation

[EvilCow]

Plus it would look glorious