21 replies to this topic

[Andi Nagasia]

idea for a new Consumable,
introducing the Target Drone,

Designed as a Half Gimmick-Toy/Half Mech-Utility,
this Consumable has a unique ability to appear on enemy radar,

its designed to be launched(750km) sticking to any surface its launched onto,
it then emits a signal that will appear on enemy radar, allowing lock-on,
this signal would last 30 seconds, or until 200 damage is dealt to it,

its utility would be to set up false radar images,
-to serve as False Lock-on targets,
-to create Distractions for Enemies,
-to set Traps for Enemy Scouts,
-Ect,...

this Consumable is designed to be used to assist tactical battle play,
(Note- all values such as time, range, & health can and will change)

if a Dev could comment that would be awesome!
Thanks everyone,

Edit- Notes

Edited by Andi Nagasia, 02 October 2014 - 08:00 PM.

[Grey Black]

Seconded, it would also add a level of complexity to information warfare.

[9erRed]

Greetings all,

There was talk about 3 months ago of 'deployable' sensors, and some form of carried device that could be used to hold these devices till dropped off.

- They were of a couple different types.
- Some 'detection' sensors, others different types.

So PGI does have ideas for something along this line, but if it's to be in any game modes we have now is a different matter. They may be for the attack/defend mode that is being worked on.

9erRed

[Andi Nagasia]

well the idea was for a single consumable not affiliated with CW,

[Kalimaster]

I may not be a dev, but I love the idea.

[Andi Nagasia]

this Drone would force players to mix up how they play,
ex. i see an enemy on radar, i now have to worry if its a distraction or really a problem,
on the other side, i cant know if they will take the bait and go after it so its a double edged sword,

[Fire and Salt]

well, currently 'mechs only appear on radar if they were seen LOS by another mech and targeted...


So at best, it would provide a hollow triangle as a distraction, but it wouldn't take long after targeting it to realize it was not a mech, since you can only target things within LOS anyways.


It would be cool if it vibrated on the ground, so that it triggered seismic sensors.



I think 200 health is excessive. Maybe 20 for a ground based thingy.... would be 2x as tough as a UAV...

I would make it last 60 seconds instead of 30, though.

[VixNix]

that could be fun to play with

[DI3T3R]

Great idea.

Slight change:
* Make it a hovering drone that follows the Mech around like the 3rd-person drone.

[Colby Boucher]

DI3T3R, on 18 October 2014 - 01:03 AM, said:

Great idea.

Slight change:
* Make it a hovering drone that follows the Mech around like the 3rd-person drone.

All of my yes.

[Syrkres]

I could see two types.
1) a "false" target, enemy units would easily see this and be able to lock on it.

2) a sensor, where an enemy unit walks by and it lights them up. It would be similar to a UAV, but single unit. It could then fire a narc (or act like a narc) to the enemy unit. This would be used to protect certain paths and make sure no enemy mechs get behind.

[s0hno]

N1 idea, love it!

[capmerc]

make for inner sphere only mechs as clans should not be using deceptive tatics like the inner sphere and only inner sphere faction pilots can have it on their mechs all according to battletech history peoples

[HlynkaCG]

I like but with modifications.

Make it a deployable drone like the UAV. When deployed it fly away from you in a random direction at a set speed (say 64.8 KPH)

When targeted it shows up as you, displaying your mech, target ID, and paper-doll. Enemies and missiles that were locked onto you at time of deployment track the decoy instead of you.

Now obviously if the enemy has LOS he'll realize that you deployed a decoy and switch targets back to the real you, but if they don't, they'll waste a bunch of missiles on a false target giving you the chance to break contact or find cover.

Edited by HlynkaCG, 23 November 2014 - 02:19 AM.

[Telmasa]

Super gimmicky....but if it means we can trade artillery/air strikes in for it, then you have me sold.

I'd keep it as a ground-only drone; hell, it might be worth making it drivable (clearly leaving your mech vulnerable in the meantime, but whatever, it's pug matches right?).

Airborne would be nearly pointless - oh look, a target in the air? *shoots with lasers* well that was a neat waste of 40k cbills. Having it stick to the ground would make the enemy find it on foot, that's actually kinda neat.

Edited by Telmasa, 29 November 2014 - 11:54 PM.

[Catalinasgrace]

yes, this is a great idea!!!

However, with information warfare I would say have it send a signal that would indicate to the enemy for a false "image" of an actual mech. Have something throw it off that the enemy can't just target it and go "oh that is a decoy" and move on....

I could see this being VERY useful for lights to get behind the enemy and drop it... That could turn the tide of a battle as they turn to check it out and see if they are being flanked...

Edited by Catalinasgrace, 01 December 2014 - 11:27 AM.

[Throe]

Fire and Salt, on 20 September 2014 - 03:43 PM, said:

So at best, it would provide a hollow triangle as a distraction

I think the point was that it would appear as a filled red triangle. Probably entirely not useful in organized 12 mans, as it could be easily fact checked with team mates, i.e. "Does anyone have a target [letter]?" Negative response means it's most likely a decoy.

As for the target's health, 200 is probably suggested by OP as a potential anti-LRM measure. I'm not certain LRMs need another counter, with buildings being able to soak an infinite amount of damage, but I understand the sentiment. It's probably possible to make it have a sort of dual health meter, akin to the way the NARC beacon deactivates after it's target sustains a certain amount of LRM damage, but also make it destructible with a given amount of actual direct damage dealt from non-LRM weapons.

Lets face it, the information warfare in this game is, and has been, relatively one-dimensional so far. I'm all for spicing things up on that front. I think it would also be awesome for them to come out with a new upgraded version of ECM which can perform a similar function(false radar signatures) when the ECM-carrying 'Mech is within 180m of an opponent, rather than the way it works now(low signal on mini map, along with static), which basically just gives the ECM-scout's ballpark location away to the opponent, even if the opponent is unseen by the scout. Boy is that ever backward.

[ManDaisy]

I like this idea!

[Gaussfather]

I like the idea and if its not implementable then a similar consumable could be "chaff" or "flare" or "cloak device" that would break the enemy's LRM lock on you and send the missiles to another spot for certain amount of time. LRM boats have too much of an ability to swing a game if they get that lock on you.. or you don't have ecm mech w you etc.

Edited by Jman88, 23 February 2015 - 12:03 PM.

[Johnny Z]

Yes for this and flares. Although I hope flares are like quirks and dont take tonnage or consumable space. Maybe for lights for scouting mostly and assaults to call for help.