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[Dolph Hoskins]

This is a concept to revise how consumables, commanders, and other potential called in abilities could work in the MWO battlefield.

Note that I would have liked to have come up with some created visual concepts of my idea, but that is not really something am familiar with on a quality level.

Firstly what will be added and removed from the current consumable system:
-Create a "Deployables" and "Fire Support" feature that current drop commanders and lance leaders have access to. These would essentially replace the air strike and artillery hotkeys and open up a menu with corresponding choices for each.

-ADD, deployable units such as artillery vehicles, tank groups, chopper units, aircraft squadrons. Allow all of these to be able to be deployed by the drop commander and fewer of them by the lance commanders. Their usage could be restricted by time, limited usage, or some sort of combat pool gain. I have left that part open ended.

-Within the FIre Support menu is where commanders and lance leaders could choose what type of ability the deployed units would use on a target zone which would be designated by any other lance member (mentioned later).

• This would include examples such as having your team's deployed artillery battery target a specific area.
  
• Aircraft squadrons could have a one time bomb drop, do multiple strafing runs in a general area for a while or until they are shot down. They could even be given a recon order where they will survey an area at a higher altitude and give detailed radar and lock info.
  
• A previously deployed tank or attack chopper group could be ordered to attack move to a certain spot
  
• Maybe even repair, ammo trucks and more.

-Targeting would be done and made possible by all other team members. If you are not in a commander or lance leader position the Deployables and Fire Support buttons would become Targeting and Request Support options.

• Targeting would simply work like artillery or airstrike deployment now. I would put a smoke signal on a target area which would then allow the commander or lance leaders to enable what ever available Fire Support elements that have been deployed. This signal would be necessary for the commanders/leaders to be able to confirm the strike or action. This could be shown in HUD or grid map.
  
• The Request Support would be a request for repair or ammo to be deployed by leaders to a specific area or mech. Basically a "We need stuff here" call.

That is the concept in the rough. Next I would like to think of implementations, details, etc.

• So, what if commander and leader positions are swapped around constantly? That is why I think the deployables are limited overall in usage. Say limit of 2 per unit and only one at a time can be deployed every 5 min. Also, Fire Support would be time spread in uses as long as the element is still present/alive. This should stop possible spamming and exploits.
  
• Does this change the entire consumable system and make it to where nobody has to buy them anymore? Yes, the current consumable system is no fun, empty arty spam, and a cbill sink. MWO could use a overhaul here.
  
• I haven't put much thought into UAV's yet...maybe later.

Ultimately, this would create more team play, communication, rework a weak part of the game, and add a nice level of strategy for all levels of play. Comments, questions, suggestions are welcome.

Edited by The Ripper13, 05 November 2015 - 06:17 PM.