6 replies to this topic

[TELEFORCE]

First off, I'm happy to see new weapons and equipment coming to the game.

Second, I'm concerned about the current lack of the ability to switch ammunition types, which is currently most noticeable with the LBX autocannons.

The Clan Advanced Tactical Missile system (ATM) is a highly flexible missile launching system with a built-in Artemis IV FCS. During combat, ammunition can be switched between medium-ranged missiles, extended-range missiles, and short-ranged, hard-hitting high-explosive missiles. You can switch your ammunition types based on the range to your target, and hit harder as you close in. If in-match ammo switching isn't implemented, most of this weapon's flavor is lost.

Not only would ATM launchers benefit from this, but then we could get different autocannon, LRM and SRM ammo types.

[Bombast]

This is pretty much why ATMs are unlikely. The LB-X line at least has a novel ammo type it can lean on when ammo switching fails - ATMs are basically pointless without switching.

[RestosIII]

Bombast, on 14 January 2017 - 12:01 PM, said:

This is pretty much why ATMs are unlikely. The LB-X line at least has a novel ammo type it can lean on when ammo switching fails - ATMs are basically pointless without switching.

The only other system I can think of with ATMs is damage drop-off+variable velocities based on flight time. But I also don't view those as likely, so I'm a bit worried that ATMs won't be on the table when new tech gets added.

[Pariah Devalis]

Ammo switching does not need to be a thing, actually. You just need the damage to scale based on range. This code is already in the game, and used. It's the effective range drop off.

Set a hidden effective range of ~150 meters, whereby the ATM does 3 damage up to that point. Set a maximum range of 810 and list that as the range of the weapon in the indicator, and the damage at that point at 1. Congratulations. Now the ATM functions as if it had all three ammo types in table top. As range closes, the damage increases up to 3x per missile, and scales down to 1x per missile at long range. At medium range, it is close to 2 damage per missile.

No indirect fire means it won't replace LRMs, and both having a shorter "close range" bracket than SRMs, and being heavier and bulkier, means it would not replace SRMs in brawling. It would, however, be flexible at all ranges.

Edited by Pariah Devalis, 14 January 2017 - 12:27 PM.

[CanadianCyrus]

I hope PGI gets ammo switching across the board worked out. Didn't the IS pass on attempting to creat ATM technology in favor of custom ammo types for LRMS? There's also custom ammo types for regular ACs as well which would give someone a reason to consider regular ACs over their Ultra counterparts.

[TELEFORCE]

Funzo, on 14 January 2017 - 12:26 PM, said:

I hope PGI gets ammo switching across the board worked out. Didn't the IS pass on attempting to creat ATM technology in favor of custom ammo types for LRMS? There's also custom ammo types for regular ACs as well which would give someone a reason to consider regular ACs over their Ultra counterparts.

The Inner Sphere developed Multiple Missile Launchers (MML) that fire both LRM and SRM ammunition and all the different types of missiles that could be fired out of those launchers, like Inferno SRMs or Swarm LRMs.

[Y E O N N E]

Pariah Devalis, on 14 January 2017 - 12:25 PM, said:

Ammo switching does not need to be a thing, actually. You just need the damage to scale based on range. This code is already in the game, and used. It's the effective range drop off.

Set a hidden effective range of ~150 meters, whereby the ATM does 3 damage up to that point. Set a maximum range of 810 and list that as the range of the weapon in the indicator, and the damage at that point at 1. Congratulations. Now the ATM functions as if it had all three ammo types in table top. As range closes, the damage increases up to 3x per missile, and scales down to 1x per missile at long range. At medium range, it is close to 2 damage per missile.

No indirect fire means it won't replace LRMs, and both having a shorter "close range" bracket than SRMs, and being heavier and bulkier, means it would not replace SRMs in brawling. It would, however, be flexible at all ranges.

I like it.