7 replies to this topic

[Ced Riggs]

Heya,

Next topic, ATMs. Huge disappointment.

Good: Nice launcher size/tonnage stepping. Fires in chunks.
Bad: Way, way too slow, cannot fire straight, lock-on makes it slow streaks, minimum range.
Neutral: The missiles look bigger. Nice feel to see those fatter engines propel the missiles.

Conclusion: Would not use. Streaks do the lock-on firing better, SRMs are way more practical. ATms are a nice upgrade for Clan Lurmers, because they give a better missile weapon with more applicable combat profile that forces previous lurmers to stay with a push. Very good for that application, but that's it.

Suggestions for improvements: Increase velocity dramatically, make unlocked ATMs fly stright. ATMs aren't indirect-fire weapons, the arc kills them. Can't replace SRMs, and thus, is Tier 5 fodder.

[Pariah Devalis]

Pariah Devalis, on 28 June 2017 - 01:22 PM, said:

Yeah, at sub 300 meters, SRM have a higher crit/damage and damage/ton ratio than ATM (though a worse damage/ton of ammo). There is no risk of ATM making SRM worthless.

Further, look at the overall range spread of the weapon system.

0---180----270-----------450----------------------------1150

Between 0-180, zero damage.
Between 180-270, three.
Between 270-450, two damage.
Between 450-1150, one damage.

One damage, the lowest damage possible for the weapon system, accounts for 2/3 of the usable range of the weapon system. With only 72 missiles per ton. Keeping in mind that LRM are strictly superior at the long range game in crits, tons, damage per missile, and damage per ton of ammunition.

Why is the standard ATM ammo only accounting for 1/3 of the usable range of the weapon?

So the minimum range is borked and the long range damage is literally a waste of ammunition, leaving you with an effective usable range of 180-450 meters. This is a 270 meter bracket of usability, with the constant threat of being forced to deal zero damage whatsoever if the enemy pushes even slightly. This defeats the purpose of a multi-use weapon system that could be used in a brawl. It was designed specifically to not become a gigantic liability in any sort of engagement.

Also, an oddity. The ATMs as currently presented still have a degree of indirect fire. Flatten that missile arc to an arrow straight line. No significant ballistic trajectory should be present!

Suggestions for improvement:

• Set ATM minimum range to 0 meters, but apply a linear scale up of damage to 200 meters.
  
• Increase the maximum range of the 2 damage missile from 450 meters to 650 meters.
  
• Increase ammo per ton to 90 to both normalize the damage per ton of ammo for the standard ammo with that of other missile systems, and to make using it at long range a bit less of an actual waste of tonnage and ammo.
  
• Eliminate all ballistic arc on the ATM flight path.

Further, Clan LRM actually do more damage under 180 than ATM in a brawl. How in the what now?

Edited by Pariah Devalis, 28 June 2017 - 02:17 PM.

[shameless]

they seriously need to remove the minimum range.and extend medium range out to 650

[Navid A1]

So, ATMs are here and there are a couple major issues with them.

- 180 min range? really?. That is not how ATMs work PGI!
- close to nothing ammo per ton
- they out perform LRMs at long range

Do this:

- reduce max range of ATMs
- remove min range of ATMs
- significantly buff LRM velocity
- Reduce LRM spread!

[SmokedJag]

Pariah Devalis, on 28 June 2017 - 02:16 PM, said:

Further, Clan LRM actually do more damage under 180 than ATM in a brawl. How in the what now?

Yeah, that's the really dumb thing. If you are at 150m against a Clan LRM boat, you're going to get hurt if he shoots. Dead if you have open chest components and it's an LRM40+. And now with the versatile missile with the close range mode, you won't take any damage.

Edited by SmokedJag, 28 June 2017 - 02:55 PM.

[Acehilator]

Not worth using over Clan LRMs. Completly removing the deadzone would be about the only change to put them into a usable state.

[Cy Mitchell]

I was hoping that ATMs would be a Swiss Army Knife type of weapon. Not deadly in a fight but useful in all situations. Normally, I do not use missiles due to all of them being pretty one dimensional. SSRMs good again Lights but nothing else. SRMs good for a brawl but otherwise useless. LRMs useful for a support role but just barely.

Sadly, after my initial testing, I just do not see myself using ATMs. I understand that PGI does not want them to obsolete the other missiles but.....

180 minimum range is too restrictive.
160M is too slow for a mid-ranged weapon
ATMs should have a flat trajectory. They should be LOS only with lock.
If those were fixed I would be OK with the spread and the steps in damage.
\

[kutkip]

Minimum range should be removed, it has low ammo per ton, and as they require face time and are slow, they don't compete with srm/streaks anyway! They should really get buffed. maximum range could be 600m or so, more is useless with the low arc.

Very advanced and tactical, when LRM is a much better weapon, and that is really sad.

Edited by kutkip, 28 June 2017 - 04:40 PM.