Andi Nagasia, on 10 February 2018 - 08:26 AM, said:
actually it wouldnt, if you Doubled LRM velocity LRMs would move threw AMS range twice as fast,
which means Doubling AMS damage would actually null the Effect, the balance between the 2 would not change,
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if a single AMS doesnt hurt small LRM Launchers now(LRM5/10) then it wont hurt them after,
(the Proposed doubling of all nonLRM health, is to again offset the Increased Damage of AMS)
1) increasing the Cooldown of LRMs could make them Less Spammy,
as you cant chain fire them as well, or it would cost more in Launchers(8LRM5 need vs only 5-6 now)
2) by increasing the Cooldown Players will have to choose their shots more carefully,
adding to skill of the weapon, as you have to choose your engagements more so then now,
3) doubling their Velocity will make them more reliable as a weapon system,
AMS changes(x2damage) and increasing nonLRM missile health(x2Health) are to keep Missile/AMS balance)
its true doing those 3 things will make LRMs better, but not OP,
Homing weapons can be skill weapons it treated right,
A single AMS does hurt small launchers now, what you aren't taking into account is that AMS does its damage to incoming missiles within ~2 seconds. Where as LRM velocity is taking into account the entire flight path of several seconds. It's not a one to one comparison. Twice the DPS within two seconds is greater than what the velocity buff would give LRMs. If there is another person with AMS none of the missiles will hit the target nothing less than an LRM 20 would do anything.
Spamming missiles is another characteristic of the weapon.. Area denial and suppression are part of what LRMs are used for. Everyone thinks there is no skill with LRMs but there are plenty of way to use them without doing damage. Spamming missiles at an annihilator puts them into cover before a push, sending a volley on occasion keeps the incoming missile alert sounding. Keep that annihilator out of the fight and your front line can create an advantage. Once you have that advantage you can move on to targets you will do damage to.
See a lone assault trying to catch up with their team? Hold them down out of position so your lights can jump him.
Have a sniper keeping your brawlers from pushing up? Throw an alpha at him, he'll duck into cover from the missiles.
See someone flanking? Rain hellfire down.
Someone standing in cap and can't get a lock? Dumb fire missiles all over the capture point to either scare them off or stop the capture.
See the enemy about to NASCAR around on you? Chuck a missile at everyone you can to slow them down so that they either get stopped in their tracks or they come in one at a time. (In this example you don't hold the target, you fire once each to give them the missile warning and that's it)
See someone trying to sneak up on you? Drive them to cover and keep them there while you relocate.
Those are a few examples of why cooldown is important for missiles, they are an area denial / suppression weapon.
Choosing your targets carefully is already important for LRMs making them "less spammy" does not help LRMs to be more effective. Arguably it makes them worse because you would not be able to use their strength of area denial since switching targets requires a fast cooldown.
Homing weapons are skill weapons just not in the traditional sense.
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