55 replies to this topic

[GD26]

For one, I love Elementals. As others have said, they're a part of this Universe just as much as a Mech.
But the game is still a good way off and as far as I could see there are many voices raised against even introducing the Clans at all, never mind the Elementals.

But IF the Clan Invasion will come and the Clans will be introduced then my opinion is that - in line with the wished for constant improvement of this game - the Clans AND Elementals will be in a very smart and balancing way introduced.

One idea read in this thread is for AI Elementals. In short, a Clanmechwarrior who researched (achieved) a - let's call it Elemental Support in the Tech Branch for instance, could use to one Point of Elementals (AI)controlled which follow him everywhere. By a key stroke the pilot then could give them a series of orders. For instance: power down/hide, hold, deploy to a pre-selected grid and scout or attack my target target. You know, that sort of thing. I thing something like this would be awesome to have. The balancing part it'd be a challenge for sure.But the IS/Merc forces could have infantry/armored infantry in the very same way.... If this would be applied, this game will grow exponentially, no doubt.

[Shikari]

I’m glad to find this thread. This means that I don’t have to start a new one.

Personally I’m a huge fan of Battle Armor (BA), especially the Elemental BA. If we could have them as playable units, I’d definitely play as a BA instead of a Mech.

Hence my posting in here with what I conceive as a possibility in this game’s future development (patches).

The BA HAS to be included in this game at a certain point. Now some of you expressed the idea/wish of having BAs as AI controlled. We Jaguars – and Clans as a whole – abhorre this idea, especially the idea of NOT having BAs included in MWO at all! ‘Cose when we’ll come – IF we come – we’ll like to come in full force.

Soooo. What I suggest is that BA will be introduced as a playable unit. They could do it in MWLL, they can do it in MWO as well!
But I’m well aware that some initial models of playing have to be changed.

I propose this:

Instead of having the 12 vs. 12 format (as announced), in the near future (i.e. next year, 3050) the format changes to 15 vs. 15.

For IS/Merc units this mean: two reinforced Lances (12 Mechs – lights, mediums, heavies and assaults as per Commander’s wish) AND a 3 BA squad/fire team as extra scouting and/or support units.

For the Clans: 1 Mech Binary (10 Mechs/Omnimechs) AND a Point of Elementals.

Observe that this format somehow takes into consideration the superiority of Clan technology as the Clan team will have 2 less Mechs than the IS unit (but 2 more BA troopers). This superiority will surely be ballanced further in other ways I imagine.

As for the real timeline: we’re already in March of 3049. By August (by which time MWO will hopefully be introduced) the first contact between Clan advanced units and Periphery forces will take place, while by March 7^th next year the Clans’ first wave will clash with FRR, Lyran and Combine forces. By this time, the IS had (or can have if the developers accept it) three main BA types in their TO&Es:

• The Infiltrator (FedCom – introduced in 3050)
  
• The Nighthawk (formally introduced in 2720 and re-introduced in 3065)
  
• The Tornado (ComStar – introduced in 2905)

One (or all three) could be attributed to IS and Merc forces’ TechTrees until future years when more sophisticated BA designs will emerge in the IS (some of them being the Gray Death Legion’s Scout, Standard and Heavy BAs, the Longinus etc. etc.). While we clanners will have our Elemental BA type in our TechTree.



The BAs can be/function exactly as a Mech as far as configuration is concerned. With their specific TechTrees and their pilots would earn points in similar way (albeit perhaps in a different fashion) as mechwarriors.

What you all think? Wouldn’t that be awesome?
Remember: the potential will be there.

[William Wallace]

I definitely would love to see Elementals in this game. They would have to be able to claw their way onto a mech and do internal damage though. Image as a mechwarrior seeing a bunch of elemetals jumping towards you and suddenly one clamps on your cockpit and starts drilling into ya to fire directly at the mechwarriror itself.

Shivers, still gives me nightmares to think about.

[MarauderDeuce]

I also think that when the Clans enter the fray that Elementals should be part of their equipment roster.

That said, I can see why the mechanics of the game might make that impractical in most instances but not insurmountable - perhaps special matches, 12 Elementals against perhaps 4 mechs or something along those lines. Make the map objective suit the elementals.

For those who complain about the how annoying Elementals are in MWLL (never played - perhaps never will) - they should be annoying! An elemental can in theory take down an Atlas or Dire Wolf single handed (literally) - by using it's power claw to rip through the armour into vital systems - but that's not actually going to happen very much. During the first contact days their impact was more of a blitzkrieg effect - shock and awe - as they were a new unit type which the IS had to learn and develop tactics for.

Elementals are by their very nature harassing units, a map for them should involve slowing the progress of an enemy and ideally even making them take a route you prefer. A map for elementals might involve a timer, you have to stop the enemy force from crossing the map before the timer runs out. If more than 1 unit crosses the map before the timer expires you lose, 1 you get minimal victory, none better victory and if you actually manage to destroy any enemy mechs then your result improves further.

Edited by MarauderDeuce, 11 March 2012 - 05:20 AM.

[csvelemental]

I volunteer to be first to use this feature should it become available. Elementals in a heavy forest or in deep snow, and not to forget water, we love water.....

[Fox5859]

if we get elmentals i want my axeman and to be able to use its axe it will then give me a better way to fight these small buggers. also i suggested before this for elementals and power armor so that they could try to sabotage enemy mechs by pulling off some of there armor and maybe even repairing friends. they said no to me because were mech warriors and were suppose to pilot mechs

[Gremlich Johns]

Remember that elementals are not being figured into the game any time soon, if at all. However nice an addition they would be.

The Elementals were one of the things about the Clans that made the IS think they were being invaded by an alien lifeform (society is accurate, but that is not what they thought)

[Mastr]

I was actually just considering the scope of battles in MWO and wondering if elementals would be viable. This is just conjecture but what are we talking about a trinary or less per side? It just seems like elementals would not normally be bid into a conflict of that size, and not without a specific reason for them being there (excluding the elemental biased clans like GB and HH).

Edited by Mastr, 11 March 2012 - 08:57 AM.

[Scaryman]

Do want. Elementals were always my favorite even without the claws. Especially since max engine elementals were fast enough that even the best players had trouble hitting them, and with one or two lasers or an AC one elemental could take down practically any mech one on one.

Personally this is one thing I want, even just to play one for the laughs.

[Sug]

Print out this picture.

Tape it to your monitor.

Boom, elementals.

[Gremlich Johns]

Here ya go, print, fold, BOOM!

Elemental

(got it in the k-necs Timberwolf model)

Edited by Gremlich Johns, 11 March 2012 - 12:30 PM.

[Zarkan]

I still have most of the K-nec mechwarrior sets.

[Gremlich Johns]

MW:LL will be getting the Corona and Phalanx battlearmors in a future release (along with the Stormcrow, Black Lanner and Hunchy IIc)

[Meldric Ward]

I support the request for having elementals.

[fire2100]

It would be great to see Elementals, but as someone earlier said, they would only be really useful if they could jetpack and grab hold onto the mech, rip open some armor and start shooting inside, obviously in a group of like 5 or more. But I wouldn't mind elementals being like they were in MW3, darn little ******** were hard to shoot at.

[Dumat]

The idea that Elementals could be used as deployable battlefield assets by a commander is interesting. Maybe if there is a Clan Invasion DLC, elemtentals could be added on in place of an anti-missile system or something? After all they can ride on Battlemechs.