Roland, on 27 November 2012 - 09:59 PM, said:
Think, dude. Think about ways it can work.
Scenario 1:
I run a scout mech, with tag. I tag a target from 450m.
You, being an LRM mech, then proceed to target that mech that I am tagging. You shoot missiles at it from 1000m, and blow it up. Yay!
Scenario 2:
I run a mech with ECM myself. I run up to the mech which is being shielded by ECM, and flip my ECM into counter mode. You shoot missiles at it from 1000m and blow it up. Yay again!
OR, you shoot it with OTHER WEAPONS. There are in fact weapons in this game which aren't missiles, which you aim and shoot.
When designing a system for balance, you have to look at the entire environment of play in which it exists. You can't count on every player being too stupid to know what to do, nor can you count on every player reacting perfectly every time.
Here are a few more very possible scenarios which outline how your scenarios could end.
Scenario 1a:
You being a scout mech with TAG, tag a target from 450m. An enemy scout seeing that, runs over and blocks your TAG with his ECM within 5 seconds. Oops, no worky.
Scenario 1aa:
Your scout mech is running TAG and ECM in counter mode.
Scenario 1b:
You being a scout mech with TAG, tag a target from 450m.
Your group member, being an LRM mech, then proceeds to target that mech that you are tagging. Oops, too late, a scout mech ran on top of your group members mech and completely nullified their ability to lock onto anything.
Scenario 1ba:
Your LRM boat is running ECM in counter mode (only available to the Atlas D-DC though).
Scenario 1c:
You being a scout mech with TAG, tag a target from 450m.
Woops, you are on a map with cover (including Caustic Valley) and you can't actually do that. Because it's far too easy for the target to break your LOS at range.
Scenario 1d:
You being a scout mech with TAG, tag a target from 450m.
Woops, they move pretty fast and you are moving pretty fast so it's very very hard to keep your laser on target without getting your mech gunned out from under you. You can't keep your laser on target for the whole 10 seconds it takes for someone to lock on with their missiles, fire them and get them to actually reach the target.
Scenario 2a:
You run a mech with ECM yourself. You run up to the mech which is being shielded by ECM, and flip your ECM into counter mode. The enemy laughs because that only blocked out one of the ECM effects and there is still 1-7 more to go.
Scenario 2aa:
Lucky you, the enemy only had 1 ECM carrying mech, so you rushing directly into close range with them wasn't a terrible idea.
The real kicker? That scout mech running at 450m with his TAG beam is probably not hitting a hell of a lot with his own weapon systems and he sure isn't all over the enemy shooting them in the backside. You are just about asking a friendly mech to neuter himself so that you can be less effected by a 1.5 ton piece of equipment.