ECM does seem to do a little too much for the Tonnage. Certainly much more than BA, AMS+1 ton of it's ammo, Artemis. the Narc launcher, or a TAG laser...
For 1.5 Tons, it completely Eliminates any point to having AMS (which only works on missiles with locks anyway) and completely Nullifies BAP, Narc and Artemis. It also completely Nullifies the Module that lets you maintain targets behind you up to 180.
The proposed increase in TAG Range will help but it still wont quite counter how powerful ECM, especially since ECM can counter it's supposed counter just by getting close to it... TAG wont transmit when your in the ECM field. Move TAG back to only being half a ton, make it a toggle On/Off and give it the increased range and you'll start to see it on the field a lot more, because it will be a lot more attractive to invest in.
The ability to effectively dumb-fire LRM's would help, my experience is if you even lose lock for a second right now it pretty just means you miss. If you could switch them over to fire like SRM that armed at 180 atleast the boats would have an option to shoot at all.
Really what it does now is ok, cool even... it just needs a tweak to the range, if the numbers changed some it would be more reasonable. 180 to 200... only a pocket a 20 in which you can get a lock... Even an Assault mech can close that gap in less than the time it takes to establish a lock, let alone the time it takes for the missiles to take the flight path that will actually hit, and they can force you out of lock range by going either direction... which effectively means the most they ever have to move is 10... and lets not forget it takes 25% longer to get that lock in the first place because the ECM is active.
Has anyone tested this with the increased sensor Range Module? If ECM drops sensor range down to 25% and the Mod increases it by 15%, does it let you lock on ECM at 230? or does ECM just trump that too?
If ECM did what it did now, but it only decreased Sensor Range by 50% it would still be powerful, but it wouldn't completely turn off any chance or using radar or getting locks the way it does now. You could get sensor lock at only 180 to 400 (460 with the Module) still a very limited range compared to normal, but a range that also is still wide enough to work within.
With that one change: Streaks could work out at 180-270, losing over half their effective range, taking 25% longer to get a lock and losing their lock if they veer too close to the ECM carrying Mech. Suddenly AMS has a purpose against streaks again as well, since it will shoot down a single SSrm2 volley fired from over 200 away, covering much of the same Range ECM was countering but making you spend a little more tonnage if you want to want to completely counter streaks that badly.
At the same time LRMs get a huuuge boon, 180-400 cuts their effective range in half as well, (though I would argue in many ways LRM are already only effective at this range anyway because of how long it takes them to reach the target) but it gives enough room to play in to actually make it possible to get a lock. it's still possible to mess up an LRM boat by simply falling back, or using cover, speed and AMS to cross the 220 to be under their minimum range. But it means you have to be smart about crossing that range, you still have to use SOME caution or you'll present yourself as a target anyway. an LRM boat being caught under your Min range by the ECM carrying mech still means you can't lock on and shoot at ANYONE with LRMs and so there is no option to ignore them, which is pretty powerful on it own. Again this gives AMS a reason to exist.
Lastly the ECM should be a counter to BAP, that was always part of it's whole point... but it shouldn't completely outdo this other piece of equipment with the same crit slot and weight requirements. Just make the calculations effect each other, BAP increases Radar 25%, ECM reduces it by 50%, net result 500 (575 with the module). BAP decreases time to acquire data 25%, ECM increases it by the same... net result... normal time to acquire each level of sensor lock. BAP still turns off if stuck under 180 with a ECM mech, but all sensors do so that makes sense. This way BAP wont simply feel like wasted tonnage on Mechs who have it in matches with ECM, but ECM remains an effective counter for BAP.
and If Artemis locks slower on an ECM shielded mech than on one without it, but faster on that mech an missile systems without Artemis that would feel balanced as well... as both mechs are benefiting for the equipment they have installed.
If NARC actually work correctly and will maintain sensor lock with no line of sight from anyone, than the planed increase to 20 second, might do enough to make them a decent niche choice as well, even if ECM Jams them. Since LRM can take up to around 15 seconds to reach a Target at max range at-least that will be long enough for 1 volley to establish a lock and reach the target. It would be much more useful at closer ranges around corners, in the 200-400 range where a volley can reach a target in 3-5 seconds.
It's a pretty subtle set of changes, but it would make electronic warfare a LOT more dynamic and interesting... and not rules by a single piece of equipment that is just the king of them all.
Edited by Kreisel, 05 December 2012 - 10:24 PM.
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