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I believe ECM will find its place of balance without any changes to it. It is a bit over used right now, but it currently gives biggest tactical advantage without a true counter (of course you can jam, but when an 8 man team is ECM turtle'ing, you prolly won't get close enough to jam them before 8 reticles alpha your face, or at least make you run for the hills!).
I think it will eventually be balanced due to the "Information Warfare" Dev post (posted a while back). There is A LOT not yet implemented. This isn't the full post, just the info related to detection and such.
InnerSphereNews, on 04 January 2012 - 10:27 AM, said:
Dev Blog 2 - Information Warfare
Detection
So how do you gather LOSD information? Well there are several ways.
Each type of detection device may also have different primary or secondary modes of detection as follows:
Disruption/Spoofing
With such an emphasis on detection and tracking, we also needed a counter balance, something that players could equip. Using the module system, we allow players to equip Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) devices in the form of:
Detection
So how do you gather LOSD information? Well there are several ways.
- Direct – You can see the target directly (LOSD).
- Radar – Your radar can detect a target in a predetermined arc, also LOSD.
- Satellite Scan – Orbital scan of the battlefield, highly efficient however still limited to top-down LOSD.
- UAV – Similar to a Sat Scan, but localized to a specific area on the battlefield.
- Detectors – Dropped off on the battlefield.
- Units – Any non-BattleMech present on the battlefield.
Each type of detection device may also have different primary or secondary modes of detection as follows:
- Night Vision – Allows players to see more detail in low light situations.
- Thermal Vision – Allows players to see heat signatures that can be detected through obstacles.
- Magnetometer Assisted – Allows players to detect metal and metal densities which can uncover a BattleMech hiding behind a building.
Disruption/Spoofing
With such an emphasis on detection and tracking, we also needed a counter balance, something that players could equip. Using the module system, we allow players to equip Electronic Counter Measures (ECM) devices in the form of:
- Spoofers – Beacons that send out a false target signatures.
- Disruptors – Disrupt or block modes, communication, target acquisition and locks.
- Surveillance – Allows a player to intercept and decode enemy intel.
Look at that. Satellite scans, UAV detection, detectors dropped in the battle field, and maybe even units. Not to mention spoofing.
So for now, we gotta put up with the typical 8 man teams, mostly assault/heavies, turtl'ing as a group behind cover until more Detection/Spoof equipment is implemented.
Not to mention the Commander Skills the devs have spoken about:
InnerSphereNews, on 03 February 2012 - 11:00 AM, said:
Commander Skills:
- • Order View – Allows the pilot to right click and request friendly BattleMechs to attack or defend areas/objectives on the BattleGrid
- • Command View – Provides a layer of information over the BattleGrid including objectives and any intelligence information passed back by scout Mechs on the front line
- • Call Air Strike – Calls in an air strike that does AOE damage in a straight line
- • Call Artillery – Calls in a land based artillery bombardment on to a target area
- • Call Naval Bombardment – Calls in Naval artillery bombardment that has a larger and more powerful result than regular artillery
- • Call UAV – Calls a UAV that passes overhead of the battlefield and relays ALL enemy positions to the command pilot
- • Call Predator Drone – Drops a heavy explosive device on a targeted area
- • Call Satellite Sweep – Full detail information is passed to the command pilot including enemy location/direction/speed
- • Danger Close – A short range radar detection system that lets the command pilot know of any nearby enemy BattleMechs
Airs strike? Artillery? Naval Bombardment? Predator drones? Wuuuuuut?!?!?!
Dead turtles?
Latah!
