Mobile Command Center

Discussion in 'General' started by Donald Trump, Aug 10, 2016.

  1. Donald Trump

    Donald Trump Member

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    So, since my Tank Destroyer idea was approved for testing, I have been thinking about this for a while and thought now is a good time to suggest it. We all want a more "combined arms" feel, that is the jist I get from reading a lot of ideas. A lot people want infantry to be viable late game and for a reduction of tanks, so here is a vehicle to help with that!

    A mobile command center, something that acts as a radar but is mobile and provides benefits to surrounding infantry/tanks. Think of it as a support tank that you can get from the start and isn't very expensive unless you get better upgrades for it to allow it to be even more supportive.

    Characteristics - Not very heavily armored, but with a gun that can fire in a forward cone so it can support infantry similarly to the APC.

    Special Traits - Some of these would be locked to research but:
    1. AOE heal radius, slightly increases the rate at which infantry heal
    2. Tank ammo within a certain radius, promotes tanks protecting the vehicle
    3. A radar on top, starts as infantry only radar but can be upgraded to vehicle and infantry to be more supportive of finding targets.
    4. A person can hop in and it can be a "mini" command vehicle, allowing for targets to be given on the front line.
    5. Can have vehicle upgrades in radius such as, better damage more armor assigned to them through research.

    This could take the place of Blizzerds suggestion of a static radar building by making it mobile and making it a support. Also, limiting these to two would be wise if approved as it allows for two fronts to have them instead of 3, so that way 1 front is always weak.

    Heck, you could have a command line of every single vehicle to be honest, with slight variations to their looks to make them known to be the supporting vehicle. This could also make squads that role tanks make the squad leader have the command vehicle to provide a better bonus as well.
     
    Last edited: Aug 10, 2016
  2. Donald Trump

    Donald Trump Member

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    Could even make them be a variant with commander armor so they are "stronger" but also very expensive since they provide decent benefits.
     
  3. Lazybum

    Lazybum :D Staff Member Moderator

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    A bunch of maps only have 2 fronts...

    I'm indifferent about the rest of it. I was more of a fan of there being a utility slot on apcs and tanks, but anything would be fun.
     
  4. Xyaminou

    Xyaminou Member

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    I didn't like the tank destroyer, but this is interesting. Empires needs more support vehicles.
     
  5. blizzerd

    blizzerd Member

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  6. Donald Trump

    Donald Trump Member

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    I agree on the need for utility slots, but not for every tank. This is why I propose a support vehicle that gives an AOE benefit to tanks around it so that way it also promotes squad play as people seek to protect it. If this WERE a thing, I imagine squads would be something like 1 Command Vehicle, 1 Heavy, 2 Mediums, 1 TD at end game (If Heavies have their numbers reduced on battlefield).

    I just think this is a decent idea because it can be used THROUGHOUT the entire game, from infantry to end game promoting protection and coordinated pushes with this.

    I agree, the only support vehicle currently is rendered almost useless and is even more useless if the enemy has tanks on the field. Of course, this is artillery. We need support vehicles, we need vehicles to make infantry viable, and we need a way to make squad play more prevalent.

    I would even suggest reworking the communication system, by way of at the beginning of the game the commander gets X amount of time to say the strategy after being voted in. Then, when you leave a certain radius around the com vehicle you can no longer talk to the commander and you have to listen to your squad mates, the only way you can talk to the com again is if you get a radar and a mobile command vehicle on your front to get direct orders from the com. Then squad lead could receive the info from the com and dish it out to the squad mates. This would be cool I think.

    @blizzerd the only reason I would suggest a hard limit is to allow 1 front to be pushing using the mobile command vehicle but then it leaves the other front open and more susceptible to a counter attack.
     
  7. Lazybum

    Lazybum :D Staff Member Moderator

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    Anyone who suggests commander can only hear or talk to squad leads is an idiot. This sounds nice in a game like arma but empires matches aren't that huge, and again it's another suggestion that completely dicks over low pop games.

    I like how everyone is in a tank coming from someone that really wants more infantry and tank play.

    As an aside it really shouldn't be called command vehicle, because we have that already. I'm terrible with names though so I ain't got any suggestions.
     
  8. Donald Trump

    Donald Trump Member

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    That'd be the ideal tank composition of a team in my book. I want more infantry yes, and in my mind I picture one squad being a tank squad assisting the other infantry squads.

    Also, for names, it could be like Forward Command Vehicle, but it would take on a slightly "commanding" role so I think the name does stick.
     
    Last edited: Aug 10, 2016
  9. Lazybum

    Lazybum :D Staff Member Moderator

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    So one squad on foot and another in tanks? Hrmmmmm I guess that works on full servers but generally you tend to only have 1.5 squads on any front in an average sized match. Ideals and reality are 2 different things.

    I think one question I have is just how big of a range for it's skills?

    As an aside because tanks are what ends games I highly doubt anyone taking time to research minor improvements like it detecting both infantry and radars. Makes me wonder if there should be an odd extra bonus to research. So like every 3 research nodes you complete or whatever you get some minor buff to something else, something no one would actually spend time getting but would like anyway. I'm honestly thinking of that card system from age of empires 3 if anyone played that.

    Main point is if research continues to be what it is, as in one thing at a time, I can't ever see research including super tiny one offs that take time from the bigger things like tanks, and while you didn't say it here I've seen it elsewhere which is don't make essential functions of any component of empires(like revive or grens actually doing damage to tanks or apc spawn points) research things because it's been done in the past and from what I've gathered no one really liked any of it.
     
  10. Donald Trump

    Donald Trump Member

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    For the squads, I'm talking in like a full match. For smaller matches it would probably scale to like 1 tank per squad or something like that for most of the match or a couple of vehicles, but still a lot of infantry.

    Well, if this vehicle detected vehicles coming in from a decent range, or even spotted buildings it would be a big pay off to get the radar because it would allow people to switch out before they actually see it.

    I agree with the research though, have it just be a side benefit research similar to what could be better infantry weapons. Maybe... just maybe.... if this vehicle is added the squads could research better infantry weapons and improvements to the vehicles themselves. Or it could be a reward for teamwork to improve the vehicle, spend squad points to improve the forward command vehicle, that'd be cool.
     

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