Considering they are meant to be destroying installations and vehicles they are actually very UP at the moment, their ability to kill infantry is a perk to be sure but never what it's meant for or should be balanced around.

Yes, at the moment they don't seem to appear at all with any type of scanning or LOS. If remotes are able to be scanned in 1.4, I would prefer advanced and proto-level RE's have lower scan profiles respectively. It would take a prototype scan tool to detect a prototype boundless remote explosive for example.

you are wrong... proximity mines are for vehicles... remotes are for infantry...the only installation you have a chance of destroying are turrets.

1: place REs on road
2:Stand in road and wait for murder tax
3: Detonate when LAV is close
4:?????
5: Profit!!!!!!

even i am defending REs.. come and stay awhile and tell your funny stories.

I'm actually sort of worried about the incoming armor buff, ladwar. You know Xin can already tank an RE blast as a proto heavy? It knocks him down to something like 20 armor, but he can do it.

With the armor buff, I suspect that will no longer be rare.

On the subject of RE shenanigans, there's nothing more embarrassing than getting detonated by your own RE trap ... especially when you're the one who pushed the button. This happens to me more often than I would like. Funny thing is, more than half the time I see it coming before I even push the button, but push it anyway. It's like the realization isn't enough to countermand the action order that's already been sent.

God, brains are weird.

You realize you just solidified my point right?

Remote explosives are supposed to be used for both AV and anti installation in the field but because of many reasons including damage, bugs, and low splash radius they fail in their role, as I said the RE was never ment for infantry so hitting it with the nerf bat because some fool didn't look down and fell into a trap (and honestly if you're killed by an RE you're not paying attention) would push them even farther from their intended perpous.

I won't say I'm an expert on REs as I'm not a dev (or arrogant) but I know a thing or two about them from experience, lore, and their history since they've been introduced and I can tell you they are not performing correctly.

Proximity mines have pathetic damage and it doesn't increase at all through levels making them near useless against any shield based vehicles above militia class so once again the demolition based equipment is not performing it's role.

RE do not damage installations at all

Untrue. You can reliably blow up large turret installations. It takes three explosives and they all have to "hit," however.

Killing CRU's and the like takes a good bit more work.

do they have to be red just like for the swarm launcher because i have tried and no dice on any damage on yellow installations or red supply depots.

They can be yellow or red. It's possible that you ran into the null-damage bug that causes installations to take no damage if ground cover blocks any little bit of the blast. It's a hit box issue, as I understand it.

no I didn't prove your point... you say re's aren't for infantry, im saying they are... prxy mines need a buff.... and I am an expert... been using them for 6 months....

In fairness, the RE is lovely against tanks. It's not that it reliably destroys them, it's that several going off at once is reliably a shocking amount of damage. The tank driver who thought he was going to be able to sit comfortably for another few swarm volleys abruptly finds himself fleeing too late, shields dropping, AV grenades raining down, and doom inevitable.

They're not instant death to a high-grade tank, but I'm not entirely sure that they need to be. They take the fight from moderately challenging to desperate with the push of a button.

you know a better tutorial might help the fresh meat some if they hold onto any of that info but i also baited heavies to follow me to an open field where i clicked the button on the RE under their feet.

REs actually are OP, for three reasons.

1. MAP GLITCHES. I always search objectives before the hack. I find REs sometimes but occasionally they get through and I get blown up. The problem is that they have unreasonably low visibility. Some moods make it too dark to see them, and some objectives have hidden pockets. So it is not always hackers being too stupid to look when they get blown up by these, it is RE users exploiting glitchy maps. REs need to be readily apparent to infantry within 5 metres.

2. SHORT TIME BEFORE PRIME. Some RE users throw these things at your feet like a grenade. You know it's coming, but they blow it before you can get out of the way. This is obviously not how they are intended to be used. The time it takes to prime them needs to be extended, so they can only be used in their intended role.

3. EXTRA GRENADE SLOT. REs are the only item of equipment that directly gets kills for the user. As such they are contrary to the intended support role of equipment. RE users effectively pad their KDR by using an equipment slot as an extra grenade slot. I suggest that CCP make REs only equipable in a grenade slot rather than an equipment slot, to reflect their actual battlefield use. There could be a separate 'demolition charge' item of equipment, which can only be manually stuck to an installation or vehicle for 5000> damage.

Inb4 QQ.

REs actually are OP, for three reasons.

1. MAP GLITCHES. I always search objectives before the hack. I find REs sometimes but occasionally they get through and I get blown up. The problem is that they have unreasonably low visibility. Some moods make it too dark to see them, and some objectives have hidden pockets. So it is not always hackers being too stupid to look when they get blown up by these, it is RE users exploiting glitchy maps. REs need to be readily apparent to infantry within 5 metres.

2. SHORT TIME BEFORE PRIME. Some RE users throw these things at your feet like a grenade. You know it's coming, but they blow it before you can get out of the way. This is obviously not how they are intended to be used. The time it takes to prime them needs to be extended, so they can only be used in their intended role.

3. EXTRA GRENADE SLOT. REs are the only item of equipment that directly gets kills for the user. As such they are contrary to the intended support role of equipment. RE users effectively pad their KDR by using an equipment slot as an extra grenade slot. I suggest that CCP make REs only equipable in a grenade slot rather than an equipment slot, to reflect their actual battlefield use. There could be a separate 'demolition charge' item of equipment, which can only be manually stuck to an installation or vehicle for 5000> damage.

Inb4 QQ.

Less QQ. More LOL.

There's one of these that you just about have a point on: the first. There are places where the map isn't quite as solid as it looks, yes. However, here's the thing: you can't hide them completely anymore. Used to be they'd sink out of sight; now they just sink to half their depth. Also, the little bastards have lights on them that glow.

Before you assume that the things are functionally invisible, (1) check your surroundings thoroughly, looking for lights that are out of place. They're little and yellow-- but not so little as to be unnoticeable; (2) don't just look behind the objective; the blast radius is currently (I think) four meters, and people have gotten sufficiently used to checking for them that we've started putting them in other places; (3) as of tomorrow, when 1.4 goes in, try using an active scanner-- it should theoretically reveal their locations.

If you just can't find them, try hucking a warp grenade at the objective. That's pretty reliable.

Your other two points are ... well, how to put it? Try using them and see what you think. It takes an advanced RE to get the arming time down to two seconds from five. Heavies waddle fast enough to get clear, as a rule, if they realize what's going on. The throw distance is also pretty short; if I'm trying to plant a remote on you, I'm virtually picking your pocket.

The primary touchstone for something OP in this game is that it becomes ubiquitous. Remotes aren't, and they're about to take a minor whack with the nerf bat (active scanners).

Give remotes a go, and see if you still think that they're overpowered; otherwise, you're speaking as the victim, which, you must admit, makes your ability to judge fairly a little suspect.

you can use RE to kill red line snipers and LLAVS, actually really well. tower FG i doubt it but i bet it'll be funny to see.

RE do not damage installations at all

+1 for you even though you LOLed at me

I'm a heavy which is why I haven't used REs. I'll have a go on an alt tho.

Another thing I don't like about REs is that they specifically target the few people who play the game right, i.e. hack objectives in public skirmish and domination. 90% of RE kills must be at objectives. Why can't we get weapons that specifically target redline snipers, tower forgegunners, or LLAV roadkillers? That doesn't make REs OP, but it does mean they help to make pubs that bit less playable for those who like to play for the objectives rather than get cheap kills.

I don't think of RE use at objectives as a "cheap" kill. Running people over in an LLAV is a cheap kill.

You seem like a fair-minded guy. So ... look.

You have your approach to the game, which seems to be more or less direct and up-front. You're here for a good, straight fight: who shows the better battlefield tactics, who's got the better aim, and so on. Skill versus skill, sportsman-like. I may be making that sound a little naiive, but that's more or less the upshot, true?

I'm a dedicated scout, which means I'm playing an entirely different game. Spending any significant period of time in somebody's crosshairs gets me shredded to a fine mist. Consequently, I'm a vicious little bastard who hates straight fights and makes most kills from ambush. Playing fair isn't the way I succeed at the game; for me, the game is one of trickery and stealth. "Cheap" kills are normally the only ones I get because 90% of my defenses consist of my wits.

Hell, I recently promoted my nova knives to my light weapon slot. (The other is an SMG for flanking and emergency use.)

There aren't many of us around anymore. Those who survive mostly do so because we fight dirty. The ability to do so is precious to us, and 1.4 is introducing further quiet nerfs to our play style: in addition to the active scanner buff, better auto-aim isn't good if you depend on agility to get through a firefight.

It's fair enough to resent being sucker-punched, but understand that what is sucker punching you when you run afoul of an RE trap is typically the opposite of an LLAV murder taxi. We're mortal (hell, we're downright fragile), and most of us die an awful, awful lot.

And, incidentally, we're usually the vanguard of those who are, as you say, playing for the objectives. Scouts are prolific hackers, and we're the most likely to drop in at an objective without fighting a battle (with lots of RE-cooking-off explosions), first. In other words, we're among those most commonly killed by remote explosives. We get kind of good at looking for them, as a result ... and then we leave our own when we go.

At this point, arguing for taking away our tools seems pretty indistinguishable from arguing for the extinction of the role. I know that's not what you're saying, but sucker-punches are pretty much what we do, whether with RE, with a shotgun, or with the point of a knife. Take that away, and you've got us running assault suits.

did you have your bacon today?