Ulysses Knapse
duna corp
667
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Posted - 2013.11.29 11:13:00 -
[1] - Quote
There are three universal combat roles that you can find in any tactical combat games. Breaching, to weaken the enemy's defenses; Suppression, to force the enemy into defense; Assault, to conquer or inflict severe harm to the enemy. The main role of the Machine Gun in real life is to suppress, not to weaken defenses or assault positions. I propose we reimagine the Heavy Machine Gun, and its future factional equivalents, to that of a suppression role. First, let's review what is needed for effective suppression.
1. Threat of Harm: In order for suppression to be effective, the firing weapon needs to be very threatening. It can't be too powerful, however, or the balance of the game would break. Fortunately, there is more than one way to make a weapon threatening without making it too powerful. This is the most important aspect of suppression.
2. Continuous Fire: Suppression only lasts for as long as the firing weapon remains operational. For that reason, the weapon needs to be capable of keeping the heat on the enemy for long periods of time. If it loses the ability to fire, even for a small while, that gives the enemy time to react. This is the second most important aspect of suppression.
3. Range: The ability to project a threat, and project it for long periods of time is undoubtedly important. However, there is another aspect of suppression. Range. This doesn't necessarily mean all suppression weapons need to be capable of sniping, but they need to have at least the same range or better than the enemy's assault rifles. This is especially vital if the weapon has poor continuous fire capability, such as for sniping and bombardment weapons.
The Heavy Machine Gun is perfectly capable of continuous fire, so let's look at the other two: threat of harm, and range. The HMG's main problem is with range. It can't suppress without good range. But if we just buff its accuracy and range, we might make it too powerful. Same with the future factional equivalents. So, how do we make them good for suppression without making them overpowered? By reducing their ability to assault and breach. Each machine gun will have a distinct advantage and a distinct disadvantage. Additionally, when firing them, your movement and aiming speed take a massive dive, so using them at close range is a no-go.
Heavy Machine Gun - Minmatar
Has the greatest base damage potential of all the machine guns, but takes a while to reach its maximum rate of fire. As such, in the first few seconds of firing, it has a fairly low damage potential. The barrels stay revved for a short while after firing, so firing in short bursts can conserve ammo and reduce heat while preserving your rate of fire.
Rotary Gauss Gun - Caldari
Has the greatest base range of all the machine guns, but must be charged before firing. This makes it the poorest for close quarters combat, but very good at suppressing enemies at long range, including snipers. Unlike the HMG, it can't fire in short bursts effectively.
Rapid Pulse Maser - Amarr
Fires projectiles that, upon hitting the enemy, destabilizes them, reducing their accuracy (mimics the scope sway of sniper rifles). As a penalty, it has low initial damage, so it must be fired continuously to maximize damage output. If you don't need high damage output and just want to reduce the enemy's ability to hit you and your buddies, you can fire in short bursts. The Rapid Pulse Maser also has the smallest spread of all the machine guns.
Phase Autocannon - Gallente
It shoots very, very hot stuff. Upon hitting the enemy, it covers them in scorching hot plasma, doing damage over time, as well as increasing their own weapon heat. While not immediately more lethal than the HMG, it's definitely not something you want to get hit with. It also leaves ridiculously hot plasma residue on the ground and walls, and getting too close to it will damage you. As penalty, it has poor accuracy and range when you initially fire it, and also has the highest base spread and lowest range of all the machine guns.
Humanity is the personification of change.
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Ulysses Knapse
duna corp
720
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Posted - 2013.12.12 23:58:00 -
[3] - Quote
SickJ wrote:Ulysses Knapse wrote:
Rapid Pulse Maser - Amarr
Fires projectiles that, upon hitting the enemy, destabilizes them, reducing their accuracy (mimics the scope sway of sniper rifles). As a penalty, it has low initial damage, so it must be fired continuously to maximize damage output. If you don't need high damage output and just want to reduce the enemy's ability to hit you and your buddies, you can fire in short bursts. The Rapid Pulse Maser also has the smallest spread of all the machine guns.
Ulysses Knapse wrote:
Fires projectiles
But... Masers shoot microwaves... Everything else sounds cool, but that sentence just bugs me.
Microwaves are a specific wavelength of photons. Photons are particles. Moving particles are projectiles.
Humanity is the personification of change.
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Ulysses Knapse
Knapse and Co. Mercenary Firm
1031
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Posted - 2014.01.06 09:16:00 -
[7] - Quote
James Blaise wrote:I do like the Caldari mg, but I think the range should be shorter.
The gellente mg should be a short range blaster
the amarr should be short range lasers
Why short range? That makes them useless for supression.
James Blaise wrote:None of that bob, no plasma slime.
Why take away their special effects?
What's the difference between an immobile Minmatar ship and a pile of garbage?
The pile of garbage is more lethal.
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