Imp Smash
Molon Labe.
General Tso's Alliance
245
   |
Posted - 2014.10.09 02:48:00 -
[1] - Quote
Edit note: The first (short) paragraph may be a bit abrasive. I ask you read the whole thing and take it as a whole.
The commando role makes no sense.
CCP hasn't said specifically what purpose they see the commando filling. They have only made the advertisement wonder buzzword class description most people usually do when they want to avoid setting limitations or expectations (fair enough though--freedom is good.)
On to the rationale.
We can only infer what role the commando has on the battlefield. We can do this by its defining feature -- the two light weapons. What does having two light weapons, or another way to phrase it -- more engagement flexibility, imply?
Skirmisher class? Pop out, put on some damage, and hide back behind cover while your shields and health refills. That makes sense for two weapons. The commando doesn't seem to fit this role as they have the largest hit boxes in the game (up there with Sentinels) thereby taking the most damage AND the slowest shield armor recovery in the game.
Flanker class? Tactical positioning with a variety of engagement options at various ranges due to their two weapons? Makes sense. The commando doesn't seem to fit this role either as they are some of the slowest suits in the game with the second worst strafe speed (coupled with large hitboxes) and arguably the worst sprint speed (fewer slots/pg/cpu for sprint or stamina mods) so they can't actually get into position anywhere before the battle line has changed. Their complete lack of ewar prevents them from sneaking anywhere.
Fire support class? A variety of weapons allow them to engage multiple types of targets (AV/AP) as well as a variety of ranges. Resonable -- however, their low fitting resources (PG/CPU) and few slots make them too SOFT to stand near the assaults/Logis as they get shot/sniped down quite easily. Their slow speeds prevent them from even keeping up with a frontline that is dynamic and mobile. They themselves are easily flanked.
Omni class? Having two light weapons and an equipment slot being able to have a wide variety of fittings to fill in as the second best in a large number of roles on the battlefield makes sense. Again -- the low number of slots prevent them from being able to fit the mods necessary to be second best at anything. Even third best is a stretch.
Heavy Assault class? Two light weapons and lots of damage with higher than normal base health at the expense of speed for a slower moving but harder punching frontline offensive. Also reasonable. However, as with other things, their lack of slots preventing them from having high hp or support mods coupled their large hitboxes/low strafe speeds ensuring that they take more damage from incoming fire makes them too squishy for the frontline
All these inferences on our part and implications on the suit's design part leaves the commando in a position where its role on the battlefield is both unclear and not terribly suited to any given task. Some people have made them work reasonably well and I will admit having two weapons is fun! But, in any role dedicated Commado players use them for those same players could be more effective with a different suit. The two uses I have seen commando most effective in are 1.) Open map point defense with a swarm+long range weapon and 2.)sniping.
I think some of the core design of the suit needs to change for them to be a truly useful suit.
Suggestions:
1.) Slightly increase PG/CPU to garauntee two weapons can properly be fitted. Do not change size speed or number of slots. Greatly increase inherent Armor and Shield regen rates. Up to being the suits with the highest Shield and Armor recovery in the game. Essentially skirmisher suits. Popping in and out of battle using terrain to inflict damage while passively (without the aid of modules) recovering damage. The low number of slots will prevent them from having an HP buffer so any Commando caught without cover will die -- but commandos with cover will be very very hard to kill if they can keep popping back down to regen. Makes them a somewhat good counter to defender fits but somewhat weaker to flanking fits.
2.) Greatly increase the number of slots on the suits. Do NOT increase PG/CPU. Instead (and this may not be possible) create a same mod type bonus/penalty system. Basically the afore mentioned Omni suit concept. Good at everything but not great at anything. The second best on the battlefield for full flexibility. Basically you have too many slots and not enough PG CPU. Mods of the same role and type provide fitting bonuses to eachother. Mods of different role/type provide fitting penalties. So want to be a skirmisher? Equip Armor and Shield regen mods. The more mods that fit that role you put on the cheaper each one becomes resource wise. Add a different type of mod that doesn't fit in that role -- it and each other mod gets more expensive. Want to Buffer tank? Shield and Armor hp mods. If you throw in damage mods or speed mods you break the mod synergy and fitting costs increase. Want to ewar? Tons of ewar mods. Throw on HP modules and it you lose fitting bonuses for said ewar tech everything getting more expensive. This way to fully outfit a suit you have to build it around a role. Otherwise you won't have the PG CPU to mod each slot.
3.) Increase speed to scout levels. Flanker fits essentially. The lack of slots prevents brick tanking. The large hitboxes ensures that taken damage from incoming fire is high. Complete lack of ewar. You can't miss em coming and they can't find you easily so they will be hitting the sides of the battle line in any engagement. But they are fast on the attack, have lots of offensive options, and can retreat and reengage elsewhere quickly.
Depends on what CCP (or maybe the commando users) want out of the suit really. |