We can all agree that "smart" deploy in ambush does not live up to it's name and I'm sure many of us can agree that uplinks are a sure fire way to get your team spawn camped (partially because "smart" deploy has a hard on for spawning you on them). So instead I propose in ambush we have Orbital Spawns; of course the original spawn should stay the same so the teams are together until they have some tactical awareness. However after that we should have the option to OS using the same interface that OB's use: Move the little circle around, pick an area, and be spawned somewhere inside that area. This will solve all problems that "smart" deploy has and will make spawn camping a mostly nonviable option. It will also help prevent steamrolling by allowing members of your team to spawn behind the enemy making ambush a bit more ambush-y. some will say this makes uplinks useless but I believe they will actually become useful by allowing pin-point spawns without the fear of being forced to spawn there several times if it's being camped.

This of course doesn't need to be implemented in domination or skirmish as they don't have the same spawning problem as ambush; however it could be as another WP reward so instead of calling in an OB you could pick an OS allowing your squad to choose to spawn in an area you pick for up to a minute or something like that.

I've played games with this --
It isn't enjoyable.

Orbital Spawns give away your position to EVERYONE.

This opens up potentially more spawn-camp abuse.
Especially in Ambush.

It quickly grows old over time, and aforementioned camping
makes it a hated mechanic.

we have had this in internal playtest, it gets old fairly quickly and you start thinking, why can't I just spawn on the earth.

I like it as a once per battle thing, maybe with a special module or suit, to claim objectives.

It's still on the list

It makes more sense for when you get redlined. when that happens and you're getting farmed an orbital drop makes more sense than trying to push through an execution line

we have had this in internal playtest, it gets old fairly quickly and you start thinking, why can't I just spawn on the earth.

I like it as a once per battle thing, maybe with a special module or suit, to claim objectives.

It's still on the list

its cool in concept but i could just see a heavy drop behind me while im trying to deal with a red berry squad in front of me. in the end i think this wound make the game more frustrating and cause more problems.

we have had this in internal playtest, it gets old fairly quickly and you start thinking, why can't I just spawn on the earth.

I like it as a once per battle thing, maybe with a special module or suit, to claim objectives.

It's still on the list

Orbital Spawns should really operate as an OB. 750 to a 1000 warpoints. Squad leader marks an area on the map, like that roof that reddots are camping and drop a holy hell of 8 heavies on top of their heads. It would help with skirm and dom but maybe not ambush so much

Squad leader gets 25 warpoints per a spawn in a 15 to 30 second spawn window. Spawns from the OB only take 3 to 5 seconds.

It makes more sense for when you get redlined. when that happens and you're getting farmed an orbital drop makes more sense than trying to push through an execution line

we have had this in internal playtest, it gets old fairly quickly and you start thinking, why can't I just spawn on the earth.

I like it as a once per battle thing, maybe with a special module or suit, to claim objectives.

It's still on the list

I agree. I would love to see the competition come raining down from the sky, unable to do anything as they land within killing distance of me.

Great concept but the only way it'd ever work is if they had perfect cloaking on the way down. Otherwise you're just giving people a 5-10 second window to spot them falling from across the map.

Drop pods should be a vehicle. That cost Isk and have 1 use. Spawn in your RL, call your drop pod, get in, blast off to some point on the map.

You know -- like the old old school trailer.

It makes more sense for when you get redlined. when that happens and you're getting farmed an orbital drop makes more sense than trying to push through an execution line

Its a self piloted dropship for 1 person xD. Though that would work really well as long as you can not get shot in your red line (happens all the time). We kinda need the red line to be a force field to prevent spawn camping. I'm surprised the MCC can't generate a safe zone force field.

also if that was made the enemy would need a counter of some sorts. an AA Installation(they cost isk) that the enemy can call down so you can't drop right on top of them. So you can drop off to the side of them and flank but not bomb rush them with heavies.

I want to Deep Strike those Minmatar heathens........ wait no....not "that" kind of Deep Strike.....I-I mean the kinda with the terminators and the Thunder Hammers and Stormshields.