I've been playing around with how ammo is drawn and got a rough outline. I've got an alright handle on it but could always use 3rd party confirmation. Here's what I got so far:
In the following screenshots, I have created two SHD-2Ds with 16 SRM tubes and 2t of ammo, one in each arm. There are also some Heat Sinks in the arms, placed before the ammo. One variant has the RA ammo bin placed first. I fired some shots and lost that RA. All of these screens below are after SRMs have been fired at least once, but not enough to deplete a entire bin unless noted.
Here is one with the LA ammo bin placed first:
What we see is both of these designs have different amounts of ammo remaining, one a full bin and one partially expended. The "RA First" model had the ammo in the RA placed before the LA, and the LA First model the opposite. This shows the first bin placed is the first used. You can also try this between any locations and get the same results.
So, now comes the finer points. What exactly does or doesn't move an item down the list?
RA Heat Sink moved inside of RA. This moves the SRM ammo up one slot in the lab, will it make the RA ammo that was first now last?
No, not in this case.
What about if I added another item in to the RA?
Nope, still drawing from the RA and leaving the LA bin full.
What if I clicked and dragged the RA bin, lifted it out of the location and without putting it anywhere else, placed it back inside the exact same slot in the RA? It didn't really go anywhere right?
Look at that, my LA bin is now feeding first. It seems removing the bin and placing it back takes it off the list at removal and then puts it back in the list at the bottom.
You can also confirm this with the stock designs by checking their .json files. Take a KTO and fire some SRMs then lose the LT, you will be left with full bins in the RT as the LT is higher (thus "older") in the inventory array defined in the file.
All of this could use another set of eyes to confirm what I've got and see if there are some odd edge cases like Head ammo vs CT vs Leg and etc. So far I haven't found an exception to this ordering.
That's nice, why should I care?
Here's where this is useful. You got 3t of LRM ammo in your CN9 missile boat spread across both legs? Put the first bin in the RL and then the other two in the LL. This lets you deadside with the Right as the RL ammo bin will reach under half full (bin less than half don't explode, just get destroyed) well before your LRM boat gets seriously hurt.
Got a KGC with a lot of AC/20 or LRM ammo? Maybe try putting the very first bin in the CT. It will be very well protected (from the front) and with the AC/20, the CT will be "safed" from explosion after firing just 3 rounds of the AC/20s and empty in 5.
You can also make sure ammo in the more vulnerable arms is drawn first vs other locations. For stock PvP, you can use this knowledge to take out full enemy bins and present your empties and the list goes on. Use this to your advantage.
EDIT: Used this knowledge to form a possible way to have CASE still be useful once we get it.
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/case-implementation-suggestion.1138986/
- 'Mechs have an "inventory" array (think of a list) that defines all their equipped items, like ammo
- Ammo is drawn from a single bin until empty
- Ammo bins are drawn from the "top" or "oldest" entry in the array until depleted
- New ammo bins added are added at "the bottom of the list"
- Moving an ammo bin moves that bin to the bottom of the list, even placing it back in the same slot counts *
- Moving items inside the location, but not touching the ammo bin does not affect the bin's hierarchy in the list *
In the following screenshots, I have created two SHD-2Ds with 16 SRM tubes and 2t of ammo, one in each arm. There are also some Heat Sinks in the arms, placed before the ammo. One variant has the RA ammo bin placed first. I fired some shots and lost that RA. All of these screens below are after SRMs have been fired at least once, but not enough to deplete a entire bin unless noted.
Here is one with the LA ammo bin placed first:
What we see is both of these designs have different amounts of ammo remaining, one a full bin and one partially expended. The "RA First" model had the ammo in the RA placed before the LA, and the LA First model the opposite. This shows the first bin placed is the first used. You can also try this between any locations and get the same results.
So, now comes the finer points. What exactly does or doesn't move an item down the list?
RA Heat Sink moved inside of RA. This moves the SRM ammo up one slot in the lab, will it make the RA ammo that was first now last?
No, not in this case.
What about if I added another item in to the RA?
Nope, still drawing from the RA and leaving the LA bin full.
What if I clicked and dragged the RA bin, lifted it out of the location and without putting it anywhere else, placed it back inside the exact same slot in the RA? It didn't really go anywhere right?
Look at that, my LA bin is now feeding first. It seems removing the bin and placing it back takes it off the list at removal and then puts it back in the list at the bottom.
You can also confirm this with the stock designs by checking their .json files. Take a KTO and fire some SRMs then lose the LT, you will be left with full bins in the RT as the LT is higher (thus "older") in the inventory array defined in the file.
All of this could use another set of eyes to confirm what I've got and see if there are some odd edge cases like Head ammo vs CT vs Leg and etc. So far I haven't found an exception to this ordering.
That's nice, why should I care?
Here's where this is useful. You got 3t of LRM ammo in your CN9 missile boat spread across both legs? Put the first bin in the RL and then the other two in the LL. This lets you deadside with the Right as the RL ammo bin will reach under half full (bin less than half don't explode, just get destroyed) well before your LRM boat gets seriously hurt.
Got a KGC with a lot of AC/20 or LRM ammo? Maybe try putting the very first bin in the CT. It will be very well protected (from the front) and with the AC/20, the CT will be "safed" from explosion after firing just 3 rounds of the AC/20s and empty in 5.
You can also make sure ammo in the more vulnerable arms is drawn first vs other locations. For stock PvP, you can use this knowledge to take out full enemy bins and present your empties and the list goes on. Use this to your advantage.
EDIT: Used this knowledge to form a possible way to have CASE still be useful once we get it.
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/case-implementation-suggestion.1138986/
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