Argo Expanded

[Justin Kase]

Would love to see some additional elements added to the Argo to reflect some of the other aspects of the BT game.

Please give us some AeroSpace Bays, I mean, they are already there, and I'm sure Dr Murad and her team could get those bays running again! This could also open up some other possibilities.

Could even gate these behind the Structure and Power being at level 3, and/or only allow the Support Crew items to be available once Gamma Pod is up and running - making these more end-game perks.

Also, for the interface, it would be really nice if the Upgrade in Progress lit up a different color (maybe bluish?)

My suggestion would be to add something like an Auxiliary Support branch:
Aerospace Bays

• Level 1 Aero - gives us some new events, or options in some existing events (like when the pirates try to rob you)
• Level 2 Aero - gives us access to strafing run in game. Or, if we are not there yet, maybe it can be used as a variable for Air Superiority in missions giving us some other advantage, possibly changing the composition of the enemy or applying a debuff on them.
• Level * Cargo Shuttle - Gives access to the Support sub menu. Cargo shuttle could also give some events allowing for some 'delivery' missions. Where it sets a flag when you take the mission, and once you arrive at the target system you get your Credits. Or, you choose to double cross and then maybe lose Rep on that faction. Could even make it risky with Black Market deliveries and a chance of being caught.

Support

• Salvage Crew - Give us a bonus on the salvage roll or choices, better chances on the random draw. Or maybe just up the secondary salvage value by +1
• Recon/Spotter Crew - Could reduce Fog of War, or add to LOS for the scenario.
• MASH Crew - This would give some additional bonuses for character survival chances (like the last level of Personnel & Medical), since this team would be in the Combat Zone or on the Leopard ready to assist or evac the wounded pilots.

I'd love to also see things like:

• Vehicle Bay - give up to 2 friendly AI vehicles that land (you pick the Vees from your stock, the AI controls them)
• Artillery - Similar to Air Strike / Strafe, but do AoE damage. Would also be nice for taking out a building.
• Infantry - (though this is a whole new ball of yarn)
• Armaments - Activate the Argo armaments, this could also be helpful in the pirate event, or in other events.

Here is a rough screen shot along the lines of what I was thinking (includes the Aerospace Bays, Support and Blue Highlighted Upgrade in Progress)

Thanks for taking the time to review!

 

[Werecat101]

oh i dont want it to fight....just defend itself against meteors, debris, pirates etc.
i mean we keep getting hit on by pirates because well we look like easy pickings...
but a couple of aerospace fighters and a ppc in the nose and a couple of larger lasers on side...just basic stuff that can sting enough to make em think twice.
heck the Leopard isnt designed to fight just drop mechs and it has alot of armament.

"The Leopard has an impressive weapons loadout for such a small DropShip, most useful to defend against aerospace fighters. It can be easily overwhelmed, however, if swarmed. While it does count on three Long Range Missile racks for heavy hitting, two PPCs, five Large Lasers, and seven Medium Lasers give it more than enough combat capability when its munitions run out."

All space ships of this kind, military or not would have the requirements for long distance space travel, micro meteors and larger space debris would always be a problem so yes you would have defenses but they wouldn't be offensive and would probably be automated.

 

[Icewraith]

All Jumpships and Dropships, even civilian ones, have micrometeor defenses. The Invader class jump ship is notable for actually mounting large lasers/PPCs to supplement those defenses. However if you’re dealing with attackers desperate or fanatical enough to shoot at a jump ship you have really big problems.

The Invader’s weapons almost never get used on maneuvering targets unless it’s already being shot at, or unless the attacking force is so puny or ramshackle (or damaged) that the targets will disintegrate before returning fire. In all but the most dire circumstances they represent 10-14 tons of wasted cargo space, and even in those circumstances they offer a very slight deterrent.

 

[BARBOSA (Aries)]

I know it´ll never happen, as i´d require to re-do animation. But what i really wanted is a compact K-F drive installed on the Argo

Weaponry would be nice though. Even civilian dropships like the Mule have some teeth.

 

[The Shadowhawke]

I've long felt we should more upgrade option for the ship; the list of suggestions you offered are all sound...and, a second UI page to do upgrades to the Leopard dropship.

As for the idea of a recon unit, I like that, especially given the level of 'intelligence' by our XO is pretty shoddy much of the time.

The Leopard certainly has the capacity to store and roll out a couple Swift Wind scout cars, which could be used as a quick battlefield analysis tool. Not a player-controlled unit, as we're limited to four controllable units, but rather, a unit that we select a map location for to drive to, and gives us information on that area as if we had line of sight.

 

[AngeliDiAvanti]

Would love to see some additional elements added to the Argo to reflect some of the other aspects of the BT game.

Please give us some AeroSpace Bays, I mean, they are already there, and I'm sure Dr Murad and her team could get those bays running again! This could also open up some other possibilities.

Aerospace Bays

• Level 1 Aero - gives us some new events, or options in some existing events (like when the pirates try to rob you)
• Level 2 Aero - gives us access to strafing run in game. Or, if we are not there yet, maybe it can be used as a variable for Air Superiority in missions giving us some other advantage, possibly changing the composition of the enemy or applying a debuff on them.
• Level * Cargo Shuttle - Gives access to the Support sub menu. Cargo shuttle could also give some events allowing for some 'delivery' missions. Where it sets a flag when you take the mission, and once you arrive at the target system you get your Credits. Or, you choose to double cross and then maybe lose Rep on that faction. Could even make it risky with Black Market deliveries and a chance of being caught.

Very, very bad idea.

As much as I would love to see Aerotech added, it would significantly alter the whole gameplay.

Because if the hero gets Aerospace, then the villain also must get Aerospace or else the story sucks. (As a famous fanfic-author once said "If Harry Potter gets a Lightsaber, then Voldemort gets a Deathstar.")

And can you imagine the damage opponents could do to you if realistic and fair Aerotech gets added to the game?
* Surprise! Your Mechs just got a strafe-run from opposing Aerospace-fighters.
* Surprise! Here's a random event where opposing Aerospace-fighters attack your Leopard. Also you got a bad roll and your Leopard is damaged now.
* Surprise! This planet has a very strong Aerospace defense. You cannot land there.

And on and on and on.



Adding Aerospace would significantly increase the stakes. The scale would no longer be balanced but would tilt way harder to either the mission being too easy or the mission being too hard. There would be significantly more extremes in the gameplay because the consequences of good rolls and bad rolls would be far more serious.

Before any Aerotech gets added, the devs would have to come up with a system that balances Aero-events and ground-based events in such a way that none renders the other irrelevant.

 

[JibSail]

Very, very bad idea.

As much as I would love to see Aerotech added, it would significantly alter the whole gameplay.

Because if the hero gets Aerospace, then the villain also must get Aerospace or else the story sucks. (As a famous fanfic-author once said "If Harry Potter gets a Lightsaber, then Voldemort gets a Deathstar.")

And can you imagine the damage opponents could do to you if realistic and fair Aerotech gets added to the game?
* Surprise! Your Mechs just got a strafe-run from opposing Aerospace-fighters.
* Surprise! Here's a random event where opposing Aerospace-fighters attack your Leopard. Also you got a bad roll and your Leopard is damaged now.
* Surprise! This planet has a very strong Aerospace defense. You cannot land there.

And on and on and on.



Adding Aerospace would significantly increase the stakes. The scale would no longer be balanced but would tilt way harder to either the mission being too easy or the mission being too hard. There would be significantly more extremes in the gameplay because the consequences of good rolls and bad rolls would be far more serious.

Before any Aerotech gets added, the devs would have to come up with a system that balances Aero-events and ground-based events in such a way that none renders the other irrelevant.

Alternatively you could just call in an air strike, as a Commander ability.

Same as the artillery fire.

No units, just a red zone and then damage.

 

[Justin Kase]

Alternatively you could just call in an air strike, as a Commander ability.

Same as the artillery fire.

No units, just a red zone and then damage.

I was envisioning it more in this manner - call in a strafing run/artillery barrage/spotting plane/etc.

I would also expect it to be another tool used against me by the AI in Flashpoints and Missions.

It would add new elements to the game, but it could also be a toggled option to keep the difficulty down if needed.

But, even adding in events that link to the AeroSpace bays would be a nice first step in the right direction