[Wishlist] Enemy Manned Spotlights, MG Nests/Technicals & Flares in the Sky!

[GODSPEED]

MG NEST
I remember my first MG nest encounter on the starting island.

Was really excited!! Thought it was going to be a real strategy nightmare... hum.. then I realized it was empty. 😕

I'm not certain if this is the case with MOST of the MG nests, but each mg next I come across is not manned (maybe just my luck?). Just sits in an ideal and pretty easy spot to get to. Feels a little too cheesy and easy to get to.


SPOTLIGHTS
When I first noticed the spotlights, I also thought this was going to add considerable challenge. Thinking, maybe your first stealth kill would be to take out that spotlight. No interaction possible.
And kind of wished they would be manned for them to actually function at "rotating", or else they would only be stuck in one direction.


SKY FLARES
Those things aside, something I would like to see the enemy and the team be able to use are those flares that are launched up high to illuminate (poorly) a large area. Assaulting outposts should be an absolute challenge. Seeing them launch that type of flare high up over a large area would make it feel pretty intense. Doesn't have to be dramatic like making it daylight.. but just something to make you think twice about your position, as you mercs wouldn't be in "darkness" anymore. Maybe kind of a "half-darkness" buff/debuff.


TECHNICALS
The game already has some pretty incredible looking vehicles. Would def like to see some emplacements with manned MG mounted on technicals. Something to provide very limited placement possibility; so an enemy mounted on a technical, can either shoot or move just a little bit (turn and face another direction).

[Solaris_Wave]

Excellent ideas! One of those I asked Haemimont in recent Developer Diaries, whether they would be in the game (the spotlights). Sadly not, but they did acknowledge them as good ideas.

[MateKiddleton]

Yep really wish you could take out the spotlights

[Skaldy]

39 minutes ago, MateKiddleton said:

Yep really wish you could take out the spotlights

solutions are even build into the game physics and mechanics:

Free aim is a thing in this game.

SO is stealth and silencers.

But apparently cutting off logical features from basic game counts as "difficulty challenge" for lazy developing.

Edited July 22, 2023 by Skaldy

[Melliores]

Manned spotlights are included in the game - in the first Outpost in fort L'eau Bleu, the guard tower at the main entrance has a soldier that move the spotlight almost in a half circle. It almost felt like I was playing the Commandos games. You can not attack the spotlight itself though, I tried. 🙂

 

Emplaced Machine guns nest can be used by the AI, however if you favour the stealth approach, they will never get to them. Makes sense - no need to shoot at something that you do not know it is there.

 

I have never seen them use flare guns and would be very happy if they do, especially to spot snipers.

I am not sure that mounting anything on a vehicle is a good idea in this game - they catch fire easily and can explode in a turn or two.

[Skaldy]

5 minutes ago, Melliores said:

Manned spotlights are included in the game - in the first Outpost in fort L'eau Bleu, the guard tower at the main entrance has a soldier that move the spotlight almost in a half circle. It almost felt like I was playing the Commandos games. You can not attack the spotlight itself though, I tried. 🙂

 

Emplaced Machine guns nest can be used by the AI, however if you favour the stealth approach, they will never get to them. Makes sense - no need to shoot at something that you do not know it is there.

 

I have never seen them use flare guns and would be very happy if they do, especially to spot snipers.

I am not sure that mounting anything on a vehicle is a good idea in this game - they catch fire easily and can explode in a turn or two.

that flare gun thing always bothered me, since AI uses hand held flares when they are patrolling the map. Since AI cant hear very well, no one bothered with implementing counter measures for sniper heavy teams.

[Solaris_Wave]

Can your mercs use the mounted MG emplacements and if so, do they have a fixed arc or can they rotated towards any direction? I am thinking that if an emplacement is always facing the direction your mercs enter from, can they be commandeered and then faced towards the enemy who might possibly be somewhere behind it.

Of course, none of that matters if you can't use the MG emplacements and if not, why not?

Edited July 22, 2023 by Solaris_Wave

[Skaldy]

Just now, Solaris_Wave said:

Can your mercs use the mounted MG emplacements and if so, do they have a fixed arc or can they rotated towards any direction? I am thinking that if an emplacement is always facing the direction your mercs enter from, can they be commandeered and then faced towards the enemy who might possibly be somewhere behind it.

Of course, none of that matters if you can't use the MG emplacements and if not, why not?

yes mercs can use mounted mgs, even one of the earliest quest is finding a working mg for a small village. MG has fixed arc, cant be rotated. Unlimited ammo and benefits of fixed, stable accuracy bonuses like bipod

[GODSPEED]

14 hours ago, Skaldy said:

yes mercs can use mounted mgs, even one of the earliest quest is finding a working mg for a small village. MG has fixed arc, cant be rotated. Unlimited ammo and benefits of fixed, stable accuracy bonuses like bipod

Yep... the "problem" with manned MG's is that if you happen to get one and enemies are nearby... it seems to have unlimited interrupts.

I find it too bad they haven't made better use of them when you are assaulting outposts. Every MG should be manned and placed in a way to make combat a nightmare for YOUR team. .50's from Heavy MG's will render cover useless. Too many "easy" entry points into outposts that feels designed to make it "easier" for you. Range should be extended, and only smoke, land cover (heavy large rocks) should provide proper cover.

I want outposts to feel like a real feat to capture! So far, they don't feel all that different from normal battles.


I like the idea of having outposts removing fog of war around them.. although I've yet to notice if it really matters. I would have preferred seeing assault squads coming from cities/camps that the enemy owns.

[Skaldy]

14 hours ago, GODSPEED said:

Yep... the "problem" with manned MG's is that if you happen to get one and enemies are nearby... it seems to have unlimited interrupts.

I find it too bad they haven't made better use of them when you are assaulting outposts. Every MG should be manned and placed in a way to make combat a nightmare for YOUR team. .50's from Heavy MG's will render cover useless. Too many "easy" entry points into outposts that feels designed to make it "easier" for you. Range should be extended, and only smoke, land cover (heavy large rocks) should provide proper cover.

I want outposts to feel like a real feat to capture! So far, they don't feel all that different from normal battles.


I like the idea of having outposts removing fog of war around them.. although I've yet to notice if it really matters. I would have preferred seeing assault squads coming from cities/camps that the enemy owns.

I agree, outpost feels like easy. About enemy mounted MGs, first outpost you encounter on Ernie Island: MG is broken there, so it is a great detail for set up but that is no excuse to leave that tower empty(no guard on top, no one is trying to fix that MG) so story there is little bit wasted. Would be nice to have some context why guards/enemies do what they do. Can easily add a mechanic enemy complaining about guys using that MG for fun ruined its barrel again. I dont know small things like that feels like missed opportunities. Or i dont know Good Place Prison, we could have enemies conversing about why they are not guarding the entire perimeter to justify easy approaches.

edit: dont get it wrong these narratives exist in some places and very nice touches when it is done. For example Mfunfu Mine, there is a well in a sector adjustant to mine. If you investigate and wait there some enemies come from mine to take water and you can thin out enemies in that mine

Edited July 23, 2023 by Skaldy