Encouraging Field Fights - 2016

Introduction

Field fights are often the best fights the game has to offer – dynamic, different and involving all roles and types of vehicle. However these battles are fragile and scarce, requiring very precise conditions to start and end all too easily. The addition of construction has given us some reason to get out in the field but this aspect is the game is utterly ignored by many for a variety of reasons.

However we can add and improve the game to make these fights start more often and are more difficult to end.

This comes down to three factors:

1. Reason to fight there

2. Able to fight there

3. Able to spawn there

Reason to fight

Currently there is little reason to fight in the space between bases as all that really matters is capture points strategically, and if all you care about are kills then in the field is not where you will find them currently. As we saw with the Galaxy AMS and long range spawn beacons field fights were often totally ignored if you could get to a base easily. What we need is a reason to fight in the field beyond simply protecting attacking Sunderers. Construction has not given us this yet, as often HIVEs are ignored due to lack of messaging and difficulty taking entrenched bases with even only a handful of defenders because of AI and repair modules.

Suggestions:

· Put VP score on the HUD or TAB screen (see separate image)

· Adjust construction AI and repair modules so that more defenders are needed to man defences effectively

· More objectives in the field (eg vehicle cap points, random buildings, big cortium deposits, etc)

· CTF mechanics (see separate image)

· Territories need resources – delivered via ANT (see separate images)

Able to fight

Right now it is also difficult to fight in the field as aircraft dominate infantry until the infantry pull AA and deny the whole area to aircraft, and vehicles often get taken apart at long range by either infantry or AP tanks hiding on the edge of the field. All too easily does it go from a great fight to an unbalanced slaughter.

Suggestions:

· Reduce long range AV effectiveness

· Reduce long range G2A effectiveness while retaining or buffing close range effectiveness

· Quick defences able to be deployed – current constructions take too long to get prepared and set up (see separate image)

· Atlas Assault Vehicle – mobile cover (see separate image)

Able to spawn

No one is going to set up Sunderers away from the front line as backups. We need other solid options that can either be deployed when the sunderers get blown up, and whether players are a squad leader or not.

Suggestions:

· Hard spawns in the world (eg PS1 towers, see separate image)

· Engineer and medic spawn points (see separate image)

· Sunderer drop for SLs (with various restrictions, see separate image)

· Steel rain option for SLs (see separate image)