Improvement: Advanced Engineering Vehicle

[Xyntech]

Replace the ANT with a more multi-purpose utility vehicle, the Advanced Engineering Vehicle, or AEV. Much like the ANT, everyone can still pull it to recharge NTU's, but only high level engineers will gain access to some of it's more interesting features.

Accelerated repairing of vehicles:
With the right modification installed, the AEV will boost the effectiveness of every glue gun within a small radius of the vehicle. The AEV will have no repair features of it's own, meaning that vulnerable infantry will still have to climb out of vehicles to make repairs, but while within the influence of the AEV they will be able to repair damage at anywhere between twice and four times as fast (depending on play testing). This will still make them good places to repair near, as you will spend less time outside your vehicles where you are open to surprise attacks.

Heavy ACE package:
As an alternative option to the NTU collector, the AEV can be equipped with a much larger version of the ACE. This would be used to make much larger constructions that the engineer would ordinarily be unable to create. Some possibilities are below, although try not to worry to much about any of the suggestions, they are just examples.

- Radar/Sensor stations
- Heavy Anti Infantry machine gun turrets
- Anti Vehicle cannons
- Anti Aircraft batteries
- Artillery pieces
- Spawn tubes
- Infantry equipment terminals
- Easily placed larger mine field patches
- Small pill boxes
- Trenches or low stretches of wall

Any of these, or other possibilities, would be items that you couldn't build without the AEV. Moreover, you would need a new Heavy ACE for every single item you built. If you limited the AEV to carrying one Heavy ACE at a time, it would severely limit how quickly a forward position could be set up. Additionally, the engineer could have further limitations such as only being able to place on gun emplacement at a time, so if they placed an AA battery they wouldn't be able to build an AV cannon or an Artillery piece. Things like mines and trenches could each have their own individual limits on how many could be built.

One important factor would be that you wouldn't be able to reclaim the materials from a structure you built. If you want to build something else, you have to go get a new Heavy ACE. All you can do with existing structures are repair them, disintegrate them, or let them be destroyed.

Mobile rearming:
Another use for the Heavy ACE would be the ability to use the AEV as an ammo truck, to restock any vehicle that you interact with. The Heavy ACE would be consumed entirely no matter how little ammo was given, but it would fully replenish most or all vehicles ammo supply. It would be balanced because the AEV still has to travel back to a base each time it rearms someone. Combined with faster repair times while the AEV is near a glue gun target and you would have a huge new role for players that prefer support roles.

Mobile vehicle customization:
Yet another way to use up that Heavy ACE could be the ability to change which customizations someones vehicle had on it. The AEV would activate the vehicle customization option and then the driver of the vehicle would pick which configuration they wanted to change to. This would allow players to change what their vehicle was specialized for without taking it off of the front lines. Yet again, it would come at the expense of a Heavy ACE and a trip for the AEV back to the base. Double win if you can customize your own vehicle and be able to convert your own Heavy ACE back into an NTU collector again.

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I think that an engineering vehicle could really add some more depth and options to the supporting roles on the battlefield. Some 9deas seem like they would be too large for a lone engineer on foot to construct, but would still be cool to have as options.

All of these constructions could be easily destroyed and once they were blown up, they would be gone for good. The only way to replace them would be to get another Heavy ACE and build a new one.

Rearming vehicles and turrets would provide a bit of a supply line dynamic and provide some choice targets for the enemy to try and attack. Imagine ANT hunting parties, except all over the place, all the time.

If any of the options that I listed sound like they would be overpowered, ignore them, or comment on them as an aside. I'd mostly like to hear what you think about the core idea of a vehicle that expands on the role of an engineer. I don't intend this to replace an engineers ordinary roles and abilities, merely to expand on them.

Edit: One last idea for the AEV which I forgot to post

Minefield clearing:
If the AEV can place minefields much easier than someone on foot, you could counter balance this by giving an AEV an optional minefield clearing attachment. Perhaps it would replace the repair booster slot. Drive (slowly) into a minefield and detonate mines in front of you, just outside their blast radius.

Mines would still be effective, because the AEV wouldn't have the armor to survive a lot of weapons fire, especially considering that it has to drive slowly if it wants to avoid getting blown up by the mines it is clearing.