Forgive the poll guys, this is so I can tell if people like or hate the idea. If this idea gets enough support, I'm going to draw out some concept art. If it gets blown apart and crashes to the ground, I'm saving myself some time. Thus, the poll.
The idea is this -
Add in variable aircraft, about the mass of a Liberator or slightly bigger/smaller, that can transform into a walker that allows it to use more ground based heavier weapons. Slower than fighters, with the fighting strength of a Lightning. Rather expensive.
What this means - Imagine a Reaver with legs but gun arms instead of hoards of rocket pods. Less power, more versatility.
Pros -
It is a mobile weapon platform.
It can fly and deploy for quickly reinforcing and assaulting enemy positions.
It is sturdy, with the armor near that of a Lightning.
It has powerful but limited ground weapons, but only in the form of guns.
It can be modded to increase speed for armor and vice versa.
The ground gun arms can be modded separated into AI or AV type variants.
Cons -
Weak air-to-air capabilities.
It cannot carry lock on missiles as a result of their bulk.
It cannot use it's heavier secondary weapons in air mode. It must deploy.
It is much slower in aerial mode than fighter craft.
It is very expensive.
No Anti Air Weapons, relies on a fighter's main gun.
High Vertical Visibility means getting hit easier.
I already have concept sketches for the NC and TR Variable Fighters. NC is cheaper, so they actually use a Reaver in the creation of it. The TR is based on the Mosquito but is it's own craft, looking much tougher and refined. The VS has been in my head a while but I haven't successfully drawn out a concept good enough yet. All concepts include an over head to show how the legs and gun arms transform back in to form an aircraft.
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And now for a bit heavier discussion to further explain it and why it's not a bad idea.
This concept has been in my head for several months now. It came to me when I was thinking about how someone had to be drunk when thinking up the original BFRs, giving a single man ungodly power and letting hundreds do it at once in and infantry and lighter vehicle war. It was terrible as you all should remember. But the concept was kinda cool... but all it was, was "Robot". So, I was thinking on the term "Battle Frame Robotics". A REALLY cool sounding phrase, but I then though, it had to mean something more. So I then decided that Battle Frames sound more like a fighter craft word with a bit of robotics in there. Basically like Veritech fighters from Macross/Robotech in their guardian form (half jet, half robot).
The function of Variable Fighters is basically a sort of VTOL land vehicle. It's like an expensive lightning, but with more varied weaponry over more powerful weapons. Much more maneuverable than land vehicle, but slower than a lightning on the ground, and slower than most aircraft in the sky. It's a clunky and difficult aircraft, and strange land vehicle.
The effectiveness of it is that it is a quick response land vehicle. A tank must go around a gorge, or follow a road among trees, find a road up a mountain. A Variable Fighter can just fly over and assist. The high cost for it's power keep it from being something seen too often.
Weapon Systems - Rather a simple concept for it. It carries a main gun, usable in fighter mode, and two variable weapon arms, usable only in land mode. So, while it always has the main machine gun of a fighter, it has 2 MAX-like alternating weapons that can be fired alternatively or together and may be modded to fit AI or AV roles.
Due to it's odd function as a hybrid, it carries no AA weapons, forcing the user to engage in MG dog fights or week safety with allies or inside locations that fights have a problem flying into.
In the end, the vehicle is a clunky mix of MAX, Lightning, and Aircraft. It's not better at any role (actually worse), but it can serve much more, is more logistically mobile, and can assist allies sooner. This is what a Battle Frame should be.
(Also, due note someone has had a similar idea back in 2011, but it was all about the old BFR mindset. I want to change the concept of BFR to be balanced and fit in the game, not be a game breaker)
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