Improvement: Engineer - Fortifications (Mini Bunkers, Base Type Ground Turrets, ect)

[Zekeen]

For those of you brave enough to look at yet another "engineer get this or that" thread, I applaud you and hope to not disappoint.

This idea is not to create a new role, or give extra power to the engineer, but provide a more varied capability without breaking balance. These ideas are to allow an engineer to work more toward base preparation and defense and to hold the rear line, rather than rapid placement for immediate enemy destruction.


Grant Engineers to use of an Enhanced Deployment Device, EDD, which allows the placement of larger fortifications at a cost similar to light vehicles and a requirement of building before construction finishes.

How the EDD works - The engineer selects the device to carry on their character. It costs resources like a grenade, but much higher in cost. When used, this device places a smaller platform in front of the engineer and allows the engineer to select the blueprint, at a cost, to build. Once a blueprint is selected, the Platform extends into the shape of the base of the fortification desired and requires nanite injection (from the repair tool) and takes a set amount of nanites over a period (build time/ engineers injecting). Once completed the platform uses the injected nanites ot immediately form the fortification desired, ready for battle. (Please note that the EDD cannot be built on steep inclines and needs a somewhat relatively flat area to be constructed).


Fortifications Deployable by the EDD -

Bunkers - This is nothing more than a simple armored bunker too allow allies to fire from within under a somewhat durable protection. The structure is very protective from AA and AI fire, but can be demolished by successive AV fire. Once placed, a percentage of experience from soldiers inside is given to the engineer who placed it. These bunkers are not big, but small little emplacements to allow 3-5 soldiers to fire from, not a whole squad or outfit, just a small band. Multiple can be placed due to the size.

Heavy Turret(AKA - buildable base turrets) - Rather than a simple mana turret, the turrets placed are the same category as base defense turrets. This makes them quite a deal more protective and damaging, but less so than a heavy vehicle. These can be set up to allow allied infantry to use, with a percentage of experience going to the engineer. They can be setup with AI, AA, or AV weapon sets.

Below is some of the concept art from the Planetside 2 defense turrets the devs released. This is just so everyone understands that I do no mean overpowered turrets, but the same type, class, and maybe even look as base defense turrets.




Barricades - Rather than something to hide inside, like a Bunker, these are simpler, cheap, and much quicker to build, with different types and costs. The Barricade is mostly a long, short concrete wall, for infantry to hide behind and fire over. They do not offer the protection that a Bunker does, giving no air cover at all, but are much easier to deploy and useful for slowing down vehicle movements.

Light Barricade - Easily blown apart by AV weaponry, Main Battle Tanks can run right over them.

Medium Barricade - Takes a descent amount of damage, can be run over by a full speed Sunderer, but tanks will get caused damage and require a few rams to break though.

Heavy Barricade - Costly in time and resources, takes loads of punishment and requires repeated ramming to run over, causing repercussion damage to anything that tries to do so.



Final Notes - Just so you guys understand, here is a quick set of information to understand how I think this can be balanced. For the record, nothing here would make a soldier more powerful than a vehicle, this allows troops to build fortification at the cost of a vehicle that would be more along the lines of a light vehicle in power. Here's some facts on the weaknesses and balance facts of these fortifications.

ALL EDD deployments disintegrate after a set period of time (generally an hour).

Engineers are limited to the number of deployments they can have out at once. There is no limit to the empire or area, as each is costly like a vehicle and is the same as if a vehicle outfit was deployed... just weaker.

Taking an EDD into combat costs a hefty count of resources, in order to prevent someone having them 24/7 and deploying when the chance arises. You take it out when you want to deploy, not every time.

All EDD deployments require resources that resemble the cost of a vehicle.

The Heavy Turrets are heavy compared to the Mana Turret engineers can already deploy, not actual "heavy turrets". They are just like a base turret, acting as a form of stationary vehicle easily defeated by a MBT.

The Turret can be locked like a vehicle by the engineer, so he alone can man it.

The use of the Heavy Turret is the diversity and allowing the engineer to place heavier firepower on the field for a battle, and for deployment of AA in less vehicle friendly zones.

Bunkers will be able to be blown apart to kill the occupants when it blows, as it will crush them when it caves in.

Due to Nanite interference, EDD deployables cannot be built within the vicinity of a base. They can be built on the outskirts, but not inside the perimeter (this prevent spam inside the close combat zone and greifing friendly vehicles with barricades.)



Just a summary for those who didn't quite get it - This allows engineers to place base turrets, bunkers, and cement barricades out in the field at a vehicular cost when placed and requiring time to build it with the repair tool. When destroyed, canceled by the engineer, or an hour passes, they're gone. Turrets are just liek base turrets and no match for a medium or heavy vehicle.

[Red Beard]

I'm sure this is the kind of thing that the devs are going to want to do when they start sandboxing...personally I think it's really cool because it could potentially be like playing an entire RTS in the first person; except in a persistent world!

[Zekeen]

Originally Posted by Red Beard

I'm sure this is the kind of thing that the devs are going to want to do when they start sandboxing...personally I think it's really cool because it could potentially be like playing an entire RTS in the first person; except in a persistent world!

That's where all the ideas came from anyways. I figure it can be very balanced with cost and time to create, so we don't have people building em as fast as deploying a mana turret, no surprise heavy turrets to the rear.