Balance: ESF Loadout Change

[ChipMHazard]

ESF frame and loadout restriction
I want to move the ESFs away from being multirole combat aircrafts and instead become more specialized into specific roles. One way that this might be done would be to tie the ESF’s primary and secondary loadout choices to specific airframes. Could even go a step further and further define each airframe by adding in more profound bonuses and possibly weaknesses.
Basically the idea behind this is to make is a real choice as to which kind of ESF you want to fly instead of being able to fulfill every role.

This is just a rough idea and I haven't gone into great detail with it. Any feedback, on whether or not something like this is just a bad idea or if it could work in some shape or form, would be appreciated.

Got any other ideas about how to change the ESF weapons to make the choices more profound and specialized? Share em.

Interceptor

• Rename the Racer High Speed Airframe into Interceptor Airframe.
• The Interceptor Airframe will focus on dealing with enemy Liberators, Galaxies and even ESFs that are far away.
• The same type of boost will still apply i.e. the interceptor focusing on speed and ability to climb faster than other ESFs. Possible weakness might be a reduced turning speed or otherwise making the interceptor less effective in close air to air fights.

Loadouts allowed on the interceptor

• Default nose gun as well as the A2A variant (Rotary and Hailstorm).
• Long/medium range A2A missiles. (Some balancing would of course have to be made to make sure air to air doesn’t become dominated by A2A lockons, again. Perhaps requiring the interceptor to keep a lock on until the missile hits.)
• “Torpedo” like missiles, basically the Jackhammer from Starlancer. (On the AGN, Higby talked about the possibility of changing the current A2A missiles into slower moving but harder hitting torpedo like weapons that are designed to take out Liberators and Galaxies.
• Will not be able to carry any rockets or any other type of A2G weapons.
• Will be able to carry the External Afterburner Fuel Tanks. (Since most would not actually be using this over A2A missiles give the interceptor a higher fuel capacity by default, either make it as good as the actual fuel tanks or worse.)

Cert specialization for the interceptor

• Allow the interceptor to equip an improved radar dish. (Alternatively make the scout radar an interceptor only cert).

Striker

• Rename the Hover Stability Airframe into Striker/Ground Attack Airframe.
• The role of the strike ESF will be to primarily deal with ground targets.
• The same type of boost will still apply. Possible weakness could be less afterburner fuel or a bit less overall speed/acceleration.

Loadouts allowed for the striker

• Default nose gun and the A2G variant (Banshee, Light PPA and the Mustang [Not sure about the Mustang as it’s more of an A2A weapon, would need to make a new A2G weapon for the Reaver])
• Rocket pods, anti-tank missiles etc. (Anything relating to taking out ground targets.)
• Will not be able to carry any A2A missiles of any type.
• Will not be able to carry External Afterburner Fuel Tanks.

Cert specialization for the strike aircraft

• Jammer: An improved version of the vehicle stealth.
• Make composite armour a striker exclusive, while also improving it?

Air Superiority Fighter (ASF)

• Rename the Dogfighter Airframe into Air Superiority Fighter Airframe or just leave it as it is, doesn’t make much of a difference as the both terms fit the role.
• The main role of the ASF will be to deal with other ESFs.
• The same boost will still apply. Not sure about adding in any weaknesses.

Loadouts allowed for the ASF

• Default nose gun and A2A variant. (Rotary, Hailstorm and the Mustang)
• No A2G weapons beyond the nose gun, or very limited choice.
• Semi tracking A2A/A2G short range rockets: Fast to lock on, but not very accurate in its tracking which would make them easy’ish to evade.
• Aerial rockets: Short range dumbfire rocket, very fast but starts flying off after a certain distance.
• Fire-and-forget missiles: Doesn’t require a lock on, short range tracking, low damage.
• Will be able to carry the External Afterburner Fuel Tanks.

Cert specialization for the ASF

• Improved flares.

[Whiteagle]

Well I don't know...

Limiting Weapon Load-outs based on Air Frame sounds good in theory...
...But I'm not sure about the other Vehicle Slots.

For instance, I actually run Composite Armor on my A2A Mossy, because more often then not I can just pop my flairs for Lock-ons leaving Nose Guns and Flak the biggest threat.

But while we are on the subject, could we use this thread to discuss the changes to ESF Secondaries?

Specifically, I'm kind of weary of Higby's mentioning of Lock-on Anti-Tank Missiles...

[ChipMHazard]

Originally Posted by Whiteagle

...But I'm not sure about the other Vehicle Slots.

For instance, I actually run Composite Armor on my A2A Mossy, because more often then not I can just pop my flairs for Lock-ons leaving Nose Guns and Flak the biggest threat.

But while we are on the subject, could we use this thread to discuss the changes to ESF Secondaries?

Specifically, I'm kind of weary of Higby's mentioning of Lock-on Anti-Tank Missiles...

Good point. Composite armour should be universal available.

Sure, why not. The title does kinda lend itself towards that.

Aye, same here. I don't think that simply adding in new weapons, and tweaking the A2A missiles a bit, is going to make the ESFs any less multiroll which does seem like what Higby is trying to go for [More specialized ESFs].
A A2G missile would indeed negate an important form of defense for ground vehicles: Terrain. Without actually having a real weakness.
IF they do add in A2G missiles than it would probably have to be a guided missile [Either camera or laser guided], which would mean that the ESF would be vulnerable while guiding the missile to the target.

[Whiteagle]

Originally Posted by ChipMHazard

Good point. Composite armour should be universal available.

Indeed, same with Scout Radar, it's far more useful on a Ground Attack ESF then an A2A one.

Originally Posted by ChipMHazard

Sure, why not. The title does kinda lend itself towards that.

Aye, same here. I don't think that simply adding in new weapons, and tweaking the A2A missiles a bit, is going to make the ESFs any less multiroll which does seem like what Higby is trying to go for [More specialized ESFs].
A A2G missile would indeed negate an important form of defense for ground vehicles: Terrain. Without actually having a real weakness.
IF they do add in A2G missiles than it would probably have to be a guided missile [Either camera or laser guided], which would mean that the ESF would be vulnerable while guiding the missile to the target.

Eh, Player Guided Air-to-Ground sounds a bit too risky for an ESF...
I mean you'd have to use the same controls for Camera Guidance as your default Aircraft pitch and roll while Reticle Guidance would have Aircraft bobbing and weaving all over the place.

I'd much rather put such a Missile, or better yet a Camera Guided BOMB, on a Fighter Bomber Liberator Variant I call the Redeemer.

Instead I'd uses these new Anti-Vehicle Secondaries to add some more faction flavor to ESF.
So the NC would have a hard hitting Lock-on HEAT Missile that takes a little while to acquire its target, while the TR would get fast firing Kinetic Penetrator Rockets that do decent direct damage but have no splash what-so-ever.
I'm also wondering if it's possible for the VS to get some sort of sustained fire Anti-Vehicle Laser/Maser, which does small but rapid ticks of damage to anything to slow to get out from under the beam.

[ChipMHazard]

True, a camera guided missile would be better suited for the Liberator or another aircraft that has more than one person in it.
A laser guided missile/bomb might still work without presenting too much of a risk to the pilot, as long as said pilot doesn't just hover in one place and thus becoming Buster chow. Perhaps a more lenient approach to keeping the target painted might work, like allowing for the reticule to simply be close'ish to the target to make sure the weapon hits?

I would certainly like to see some empire specific flavour added to the secondary weapon choices and giving the VS a beam weapon would be very interesting indeed.