Re Add Armored Vehicles + More

Development Ideaguys
1

Pros + Features

  • Tank Crews (Commander and Gunner, Loader/Radioman and a driver)
  • Multiple Vehicles to chose from with positives and negatives
  • Giving a greater variety in gameplay
  • Adding to immersion and realism (even though not the main aspect of CM

Cons

  • Being difficult to drive
  • Needing refueling constantly (depending on vehicle type)
  • Requiring a set amount of hours to become a armored crewman and even more if you decide to be a armored commander
  • Being unable to drive on weeds (if in a tracked vehicle)
  • Tech Point cost (making the CIC decide if they really need the vehicles now or later)

Reasoning and description :

I don’t see why these were removed, I really think that this would be a great re-addition. I see that this could be a special thing that people could easily grief with and that’s why this role should be whitelisted or have a long unlock requirement.

I think not only from a gameplay perspective this would be good but from a realistic standpoint, a major armed forces division such as the USCM Falcons don’t deploy armored companies along with vulnerable boots on the ground marines. In a lot of games and movies associated to the Alien universe the USCM deploys with at least a Armored Command Vehicle (Alien, Aliens : Dark Descent, etc.) And if we already have CAS we should have some firepower on the ground other than SADAR.

I wasn’t part of the server when they were around and joined a little after they were removed. I think these could be used to transport wounded and survivors, like they are used in games and movies. I really see a great gameplay and lore opportunity for these vehicles to be re-added.

I do see some division with these being re-added as I have talked to some members about it and some liked it and some didn’t. I think with some tweaking these vehicles could be a load of fun and fair, deployment could follow like specialists and need to be unlocked via the tech tree as well.

I really hope they come back but I see why some people may not like the idea, please feel free to talk to me about it in the comments.

EDITS :

EDIT 1 : I see some people talking about weeds and no turrets, I see some vehicles that could have like a HMG on it but can drive on weeds super slowly and have some other vehicles that have bigger guns but they are tracked and cant drive on weeds.

EDIT 2 : I see more than one vehicle being added instead of just one but have a limit of 2 that can deploy, one with weapons that is tracked and cant drive on weeds and is more for backline defense and then one that is wheeled and can transport troops safely, this one with a HMG or mounted Pulse Rifle

EDIT 3 : I know, a lot of edits but I want to make this information more in your face then having to go through a load of replies. I think having a specialized tanker crew for all vehicles like we have for the Dropships (PO and CC) it would add a sense of realism and fun. If we get them added I think we can all see what needs to change and what needs to be balanced. I really think that after tweaking these things we can not only have a badass thing for marines but a fun goal for xenos to break open every vehicle watching the marines fight for their lives. I really like the idea of having an armored battalion aboard that is ready to deploy when CIC sees fit. Armor would not only help the marines push up into hard fought fronts but also be a downside limiting the speed the marines can get into those (having to wait for the APCs or Tanks to clear the path) and could also give a logistical challenge to the Requisitions staff and CIC staff to supply said tanks and APCs with fuel and ammo.

I don’t think I added a fuel part to the suggestion but having a limit on range of the vehicles making them have to pull off and fuel up at a FOB leaving the marines without a armored squad and having them fight for themselves could make it more fair. Like I said, we really won’t know how to balance these things until we re-add them but I think with time and effort from the community we can make an even more fun and engaging round and server.

EDIT 4 : Made it easier to understand without having to read through the entire thing. AND Changed the title to be more descriptive in what I am talking about (Not just re-adding the vehicles how they were but adding more features)

2 Likes
2

I truly miss vehicles, albeit things like the doctor van being Hugger Remover 9000 was a bit too much in my opinon.

3

Just readd it without hugger removal like FOBdoc now is?>?

*something something too shakey

4

It would 100% work if they just make an armoured van without sentry’s or weapons but just more health and no slowdown on weeds. To transport troops across the field.

I can see this work with echo squad to get them to flank quickly. Maybe even give it the power to demolish wall that aren’t reinforced and window frames.

5

Some people are activly trying to re-add vehicels in a creative way that prevent the problems come up again. Like this.

Its an Armored Vehicel that has only weapons for self defense and is only used by command staff.
And in all honesty, the “used by command staff” and not a tanker crew is what makes this rather work then normal APCs in my opinion.

To be fair, that is my perspective and only one of the problems, but still valid. Playd SO at one of our more “recent” tests with APCs. They been told they where to ferry people to and back from the front during the OP by the XO. We told the driver multipel times there orders again, yet they hugged the cades WITH THE APC, ignored orders and just playd as a big, blocking and mediocre SG. Mind you they barley had any ammo, and mostly flares.

Now, if APC/Tank drivers had more strict rules in terms of mil rp, like SLs and command staff, it migth work. But if the tanker crew is taking orders as serious as Private John USMC, then no. God no. If you play command, you just have to imagine. You would need to manage that something with big guns, isnt used by a random private just to fire the big guns.

So yeah, i dont really belive APC will ever work unless the XO has there hand on the drivers shoulder the whole time.

Edit: I noticed i skipped the point i wanted to make in my frustation.
An APC is a highly tactical tool Command needs full controll over to properly use. If the player operating the Vehicel ignores orders, it can easily sabotage the whole game for marines. So the role that drives the Vehicels, would need stricter rules. Not whitelist, just stricter rules like Command staff has. Or like with the ARC, BE command staff.

6

That’s why I suggested a whitelist or strict requirement (10 hours for SL and Command roles maybe) It could also be split into a armor squad, Crewman and Crew Chief or Commander (like a PO)

I think if they add vehicles back (not just an APC but other armored vehicles) we could decide what needs to change and how they can change them to make them more fun. Vehicles just add a whole new atmosphere to the game and I wish they were here to stay. A lot of people share different opinions and they all are valid. I just hope that for the people that are on the opposing side of this that they realize that it could be great fun for both sides (Xenos and Marines) for the xenos to get a swarm on the Marines and the vehicle being slowly taken apart with the marines fighting for their life adding a sense of roleplay joy I get out of games like Arma and watching movies.

7

“Transformation of the construction area into actually something maybe move the vehicle bay there or a part of it the Almayer is supposed to fucking have 4 MUTT-4M7 Multipurpose Trucks why not put them there? Along with Vehicle crew bunks hell maybe even call in a tank like the old days though they progressively suck as the last Tank event showed an APC would be better. Changing the Old Vehicle Bay area to some box storage” I state again…

Though having RP requirements for the Tank Crew would be nice

8

As discussed in Opinions on how to rework the APC or add other vehicles (you could have necroed my old thread instead of starting a new one, I could turn it into a likefarm), I think it would work better if the vehicles were reworked into something like on civ 13, being basically a block of moving walls and doors which can be entered without delay (as long as the door’s unlocked). This way the vehicle would require support by infantry in order to not get it’s door slashed down and itself rushed. On that topic, maybe even add some system so xenos spitting acid could penetrate the vehicle’s armour using it (maybe so the more damaged the vehicle is, the more damage gets through the armour and injure it’s crew) to allow xenos to disable the vehicle without needing to destroy it complety. As far as I know, the RP requirements for VCs were the same as the SL ones (technically).

Many people also suggested having the vehicle be transport only (there was a PR some time ago removing req’s droppads and replacing them with a truck), but CM’s maps are just too small for transport vehicles to be necessary. From my experience as VC, we mostly transported beno corpses to FOB and maybe one marine every five minutes to the front, but req can basically teleport crates of supplies onto the front, IOs can basically teleport beno corpses aboard the DS and FOB to frontline is even on the bigger maps a two minute walk, however the vehicle could be useful for that so the marines do not get ambushed and killed without anyone noticing. It could work if maps were specially made for vehicle gameplay, but this would basically make the APC required for transporting marines and would leave the USCM at severe disadvantage when it gets destroyed.

As far as I know the main reason for the vehicle removal was them bodyblocking everyone on the frontline and nobody maintaining them, so some dedicated dev would be needed. On the ARC, apparently it was autoclosed a few hours ago, probaly one of the many great PRs that get autoclosed and forgotten. And on the “vehicle gets purchased using techpoints” or “CIC staff has to drive them”, not a big fan of both as the first one would lead to either one VC latejoining ten minutes after the purchase and having to wait for a second one to join or some rifleman would get chosen to use the “how to drive armoured vehicles for dummies”-guide and then driving around on a map he has never played before without fullfilling any playtime requirements. On the latter, I think there should be a dedicated vehicle role and not a “join SO; pray higher-ups buy a vehicle; pray you and not the other deployment-happy SO gets chosen”.

9

Hivelord isn’t the same without being able to wall in the APC and report its location, nothing would make me smile more than seeing marines load 20 bodies into an APC and then get stopped by 1 thick resin wall in time for me to snitch to the queen for her eye on them too and then total panic and slaughter following, it was worth marines having meme holds and taking a few xenos every single time in my opinion.

10

Remember to add snowplows for the vehicles, snow maps would be more fun if you got a good way of clearing snow.

2 Likes
11

Someone mentioned this elsewhere as well, as far as I know (I know, many "as"s) (Probaly in my great Opinions on how to rework the APC or add other vehicles): vehicles could be remade (yes, if you code it) into a more utility role, being able to dig trenches, plow snow as you said, ram down walls (both resin and normal) (as far as I know they were able to instantly delete resin doors, but not walls, funny driving into a beno walline and deleting every door) or quickly remove debris (tables, old crates, these vehicles standing around) from the frontline. The resulting vehicle would ideally be armoured enough to be able to drive to the infantry upon encountering benos (I know, lots of "to"s) while not being able to inflict major damage to the enemys. Also, forgot to mention in my first post, but nice to see even players who haven’t experienced vehicles themselves (or just during events) want them back as well, makes me know it’s not just nostalgy to want them back.

12

I for one did experience vehicles (APC specifically) and I hated them and want them to stay gone.

13

Reasons?

14

Yes, as @pablo_excavator said, gimme reasons. And would you just hate the APC coming back in the state it had pre-removal or vehicles being reworked into other roles.

15

I think I probably should have said “I hated it and want it to stay gone”, I’m not completely opposed to vehicles (I liked the ARC PR before that got staled to death), but I really do not like APC overall, most of my interactions with it were it running me over or bodyblocking me to death (as marine, almost never as xeno), and not having to put an APC gate in every cadeline is nice for the engies too.

1 Like
16

That’s why I advised to remake vehicles into an utility role (I already posted ideas for possible features in one of my former posts), this would atleast solve the “bodyblocked to death on the frontline”-issue while still giving VCs something to do. Focussing solely on transport doesn’t seem to be the right direction for reworking vehicles, as CM’s maps are just too small for transport vehicles to really matter. Edit for @rainbowstalin: Re Add Armored Vehicles + More - #11 by Johannes2262

17

They would need some new form of identity then, since both frontline gun and huggerremover 9000 is just kinda bad.

18

I think the best thing for them would be some kind of Command and Control Platform. That way a CO/XO/SO can deploy with it. Give it a limited range sensor tower, working tacmap, telephone, and maybe the ability to have a built in laser designator and it becomes a mobile CIC.

19

That’s pretty much what the ARC linked above is.

20

Only issues with the ARC I saw was its large and can still be used as a weapon.

Like I said somewhere, remodelling it without any weaponry, making it highly armoured and being able to drive on weeds while retaining VAN property’s. Maybe give it a flare gun that doesn’t require ASRs purchase to refill. And give it 12 seats at the back 1 driver and 1 passenger at the front. Secluding the front from the back like a K9 police vehicle. If we want maybe give it a snow remover on the front during snow rounds.

In short I would much rather prefer an armoured van that is solely based on transporting troops and more of a utility with a sensor tower and flare gun. Than a big brick that can shoot.