Minelayer mini-buff.

Chimpo · Post by **Chimpo** » Fri Mar 17, 2017 10:32 pm

In my view minelayers are a pretty weak, perhaps purposely to prevent cagey games, in any case I welcome the mini buff that friendly units will be able to navigate mine fields (I think I am correct in saying). This will allow better base defence, especially against (fcking) chrono.

The extra mini buff i'd like to see is a blast radius on mine explosions and a little more toughness for the mines so that this doesn't mutually detonate all other mines (or a default wider spacing or both). I think it's reasonable that an anti personel mine should at least hurt if not kill very near infantry. The time it takes to lay 6 mines for a maximum of 6 infantry is currently a bit of a joke.

That is all.

Clockwork · Post by **Clockwork** » Fri Mar 17, 2017 11:54 pm

In the next release, friendlies can navigate the minefields without dying horribly.

Mines are pretty good already if you know how to use them, Hi seems to be a mastermind with them. 2 Minelayers can deny an entire expansion for example my game vs MT https://youtu.be/14i0UcLBQOo?t=4m40s
And a massive minebelt can be devastating for example https://youtu.be/dCgWlTEWRIc?t=20m20s

zinc · Post by **zinc** » Sat Mar 18, 2017 11:13 pm

Wider kill range and the ability to detonate them by clicking on them? So the enemy doesn't actually have to walk over them?

eskimo · Post by **eskimo** » Sun Mar 19, 2017 12:04 pm

Apologies if you knew already, but minelayers work on auto mode if you use ctrl and left click, rearming on auto also.

SoScared has raised concern about them being largely meta changing with the next release, in the sense of they may break it entirely. Or maybe not.

https://github.com/OpenRA/OpenRA/pull/12967

The mines currently kill any vehicle with 2 blasts.

WhoCares · Post by **WhoCares** » Sun Mar 19, 2017 2:31 pm

edit : let's see the playtest and participate to figure it out.

lucassss · Post by **lucassss** » Sun Mar 19, 2017 3:54 pm

Simple solution, make the mines cost money that is automatically taken when you are on the depot, just like service depot repair.

Minotaur · Post by **Minotaur** » Sun Mar 19, 2017 6:49 pm

If damage dealt is the issue perhaps can change the way mines work to become like the chinese minefields of generals. The minelayer would have 1 ammo but lay multiple small mines(like 5 per use) scattered around its position upon use.
Each landmine base size of infantry sprite instead occupying an whole tile, each mine dealing 1/5(because can fit 5 inf into 1 tile) of original mine's damage.

Chimpo · Post by **Chimpo** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 10:32 am

On the topic of the proposed change to minelayers (friendly detection). I share the view raised by Soscared that it will likely have a fairly huge impact on the gamestyle we see, whether it will be positive or negative is hard to say.

For one it will make turtling much more viable, and will offer better defence against chrono. Personally I am off the view that chrono, is pretty OP and damages the strategy element of the game (particularly MCV chrono) so I welcome any way to nerf it, it (chrono) does however offer the chance to break a stalemate and force quicker endings (so who knows..).

Clockwork · Post by **Clockwork** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 1:22 pm

I dont see it having a huge effect on 1v1's I can see it being an issue in chokey maps and big team games of 10 players with 3 chokes in total then it would be a problem but all the arty and v2 spam fire into the chokes makes it a death zone anyway.

In top tier games the chronosphere is used very rareingly and is quite shit in comparison to the Iron Curtain but the gps is very powerfull so its balanced in my eyes. The only time I would bother chronoing mcv is when in a team game or even a 1v1 when the enemy had amassed an artillery army and is turtling away ( a big reason why i dont play team games cause it just delves into arty camp wars over something like 2 chokepoints).

JuiceBox · Post by **JuiceBox** » Tue Mar 21, 2017 1:24 pm

I am in the opinion that once a mine field is placed it is dangerous for both sides.

Few quotes snatched from wiki

The use of land mines is controversial because of their potential as indiscriminate weapons. (Indiscriminate being the emphasis)

Land mines were designed for two main uses:

To create defensive tactical barriers, channeling attacking forces into predetermined fire zones or slowing an invading force's progress to allow reinforcements to arrive.
To act as passive area-denial weapons (to deny the enemy use of valuable terrain, resources or facilities when active defense of the area is not desirable or possible).

Whereas the placing and arming of mines is relatively inexpensive and simple, the process of detecting and removing them is typically expensive, slow, and dangerous.(to also clear your own mine field)

Back to my view.
I think it should be left the way it is.
Fix the bug Wer enemy can see mines layed
Remove click sound.

If this is the way it's going then I have somthing else to say on the matter. There is a difference between a minefield being flagged and cleared. If friendlies can navigate the mine field I assume it is flagged. If an enemy mine layer drives over the field and reveals mines they too should be flagged giving the enemy friendly pathing thus creating a pointless exercise

Minotaur · Post by **Minotaur** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 7:21 am

Yes to minelayer being able to detect. Or better yet: Minelayer doubles as a mineplow, suffers greatly reduced dmg from mines, but still have to clear fields moving through them(and suffering dmg in the process).

JuiceBox · Post by **JuiceBox** » Wed Mar 22, 2017 10:05 am

I fucking give up on this forum