Targeting system proposal

[nullhility]

I'm very sorry if this has already been proposed but it's something that
I've been thinking about while playing warzone 2100, I just wanted to know
everyone else's thoughts on this.

Proposal:

In modern warfare targeting of a sensor or heavy target is usually
specific, ie the actual sensor system of a mobile sensor unit is targeted
with the aim of disabling it. Generally a guidance targeting system is
used to "spot" for heavy artillery/missiles. The proposal is for a similar
targeting system to be employed in warzone 2100 mainly because as sensors
are useful for /controlling/ multiple indirect fire units they don't serve
much more purpose other than the range benefit. It would also allow for
a lower tech/weaker player to strategically disable the higher tech of another
player and possibly even out the game a little bit more.

Detail:

The proposal is similar to (sorry but I only give this example for
lack of a better one) the V.A.T.S (vault assisted targeting system) of the
fallout games, meaning that, each sub target of a unit would have it's
own health. Sub target health would be best suited as the amount of
health bonus it gives to the unit.

For example: a sensor turret gives a mobile unit 200 HP, once the
upgrade has taken too much damage it becomes disabled, but not destroyed,
it would then need to return for repairs however the repair will be quick
because it only needs 200 HP on that upgrade. (as per http://guide.wz2100.net/w/)

Also, disabling the tracks on a fleeing vehicle troop would be
beneficial to pursuers so that they are not led into well placed ambushes
which is currently unavoidable unless you personally halt the pursuit.

However, this technology should require a specific research and it should
only be specific to certain weapons systems (It would be far-fetched for
this kind of targetting system to be applied to heavy machine guns) such
as rail guns, lasers and possibly cannons after an upgrade such as the
"Cannon Laser Designator"

Problems:

I can only imagine that this kind of feature would be highly difficult
to implement and it would also throw a perfectly well balanced and original
game off-balance. Also it would require the user to constantly pick
specific sub targets which would be problematic and highly annoying.

Discuss!

[Zarel]

I can only imagine that this kind of feature would be highly difficult
to implement and it would also throw a perfectly well balanced and original
game off-balance. Also it would require the user to constantly pick
specific sub targets which would be problematic and highly annoying.

Yeah, that's pretty much exactly why it's not gonna work, sorry. There's a reason few RTSes do that. Remember: More detail isn't fun. Players want to make tanks, then use them to shoot enemy tanks. Having to deal with damaged propulsion systems, damaged weapon systems, etc, isn't fun. Warzone partially implements it by decreasing propulsion speed and weapon reload time, which is more than most RTSes do, but any more detail would be maddening in a game like this. Constantly picking subtargets is annoying, too. And it's not like it could ever be balanced - you just can't balance a system like that. Remember, a detailed combat system is more suited to RPGs than to RTSes, so that most RPGs don't even implement such a system (I can think of like two, ever) is a pretty good sign that it's way too much for an RTS like warzone.

[Luke]

This is what in RL is called M-kill, F-kill, and K-kill, for Mobility, Firepower, and Catastrophic kills, respectively. Warzone does a pretty good job simulating mobility and firepower degradation once you damage a unit into the red range (plus the dense smoke trail, I love that effect)... until you finally K-kill it. Like Zarel says this is probably as much of an implementation you can ask for in an RTS without going into tedious microing.