Linked fire option (what it is currently)
Staggered fire option (one missile is fired - second missile is fired a few seconds* afterwards) *open for debate
This option would require each missile tube to be its own entity. Instead of the one bar, representing the missile "reload" time, two bars would be present and each would represent its own respective missile tube.
The fire options could be accessible from the unit command "box". Perhaps, the fire options could only be accessed if the lancer unit is assigned to a command turret?
I have not played the entire campaign all the way through, so, I do not know what other weapon systems this staggered fire option could also be implemented upon.
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Pro: The lancer weapon system would become more efficient when operating and traveling through mountainous terrain. For the purposes of this example the unit has been set to "return fire only". A sensor tower detects an enemy on the other side of a hill (the hill completely blocks a direct line of sight). Three lancer units are on the other side of the hill, enemy fires first, lancers target enemy, and fire both missiles (linked fire option). All missiles are wasted because the hill absorbs the missiles and the lancers are useless until they can once again fire after the loooooonngg reload time. With the staggered fire option selected, only one missile from each lancer unit is wasted (the first salvo is absorbed by the hill), but the player has the chance to order the units to move to a location of better advantage (in this case, the top of the hill) and with the second salvo have direct line of sight to fire upon the enemy unit. All the while the first missiles salvo is reloading.
Con: Lancers with the staggered fire option enabled will most likely have a disadvantage in an open battlefield free of obstructions - especially if enemy lancer units have the linked fire option enabled. Though, I don't percieve this as really a "con" per se, because the fire option can be changed at any point in time**.
Pro: In the open battlefield, however, if all your lancer units target one enemy unit (linked fire enabled), as I have seen, many if not most of the missiles are wasted after the enemy is destroyed. With staggered fire enabled, the enemy unit will probably die and the lancer units can then target a second enemy unit to fire upon with their second salvo.
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**Switching from the staggered fire option, in the mists of combat, could be tricky to implement. However, my thoughts are as follows: if the first missile has been fired (while in staggered fire option is enabled), and the linked fire option is selected BEFORE the second missile is fired, then the second missile will wait for the first missile to reload and then both missiles will fire "linked".
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Well, that is it, for now.... In conclusion, I think a secondary fire option could improve the efficiency of the lancer weapon system without changing any of its "stats". Before beginning this thread, I performed a quick search of the forum, and saw nothing in the titles appearing to be like the one I've just started. Good day to you all! Cheers!
~Xav