Idea for how to implement counterbattery radar

[Grumman]

As I understand it, currently CB radar locks onto an enemy unit and continues to target it after it has moved. This is at odds with how counterbattery artillery works in real life, and negates one of the purposes of self-propelled artillery, since they can no longer shoot and scoot. This really became noticeable in Beta 5, since pop-up attacks with hover artillery don't work if you have to keep zig-zagging halfway across the map to do it.

Here is my proposal for how this could be changed:

- Create a new object type in the code ("Blips") that are immobile, invisible, do not obstruct movement or construction and cannot be selected. They only take damage from Artillery weapons.

- When an enemy artillery unit fires within range of a CB radar or CB VTOL radar, spawn a Blip belonging to the enemy faction at that location. At the same time, ping the mini-map to show its location.
- CB radars target enemy Blips in range in the same way that normal radars target enemy units. If you want, reduce accuracy of artillery linked to CB radar so that it provides a more general saturation of the area. After the Blip has taken a certain amount of damage, it is despawned like any other unit.
- CB VTOL radars send their VTOL squadron to any Blip in range. If an artillery unit comes within sight of one of these VTOLs, the VTOL is ordered to attack. If it reaches the Blip and finds no artillery units, despawn all nearby Blips and the VTOL squadron is ordered to attack any other enemy in the vicinity before they RTB.
- X seconds after a blip has been spawned, despawn it automatically.

Thoughts?

[IgorBrehm]

well i need to think for a little about this

[Arreon]

Not a bad idea . It makes sense and I can see the usefulness of mobile artillery as a result.

[Shadow Wolf TJC]

I'd like to promote this idea as well. Seems realistic enough, and it'll make things a bit more interesting if artillery weapons that can fire on the move (like mortars that rotate independently of the vehicle) are introduced.

[NoQ]

if artillery weapons that can fire on the move (like mortars that rotate independently of the vehicle) are introduced.

even if they aren't, it's still good.

[Iluvalar]

if artillery weapons that can fire on the move (like mortars that rotate independently of the vehicle) are introduced.

even if they aren't, it's still good.

Nay... most of those turrets need a boost to be worthy on a tank. ^^ . But that doesnt meen it should be to remove that fire on move behavior which make their use interesting .