Battlefield obscurant capability

[Gremlich]

There are currently in most military inventory smoke screen capability that defeat radar and even thermal imaging systems. the tank-like vehicles could mount these as grenades with increased range, say, 100m, fired in salvo or by side. Much like modern "real" tanks. They would be disruptive of radar and visual/thermal sensors. Not even sure if this could be coded.

[Snowball]

I think the actual radar effect wouldn't be too hard to reproduce: the devs could maybe utilize the AECM effect already in game, and run it on a location activation and timer.

I'm more worried about the visual impact of a giant smoke cloud, as this could kill slower systems, and drain performance even on top-end systems.

Also, is there something like this in Battletech lore?

[Gremlich]

Minmay's singing I think was it.

[whatever]

its already in as a feature..engines going critical on mechs's in another fasa game centurion this was a standard option to drop sheilding smoke.

[CalenLoki]

Smoke ammo could be also used in artillery and missiles. (maximum tech p79, p82, if anyone want to question such ammo use in CBT)

[=KoS= Eldragon]

Maybe not block radar, but I'd be pretty happy with smoke rounds. Brawler mechs could have a fun time with something like that.

Alternatively let MRMs/SRMs pack Inferno rounds that create fires... fires that produce billowing smoke.  LRMs could as well except they need to lock onto something in MW:LL, and even if you don't lock with Smoke rounds, how would you aim something that shoots straight up in  the air like that? TAG laser?

As to the performance hit, its hard to say. I wouldn't think it would be much worse than some of the existing game feature.

[(TLL)KitLightning]

There are currently in most military inventory smoke screen capability that defeat radar and even thermal imaging systems. the tank-like vehicles could mount these as grenades with increased range, say, 100m, fired in salvo or by side. Much like modern "real" tanks. They would be disruptive of radar and visual/thermal sensors. Not even sure if this could be coded.

Approving 100% for this addition.  Its a very useful addition and will enhance any tactical gameplay. Even add it in as a munition so you can fire it from the Long Tom as a protective measure against hostile units.

[Gremlich]

Maybe not block radar, but I'd be pretty happy with smoke rounds. Brawler mechs could have a fun time with something like that.

Not block radar, just be disruptive, like chaff is. And firing it from a LT would be a realistic feature. The item could be limited to tanks/artillery, or perhaps as a smoke grenade for the BA.

[Nebfer]

Well the good news is B-tech has most of these ideas.

It has Smoke and Chaff Grenades for vehicle use, and smoke rounds for artillery, even laser inhibiting rounds for artillery.

Ammo avalible to artillery guns like the long tom (considering the weight of shot and gun the Long tom is roughly a 9.4 inch gun...).
HE rounds
Copperhead (laser guided)
Cluster
Illumination
Smoke
Thunder (mine layer)
Inferno IV
Flechette
and for Arrow IV use
Laser inhibiting smoke
Air defense Arrows (SAMs)

The vehicle grenade launcher Chaff grenades also act like a light smoke hex as well as having it's ECM ability's (it just dose not last as long as regular smoke).

the trick would how to implement them with out to much issues (like LAG and performance) and the effect on balance....

[(TLL)Siilk]

Maybe not block radar, but I'd be pretty happy with smoke rounds. Brawler mechs could have a fun time with something like that.

Not block radar, just be disruptive, like chaff is. And firing it from a LT would be a realistic feature. The item could be limited to tanks/artillery, or perhaps as a smoke grenade for the BA.

 Agreed. A good choice of assets to have smokescreen launchers.

 BTW, on an early beta of SA_Desolation, there were some assets placed on a map, that were not normally in the game at that time, including APC. Interestingly enough, that APC has smokescreen launching ability, which was working quite nice. I hope devs would put this in the game.

[Flyingdebris]

considering how much mechs and tanks tend to move around, a lot more so than something like the bf2 tanks, which also popped smoke.  there'd have to be considerations planned out for how the smoke/smokerounds behave if its gonna be useful or not game breaking somehow.

If we are talking personal smoke dispensers, then they have to be able to cover a retreat or in some cases, an advance.  a puff of smoke centered on the mech might not cut it, due to movement rates putting it out of the cloud too quickly for it to be useful.  I think that maybe then personal smoke dispensers might launch out smoke clouds about 90 meters out in a starfish pattern.  That'd oobscure a 180 m diameter area, which would give any unit some ample concealment for a few seconds of advance or retreat no matter the direction of movement.

In regards to artillery smoke.  The post nuke haze pretty much nails this.  Have a localized post nuke haze that saps energy weapons of their power.  The nice thing about this is that it can be used to cover a strategic advance through the no mans land areas of the maps, a retreat, or be used to screw over a large group of fire support or energy hogs and cause them to reposition or wait till dissipation.  What i don't know is how to let whoever has that ammo in question, know what you want to do with it.  Almost seems like something you'd need an RTS style commander interface to make use of, or some other strategic level of control.  Maybe BA can place markers for offboard smoke strikes from an unseen artillery system, and simply not bother regular players with it?  Maybe have offboard smoke strikes be part of the abilities of like a mobile HQ or something.  i dunno

Firing smoke rounds as a weapon, like from a automatic nade launcher,   only useful thing i can imagine out of it it to stitch a wall of smoke somewhere.  Seems handy if you are BA at the time and need to visually mar someone's attempts to target you  and you don't feel like using a flamer.  Otherwise i think most people would opt for something deadly.

For the first two, i definitely think it should give temporary AECM coverage for a very short while when the smoke cloud is still active.  Cause at longer ranges people are probably just gonna aim for your target bracket's center

[(TLL)Sky_walker]

In beta 0.1.0 the APC had smoke screens (you could make a map with it and enjoy this with friends).

They were cool!

You could fire it at high altitude so smoke grenade exploded in the air leaving smoke trial and than creating huge cloud of smoke. 2 APCs could effectively cover base in 10-15 seconds when coordinated well.
Also smoke was generated for quite nice amount of time so you could secure the passage for damaged friendly units. Great thing!

As of adding smokes to anything than APC / artillery - I'm against. I'd be a bit overpowered and everything would turn into blind-fighting which is damn horrible (we've smoked valley with friends, than jumped in mechs and try to fight... 99% of shots missed the target and only really useful weapons were SSRMs / LRMs).

As for ammo-types - they will be added, no worries. There was even a movie where devs told it - the one about mechlab on modb.

[DFDelta]

I like the Idea of smoke screens. IMHO they should be like: (most of this was said already)

• Blocking LRM Targeting of both sides
• Only for LongTom, APC and maybe 1 other Main Battle Tanks each side (Oro for example, and whatever counterpart it gets on IS side (Luckner? )
• Reducing Radar of all non BAP/BHP units to BA level, BAP to normal Radar and BHP to BAP level
• All units under the screen are under some kind of AECM effect

This would turn it into some kind of two edged sword, can be used to safely advance towards enemy units relying to much on missiles or radar locks, but it could also cause you to run into unexpected traps.

[(TLL)Siilk]

• Blocking LRM Targeting of both sides
• Only for LongTom, APC and maybe 1 other Main Battle Tanks each side (Oro for example, and whatever counterpart it gets on IS side (Luckner? )
• Reducing Radar of all non BAP/BHP units to BA level, BAP to normal Radar and BHP to BAP level
• All units under the screen are under some kind of AECM effect

 My thoughts exactly. As a side effect, giving tanks such unique ability could increase demand for tanks.

[Freakazoid]

Having smokescreens disrupt you and your own teammate's radars would make excellent grief material. Yet, having them as temporary AECMs would be overpowered.