Class-based Battle? Thread - Vector Thrust

So here's something I dreamt up a few years ago and realized Vector Thrust could make this work:

Basically, something like a large-scale mission with two teams: The objective of each team is to destroy the other's base. Each team has ten to twelve players flying aircraft that play a strategic role towards the mission. The aircraft are divided into several categories based on their role, and aircraft stats are tweaked to provide more of an RPG-like experience:

- Ground Attack- attacks ground TGTs, tanks missiles (LAGM, UGB, XAGM, GPB etc.)

- AWACS- provides radar support and buffs towards other players (ECM/ESM if ever introduced, heal units or nullify stealth? otherwise having an AWACS on the field will decrease lock-on time, increase lock-on range etc. when in radar range.)

- Interceptor- sniper/rapid response asset, can either be a barrage-type unit with lots of inaccurate missiles or a Damage-Per-Hit unit with high damage and accuracy but slow-firing attacks destroys Attackers (XLAA, SAAM, MMCL (long range, reduced accuracy))

-Escort- close-in specialist, slow but agile, rapid-fires weak missiles, boosts to gun damage, defends attackers. (MMCL (short-range, weaker damage, QAAM, gunpods (if introduced))

More like team-based FPS style methinks? :V

So its a spin on the traditional Team Fortress 2 classes; Solider Class (fighter/multirole), Medic/Spy Class (awacs), Heavy Support Class (attacker/striker) and Scout/Sniper Class (escort/interceptor).

Edited by: mittsommerschnee

I'm like to play a class-based mode like this but I have no idea why anyone would want to play awacs (since all you would really do is fly around in ircles unless the buff range is massively nerfed compared to what it will probably be in single player.

@born: Yes, it would be nerfed, and AWACS might have some offensive capabilities too, i dunno. :I

I think modified recon planes (U-2, SR-71, M-17, etc) should be more fitting.

Would giving license to AWACS abilities, like throwing automatic missile lock onto an enemy plane be useful for balancing? Though to be honest, I think that the only other way to make AWACS interesting would be to give them an enhanced version of the basic interface, so that they can give commands to smaller units.

Also, they could tag targets as TGT

Like Homefront's Parrot Drone?
You can just tag a threat and the pilots will be swarming all over it.
Except i use the drone to relay enemy positions in that game.

One advantage would be if we had voice chat available…the AWACS player could guide players to targets, or we could even have pre-programmed text/voice-acted commands.

Just a thought.

Okay, here's what I've got. Willing Suspension of Disbelief will be required.

CLASSES:

Multirole:
Role: Jack-of-All-Trades, primarily used as escorts or ground attackers.
SPWEP: UGB, RCL, GPB, SAAM, QAAM
Modifiers: No changes. Should not be able to multi-task. (i.e. should have to worry about missiles chasing when on a ground run)
HP: 200% of normal aircraft HP
Examples: F-16, MiG-29, F-4, etc. etc.
Abilities: Primarily to rapidly shift roles in seconds and provide useful buffs depending on the situation.

Attackers:
Role: Heavy PvE, crucial towards winning the match because they are the only aircraft that can hit hard enough to consistently deal damage to bases
SPWEP: UGB, RCL, GPB, XAGM, GUNPOD, LAS/GM, etc. etc.
Modifiers: ++ Defence, - Speed, - Mobility. Bit of a tanker but should be able to fend off interceptors/fighters for a while. (Can rely on armour to tank some hits while on a run.)
Health: 300% of normal HP
Example Aircraft; A-10, Jaguar, A-6, Tornado GR.3 etc. etc.
Abilities: Mainly Defensive Buffs and Heals to keep it alive until it gets to the objective.

Bombers:
Role: Very Heavy PvE focused Tank. Can swing the tide of battle but are slow and vulnerable to enemy interception. 2 bombers in-game at a time.
SPWEP: Idunno, carpet-bomb 'em or something.
Modifiers: ++Defence, - Speed, --Mobility. This should be the big target everybody has to defend.
Health 200% normal HP
Example Aircraft: B-52, Tu-144, etc. etc.
Abilities: Almost none. Standard DEF buff, no heals.

Interceptor
Role: Light attacker, ridiculously fast and focused on killing key targets. Almost no health, but can outrun some missiles.
SPWEP: XLAA, XMA4, SAAM, L1WAC (nerfed), MRSA summon
Modifiers: ++Speed, +Mobility, ---Defence "Glass Cannon"
Health: 150% normal HP
Example Aircraft: F-15C, Su-27, F-14A, Tornado GR.1 etc. etc.
Abilities: Buffs to improve accuracy, damage and range, as well as short bursts of speed to move around the battlefield quickly.

Air Superiority
Role: Heavy Attacker, melee brawler with decent HP and massive weapon capability. Overwhelms opponents with missile barrages.
SPWEP: MMCL, XMA6, XMA12, XMA15, L1WAC (nerfed to improve fire-rate and considerably reduce power). All modified to have low accuracy.
Modifiers: +Defence, +Mobility, -Speed
Health: 200% normal HP
Example Aircraft; F-15E, F-14D, J-35
Abilities: Reduce reload time, increase fire-rate, etc. etc. (Makes it more spammy.)

Scout (needs a better name)
Role: Harrassment unit, incredible agility but nearly non-lethal. Dodges missiles with a natural evasion rate and specialises in counter-attacks.
SPWEP: QAAM< GUNPOD, XMA4, RCL
Modifiers: +++Mobility, ---Defence
Health: 150% normal HP, natural evasion rate makes a certain percentage of missiles fired automatically miss in the coolest way possible (by a couple of metres)
Example Aircraft: MiG-21, Su-74, Su-47, F-5, noob planes.
Abilities: Buffs to increase evasion levels, strengthen attacks while missile locks are on, provide short bursts of speed in one direction, a micro-OFF mode...?

Escort
Role: Defends Attackers, mixes it up with Scouts and Air Superiority.
SPWEP: QAAM (accuracy buff), MMCL, XMA4, XLAA, ECM Pod
Modifiers: None.
Health: 200% normal Aircraft HP
Example Aircraft: F-15A, Su-35, F-15 ACTIVE
Abilities: Can heal other units around it by small amounts, provide bursts of speed, accuracy and insta-slow downs to catch Scouts & Interceptors.

Stealth:
Role: Sneaky Spy, catches key units off-guard and deals massive damage. Absolutely terrible against groups. Little ammo.
SPWEP: QAAM, SAAM, XMAA (one target only), GUNPOD
Modifiers: +Mobility, +Speed,---Defence
Health: 150% Normal HP
Examples: F-22, J-20, YF-23, MiG-144
Abilities: Only appears sporadically on radar unless an AWACS unit is around. Can 'tag' enemies and deal massive damage against them.

AWACS
Role : Coordinator, Buffer.
SPWEP: ECM, XLAA, Buff Pods, idunno. :I
Modifiers: ++Defence, -Speed, -Mobility
Health: 200% Normal HP
Example: E-3, NIMROD, Hawkeye... (yes they carry XLAAs.)
Abilities: Detect Stealth units, buff other units.

Will write Abilities up tomorrow or something.

Recons? Why don't leave it to specialized (armed) reconnassiance variants instead? (RF-4C, YF-12/SR-71, F-14 with TARPS, MiG-25-forgot which variant, etc)

But don't forget that Have Blue and F-117 (and such) are stealth-attackers and shouldn't able to carry SP AAMs.

AWACS should have at least...a small point-defence laser for countermeasure (as well as do tiny damage against VERY close unit), I think (?)

Speaking of recons, one way could be, the AWACS support air units while the recon support ground units, for example ground units could only launch long range weapons if an allied recon ways near the target zone. That way even unarmed recons could be useful.

So something like a datalink to a JSTARS type aircraft? With similar, but smaller, additional buffs to TGT acquisition given by UAVs too?

Edited by: IbizenThoth