Lasers And Other Tech Proposals

[Serrax]

Ah, I see - that is the reason, why the IR-glasses don't work yet. 

So, even if i cannot see any UFO on the map - we have alien ECM?

cu

[nemchenk]

Precisely 

Alien craft on the ground emit fantastic amounts of jamming and other EW (Electronic Warfare) activity. In fact, they emit so much of it that ordinary 'smart' missiles are rendered completely ineffective. If one type of alien EW doesn't fool the missile's relatively stupid electronic brain, another will. No amount of tinkering by Earth's military engineers has been able to fix the situation. The MPMDS, however, will remain effective against the alien invaders -- one of the few human missile launchers that can -- because its rockets carry no onboard guidance.

[Serrax]

Ah, I see - thx for the quote.

A solution to this quite unpleasant situation might be the use of the tech of the 1980s...

Rockets which are guided by the shooter per wire, like today the TOW, MILAN or HOT.

These systems need permanent tracking by the shooter - which could be expressed by a lot of Tu's.

cu

[Panthera Leo]

Three points about the ECM, and you do realize that mobile weapons platforms are coming down the pipe?

First all references to the ECM of the UFOpaedia references to (edit) active detection methods(laser, radar, sonar, etc.) of the time being ineffective. The sparrow hawk missiles use passive, on board optical tracking, and it works just fine. The UFOs are just too tough or fast to be endangered by them outside a barrage.

Second, the ECM is centric to the craft, there is no reference to it being affective vs indirect artillery fire or anything else not targeting them.

Artillery work just fine in World War I & II without the aid of sophisticated electronics to aid it. Just took observation and math.

 

[Serrax]

Artillery work just fine in World War I & II without the aid of sophisticated electronics to aid it. Just took observation and math.

Exactly. 

The accuracy could be linked to the basic skill "mind" of the observer.

cu

[knightsubzero]

sounds like great ideas....the ship mounted weapon would be whatever gets mounted on the drop ship, if its the cannon, then its the cannon (better reaction fire, more aliens), rocket pod fires rockets etc.

the deployable cannon would take 2 turns, one to move into position the next turn uses all time units to deploy.  then it uses reaction fire, or you can use it in the current turn if there is a visible alien...but then your TU for reactions would disaapear.

while carrying the turrett time units would be half or cut by one third.

[Guildenstern]

  I think the turret idea is a really good plan but had a few ideas on balance.  For instance, working with the assumption that optical recognition tech is much better by the time the aliens invade, but not so much it is cheap (still processor intesive) we could give the turret three fire modes that would determine how many "reactions" that it gets.  Motion mode would fire at anything in its arc of fire (you, civis, them) pretty fast reaction, lots of shots, IFF mode (not me) slightly less shots, slower reaction, and optical mode (only aliens) slowest reactions, one or two shots.  That would really level out the use of the turret so that it was useful, but not gameplay defeating.  Adding a limited arc of fire and fuzzy accuracy (ecm from aliens disrupts electronic systems) and I think this would be workable.  I remember that scene in aliens in the maintance tunnel and can't help but thing how cool a pair of those set up would be.
  Some of the other techs I was wanting to see were riot shields.  These could go into the offhand for 1hand operation of pistols and the like, this way your troops would have high armor from the front and adding a new dimension of tactial play (think shield wall)
  About the aircraft cannons, I'd suggested in the aircraft thread recently that the pilot should strafe the LZ if the dropship is armed and dead aliens could be found around it based on his/her skill, would that suffice for the dropship gun?  They would also be able to see/spot some of the aliens so you had round one LOS, thus taking care of some battlefield intel.  This could all be skill based for more depth.
  As far as other techs, we need more gadgets for combat.  Things like motion sensors, prox mines, alternate ordinace (gas/plasma/antimatter rockets/launcher grenades, incendary munitions for human weapons, remote cameras, flares, or some sort of spider grenade/mine would be cool.  I can remember the brainsuckers from apoc being pretty cool when they'd activate and chase your team so this would be a nice addon for both sides.
  Just a few thoughts on what I noticed was missing,
  Guildenstern

[shevegen]

When the alien gets in to melee range I always use the microshotgun or SMG for a devastating effect.

I agree with you Sirp.

I just like the thought of impaling those alien bastards with something SHARP... even if guns etc.. are much
better weapons... i kinda like melee stuff