Reaction fire - a question because I don't understand it

[Viento]

Hiho!

I don't understand the system of reaction fire that is used in 2.3.

This is how it feels if you play the game:

My round starts, I select my first unit, 32 TUs left. I spend 2-4 TU for movement, then the first reaction fire starts. Okay up to now. After that, every 2-3 TUs (every move I make, basically) triggers another reaction fire shot.

Hmmm... my reaction fire takes (depending on weapon) 5-25 TUs. I thought that this time is the time needed to ready the weapon, aim and shoot. 

So, how can aliens shoot once every 2 TUs if the fastest shot needs about 7 TUs? It doesn't seem to be logic in my opinion.

I thought I could spend e.g. 7 TUs in the line fo fire before the next shot is fired. Then another 7, until the enemy can fire again, etc... this would make short sprints between two covers possible but as it is now, you die every time you run into an enemy with full reaction. Even turning around is often impossible because every move means another needle (I hate the needlers!!! *g*) in your soldier's ass. 

Right now, reaction fire is absolutely deadly, especially in the first round if the enemy force is facing you at the spawn. You never even get into your plane (for cover) but you are reaction-fire-toasted in round 1.

I think it would be much better, if the reaction fire was slowed down.

Andy

[Duke]

Are you sure it was just *one* alien firing at you ?

[Viento]

Yes, definitely. Every alien does that. I can spend a few time units, after that they start reaction firing... and each of them fires once for every step my soldier does.


Btw, my soldiers react the same way: if an alien comes under reaction fire, each step it makes (after having spent the few "free steps") means another shot by my soldier, as long until his overall TUs reserved are spent. But I can definetely fire a shot every 2 TUs (1 step of an alien) that would normally take much more TUs. 

Andy

[Duke]

I share your idea of how reaction fire *should* work, i.e. the bullet should fly *after* the actor has moved the TUs required for that type of shot.
I consider this a bug ==> moved to 2.3 bug forum.

[Duke]

On a 2nd thought...

1. If the TUs for walking and the type of shot don't match exactly, the bullet should fly *while* the actor does his last step within the TUs.

2. Depending on how we interpret the usage of the TUs for a given type of shot, the exact time for the bullet my vary.
Consider a pumpgun. Is it pump-aim-shoot or aim-shoot-pump ??
Logically I'd prefer the 2nd variant. But as we don't have any data that detailed in the scripts (afaik), let's stick with the 1st variant for now.

[rynait]

Hello,

not want to nitpick. but

#1, still bit confused but did you say....  If i had actor do a 10 TU for walking.  then at end of 10th TU, opponent reaction fire occurrs. Was that the plan?

then #2.  I would go by "War practices" how does soldiers set the weapon saftey upon entering the mission?  I suspect saftey is off, thus the round is already in. Personally, I dont care which modus operandi but would be nice to know, thus allow battlefield stragety planning.

Roy

[Viento]

It shouldn't matter whether you reload a pumpgun before or after shooting. Switching the gun to safety after each shot is not what an AI fight feels like, so I think it shouldn't be implemented. This is not a military simulation.

#1 example: You have 30 TUs, the enemy hast 20 reaction and a gun that can fire every 5 TUs.

I walk 10 TUs without being shot at, then the first reaction fire starts.

I can move another 5 time units before the next shot is fired at me.

I don't care much when the exact point of shooting is, but there shouldn't be such fast reaction fire shots.

This was what I wanted to explain.

Andy

[Duke]

#1, still bit confused but did you say....  If i had actor do a 10 TU for walking.  then at end of 10th TU, opponent reaction fire occurrs. Was that the plan?

No. Assume alien shot needs 12 TUs. Actor is scheduled for a 20 TU walk. Bullet should fly after 12 TUs.

[Halleth]

Yes, it would be nice...