Remote proximity triggered smart bombs with a bandwidth requirement. Would use sentry drone interface but would also have an unpacking timer to activate the mine field.
Doing it this way, instead of making the mines be deployables, you force people to be on grid to make use of the minefields, instead of having massive minefield proliferation in the same way people make use of bubbles in certain areas of nullsec.
Another potential option is have a modified bomb launcher, that will anchor a bomb in place and keep it there for about a minute or two.
The obvious ship class to make use of these is a t2 destroyer. I wouldn’t say the minefields should be locked to this new ship class, but the ship class could get a significant bonus to minefield damage.
imo, the minelayer class would be perfect for this thrasher remodel that was made a few years back:
I agree with the CSM at the time, that that model isn’t right for the thrasher, but it would be a shame not to use it, since it really is a good looking ship.
The much more important part of a “minefield” idea is the one when it comes to balance and possible gameplay issues. I mean, you do realize why pre-setup AoE bombs are a bad thing for a fluid and dynamic gameplay experience, do you? Especially if you could set up a trap that can possibly kill a 100 man fleet with just a bubbler to drag them into a minefield? Or at least make it impossible for any group to chase you because they would risk losing everything when warping into a minefield they couldn’t even see.
They’d show up on dscan if you have a dscan profile set up for it. Assuming you’re talking about the drone version. The bomb version isn’t much different than a stealth bomber, except without the stealth capability.
Besides… since we’re talking about mines that need a ship to be on grid with it to work (once again, assuming the drone version,) that ship would also show up on dscan. So, specific classes of ships would be far more visible to an enemy fleet than a pipebomb bs comp (since you usually don’t know it’s a smart bombing bs until you’re getting hit by it.)
The criticisms you bring up are exactly why I tie the active minefield to a piloted ship. I agree that having deployable minefields (in the same manner as bubbles) would be bad for player engagement.
Smartbombs and bombs can already do something similar, but then it requires good timing by multiple players to surprise and kill enemies.
These mine fields seem like a rather skill-less alternative which requires one to just be ahead of a fleet to set up a trap, instead of a well-timed execution of a pipebomb or bombing run.
I’m not sure if this would be a good addition to EVE.
Dscan is useless if you chase a target through a larger system and cannot avoid landing in the midst of a minefield at the exit of the warp. Do you think people would still chase others if those could have set a cheap minefield at the next gate, probably blowing up your whole gang with pretty much no effort?
Being able to place mines (no matter if by “Drones” or “Bombs”) in a relatively cheap Destroyer Hull would mean you can only follow others with a huge delay (because you would always need to send a cloaky scout to the destination to check for a minefield or you would need to have bookmarks to ping basically everywhere). This would totally destroy the thrill of a chase, because if you bounce over a bookmark or wait for a scout, basically every chased target is safely escaped after the first warp.
Sure it is, to use Bombs efficiently you need to coordinate multiple players almost perfectly to make all those bombs hit the same spot AND those bombs fly for 12 Seconds before exploding. The Target always has options to react, from moving away (bombs are rather slow), to warping away (most ships are in warp below 12 seconds), Firing an MJD or evacuating the whole groop with a Command Destroyer (booshing). Last but not least, if they have a Smartbomber with them, that one can simply fly towards the bombs and eradicate them all before they explode.
So, there is actually a HUGE difference between a minefield and actively used bombers. Both in numbers of people required, coordination required and options to react on the fly.
Unfortunately that doesn’t change anything, because Bubbles and Mines would simply be combined to make people drop out of warp exactly within the minefield. And then the “visibility” of the minelaying ships on grid won’t be of any use, because when you drop out of warp, your whole gang explodes after a second.
So, as long as the activation is manual (rather than proximity trigger,) you’d have less issue with it? That can be achieved easily with a high slot module. So maybe instead of using the sentry drone interface, it would be closer to the fighter interface. Or more aptly, a mix of the two.
You can do the same thing with smartbombs on battleships or t3 cruisers.
If you’re chasing without a scout you’re already asking to get wiped.
Besides the fact that you’re not going to be able to set up a drag bubble and a minefield that takes a minute or two to deploy while you’re being chased in the manner you’re suggesting. What’s more likely to happen is someone would set up the trap ahead of time, and lure another party into chasing them into the trap.
imo, if you have that level of coordination, you deserve the win.
Compare the costs please. One or two destroyer size hulls that lays mines vs at least a dozen fitted Battleships or T3 Cruisers (4B+) that will all go boom if the enemy gets it and then tackled totally helpless. And usually those are visible in the local through the whole system, if you want to surprise-attack someone you would have to bridge them in right at the edge of a bubble using a Titan while the other fleet is mid-warp. That is how pipebombs work, the only situation I know this to work reliably. Your idea is waaaaaaaay to cheap for so much power of welping a whole fleet at once.
No you aren’t. Only those risk-averse PvE people don’t go anywhere without having made sure double time that there is no danger ahead. Usually if a target escapes, you warp staight after it and try to get a tackle ASAP. Nobody holds the gang and sends a scout first, because then you can just stop chasing because the target is gone.
That “level of coordination” is rather…basic and for sure it doesn’t deserve the option to wipe out a whole fleet with AoE mines in the blink of an eye.
Sorry, now. Way OP imho and I believe it would promote even more static and paranoid instead of dynamic and fluid gameplay.
Kind of weird to compare “a dozen” battle ships to one destroyer.
Even so, if it’s an issue, adjust the damage output appropriately. Though, I’d suggest those other ships have other benefits a destroyer sized hull doesn’t have, such as hp buffer.
The suggested ship would even be more helpless than smart bombing battleship. I don’t envision any turret or launcher slots on the ship.
If a pipebomb comp requires a cyno to work effectively, then all your criticisms about the minefields being overpowered are null and void. (The suggested mechanic requires an entire minute+ to activate the minefield.)
I’ve not actually said how much power it would have. That’s just you projecting your own thoughts. At most you could extrapolate the power level based off of the comment about the bomb, but I was merely talking about the mechanics, not the damage output.
may I remind you of this comment you made:
“Cheap” is a relative concept. The big alliances and orgs like snuffed don’t care about costs.
So what is it? Will people be “risk adverse by using scouts?” Or just not care about potential traps because “if a target escapes, you warp straight after it and try to get a tackle ASAP.”
The minefields just put another tool into the kit of playable options, it’s not significantly different than what’s already available.
I don’t really see how it’s any more basic than a pipe bomb op. Sure, once you get cynos involved, you’re talking about a much different game, but that’s also a much larger threat.
Once again, you’re talking about damage output… something I never specified.
Obviously the more numbers you get , the more dangerous it would be, but you also need to consider we’re talking about drones (or bombs) being the delivery mechanism… Which means the hp threshold is much lower than battleships.
So the ability to layer them like sb bs or t3s is much lower. And if they do get layered, then the drones will die quickly.
imo, based on what we’ve discussed, you seem to be over reacting.
Not necessarily (( I checked and Mikey Likes it! )).
Personally i like the idea of a Smart-Bombing drone. The power requirements might be unrealistic but I still like it, especially if they implements a mechanic where you can direct and park drones in formations… like we use the Q key for ships.
I can just see now how battleships use this to keep those pesky knife fighting frigates at bay.
Yeah, I’d like this. It would kind of give an RTS feel to EVE combat. As a bonus, CCP would be able to use a similar interface for directing npcs or to give players fleet commands.
