|
|
Post by madmorgan on May 31, 2016 11:49:30 GMT
I got a message from a contributor regarding a topic discussed back in the early days of AQMF. The suggestion is that the tentacles on the Martian Assault tripod should be combat useful. As the Scout doesn't have any tentacles dangling about, its outside of this discussion. In the AD era, Ernie was insistence that those two tentacles weren't combat useful as it would have made the Assault too powerful in the game. With the new era, I see no reason for those not to become Reaper Tentacles with the +2 Power Assault attack each. The Reaper remains the superior melee machine, but now the Assault is on par with its lesser infantry drones. At 200 to 250 points, the Assault is now a real terror, able to heat ray and clean trenches like the name implies; "Assault".
Addition: Assault tripods have (2) Reaper Tentacles.
Reaper Tentacles: Range Assault; Damage +2 Power; Special Reaper Tentacle
It could be argued that the claw not holding the heat ray is a Reaper Claw as well. The true terror of the Assault machine becomes apparent!
Addition: Assault tripods have (1) Reaper Claw at 50 points.
Reaper Claw: Range Assault; Damage +5 Power; Special Reaper Claw
I feel that to be a proper balance, the Claw should cost the same as the Black Dust/Green Gas options. You might not agree and stay with the idea that both the tentacles and the claw are standard equipment at 200 points. If so, the Assault Tripod becomes one of the best units for the price in the Martian inventory. The final version of the Assault Tripod comes in as follows:
Assault Tripod @ 200 points 1 Element = 1 Unit
Speed 8" Defense 6 Armor 11 Special: may add Black Dust Launcher or Green Gas grenades for 50 points in place of Reaper Claw.
Weapon: Heavy Heat Ray; Range: 30"/15"*; Power: +4/+3*; Special: *Sweep
Weapon: (2) Reaper Tentacles; Range: Assault; Power +2; Special: Reaper Tentacle
Weapon: Reaper Claw; Range: Assault; Power +5; Special: Reaper Claw
Weapon: Black Dust Launcher; Range: 10"; Power +1; Special: Barrage 4, Black Dust
Weapon: Green Gas Grenades; Range: 10"; Power +2; Special: Barrage 2, Green Gas
|
|
|
|
Post by scottwashburn on May 31, 2016 12:16:28 GMT
The problem with giving the second claw an attack is that it's too short to reach any targets!  As for the rest of it, it looks okay, although I'd suggest that the reaper tentacles ought to be restricted by time period. When the Martians first arrived they probably weren't thinking about using the manipulator tentacles as weapons. Only later did they realize the need to do so. |
|
|
|
Post by phgamer on May 31, 2016 12:52:53 GMT
Regarding the T-Rex like reach of the Reaper Claw, I agree with Scott. Yes, the tripod could crouch to bring it into reach, but that also puts the Martian in reach of the infantry as well. It wouldn't take too many grenades in the face before they would learn not to do that against combatants.
|
|
|
|
Post by spectre07 on May 31, 2016 16:58:28 GMT
I agree with Mad. The Martians have always used their tentacles to build move etc. Moving tanks to flip them or sweeping infantry like the ants we are should be a logical extension. I can see however, where maybe making the tentacles less flexible or slower against infantry might be in order with reduced attack on the attack against infantry. Reaper being the improved beasts they are have overcome this deficiency.
|
|
|
|
Post by terrance on May 31, 2016 18:51:49 GMT
I like having assault tentacles on the assault tripods and agree they should be limited by time period. Also we could give them assault capability from the start but with power 0. Increase to power +1 the next year and to power +2 the following year.
Besides the limited reach on the Martian tripod "hand" I wonder if it is powerful enough to function as a reaper claw. Compare it to the massive claw on the reaper tripod.
|
|
|
|
Post by madmorgan on Jun 1, 2016 11:07:37 GMT
Everyone seems to be fixed on the size of the claw on the Assault and Scout machines. I'm basing the idea on the fact that all the tentacles and claws on the Martian machines can extend to a large degree - the ones on the Assault & Scout machines are just not as extended as they could be, a funtion of the models design. The thought of using different 'power' stats for the tentacles through the years is okay. And the idea that the Reaper is a better melee version of early attempts is okay too. If you feel the Assault tentacles are too much in power, simply use them as +0 or +1 as you prefer. You could also limit the claw by allowing it to attack adjacent targets only - houses, walls, etc. And tanks. At least till they get a few blown off by tank cannons at adjacent range. Just a joke - "size doesn't matter"... |
|
|
|
Post by seydlitz on Jun 2, 2016 5:13:12 GMT
I would say that a better way to increase the Assault Tripod's effectiveness would be to allow it fire more than one weapon at the target unit. So for example, if the Martian player paid the 50 points extra to have dust or gas then he gets to fire both the heat ray and the dust/gas at the same target unit. After all, it was an FAQ from Ernie that said the Assault Tripod must choose to shoot one weapon or the other if it had gas/dust in addition to the heat ray.
If you read the hard back rule book, on page 40 under shooting, step 3, it says "Roll a die for each weapon that has line of sight to the target." On page 41, under 1) PICK A TARGET it notes in the first paragraph that shooting is by unit...the phasing player picks a unit to shoot or assault and then nominates an enemy unit as the target. In the second paragraph it more specifically states "Most elements have only one weapon, and so make one attack against the chosen target. Some elements have more than one weapon, in which case each weapon that is shooting gets its own attack against the same target. There are some exceptions to this rule, mostly covering very large machines that have multiple turrets, and which are allowed to shoot at more than one target at once. There are also a few restrictions, most notably the vehicle Machine-Gun rule noted later."
In the actual unit information, it gives the specific restrictions that apply....like the Vehicle machine Gun rule on p.43, the Ironclad Fully Independent Targeting rule on pg.111, the Dominator Tripod Multiple Targeting rule on pg. 119 (which no only allows it to fire all three of it's weapons, but to shoot at three different targets as well), the scout tripod Targeter rule on pg.130 (which specifies either heat ray or targeter), the Overseer tripod on pg.122 that has 3 heavy heat rays and a sun gun. It says under the Sun Gun rule that it can fire either the Sun Gun or with it's heat rays....
It is volume of fire that always kills the Martians. With only 1 shot per unit that doesn't give enough volume of fire in big battles. Given that the range for gas/dust is only 10", less than the 15" sweep range, an extra 50 points (25% of the base unit's cost) is a steep price to pay for an either/or weapon that is only better in some specific situations.
The other issue is indeed that of why an assault tripod can't assault....
The dilemma here is that even if you had one or two assault attacks at +0, +1, or even +2, you are still better off using a heat ray sweep (bigger AOE and higher power) than assaulting. If you play as Ernie stated on the old forum that the defender does not get terrain DEF modifiers in assault combat, that might be a reason to assault, but if you had gas/dust, again you would be better off by shooting.
I personally think that tripods should have an assault ability given the tentacles and the pointy legs that could impale you. I just think that under the rules those same tripods are always more effective shooting. Now, if you slightly changed the rule to say that a tripod can assault a target and also fire it's weapons at the same target (so I shoot my heat ray plus get one or two tentacle assault attacks on the target at the same time) then you might have something there that makes the tripods closer to cannon and more fearsome on the field.
|
|
|
|
Post by tenchuu on Jun 2, 2016 20:24:00 GMT
Give them tentacles that are less likely to hit Infantry than the drone ones. Assume it's harder to hit tiny humans from way up high. Maybe a small point bump.
|
|
|
|
Post by madmorgan on Jun 4, 2016 12:00:26 GMT
One small advantage to having tentacles/claws would be in the case of a weapon hit - safer to use the tentacle/claw then risk the green gas being thrown on your surrounding drones.
|
|
