Unit design: survivability and weapon slots
I have two small points to raise about the parameters in some units:
First, as came up in a discussion recnetly about monkey models and comparing Western and Eastern tanks, agreement was made (?) that armor ratings were fine, but that internal design flaws (relating to autoloader, ammo and fuel loadout) made some Russian-made AFVs and tanks less than survivable.
Shouldn't there be some thought about lowering survivability value of these? I know that it could be unfair in gameplay terms, but not if there would be so much of a difference.
Second point was about weapon slot order. IIRC in SPMBT Player Info.txt file was written that weapons in the last slots got the lowest shot priority and were disabled more easily. If you look at many of the IFVs in the game, some of them have the external ATGM launcher as weapon 2.
Take a BMP-1:
-Weapon 1: 2A20 70mm gun
-Weapon 2: 9M14 Malutka ATGM
-Weapon 3: 7.62mm PKT CMG
-Weapon 4: nought...
Shouldn't the CMG be in slot 2? It is used (and destroyed) alongside from the main gun. While ATGM tube are generally a side weapon for special targets. Particularly in a BMP-1 where the missiles had to be reloaded from outside the turret, fins unfolded using some perch or other tiresome contraption, under fire? Slot 4 for this one would be fairness, and slot 3 for the majority. It is alreay so in both Bradley and Marder, two of the most preeminent ATGM IFVs.
Same for the BMP-3, where weapons go as follows: first 30mm cannon, then Gun-fired ATGM, then the 100mm gun that fires the very ATGM!
From both designer and user sources, the 100mm gun is meant to be the primary weapon, the 30mm being a super-coax and the missiles (rare and expensive) only for special cases.
That is just some thoughts I had been running around for some time, don't know what anyone thinks about it, or if it is worth the bother...
Cheers everyone,
Plasma
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