I had this idea based on the concept that the engineer isnt just a fighting man... but is also utility support. The idea is as follows: The Mechanism Launcher... or Utility Mana-Turret. Abbreviated "UT" as an alternative to the offensive AI or AV mana turrets, Which are pathetic due to nerfs or so situational that engineers never pull them out till they are reminded they have one. the engy could opt for a mana turret that is fun to use... customizable... and highly useful in the nitch it fills. the engy begins by deploying a small platform to the ground that features a launcher type device similar to the AV turret but with a base that isnt rediculous. the launcher uses alternative ammo types. the default type in this case would be an electro-magnet attached to a cable to function as a tug device able to latch on to enemy and ally vehicles and anchor them solidly to a set range that the cable is configured to. id say the cable can only go out to 100 meters but the UT by default can only fire up to about 50 meters due to a heavy arch *the cable is heavy and causes considerable drag*. right clicking would then pull on the cable and thus the magnet and attached vehicle drawing it towards the engineer. the magnet does no damage to the vehicle and would rely instead on alternative weaponry to destroy said vehicle. the magnet serves another function which allows it to be used on ally vehicles... but seeing as the base function could be exploitative and used abusively... i feel it can only be used on an allied vehicle that doesn't have a driver/pilot and isnt in an anchored or deployed mode... such as a deployed sundy. this restriction would imply that the driver would have left the vehicle to use his own UT or that of an ally to pull his tank out of a snare or the slippery ridges found on indar. this wouldnt hinder its use against enemies but would allow the utility function for allies. it is important to note that the action of dragging the vehicle across the ground *because of collision detection and code limitations* could cause any range of light to severe damage to the vehicle... so if the magnet is successful at securing attachment to the hull of the tank or what ever... that vehicle would be buffed to receive no surface damage while the magnet is attached. this is to minimize the effect of bumping into the terrain but not hinder offensive weaponry being used. i think the the only issue with this particular device would be suspending a vehicle over a cliff. is the game capable of this form of physics? the possible limitations of this and the possible exploitative nature of pulling a sunderer up into a tree on hossen *a credit to whom ever could pull that off* may have due cause to prevent that function of the device... but pulling the vehicle across steep ground or over and out of jagged rock formations should still be possible and have a valid use in the game. its possible to work around by having a "believable" weight limit or a detection in which at least part of the vehicle must be touching some part of the ground or a structure less the cable fail and the vehicle be dropped. the drawback to the wright limit is that the flash *possibly the most used for this feature* has a very low weight and could believably be lifted by two men. likely the surface detection would be the best means to keep its use balanced and within the optimized system resources as it would be a simple mechanic already existing. however if the game engine can actually support the physics of the dangling cable with a lightning suspended below it... then the UT Electro-Magnet should be implemented un- amended in its function.
i would like to see this, or an attachment onto vehicles like sunderers that works similarly, we already have cosmeti grill options with winches, why ant we use them if we get stuck?
For some reason I had a horrible mental image of anchored prowlers hiding up trees on Hossin like predator.
