Orbital Strike: What should it Cost?

I remember when OSs first were used in PS1, super cool. Blew the crap out of an AMS, won the entire fight in their favor. Then as time went by everyone had an OS, even with the 12 hour cooldown you couldn't attack a base with less than 5 ams' because they'd all just get OSed in a row.

Lessons learned from PS 1 is that no matter how difficult it is to unlock far too many people will eventually get it and then the game becomes a cluster **** of orbit strikes. You think you're angry with lolpods and siege mode tanks, think about how bad it will be having your entire position obliterated any time you deploy a sundy.

As a player of the first one (and a command rank 5) say no to Orbit Strikes.

What should it cost? It shouldn't cost anything.

Because it shouldn't exist.

75000 resources pulled together, having all 5 major facilities, over 75% teritorry control in useable continent and a warpgate lock on the target warpgate.

Lets just throw in BFRs with orbital strikes while we're at it. Because if you're going to ruin the game, you may as well go all the way. How about Flails as well. I ended up shell shocked one Saturday during an interfarm. Its ok when you see a few of them but this is a massive multiplayer game and when a massive amount of people get their hands on these things, its game over.
Honestly, you'll never be able to mount an offensive because as soon as a sundy gets set-up, its gone. I've been there so many times in PS1, trying to get my AMS into a base and I'm praying that the enemy has run out of OSs. Shouldn't be like this at all.

I think I'll agree with most of the nay votes. I think OS's are an overpowered addition to the game that will pretty much screw things up. Heck, look at all the kvetching over snipers, harrassers and AV turrets! Bring in an OS which no one can defend against? Nah.

Of course, they COULD bring back the Galaxy's spawning ability....so Sunderers might be OS'd into oblivion, but we can still spawn.

I have 8k certs on all my characters. Even my BR 1 alts i keep parked in the VR room to test equipment.

Virtually impossible to defend from and it destroys your Sunderer (AMS)?

Don't we already have that? They're called drop pods...

So why would we need orbital strikes too?

Orbital strikes need to be an outfit weapon. Giving high BR solo players the option would be stupid and OP.

If I remember correctly, there is Outfit Progression planned for a future update.
Orbital Strike, if limited in range, and not kill-all-on-hex type of weapon, could very well fit into the higher tiers of the progression, given only to up to outfit leader and say, 3 others, with cooldown being in the hours, not minutes.
There is also resource revamp planned, so energy will be needed for the weapon to fire.

However, I would very much like to see some strategic bases that are essentially artillery positions - an infiltrator would spot a target for a nearby controlled artillery base, and given enough energy is present in the base grid, the artillery can fire at it, with the outfit which played most part for the artillery capture having the priority should they also decide to queue up a strike.
I imagine it acting as a shootable-down ballistic missile, flying slowly up, maneuvering above the marker, and screaming down at ~85 degree angle - both shootable, avoidable, and massively threatening to see such a thing looming above.
The engine should be able to automate such object based on simple go-up, go to X of marked target, fly down, explode.

We already have Orbital Strike in the game....

It cost 3000 Air resources, requires 12 esf pilots, and some coordination between the pilots and the target finder.

No.

Let's not make yet another SOE mistake of "ZOMG IF U JUMP THROUGH 3213124 FLAMING HOOPS U SHOULD B GOD" mechanics.

If Star Wars Galaxies is any indication (it is, the Jedi garbage that slowly killed the game from hologrind onward), it will be super hard to get, sure, then those who do will whine that they 'deserve' it to be even stronger, and it will dominate and destroy game balance until it's easier to get, then the "hardcore" people who got it early will throw tantrums and scream and eventually it will leave a barren wasteland of angst.

Orbital Strike? 1, 000, 000 certs. Don't have to pay the full amount at once (Like you could). Also have to be BR100. After that, using it uses all your resources. Every bloody one. It requires someone in your squad to point a laser at a target (Anything that's an enemy) for ten seconds. If any allies are killed, you are weapon locked for two days straight.

This is still a very dumb idea, possibly BECAUSE you want it to cost so much. It would lead to demands of it utterly dominating the game because of its high cost.

No. Just no. BR100s have plenty of certs lying around to cert into that. It should be AN OUTFIT ONLY WEAPON. Look at my suggestion at page 2.

Also to extend on my previous post, a percentage of the exp gained from the orbital strike will go to every outfit member online, maybe 20%, while the guy with the designator on site will have 40% exp. The laser must be kept on target for the entirety of the channel time, maybe 60 seconds of not moving. All 100% of the certs/exp gained by orbital strike will be deposited in the outfit bank.

I didn't read through this at all, just posted something that would make it hard as **** to get (To me, anyway. I'm god awful at this game lol).
Why not also toss some XP to any of -insert faction here- who are within one hex of it and/or die to it? o: With drastically less for dying.

Tie to Facility(New one, called Strategic HQ or some other fancy name) and new Resource system(Draw from Faction). Add good CD, definitely have a way to warn every person in the area but don't exaggerate or they will always dodge it. Make it a bit random too or people will find all the blind spots Should require Platoon Leader clearance. MAYBE tie it to Infiltrators in some way but not completely depending on them. If we had to use a Terminal on said Facility(HACKABLE PL0X) to mark Strike locations it would also be great.

To add to that I'd make this whole thing a Platoon Leader Cert Line. I'd also give it Supply Drop, Area Scan, Vehicle Drop, MAYBE some form of control over Drop Pods like making them Spawn faster, or some other advantage(If they balance them first though). Perhaps even Turret Drop. I would also separate AI from AV Strikes and add an EMP Strike like in BF2142(Again first we need to balance EMPs, they are horrible). I wouldn't object to a Mine Field Drop.

Imagine if we could also have an Air Base where from a local Terminal(Infiltrators should be able to Hack that too) we could initiate Carpet Bombings. Of course, the Bomber should be vulnerable(Players shouldn't be able to get in).

Just 5' ideas, I'm sure SOE could do it better(Or.. Not so sure? No idea)..

I think no orbital strikes at all is the best way to do this.

Something like that, although if they put in CR then the cert cost could go.

Reintroduce Auraxium as a ressource
Every facility owned by your faction gets you 1 Auraxium per hour, no bonus for area fighting
OS is a one time consumable that costs ~1000 Auraxium

Auraxium can also be used for other very strong stuff in the future. There are tons of suggestions for that in the Suggestion forums.

Funny how so many Forumsiders chant "skill skill skill" like a mantra, yet apparently so many are totally all right with a huge area of effect blast that is only limited by how hard a faction can grind for it.