Lock-on mechanic isn't effective against both airplane and vehicle and don't rely at all on the user's skill, that's why I suggest to rework Grounder, Hawk, Nemesis, SKEP, Crow and Hades into RL that use a fast rocket with proximity seeking against aircraft (same mechanic as striker). Their higher speed and proximity seeking mean more chance to hit and more range than the default RL, but it come at the price of lower alpha damage and lower DPS. Grounder / Hawk / Nemesis have more chances to hit airplanes but deal less damage against airplane than SKEP / Crow / Hades. All 6 of them have the same effectiveness against ground vehicles (low alpha with the same DPS as decimator) and infantry (two direct hit kill, no splash). Grounder / Hawk / Nemesis (light G2A) Lose their lock-on mechanic Proximity seeking : aircraft (6m) Max velocity : 150m/s (starting velocity : 50m/s; 100m/s acceleration) Direct damage : 650 (RL damage type) Splash damage : 400 (flak damage type) Reload speed nerf to 3.7 (+0.3 from RoF) SKEP / Crow / Hades (heavy G2A) Lose their lock-on mechanic Proximity seeking : aircraft (2m) Max velocity : 150m/s (starting velocity : 50m/s; 100m/s acceleration) Direct damage : 650 (RL damage type) Splash damage : 600 (flak damage type) Reload speed nerf to 3.7 (+0.3 from RoF)
This isn't a bad idea. I've personally been thinking of a similar overhaul: G2A launchers become wire-guided flak warheads. They are capable of direct hits so that it can be tuned for large aircraft in addition to punishing hovering ESFs. Low damage vs. ground vehicles. G2G launchers become the same, but with lower velocity, no flak detonation, and good damage vs. ground vehicles. Low damage on aircraft. The Annihilator and Swarm also become wire-guided, being in between the two other launcher types by having moderate performance at both tasks (smaller flak radius and more damage vs. ground vehicles compared to G2A, less damage vs. ground vehicles and more direct-hit damage vs. aircraft compared to G2G). All of the above should have a wide turn radius so it's not "point = hit", and pilots that divert full attention to evasion can narrowly dodge a rocket. Decoy Flares and IR Smoke should cause rockets to redirect around/away from the target, as if there is a magnetic repulsion. This fulfills the need for non-overspecialized defensive AA like the Striker.
but muh special masamune :c like seriously, with this the Swarm and the massamune become the same weapon.
Totally forgot about about your fave launcher, my bad. Addendum: it would be different than the Swarm by having no flak, more AV damage, and of course the "shotgun" hip-fire.
They need to keep their damage. Maybe let the single shot deal less than all 6 rockets from the Striker, as they wouldn't take nearly the same exposure time. But yeah, a Striker or Flak mechanic is 100% what ground launchers need.
