Enhancing Vanilla PvE Warfare (Infantry and Grid-based)

So now with the accumulated combat reworks from Warfare I to Signals, and seeing how KSH is now finally turning its focus on PvE based encounters (hopefully in survival) We must talk about the grim prospects of fighting AI grids ourselves.

Certain ingame mechanics, AI blocks, turret targeting etc. are more or less akin to the ingame version of aimbots and can be very difficult for early-game low tech players to fight without requiring total design overhauls to be compatible with them.

Therefore I'm proposing that KSH introduce asymmetric 'counterplay' mechanics and diversification of vanilla systems.

Smokes. Flares, Chaff

Flares were a missed opportunity to deepen combat mechanics. They are a really cheap solution to draw enemy firepower away from yourself, particularly in aircraft. This can be easily done by enabling targeting flares by default in all Ai-based targeting system, and may not be overridable in settings, and forcing potential PvPers to switch back to manual control to maintain DPS. A similar chaff system is also made as a counter part to flares as a counter to radar systems, if they were a thing. For simplification reasons they could be bundled into the flare system as 'chaff & flares', 'flares with chaff ability' or equivalent system.

Smokes would be another system that would be extremely valuable in combat, especially when emergency field repairs or safer ways to disengage the battlefield is needed in an area with no cover. It would ideally adopt the flare's flare launcher system acting as a projectile, and spawns invisible, 'void' blocks within the confines of the smoke to create the workaround of 'breaking line of sight with an AI lock system for both turrets and AI system. Can be shot through manually if needed.

Rangefinders (Manual and Laser)

Currently the only truly viable way to fight grids outside of absolution tank-designs and overwhelming firepower is range and precision. Which limits players to adopting passive sniping tactics or 'wall of guns' to suppress the target. Sniping becomes a lot less effective at range as the target lead indicator is only relevant for high rate of fire weapons systems, and much less so for lower rate of fire cannon systems that demand a direct hit, otherwise losing DPS entirely.

Thus the rangefinder should hopefully enable a manual way of gauging distance to targets, potentially being able to read the approximate GPS coordinates of the targeted position artillery and missile systems as well as making manual engagements beyond turret default 800m more viable.. Manual systems have lower accuracy, but coupled with an ingame gunsight overlay system for manual adjustments could still be effective. Laser systems instead slave the gun elevation based on projectile motion automatically and done a lot faster, but with higher power requirements.

Warfare II Weapon Accessories & Ammunition

From early updates there have been modules introduced to enhance the output of refineries and assemblers to produce components and ores, faster, more efficiently and with less power consumption. Why not implement that for grid weapons?

I was thinking of introducing systems that introduce more 'bulk' to systems that either increase effective-firepower or change the nature of the damage by grid weapons. For example an autoloader system could have a magazine of 5 shells that reload much faster than normal, enabling bursts of fire where necessary, or fundamentally changing how some weapons work, like being able to fire player guided ATGMs from the barrel, faster projectiles for example. This enables trade-off play for having lower profile turrets with smaller cannon breeches or better weapons for potentially worse gun elevation angles etc.

The firework launcher introduced the idea of different ammo types for launchers. Why not apply them to grid guns as well? High explosive, HEAT, APFSDS, Proxy-fused rounds, Airburst rounds, all can be done by changing the nature of projectile damage, and allowing for a greater combination of weapon systems without necessarily adding more weapons with overlapping characteristics to balance.

Modelling AI systems and AI turret tracking as FLIR or Radar Systems

By modelling a significant number of ingame AI weapon tracking systems as an assumed combination of Radar tracking (for grids) and Infrared Signature (Players, Idle Thrusters, Weapons). This is likely still relevant for the near-future setting for SE, and can be categorised in such a way that the same weapon systems can have its effectiveness significantly affected based on the mode of detection its is categorized for target acquisition. (Note: preserve the current targeting system, just include intentional gameplay weaknesses to enable counterplay)

From here, other active and passive counter play measures could be introduced for players. Better cooling systems for smaller heat signature (active), Thermal insulation from blocks with ceramic tiles (passive), Radar absorbent panels (passive), Electronic Warfare creating unusable radar noise for firing solutions in close proximity (active)

Man-portable AA and AT missile systems for Infantry-Grid Combat

The current rocket launchers are a great addition to infantry to have a fighting chance compared to the accuracy and reaction times of in game grid targeting. SACLOS missiles like MILANs and fire-and forget tracking missiles such as Javelins and Stingers could be introduced to enable long range combat against moving targets. Could be compensated by having long reload times, heavier launchers, higher time to ADS, etc.

Thanks for taking time to read my suggestions. And good luck with development, looking forward to KSH's take on PvE.