Chinook abilities & defense

[Kgersen]

Since I started a thread on Chinook pilots/cockpit area and didn't want to highjack it on another Chinook/transport idea that I started to brew on during the tread, I decided to start this one and hopefully its worth the mention at least.

Apart from dropping your troops off on their combat missions (and for the return run, hopefully), What other possible uses can the Chinook or any upgraded transports have during missions?

Maybe a module for deployable flares? Great for night time missions if you've equiped the Chinook for it that is. Say it shoots out half a dozen flares 360 (or 180 at the ramp) at varying distances (but not too far) from the transport. What about on landing, if its equiped with a heavy weapon module, the Chinook can fire upon one (or if lucky two) alien at least 2 full auto fire (NPC event, can't manually pick target?). A 50 Cal would be nice.

Maybe the transport could motion detect (if it has the module) for the first round in a large area? I'm sure there are a heap of ideas for usable (or NPC event) modules for the transport.

Edited July 9, 2012 by Kgersen
Eeek forgot search tags!

[thothkins]

Smoke grenades would be an option if this is anything like the original, allowing your units to get into cover?

But really, the whole issue with this lot is that they can tip the balance quite significantly.

Flares removes the fog of war giving a pretty decent tactical advantage as well as lowering the creepy uncertainty during such missions.

A motion detector would do likewise, although a plus is that there would be a lot of local forces around to confuse things. But then I'd want the aliens to be able to detect all of the xenonauts form their craft too. Might provide a bit of balance between caution and a rush to take out the craft if they can see you coming.

A 50 Cal would be even more devastating to any spotted alien forces advancing on the Chinook. Just lead them back into it's line of fire. In practice the tank can take out any foes that are that close. It also begs the question why the aliens don't just bring up their big guns on modified hoverbot platforms and shoot the heck out of the Chinook in an early round.

The chinook should also have plenty of carrying space for a spot of shopping in terror missions.

[Max_Caine]

I agree with Kgersen's idea that the dropship could do more than act as a piece of scenery, but share thothkins' concern that options for the dropship could tip game balance in the wrong way. Like thothkins says, I disgree with mounted weapons of any sort on the dropship. When the AI becomes more developed, a smart player could learn how to kite aliens back to the dropship, then blast them from safety in its invulnerable walls. This smart player then makes a youtube video showing off l33t skillz, or writes something in gamefaqs which then everybody then duplicates.

Perhaps one idea that has both strengths and drawbacks is for the dropship to act as a local point of command and control, relaying orders and co-ordinating the team, provided someone stays on the ship. Your best/highest ranked Xenonaut on the dropship could opt to remain within the dropship, permanently throughout the mission to act as mission co-ordinator. If you choose to do this, all the other xenonauts get an AP and Bravery bonus, based upon how awesome your local commander is. The player then has a choice - keep his best guy on the ground, or let all the other guys get a little bonus (subject to balance). Think of the apc scene in Aliens where the lt. can co-ordinate the squaddies from his control couch.

[Gauddlike]

If you can use the dropship to influence how the battle goes then the enemy should be able to perceive it as a threat and remove it.

It makes sense to me that the large, immobile, and slightly squishy target would attract a lot of fire if it was also a command and control hub.

[jars_u]

How about a separate (but similar to interceptor) air combat screen for the Chinook?

Assumed armed with two machine guns - when landing crashed alien craft fires back with AA weapons? The larger the alien craft the greater % that this exchange takes place - maybe you take out some aliens on the ground (fewer to hunt down) and maybe you land with Xenonauts already injured/dead. I think landing with dead Xenonauts (and maybe having to abort the mission) would offset any advantage to having two mounted machine guns on the Chinook itself - especially if you had to man the guns with your existing crew who eventually you will pull off as you start to explore the map etc.

...Your best/highest ranked Xenonaut on the dropship could opt to remain within the dropship, permanently throughout the mission to act as mission co-ordinator. If you choose to do this, all the other xenonauts get an AP and Bravery bonus...

Also an excellent idea I think.

Edited July 9, 2012 by jars_u

[Name]

Every one is ignoring the obvious it is a helicopter let us drop off our units in a couple different place (but not close to the UFO) Example time"........... The aliens are terrorizing blank city you can be dropped off in the residential district. Or on the roof of a building a little ways away from everything and maybe the pilot has 1 extra landing choice and has levels depending on missions flown or sumthing. And dropping of a few troops at different places would be cool.