Weapon reaction modifiers should only affect offensive initiative

[Waladil]

Among the starting gear, I typically only use AR's and PR's, just because they match my style of play. I attempt to avoid getting into situations where my soldiers have to ever use reaction fire for various reasons. So I don't think about reaction modifiers much, with one exception:

The precision rifle has a .5 reaction modifier to the assault rifle's 1.0. While this makes perfect sense on the offensive side (a long rifle with a telescopic sight is much harder to rapidly aim than a short rifle with iron sights), it makes almost zero sense on the defensive side. My snipers are essentially guaranteed to have the aliens reaction fire against them if they ever move within alien LOS. However, the PR only weighs two extra kilograms than the AR and the extra length wouldn't effect a soldier on the move that dramatically. So I propose that the initiative calculation be split into two, one for offensive (taking reaction shots) and one for defensive (having reaction shots taken against you).

Offensive initiative:

Reflexes * reaction mod * % total TU (exactly as current)

Defensive initiative:

Reflexes * % total TU

When a sniper runs around with a pistol in his/her hands instead of a rifle, it's because he/she thinks the pistol might need to be fired, not because holding the rifle would make enemies three times more likely to shoot at them. (Also, why would moving around with a pistol make you harder to be shot at than moving around with nothing at all in your hands?)

[kabill]

It makes sense to factor in initiative modifiers 'defensively' in terms of shooting actions taken by the 'defender'. I guess the idea is that a precision rifle, being slower to aim and fire, is less likely to allow a shot before the reaction-firing opponent can shoot you. But I agree it doesn't work when well you factor in non-shooting actions.

I guess the 'best' way to cure this would be to have reaction fire occur as an interrupt *before* an opponent takes an action rather than afterwards and apply weapon modifiers only to shooting actions. That way, a soldier with a low reaction modifier weapon would be the same as everyone else while moving, but if they try and shoot their initiative will count less and they'll be more likely to get shot before they take a shot of their own. But that would require a lot of code-rewriting, I imagine, so the above solution (if one is implemented at all) is probably better from that perspective.

(The above system does represent a nerf to shotguns and pistols, though. One of their key advantages is a high initiative modifier which makes them useful for attacking aliens in defensive positions. In contrast, because of their low range, shotguns and pistols aren't really very good at reaction fire and their initiative modifier would therefore be mostly wasted).

[Chris]

It is a bit gamey, but the behaviour you list is intended to give weapons a more defined role.

However, with two weeks of development left I doubt we would have time to change it even if I did change mind.

[legit1337]

It can be justified somewhat realistically.

Imagine a soldier with a sniper rifle storming into a UFO. The rifle is long, heavy, and the soldier must take care not to smash it against walls or get it caught on anything. Thus his reactions in close combat are slowed, and he is less likely to dodge incoming fire. (Represented in this way by a low defensive reaction modifier).

That is an abstraction I can live with IMO. Sniper rifles deserve to be limited in CQC situations.