Forward Observer (FO)

[JellyBelly]

I was going to post this in another thread which got me thinking. With no commander mode, the SF has lost his edge. Why not replace him with a Forward Observer.
Im sure with some coding you could use the commander application process to determain who is suitable. If you get chosen, the kit becomes available.

Baisic load out would include a Knife, bog standard M4 (without optics), a laser designator and a few grenades.

Abilitys would include being able to call LIMITED artillery (with a very long reload time), a UAV overpass and an LGB strike.

The LGB could be hooked up to the Laser Designator and used much like artillery. (eg, Aim, point click and it calls a single LGB onto the laser.) Agian for the sake of realism and general gameplay, it would be a very limited resource which would take a while to reload, and would have to be used wisely.

The only big problems I could forsee with this would be codding it to unlock this kit to only a certain person upon being designated the forward observer, coding an LGB Strike and stopping someone picking this kit up if the FO is killed.

Again, this is only a small idea I cooked up and im pretty sure it is more trouble than its worth. Comments.


Edit: Just seen how many other topics have touched on something like this so theres no need to shout "search function" at me

[Eden]

I havent heard the lazer designator idea here before but I think thats the way artilary needs to go. They had it in Delta force and it was a great asset normaly you got only 2-3 strikes.

You could keep the commander as he is, but also change the spec ops to FO and give him the lazer designator and make it so the commander has to aprove the air strike.

[BrokenArrow]

The main problem I see with this player called arty strikes without any actual player controlled arty pieces is that in real life, when supplied, strikes can go on indefinitely. I just really don't like the idea of a single player calling in artillery strikes and bombing runs because it just begs to fall into the wrong hands and be over-used.

[Noetheinner]

Well, the limited # of strikes available, the pack not being able to be picked up, and a commander approving the strike would be good limiting factors for a LGB. Imagine seeing a NPC jet flying over at high altitude and dropping a bomb. That would be uber L33T! (last part not plausale I think but it would be cool!)

[Rhino]

me being the bomber i am it allways helps to be able to see what you are bombing. Troops are some very hard things to spot when you are flying in a jet at high speeds, and if this Designator to spot out some type of target then on the pilots HUD could show him where to bomb and how far away the target is

This would really help with some bombing runs, but with tanks they allready have a big green box round them so they are nice and easy

[BrokenArrow]

What I'm saying is I would love to see the game turn away from magical arty (and other magical point the laser bomb dropped from nowhere (if added)) and more towards Player A on the ground designates a target for Player B flying plane or have Player A (FO) spot a target for Player B opperating an artillery piece or mobile artillery vehicle.

[NikovK]

Crusaders and Paladins For The Win, but you know I'll jack one and use it as an assault gun...

We'd have to use half charges anyway.

Anyhow, I think the artillery system should be no more complicated than a squad leader sending out the artillery request commo rose, the team's artillery gunner (or gunners) recieving a marker on their maps showing where the strike should fall and an elevation/bearing marker floating in the air as an aimpoint (Or for the hardcore, compass bearing and angle of elevation! Adding a new kit and class complicates the process quite a bit and gets rid of the squad leader's best friend.

[Beckwith]

You guys do know what that is rite? Thats the laser designator thats going into PR.

[NikovK]

For an LGB, sure, but for arty...

[Beckwith]

Could be, according to Hickman there is laser designated arty, so it would be realistic.

[Eddie Baker]

For an LGB, sure, but for arty...

There are laser-guided artillery rounds, also. The US series of laser-guided rounds is referred to as "Copperhead." As for the UK rounds, Hickman is our subject matter expert, as he is a British Army forward observer.

[Noetheinner]

you dev guys, right in there with the community! WOOHOO!!!!

[JellyBelly]

Failing this system, why not do something much like Join Operations.

Designate a target and any one some kind of ordinance vehicle cna see the target and, through theyre map, is able to aim at it. The Joint Ops system was beautiful and I think, if it was implemented, would really bring some form of teamwork to arty strikes.

[Hitperson]

I was going to post this in another thread which got me thinking. With no commander mode, the SF has lost his edge. Why not replace him with a Forward Observer.
Im sure with some coding you could use the commander application process to determain who is suitable. If you get chosen, the kit becomes available.

Baisic load out would include a Knife, bog standard M4 (without optics), a laser designator and a few grenades.

Abilitys would include being able to call LIMITED artillery (with a very long reload time), a UAV overpass and an LGB strike.

The LGB could be hooked up to the Laser Designator and used much like artillery. (eg, Aim, point click and it calls a single LGB onto the laser.) Agian for the sake of realism and general gameplay, it would be a very limited resource which would take a while to reload, and would have to be used wisely.

The only big problems I could forsee with this would be codding it to unlock this kit to only a certain person upon being designated the forward observer, coding an LGB Strike and stopping someone picking this kit up if the FO is killed.

Again, this is only a small idea I cooked up and im pretty sure it is more trouble than its worth. Comments.


Edit: Just seen how many other topics have touched on something like this so theres no need to shout "search function" at me

think of the fun you could have using the enimies artillay against them yeah kickin ***.!!!!!!!!!!!

[NikovK]

Eddie Baker']There are laser-guided artillery rounds, also. The US series of laser-guided rounds is referred to as "Copperhead." As for the UK rounds, Hickman is our subject matter expert, as he is a British Army forward observer.

I was under the impression those were fairly expensive rounds and only used for things like dug-in tanks or a precision hit on a bridge, not a liberal dusting of high-explosive. So if you need something precise, sure, but we still need a method for dumb ammunition.

[NikovK]

Dear American Citizen and Video Gamer,

It is good to talk to our paramilitary trainees, I mean, FPS players, and I greatly appriciate your ethusiasm. But due to budget constraints and impending investigation on Capitol Hill, I must ask you to cease using Copperhead rounds on PRMM. While I recognize the efficiency of this weapon, you have used $1,250,000 dollars worth of ordinance on enemy snipers. Such expenditures reduces the effectiveness of all other branches and have been cited by Democratic congressmen as having taken up all the milk money for little Iraqi schoolchildren.

Your President,

G. W. B.

[jezzzy]

whats PR's plans for the AS90 in the mod? how will it fire. i was thinking the other day when in the AS90 you could fire on targets out of visual sight using the large map ( 'M', not Cps Lock) then theres a small X or O indicator on the map where the shell would hit and you could adjust the turret as you would normally to fire shells on that area. It would be proper cool, and the barrel could overheat after a certain amount of rounds fired, as it would in real life.

[Hitperson]

2 types of ruound use the laser guided ones for bridges and radar (as a hit it impossible witrh dumb arty in bf2).