Deployable Hull-Down?

[Rhino]

dosen't really show anything

[boilerrat]

Well, it's sandbags covering the front fully and partial sides. Somewhat how the foxhole works for infantry.

On a sweet T-34

[SchildVogel]

Here's a very rough diagram on failPaint. The green spray paint is to simulate the camo netting, the blue blob is supposed to be the tank, and the yellow circles are sandbags. None of the colors are how they would really be, obviously. [ATTACH]5421[/ATTACH]

[rushn]

hmmm sounds like it would be easy if it is a deployable but wouldnt vehicles destroy it by rammng it

[Wakain]

interesting idea, but in a lot of cases this would make the tank almost invulnerable to head on and even flanking confrontations. if this would get through(a possibility, I guess) I think the amount of arty strikes per 60 minutes basis should get up slightly so more could be directed against such positions.

[Tirak]

So long as the tank is immobile and it takes a reasonably long time to deploy and undeploy, that level of defense is fine.

[HeXeY]

• Deployed as a foxhole/HMG/wire/etc, just without having to be close to FB
• "Unlimited" total amount, but it is limited to 4 per flag (subject to change for balance)
• Must be placed within 200 metres of a flag (subject to change for balance)
• Must be within [insert same range as FBs] of a crate
• Build time is 2.5 times that of foxholes (subject to change for balance)
• It can take 8 AP shells before being destroyed (subject to change for balance)

Bildr.no

[bloodthirsty_viking]

Or...

• Tank Driver can enter Hull-down mode by using right click.
• Must be within 100-200m of a crate.
• Tank must be stationary, not sliding on a hill.
• While in hull down, the tank cannot move.
• Sandbags build up on the tank, they are not deployable, just attachments to the vehicle.
• The more time is spent in hull down (and the more sandbags are on it) the more the tanks resistance to hits to the front, sides and back increases, this maxs out at about 3 minutes.
• The tank hulls down slower if it has crew inside it (to represent the crew getting out to build.

I like this one the most.

Heres a simple image on how i think it would work, just with a few changes i feel would make it balanced/less of a "want" for peaple to do.
I feel the turret should be able to work the entire time, but with limited movement, but thats just me.
Total: means total elapsed time from start of deplyment

[CCCode]

Thats nice but the time to build/remove should be depending on the amount of crew the tank got.

[Looy]

I'd like to add to my previous idea by saying that you should be able to cancel the hulldown at any time during construction. The amount of time taken to fully remove the sandbags would be proportional to how far they have been set up.

[sylent/shooter]

interesting idea, but in a lot of cases this would make the tank almost invulnerable to head on and even flanking confrontations. if this would get through(a possibility, I guess) I think the amount of arty strikes per 60 minutes basis should get up slightly so more could be directed against such positions.

Well IRL when a tank is "hulled-down" it would limit the effectiveness of head on attacks and flanking of the tank. Basically the only way to easily, and effectively destroy this would be by air. I.E Jdam, or Hellfire missile etc etc. Which on maps like Kashan would be interesting to see. Remember the tank can't move while in this position, so IF you got around behind it, it would be very easy to destroy.

[=Toasted=]

Well IRL when a tank is "hulled-down" it would limit the effectiveness of head on attacks and flanking of the tank. Basically the only way to easily, and effectively destroy this would be by air. I.E Jdam, or Hellfire missile etc etc. Which on maps like Kashan would be interesting to see. Remember the tank can't move while in this position, so IF you got around behind it, it would be very easy to destroy.

Something tells me that Jet/Attack Heli pilots are really going to like this addition to the game. Stationary targets are all the more easy to hit.

This also adds another importance on Anti-Air defence as well.

I hope that this can be implemented.

[Lange]

Something tells me that Jet/Attack Heli pilots are really going to like this addition to the game. Stationary targets are all the more easy to hit.

This also adds another importance on Anti-Air defence as well.

I hope that this can be implemented.

Right meaning that the tank will have overall more protection but not ideal for a offensive role due to no movement and plus due to deployment/construction time you wont be able to use one very effectively in hot enemy locations anyway.

However I really like this idea, with the coming of TOW's and the ever available AT vehicles often have been frustrating to and limited in effectiveness in PR and often unbalanced in the way that they can be easily destroyed. Adding a hulldown I think would help increase teamwork in certain aspects and help use tanks in more of a defensive role than before and more of a role in teamwork than before as well.

Some points to add as well:

-In a hulldown a tank will be more protected against destruction threats but not invincible. Something you have to think about in a strategic manner, do I want to sacrifice mobility for protection? Do I want to take the extra time to deploy this? Questions like this will be raised meaning that a hulldown by no means makes tanks any more overpowered but bring the balance out a little more again.

A good example of this would be on insurgency. Often tank players on insurgency maps roam outside of the city or away from the heavy action and fire at insurgents/objectives from that position. Even now RPGS are truely ineffective vs a tank on insurgency so if we further that insurgents will need to save the RPGs for lighter vehicles and take advantage of the forced stationary position of the tank which means:

-Greater possibility for bomb car/gary

-possibly of IED/explosion attacks by going close proximity due to the tanks inability to move.

To prevent these a tank will have to find a suitable position and have team support meaning unless a tank wants to be at risk you just don't deploy anywhere.

AAS would be a bit different though but similar concepts would apply.

With that a question:

Would this asset be available for just tanks or all vehicles?

I would believe just tanks as in RL I have never heard of other vehicles being able to use but figured I'd ask.

[LithiumFox]

How about a big foxhole built for a tank... Tall enough people can't use it as epic foxholes, but shore enough for a tank > > ?

o.o OR EVEN BETTER... We make the tanks fly!!!

[Teek]

the 2nd option of hull down, with the driver alt clicking or whatever, would make it similar to Company of Hero's in that British tanks could enter a hull down position with a tech tree purchase, you simply pressed the button to activate the ability and the tank would start to dig in, the tank couldn't move for about 30 seconds while it was doing that, but after that 30 seconds it would be much more resistant to hostile fire.

One thing about Hull Down positions, is that while it would take a while to set up, there is no reason your gunner cant still shoot any targets. Also, at any time your driver can pop it into reverse and run as there isnt anything stopping you from doing so except leaving a few burlap sacks behind.

On Kashan this would be perfect as a tank could hull down and become a much harder target for HAT and Tank fire (as they must hit the turret to do damage, or do damage to sandbags if they hit that instead) but you may have a false sence of security because a rear attack or Air attack is still very effective against you. A spotter and helicopter or A10 would have a field day with tank just sitting there in plain sight.

[Tirak]

Drive holds a button on his keyboard, say the R button, immediately invisible "stilts" come out of the bottom of the tank and lift it enough so the tracks can no longer move the tank. Protection would begin to deploy out of the tank akin to the Merlin door moving up and down. From there on, protection deploys like Viking suggested.

Just wanted to get the "stilts" idea out there to make sure the tank would be immobile while in the hull down.

[rushn]

Drive holds a button on his keyboard, say the R button, immediately invisible "stilts" come out of the bottom of the tank and lift it enough so the tracks can no longer move the tank. Protection would begin to deploy out of the tank akin to the Merlin door moving up and down. From there on, protection deploys like Viking suggested.

Just wanted to get the "stilts" idea out there to make sure the tank would be immobile while in the hull down.

yeah we dont want hull down tanks driving around like in COH sometimes

[Brummy]

If you're going to make it a deployable, make it only deployable from the crewman kit?

[ytman]

Hull down should just be incorporated into the map.... though I guess a way to camo vehicles would be really shweet. I'm not sure if it'd be condusive to the not quite slow paced nature of the game though.

But on the larger maps with larger view distances I can see a value.