Remove the bright red dot or change CAS mechanics

[Gentlefood]

Summary (a quick, 2-3 sentence summary): Title. As of right now CAS is laughably terrible. Not really because the ordinance is all that bad, but mostly because of how it works on a mechanical level.
1. The SL must laze the target and stand still (making the SL very vulnerable)
2. The SL must REMAIN that way for a few seconds before the laze is even locked.
3. A BRIGHT RED (DON'T STAND HERE XENOS) Dot the size of a tile shows up
4. All xenos calmly leave the area and point at the dot long before CAS shows up
5. While you read through the entire above part CAS has just now finally shown up and blew up an empty field.

So either remove the bright red don't stand here light OR make it so the bright red don't stand here dot only shows up WHEN CAS HAS ACTUALLY LOCKED ONTO IT. IF YOU DON'T WANT PLAYERS TO META A MECHANIC DON'T MAKE IT SUPER EASY TO META AND IMPOSSIBLE TO ENFORCE.

Benefits (How this will benefit the server and game as a whole): Makes CAS actually useful.

Details (Description of how you think this would work, the benefits, etc): Literally change one of two minor things.

Implementation (Optional, if you have an idea how to implement it): Remove a sprite or change its trigger.

[Renomaki]

Honestly, if I am correct, it is possible to get drops on the laser the moment it pops up, but a lot of people don't understand that all that well.

A lot of people, just like with OBs, just toss out lasers without any forward planning and go "I NEED CAS NOW!11!!", not realizing that it takes time for a PO to lift up and begin the air strike, let alone if they have to reload their payload.

To do better with CAS and OBs, you need to communicate with your SO or PO and plan ahead. An SL that prepares in advance for fire support is a tactical SL, while an SL that just treats and OB like a cluster grenade and a guidance laser like some kinda death-ray is, well.. Not tactical.

[Shyguychizzy]

Yep, I can agree. Quite annoying have to constantly re-target or xenos just like "oooo big red lazer, come on gang lets move over ere." (And no not askin for xenos to die or have too just meh) I mean, technically I don't think xenos would know about Laser dots or that they provide the boom and such. Reducing the size of the lazer perhaps if you recall the gold coin back on Tribez. That I sorta can get if that was the size or reduced it to that stand point. Gonna go with a +1.

[danmax67]

+1
a +1 is often known for giving off a sense of agreement, or fulfillment for somee. it is based upon a point system, in of which it references the fact that the suggestion or statement has received one upvote. when upvoted in a mass, said suggestions or statements become much more well known within the community.

[misto]

they already accepted a suggestion to shrink the dot, did they do that yet?

[taketheshot56]

Ill be honest, I play marine and xeno quite equally, of course I would never admit to meta'ing.....but every xeno avoids bright red things. I would like to see this change, add more danger to a xeno frontal assault and make things easier, boilers dont get a big red targeting beacon why should cas? Most IRL CAS lasers use an infrared marking device anyhow only visible with infrared vision.

[sicktrigger]

Honestly, if I am correct, it is possible to get drops on the laser the moment it pops up, but a lot of people don't understand that all that well.

A lot of people, just like with OBs, just toss out lasers without any forward planning and go "I NEED CAS NOW!11!!", not realizing that it takes time for a PO to lift up and begin the air strike, let alone if they have to reload their payload.

To do better with CAS and OBs, you need to communicate with your SO or PO and plan ahead. An SL that prepares in advance for fire support is a tactical SL, while an SL that just treats and OB like a cluster grenade and a guidance laser like some kinda death-ray is, well.. Not tactical.

that's how I understand it's supposed to work as well.

ideally a CAS mission should go like this:
1. SL asks on command channel if CAS is available (BEFORE lasing)
2. Pilot responds and says they're launching
3. SL waits a second or two, then starts lasing something
4. Pilot is in the air and ready to fire immediately when the laser pops up, giving the xenos little time to run away
5. SL stops lasing when the area's clear, so the pilot doesn't waste ammo needlessly

i've never actually managed this, but you know

[Challenger]

Lasing actually doesn't need a buff.

All SLs have to do is just lase nonstop. Keep lasing boilers. Keep lasing open areas. Keep lasing in front of the barricades. Keep lasing at chokepoints. Keep lasing the river.

Then xenos are gonna have to either vacate the area, giving you a tactical advantage, or stay in it and risk the 10% chance of being utterly devastated when the lase is for an actual CAS run.

[SagaSword]

Lasing actually doesn't need a buff.

All SLs have to do is just lase nonstop. Keep lasing boilers. Keep lasing open areas. Keep lasing in front of the barricades. Keep lasing at chokepoints. Keep lasing the river.

Then xenos are gonna have to either vacate the area, giving you a tactical advantage, or stay in it and risk the 10% chance of being utterly devastated when the lase is for an actual CAS run.

I agree. CAS doesn't need a buff, we just need teamwork and communication. Just like everything marines cry about to buff or nerf when marines think themselves gods of robust and run around with a big sign "Kill me"...Ironically.

[misto]

once sls start dropping and binocs start getting lost theres no way to keep up lasing areas as psychological area denial since youll just get flanked while youre pointing your laser at empty space to scare xenos away