Idea for ammo station buff - all mercs within its radius get 10 or 15% faster reload speed.

(ProfPlump) #1

I think it would be interesting to see Stoker and Kira’s Ammo Stations gain the ability to provide anyone who is within the radius (a radius that would be comparable to Aura’s health station radius) the temporary ability to reload faster (by about 10-15%). This would mean that ammo stations would actually provide something other than just ammo, and would be playing a truly supportive role.

Each time someone completes an ‘assisted reload’, the owner of the ammo station will get XP equal to that of the bullets that were rechambered (so if someone has 3 rounds left in Crotzni magazine and reloads it up to 40, you would get 37XP). However, if this translated into TOO much XP for that merc (given that you also get XP for providing ammo) then perhaps the amount of XP given could be reduced.

I also think that, currently, the advantages of Ammo Packs FAR outweigh the advantages of Ammo Stations on the grounds of how much XP you get AND how efficiently you can resupply yourself and your team. This buff to Ammo Stations would make them a bit more helpful to the team.

(Remember guys - these numbers are not set in stone. I mostly just wanted to suggest the idea, and these numbers (10-15% faster reload, XP equal to that of the rechambered bullets) are only placeholders to describe how the mechanic would work. Please don’t hit the ‘disagree’ based SOLELY on the numbers themselves :slight_smile: )

Edit: some people have suggested that Stoker and Kira are already too good at combat (which I can understand for Stoker, especially) and have said that this buff would make them even more OP - my solution to this would be to only allow the effect to work on teammates, rather than on the Stoker/Kira who placed it.

(BananaSlug) #2

cool but i think 15% is too much, maybe 5%? soo it wont be game changing

(Cletus_VanDamme) #3

Do Kira and Stoker (the only mercs with the ammo station) need a buff?

(doxjq) #4

Dunno how I feel about faster reloading, because people who already have drilled could reload insanely fast.

But I do agree ammo stations need something more. They’re mostly inconvenient and don’t instantly full supply like ammo packs. I actually hate ammo stations in DB, but Stoker is too good on most maps so I just put up with them.

(ProfPlump) #5

Fair point, but I’d still rather have their ammo stations changed WITH a small nerf to something else (such as the Stark/BR), than for there to be no changes at all and keep the ammo station as a poor man’s ammo pack.

(Cletus_VanDamme) #6

a small nerf to something else (such as the Stark/BR),.[/quote]

http://i.imgur.com/9yhxHRG.jpg

(Herr_Hanz) #7

good idea, fast reload while stocking up on ammo = quicker into the fight = more action = more fun = more players!

(AnimeDude) #8

I would rather increased fire-rate

(RobLovesNa) #9

When I use ammo stations I block routes with them, IE door openings, at stairs. I know its not an intended use, but it provides a little cover and lets you know when your flank is compromised. As far as using them to restock your team in battle, they are not so useful at the moment.
As far as making them useful in battle, I don’t think rate of fire or faster reload would make them any better. Standing still is death, and trying to stay close to the ammo station for its bonus would still make you an easier target than being on the move. The only way I could see this working would be to make it larger and have more HP to kill, so it can be used for cover while getting your bonus’.

(KUST__LunarTM) #10

They’re already pseudo Turtle shields though

(ProfPlump) #11

Now that WOULD be op… as well as much harder to implement.

(ProfPlump) #12

[quote=“RobLovesNa;191282”]When I use ammo stations I block routes with them, IE door openings, at stairs. I know its not an intended use, but it provides a little cover and lets you know when your flank is compromised. As far as using them to restock your team in battle, they are not so useful at the moment.
As far as making them useful in battle, I don’t think rate of fire or faster reload would make them any better. Standing still is death, and trying to stay close to the ammo station for its bonus would still make you an easier target than being on the move. The only way I could see this working would be to make it larger and have more HP to kill, so it can be used for cover while getting your bonus’.[/quote]

You don’t have to be ‘standing still’ to use the fast reload… You just have to be within the radius when you hit “R”, so you don’t have to remain stationary at all. Idk where you got that idea from - I stated clearly that the effect was given to anyone within the radius (which was about the same size as Aura’s radius). If you stand still while you’re on the station, then that’s your own fault because you don’t NEED to be.

But yes, everyone knows about blocking the way with your ammo station. However, most people don’t realise that, even in doorways, you can just crouch jump over them (although this does make it hard to retreat if you have to do it backwards over the enemy ammo station).

(ProfPlump) #13

Shields that only work from one direction and are destroyed in 1-2 seconds of sustained fire… Not exactly that strong. They’re pretty useless shields if you’re caught in a crossfire by more than one enemy, since you have to be exposed to at least one of them.

(pumpkinmeerkat) #14

Ammo isn’t enough support for a fire support? Ammo stations already have the added utility of blocking doors/hallways and protecting health stations (as others have mentioned).

(EverythingElse) #15

The ammo station does have to ability to be put in door ways and kill eZ nubs

(Tanker_Ray) #16

Considering How Drilled is very well known as best offensive augment along with Fire-Support, No.

At least ammo pack needs to be Direct Hit someone for Skill CD reduction. Reload speed is so damn huge in DB when you deal with multiple enemies that take long combat time. Drilled + Fire Support’s infinite ammo = Insane synergy + Infinite Killing Potentail with crazy burst rifles.

About the ammo pack and station’s gap, yes it is true packs are much better with self-supplying, but ammo station still has that advantage

  • You can supply ammo to your team when you aren’t around or dead just by locating it at safe spot.

  • Without throwing a bunch of ammo packs, single station provides ammo simultaneously to many team mates.

Stoker,Kira has to have worse self supplying ability because their skills are all based on killing people, not like Arty’s enemy deployable destruction or Skyhammer’s 70 sec Area Denial.

But since it got 65% CD nerf to prevent relocating the station just for yourself, I might give ‘ammo providing radius buff’ to station.

To focus on providing ammo to more than two people at the same time.

If this radius is buffed, we don’t have to stick with it anymore right? Group supplying is far enough rather than directly increasing the gradual firepower.

Or may be doubling supplying speed buff. + 2 mags for one sec

(KUST__LunarTM) #17

Shields that only work from one direction and are destroyed in 1-2 seconds of sustained fire… Not exactly that strong. They’re pretty useless shields if you’re caught in a crossfire by more than one enemy, since you have to be exposed to at least one of them.[/quote]

A sad replacement for Turtle, but it’s all we got for now.

(BananaSlug) #18

Shields that only work from one direction and are destroyed in 1-2 seconds of sustained fire… Not exactly that strong. They’re pretty useless shields if you’re caught in a crossfire by more than one enemy, since you have to be exposed to at least one of them.[/quote]

but blocking stairs is the idiot detector

(ProfPlump) #19

[quote=“EverythingElse;191305”]The ammo station does have to ability to be put in door ways and kill eZ nubs

[/quote]

Only the stupid ones who don’t know that they can just be crouch-jumped over.

(ProfPlump) #20

[quote=“THUNDA;191310”]Considering How Drilled is very well known as best offensive augment along with Fire-Support, No.

At least ammo pack needs to be Direct Hit someone for Skill CD reduction. Reload speed is so damn huge in DB when you deal with multiple enemies that take long combat time. Drilled + Fire Support’s infinite ammo = Insane synergy + Infinite Killing Potentail with crazy burst rifles.

About the ammo pack and station’s gap, yes it is true packs are much better with self-supplying, but ammo station still has that advantage

  • You can supply ammo to your team when you aren’t around or dead just by locating it at safe spot.

  • Without throwing a bunch of ammo packs, single station provides ammo simultaneously to many team mates.

Stoker,Kira has to have worse self supplying ability because their skills are all based on killing people, not like Arty’s enemy deployable destruction or Skyhammer’s 70 sec Area Denial.

But since it got 65% CD nerf to prevent relocating the station just for yourself, I might give ‘ammo providing radius buff’ to station.

To focus on providing ammo to more than two people at the same time.

If this radius is buffed, we don’t have to stick with it anymore right? Group supplying is far enough rather than directly increasing the gradual firepower.

Or may be doubling supplying speed buff. + 2 mags for one sec[/quote]

“Stoker,Kira has to have worse self supplying ability because their skills are all based on killing people, not like Arty’s enemy deployable destruction or Skyhammer’s 70 sec Area Denial.”

Well, if you’re worried about Stoker/Kira being too overpowered at anti-infantry, we could just make it so that the ammo station’s reload speed buff only affects OTHER teammates, and not the player who deployed it.