Let hydras safely target things at 2+ squares away

[slayernz]

One of the biggest things that should be changed with Hydras is the limitation that you have to target exactly 4 squares away in order to avoid any splash damage to yourself. Yes, Hydras have good range, but if a Xeno is 3 squares away from you, you have to weigh up ... "do I pull the trigger and burn myself, or do I step backwards to increase range to 4?"

In reality, you shouldn't end up standing in squares of fire if you target something 2 or 3 squares away. The fire should still fan out and spread as if you targeted the traditional 4 squares.

The reason why I suggest 2+ squares away is that Hydras should still have a minimum range of 2. You shouldn't be able to burn a Xeno right in front of you because yes, there is splash damage. Similarly, pulling the trigger when your Hydra is facing the wall should have consequences

The way you could implement this is that you treat the Hydra as effectively targeting/firing at 4 squares away even if you actually targeted less than that. Exception - if you target 1 square away, Hydra should be treated as targeting/firing at 2 squares away (to represent splash damage)


Above = normal targeting range. If you target 2, 3 or 4 squares, it will be as if you actually targeted 4 squares.



Above = close range. If you target 1 square, it will be as though you actually targeted 2 squares (=2 squares of splash damage)

[johndramey]

This would be nice, if it were possible. However, I'd like to point out that you can safely torch something 3 squares away with the vast majority of the Hydra's arsenal. The fire will start just in front of you, but not actually touch you.

However, I like the idea of the plasma incinerator acting as slayernz pointed out. Having the ability to blast xenos in closer range would be nice, but I can see how that might be a little over powered.

[Cyrus]

Heh, I'd have thought that you considered Hydras too dumb to learn new tricks. Don't you feel you're asking a lot of them?

More seriously, it seems the Incinerator has been designed to shoot a plasma ball that explodes on impact, so the explosion is centered at the first thing hit or max range if it doesn't hit anything. From that point of view, it makes sense the way it works now. If the plasma ball explodes at point blank, you have a problem.

I would in fact like to see some new options for Hydras, but more along the lines of a secondary mode that only fries a few squares in a straight line but has no backwash. An option to fire a smaller plasma ball would be nice too, so you can choose that for close targets (if you want to waste fuel on that).

[slayernz]

Seee, even though I think Hydra operators are truly suffering from some mental condition (resulting from them being dropped repeatedly on their heads when young), there "may" be a place for them in the world.

Actually, what I am trying to do is improve the VI chip built into the incinerator units themselves. Sure they will never have an IFF, but their virtual intelligence chips should be modifiable to support variable energy output. I don't believe the Incinerators are large plasma-ball cannons. That would just be too advanced

[Cyrus]

Actually, they do have an IFF. Try to aim at a templar directly, it won't let you. An Incinerator does however need a bit more actual thinking than a Neptune, given the splash damage.

I'm thinking all those accidents you keep having are caused by retrained former Neptunes (since Hydras put them out of a job) that are still blindly pulling the trigger, trusting their gun to do the thinking for them.

The *real* Hydras are too honorable to kick them out, even though they're making Hydras look like morons.