From FB question: Levels that require certain Templars

[Cyrus]

The following question appeared on the Templar Assault FB page:

"Would you like levels that required certain troops? For example, a level that required a Hydra and two Scouts?"

That's a very interesting question that deserves a much longer answer (and discussion) than I like to post on Facebook.

First off, I don't like the idea of Templars being required to start a level. i.e. "You have to have at least one Scout on the team to do this mission". What if you don't have the specialist in question, or worse, you lost him halfway in a campaign and now you can't progress? The only exception would be if the required Templar is provided (see "Escort VIP" below).

What I would like to see is more varied levels and enemies that favor certain tactics in their design. At the moment I've mostly seen siege levels that favor stationary defense (Neptunes, Hydras and Soldiers are good at that) and the standard mazes that favor mobile tactics (Scouts, Berserkers and Hydras to some extent), especially when there's a turn limit.

Here are some options to vary the levels:
- Burn out or block access points (spawn points). Takes either fire (optimal) or another Templar welding up the hole (multiple AP/turns)
- Sensors jammed by artifact. Shorter visibility range, favors melee over ranged.
- Home turf. Templars are fighting on their own ship/base. One or more armories are available to restock ammo. Favors Neptunes and Soldiers since they can go through their ammo much quicker than Scouts or Hydras can. Obviously you combine this with defense objectives and swarms of attackers.
- The Blob. Slow-moving invincible enemy, kills on touch (melee hit). Requires mobility to stay ahead of these while completing mission objectives.
- Critter swarm. Not actually an enemy, this fills squares like fire does, hurting Templars that move over it. Requires either fire to remove or high plating/shield to cross safely.
- Stealth mission. This mission starts with most spawn points inactive. Every kill and every shot fired add to a noise meter. More spawn points activate when the meter rises a certain amount. The Templars WILL get overwhelmed if they just shoot their way through, while melee kills will raise the meter only slowly.

These mission options would affect your team choices before the level starts, but wouldn't block progress regardless of your team's composition:

- Escort VIP. For this mission, one of your Templar slots gets taken up by an NPC that needs to be escorted into dangerous territory. It might be some hapless scientist that can barely manage to move his Leviathan, an ambassador that's only got a paper-thin spacesuit or a Templar hero that has his own weapons and abilities. You control the VIP for the mission like a normal Templar, but have to work with this VIPs limits and/or special weapons.

 - Transport Cargo. Choose one Templar that has to forfeit their main weapon to carry the artifact or other heavy cargo.


Finally, special enemies in a level might warrant matching Templar choices:
- Enemies with very high shielding/low plating would be vulnerable mostly to melee attacks.
- Enemies with long range that *retreat* from your Templars would require more daring tactics.
- Enemies that spawn stuff. Could be an FDF mine-layer or a Xeno queen that spawns eggs that in turn spawn xenos after a turn or two.
- Explosion-on-death enemies: A xeno that splashes acid all over the place when it dies or an FDF flamethrower guy that explodes into fire when killed. These would need special measures to kill safely.

[slayernz]

Having a specific type of squadmember to start a mission is fraught with risk because yes, it may be you don't have one (or you accidentally shot him because he was being an idiot with his incinerator unit). I like the Escort mission so long as either you are in control of that unit, or that unit has extremely defensive AI. The last thing I want the unit to do is run ahead of the rest of the squad and get munched on by xeno's (causing mission failure).

I really like the stealth approach option, and have always lobbied for being able to disable spawn points (and open/close doors).

I also am keen to see smarter enemy AI so they don't just come straight at you all the time, but rather, try and flank you where possible, or try and protect objective areas.

[Cory Trese]

Thanks for the post!!!

[fallen]

Cyrus - great post! Love the ideas and I have recorded them in #TA-2034 for further study and dissemination into games!

[johndramey]

Great post Cyrus, I especially like your ideas "The Blob" and "Home Turf." The idea of having to escape from some enemy/situation that you literally cannot fight is an interesting one. Home turf would be fun as an end-cap to some retreat campaign, getting back behind your lines and then having to hold the gates against the xeno/narvidian/etc rush. In fact, combine the two, have a couple missions where you are evading and retreating from some invincible enemy that cannot be damaged by your squad-level weapons, baiting it into a specific area where there is some emplacement with heavy anti-armor weapons. Then, last mission, defend that anti-armor weapon while it is prepared and fired! Have the big scary monster closing distance with lots and lots of normal troops closing faster, that way the player has to repel the average troops while the timer ticks down to firing.

Your disrupted sensors scenario would be a lot of fun too. Maybe have a campaign or mission set in a nebula or some such?

Either way, awesome post with some fun ideas.