Mortar Changes

[Git-Nivrak]

About the pull request

Exact numbers are absent on purpose as everything is subject to change

1. Removed free mortar shells from ASRS
2. Lowered the initial cost for all mortar shells
3. Mortar range is now limited
4. Incendiary mortar shell is now purely incendiary
5. Fragmentation mortar shell shrapnel now deals bonus damage against structures, similar to masterkey shotgun

Explain why it's good for the game

1. Removed free mortar shells from ASRS

This should have never been given out for free, besides the fact it removes the logistical chain (Free from asrs -> FOB is not a logistical chain) in your average round by the time xenos push out of caves mortar has enough shells to continuously fire for the next hour.

2. Lowered the initial cost for all mortar shells

With the above change, to encourage req to actually buy mortar shells.

3. Mortar range is now limited

Nobody enjoys fire support without counterplay, to move away from that kind of artillery the range of the mortar is now limited, forcing it to move along with the front and giving an opportunity for xenomorphs to disable it if it not properly defended. This also requires the moving of shells from FOB to other areas around the map, which is an actual logistical effort.

4. Incendiary mortar shell is now purely incendiary

I don't know why, however for the longest time incendiary mortar shells had nearly the exact same explosive power as HE shells, rendering them as 'bait' to buy, combining this with the long duration of the green fire - all other mortar shells were rendered obsolete.

5. Fragmentation shells

A buff for the least used kind of shell, hoping to see it more in action, might need to be adjusted.

Testing Photographs and Procedure

Screenshots & Videos

Put screenshots and videos here with an empty line between the screenshots and the <details> tags.

Changelog

🆑
balance: Mortar range is now limited.
balance: Removed free mortar shells from ASRS.
balance: Lowered the initial costs of mortar shells for requisitions.
balance: Incendiary mortar shells are now purely incendiary.
balance: Fragmentation shell shrapnel now deals bonus damage to structures.
/:cl:

[Red-byte3D]

if the mortar is going to be moving around or to the front, you should increase the backpack / belt storage options to counteract for the fact

[kiVts]

code

[cm13-github]

This pull request has conflicts, please resolve those before we can evaluate the pull request.

[cm13-github]

Conflicts have been resolved. A maintainer will review the pull request shortly.

[dunsel-hordon]

honestly not a great change as most of the maps already are half covered areas anyways. The shell changes however would be a better place to implement these range changes for various benefits / detriments. Could have longer range shells that do less damage or are more inaccurate or shorter range more precise shells with higher damage. Just my 2 cents on it.

[sippykot]

yeah, no, this is a bad change
nerfing the mortar this much makes it just... bad?

[cm13-github]

This pull request has conflicts, please resolve those before we can evaluate the pull request.

[cm13-github]

Conflicts have been resolved. A maintainer will review the pull request shortly.

[Psyduckxoxo]

The new minimum range change is terribly annoying. It makes getting mortar coordinates as the mortar operator an absolute pain. Now you have to walk multiple tiles, laze for yourself, get back to mortar and hope the coordinates you just got yourself arent inside the minimum range.

Maybe self supplying with coordinates goes against the spirit of the mortar, yet it is very much necessary, since in too many OPs you dont have anyone doing that job or they laze maybe once in 30m. Not for lack of people who could supply coordinates, but either they are too busy with other stuff or they simply dont care.
Even before the new change self supplying with coordinates was less efficient then other people supplying you coordinates, as it should be. It didnt need a nerf ontop.

Please either reduce the minimum range (maybe to 20?) or change the values to the previous values.
Id rather have a 50tile range mortar then a 75 tile mortar with minimum range.

[Nanu308]

mapping lgtm

[cm13-github]

This pull request has conflicts, please resolve those before we can evaluate the pull request.

[cm13-github]

Conflicts have been resolved. A maintainer will review the pull request shortly.