#Balanced Reaper Loadouts

123 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

kindred glade
#

Currently the kill chain is very simple. Reaper finds, fixes, tracks and targets the enemy by itself. With APKWS it is extremely simple to engage and makes the asset basically autonomous. I personally disagree that this is how the asset should be allowed to play on this server. For support units, there should always be a necessity for other assets to be involved.

So here are my suggestions:
1. No HEAT APKWS on an asset that also has a laser target designator.
Reaper will be dependent on a different asset to help with targeting. This is a hard nerf to airpower and I think it's one that is desperately needed.

2. No HEAT APKWS period.
Instead use MPP in moderate amounts (7x per sortie). It's a lot less effective for tanks and should be used for light vehicles or stationary targets.

3. NEW LOADOUTS
A-10C:
2x AIM-9x
14x HYDRA

F-16:

  • BVR Bomber (LTD + ADLP)
    1xAGM-154-A1 (GPS glide bomb)
    3xGBU38
    2xAIM9x
  • CAS (NO LTD)
    1x SCALPEL
    1x APKWS MPP(7 rounds)
    1x AGM65L
    1x HYDRA MPP(7 rounds)
    2x AIM-9x
  • SEAD (LTD or HTS)
    2x FUEL TANK
    2x AGM-88 HARM
    2x AIM-9x

F-15E:
(LTD + ADLP)
2x SCALPEL
2x GBU 12
2x AIM9x
1x AGM65L
4x GBU39 (250lbs, exclusively GPS)
2x APKWS MPP (14 rounds)

F22 Raptor:
6x AIM120C
2x AIM9x

F35:
6x AIM120D
2x AIM9x

4. NEW PRICES
A-10C 500, 500, 500
F-16 BVR/CAS 900, 700, 700
SEAD 1200, 1000, 1000
F-15E 1500, 1100, 1100
F22: 900, 700, 700
F35: 1500, 1100, 1100

My thoughts behind these loadouts and prices
Every asset should have strengths/weaknesses and it's own niche to be useful in.
The A-10C should work as an entry Reaper asset. The gun is really powerful on it's own thus doesn't get much more ordnance to justify the price. Very vulnerable when engaging.
F-16 BVR can only engage stationary targets but will be very safe to use.
CAS has all the ordnance to engage a group of vehicles, but needs other assets to provide a laser. Can engage with LOS MPP in a pinch.
F-15E fuses together the CAS/BVR F-16.
F22/F35 have the whole CAP niche.

#

Fair Reaper Loadouts

#

Breaker immediately downvotes the post after reading for 5 seconds KEKW

#

Balanced Reaper Loadouts

unkempt bison
#

See, I like where you are going, but many of these loadouts are fundamentally broken or unobtainable.

lapis shuttle
#

those loadouts and prices are insane for what you are getting this would basically kill reaper it would never be bought

unkempt bison
#

Also that

kindred glade
#

Some more thoughts that I couldn't write in there since I hit the character limit:

  • Every time we had an F-16 with the SEAD + APKWS loadout it was trivial to take objectives. When talking to pilots I usually get the same feedback that the APKWS meta is boring ("It's like plain spaghetti. It gets the job done, but it's boring."). It's simply the best asset to get every single job done that we have.
  • I wanted to be conservative with the power that the planes get so I removed the aim120s but I really don't care if they have any or not.
kindred glade
lapis shuttle
#

so to do cas you want us to first buy a sead aircraft that costs 3200 total, then a cap aircraft which is gonna be at least another 2300, then we can run cas and we only get 1 gps guided bomb on an f16 for another 2300 💀

unkempt bison
#

But even if they wouldn't kill reaper, some of the airframes would be dead because their weapons are broken
The AGM-154 is downright bad as a cluster cruise missile to the point it only kills infantry. I know this, having used the AGM-154 with the F/A-18C and witnessed how horrendously it performed.
The same more or less applies to the scalpel, though here it's because of it's atrociously low explosive yield.
the AGM-65L is fine, but I'd much rather see the EO/IR versions of the AGM-65 which work much better and are more consistent with what lock stages mean.
GBU-39 is also fine, but I'd much rather see the multipurpose LJDAMs because at that point, why not have Savage? For that matter, the SDB II would be an excellent addition for it's radar guided aspect alone.

The F-22 and F-35 do not have working jammers, and the loadout just weakens them versus the most lethal air assets, the enemy stealth aircraft.

kindred glade
kindred turret
#

Just strap some hydras only and boom there’s your jet

unkempt bison
#

Also, I think the Arctic Splinter can be balanced differently. I already gave my idea to one of the Odins and personally, I'd be one to pitch it to Barrett because it'd be more fun with that rework

kindred turret
#

Show us your idea?

unkempt bison
#

Swap out the 19x pods to the 7x MPP/HEAT
Swap the AGM-88 for the AGM-84D and let it be a sort of 'new player trainer asset' while they get used to the other weapons

kindred turret
#

Ah yes and make it more expensive is what your saying

unkempt bison
#

so you would lose the absurd amount of APKWS but gain a neat little missile that can be used to familiarise you

kindred glade
unkempt bison
#

additionally, I was also considering another idea where we remove the APKWS pods entirely and instead give it the aforementioned IR/EO mavs, 2 of them

kindred turret
unkempt bison
#

since no airframe currently uses them, it would be nice to bring them back

#

since the AGM-84D has it's drawbacks to the AGM-88 and also it's benefits:
Drawbacks being that it doesn't travel as far as the AGM-88 and that it's not as 'sensitive' to radar signatures, as in you have to use the targeting pod and fire manually
Another drawback being that it isn't LOAL and that you need a full diamond lock to fire

Advantages being that it can be used to target other things that are not radar-carrying assets.

opaque lantern
#

The amount of yapping is wild

kindred glade
#

Also I don't think it makes sense for Reaper to be able to do all of the work for an infantry focused server. Right now it's just a question of if I need more than 2 APKWS to get the job done.

viral karma
kindred glade
#

You can basically kill all armor on three points with your combat loadout. Then some for the bunkers and HMGs and boom.

#

Oh it's a BG? Type 3 BOT and it's gone in 3 minutes.

lapis shuttle
#

same could be said for a bradley or abrams

unkempt bison
#

but yea, I don't like the existence of such a high number of APKWS on an airframe, partially because I think that it encourages a blatant amount of recklessness that gets them shot down, but this suggestion isn't how it should be solved

kindred glade
#

@lapis shuttle Lol absolutely not?!

#

Unless there is an airbg we fly with absolute impunity

lapis shuttle
#

the default response from 1-6 is to send butcher to deal with BGs lol

kindred glade
#

Yeah, but they need an attached squad

#

Also they get sneezed at wrong by an RPG and they are dead or disabled

lapis shuttle
#

reaper is just as vulnerable to red air and sams

#

and you want to make it way harder

kindred glade
#

yes, but red air isn't as prevalent as RPGs

kindred glade
unkempt bison
kindred glade
#

cause that's the only thing that will kill it if you are competent enough for sead

#

Which let's be real isn't that hard once you know what to do

quiet tide
#

what about one of these?

kindred glade
frigid iris
#

Making the current jets even more reliant on other assets and difficult to use for newer pilots isn't the move

#

They aren't going to change spawn rates of AI in conjunction with loadout changes, this would just make Flying fixed wing worse imo

modest crescent
#

I agree with Marty, and the situation regarding AA/AAA will increase the risk of asset loss if you limited in your stand off engagements methods. And tbh honest I’ve seen to many toxic discussions on both amongst players and admins that makes me so tired of playing. It’s a game, we will lose stuff, grow up. But if do like you say we will likely lose more assets, and due to those recent discussion I don’t see why we should put players in risk of loosing them.

If you do want to make a change then as a pilot put pressure on 8’s to utilize corrects methods according to what’s doctrinal correct and put pressure on target correlation’s. To may times lately i ’ve heard clearance for release with words like“-blow it up/send a rocket on it”

Also there’s an unwritten rule that you should leave some targets for ground element to deal with. That is mentioned in the exam docs, but it doesn’t seem like those are read through properly anyways.

bright rapids
#

am i trippin

modest crescent
#

No you are sane bro, others not so much

frigid iris
#

Agreed if you want to balance, the SOPS and culture should change in relation to FAC-Reaper integration. These loadouts would kill FW on this server

lapis shuttle
#

The one good thing here is the suggestion of a lower cost reaper asset with less capabilities imo that would work alongside what we already have not replace it

#

Lower cost would allow people to fly more and learn

#

But also I don’t think that should be an a10 with unguided hydras you’re just gonna have new people dying to iglas shooting rockets at civs

#

😂

bright rapids
#

cessna ahh loadout

viral karma
#

an LOS fixed wing would be DOPE to have, especially with FAC capabilities to conduct strikes that they can't hit because of their limited munitions

kindred glade
bright rapids
kindred glade
#

So as far as I am concerned I would rather see a cheap A-10 with less capabilities than no A-10 at all

#

I don't care as long as it's not an F-16 with APKWS and AGM88s in one

#

Right now the A-10 sits at a price that only makes sense in a vacuum. Every other F-16 that is cheaper has more A2A and roughly same A2G while being considerably safer to use.

#

We could've just removed it and nobody would have noticed

#

Also that A-10 sits at the price that's comparable to a Bradley. Doesn't mean there couldn't be other variants that are more expensive.

kindred glade
kindred glade
opaque lantern
#

@kindred glade

20240501181226_1.jpg
#

is this what u ment by changing loadout in aircraft

kindred glade
kindred glade
kindred glade
#

In the end it would be 800 supplies more for two aircraft and not one.

#

And if one dies then you still have the other.

lapis shuttle
#

and if one dies the other cant do its job

kindred glade
#

If SEAD dies yeah

lapis shuttle
#

those prices and the limited loadouts are insane

kindred glade
#

But the other can still work with shadows laser

#

Or ground personnel laser

#

I mean in the end you could lower the prices

#

Or just give the CAS version a LANTIRN

#

Hypothetically, what would you say would be the price of an F-16 with 2x AGM88 and the rest AIM120? @frigid iris

frigid iris
#

Having specific loadouts for mission sets is always going to be a no go for me

#

Less fun and not going to work in this server with the air threat

#

If you lose one, which is going to happen statistically within the first reset, they both are now useless.

#

I will always vote for mulitrole

kindred glade
#

So it would have to be a mix of all mission sets in one?

#

Yeah okay

frigid iris
#

Which is why the Alaska is the best

#

The goal for variety would be making the other loadouts actually useful

#

Not nerfing the Alaska

kindred glade
#

I would be happy with that too, but only if the prices stay the same or go lower

unkempt bison
#

I mean, look, the Alaska is still a problem because the APKWS count is simply too absurd, which is why i pitched my idea the way it was pitched

kindred glade
unkempt bison
#

like, I used it and I had to actively try to run out of APKWS while going straight up terminator on a point and wiping everything I could see as per order

kindred glade
unkempt bison
#

14x APKWS and 2x AGM-84D would actually let me do a larger variety of fire missions while also letting me actually run out of ammunition, at least

kindred glade
unkempt bison
#

oh no no, the AGM-84D would replace the HARM since it's either/or on the F-16 airframe

kindred glade
#

At that point can we agree that so far there is no competition in the CAS category and nothing on the build menu is really competing with the Alaska?

#

And if we get a CAP it would have to be on top of the Alaska but not on it's own?

heavy cave
kindred glade
#

so it's definitely not better

heavy cave
kindred glade
#

maybe

#

It's also ~1000 supplies more expensive

verbal flint
#

i like it cause reaper is way too op

#

only would change the aim9x to leave aim 120

unkempt bison
#

I will repeat this again: This is not the way to solve the Arctic Splinter problem. At all

verbal flint
#

its not just one plane all the planes are often too op cause i go up and level everything in one go

unkempt bison
#

ok no, both the texas and the RFA are balanced in their own way, which is why I adore both of them so much (Texas ANG is my favourite F-16 variant and always has been)

verbal flint
#

texas was ok cause the bombs arent too op thats why i said most of them

kindred glade
#

Although sometimes I think HEAT APKWS has a bigger kill radius than a Paveway

kindred glade
#

@opaque lantern @unkempt bison @modest crescent @kindred turret AK didn't tell you all to shut up just so you can open it up in a thread that has nothing to do with this. Please delete your messages.

kindred turret
#

huh

opaque lantern
#

Why is bro mad

kindred glade
kindred turret
#

ahh i see, yeah honestly dont bring it here.