Heavy Support/AWACS aircraft

[limpid vapor]

An airplane that would be a mix between a darkreach and a medusa, that can function as an electronic warfare airplane, airborne radar and as a cruise missile carrier, meant to be played far from the frontline, would be a very precious asset. protection/elimination of that plane would give players some small "objectives" and a reason to coordinate more often

[drifting galleon]

Here is the deal, here is my suggestion, a DarkReach offshoot with VTOL capability (payload extremely reduced) as a "bagall" support heavy. Smaller bay than the Tarantula but stealthier. Tack on the ability to drop a dish on top of it and you can even take it for multi mission.

My inspiration: the entirety of the Dropship:UPF game

[sour wedge]

this suggestion really sounds like a fat medusa imo

[drifting galleon]

Not if you don't give it Ewar like its laser and jamming pods

[sour wedge]

so its an AWACS with cruise missiles

[drifting galleon]

Can't put cruise missiles in the bay hollowed out for vic transport 😄

I guess you could fit a few under pylon wings like those big military jets have

[real knot]

Take the Yal-1 and an awacs plane... Boom! land based awacs that comes with a laser (same role as medusa, but probably not so good for SEAD or EWAR). We probably don't need this thing unless we get a massive map though

if the medusa is like a typical AWACS plane in the NO-verse then it might come with a laser

[fathom charm]

In no way this thing must be controller by a player. Medusas are already annoying as is. But having them able to carry cruise missiles just makes a constant long range threat you cant easily deal with

[real knot]

I don't think these big land based AWACS are made for carrying missiles. They are meant to fly around and act as a giant sensor platform for allied forces. I actually wonder if players would even want to fly it since all you can do is shoot the laser or fly in a circle with a big radar.

[drifting galleon]

So, no weapons except maybe a laser, a radome, and a cargo bay. For a VTOL jet Dropship that could go in between the Medusa and Darkreach in terms of cost ?

The radome was mostly for it not to be just a dropship but a general purpose support to be honest

[real knot]

I would support more lasers in the game. I think they'd be pretty helpful for a transport plane anyway. You'd be able to make it to the frontline or even fly into enemy territory a ways and survive a few missiles getting shot at you.

Hard kill countermeasures are just really cool

[drifting galleon]

I agree that it would be really cool, and having absolutely no pylon or gun otherwise would keep it from stepping on any toes

Except the medusa's Radome

[real knot]

I still think that if we get a bigger map we might want some of the converted airliner style warplanes to fill these roles. Tankers, AWACS, cargo planes, etc

[drifting galleon]

Need me some Air Cascadia airships 😄

You know, rereading the original suggestion I think I'm off the mark with my dropship, that's what I understood "support" to be but it seems OP wanted a big boy medusa. Maybe even as just an AI target 🤔

Might need to create a new suggestion to avoid muddying the waters

[drifting galleon]

Here we go I made my own and I apologies to OP for steering the idea away from its original intention https://discord.com/channels/909034158205059082/1286403829633650819