0029195: Expansion of melee leap functionality - Arcen Idea Tracker (Bugs and Features)

ID	Project	Category		Date Submitted	Last Update

0029195	Heart Of The Machine	Suggestion		Jul 31, 2024 5:31 am	Jul 31, 2024 8:02 am

Reporter	Fluffiest	Assigned To
Status	new	Resolution	open
Product Version	0.576 Equipment Flexibility

Summary	0029195: Expansion of melee leap functionality
Description	Melee leap is currently (outside of niche cases where, due to https://bugtracker.arcengames.com/view.php?id=29194, it gets an unexpected rear attack bonus) a consolation prize for when a target is within movement range but outside of gun range. What if it were changed to be an option that's available at any time, with advantages and disadvantages over a gun attack? An android ripping through a squad of human soldiers in melee - or at least at very close range - is a compelling mental image, and this is an opportunity for tactical options and depth that's already partly in the game. This would require the ability to force a melee leap, either via a modifier key or a toggle ability. What I don't have is a particularly strong idea of what the advantages and disadvantages of a melee leap should be. I have some suggestions that aren't well developed, though. * Obviously, it moves the attacking android, and also loses the Dug In status. * It (currently) deals half damage, which is fine because you're effectively getting one-and-a-half actions for the price of one. * If enemy morale were modelled, you'd expect melee attacks to be considerably more demoralizing than a ranged attack that inflicted similar casualties, simply due to being wildly outside of most soldiers' experience. * It seems likely to draw aggro very effectively, from the targeted unit certainly but maybe from others as well. * It may make the attacked target more susceptible to being attacked from other angles - they've had their lines broken and been forced out of cover by a rampaging murderbot. * It may also prevent them from moving as long as the melee attacker is in place (although if you want to include this status effect, it might be better on a machine-gun style weapon as a "suppressing fire" effect?) * Some units may be able to equip melee specialist weapons, sidearms, or upgrades; and with the new upgrade system you could switch a chunk of your forces over to "melee mode" mid-fight. * It may interact with the bonuses system - for example, it may always benefit from positional bonuses but never benefit from colour bonuses. This doesn't provide much tactical depth since it's just more or less damage and doesn't have an effect lasting over multiple turns or even actions, but it is an option. * A melee attack on a mech may produce different results from on a squad of soldiers, and a melee attack on a flying unit probably just doesn't work. Yes, this is more complexity, but it's complexity that some players can just ignore and others can learn as they go along - you'd put it in the handbook, rather than needing to have a specific melee combat tutorial section.
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Date Modified	Username	Field	Change
Jul 31, 2024 5:31 am	Fluffiest	New Issue
Jul 31, 2024 5:31 am	Fluffiest	Description Updated
Jul 31, 2024 5:32 am	Fluffiest	Relationship added	related to 0029194
Jul 31, 2024 5:32 am	Fluffiest	Relationship added	related to 0028715
Jul 31, 2024 5:37 am	Fluffiest	Description Updated
Jul 31, 2024 5:39 am	Fluffiest	Description Updated
Jul 31, 2024 5:41 am	Fluffiest	Description Updated
Jul 31, 2024 8:02 am	Fluffiest	Description Updated