Enemy Bug-out, Discrete Operations, Nemesis Lances

[mkruer]

Enemy Bug-out (see #90)

The Enemy Bug-out idea came from the premises that dropping with less weight should rewarded extra C-bills, better salvage and/or Reputation. From a lore perspective this didn’t make sense in that other then drop cost and maybe repair costs for damage Mechs. However, to promote light lances during gameplay and the possibility of losing salvage I propose an Enemy-Bug-out for missions like Base Defense, Battles, Escort, basically missions where it makes more sense for AI to retreat if the odds of success are too great. This would be the equivalent of a full lance panic system compared to the per Mechs panic system now. If the lance(s) that you are fighting are taking too much damage relative to your lance in too shot of a time the enemy can Bug-out. If the enemy retreats, then the only salvage the player would eligible for would be those Mechs or vehicles destroy before the retreat.

Discrete Operations

Again born out of the idea for dropping a smaller lance, the idea for a Discrete Operations for Ambush Convoy, Assassination, Destroy Base and Recovery, Target Acquisition mission or any missions where sometime your employer doesn’t want to make a scene. These smaller, hit hard a fade missions would give you no salvage in favor special gear (open up the local market?), More c-bills or less to no negative reputation from the opposing faction. The requirements for success might end up being that the main target must be destroyed (duh), however the majority of the enemy forces need to remain, none of your Mechs can be destroyed and you must use the evac. The ability to call in a lance drop and or evac from #288 might be required.

Nemesis Lances

This is a relatively simple premise, during your career as a mechwarrior you are going to piss off someone like what happened with Bounty Hunter, Black Windows and Samuel Ostergaard. The generation point would be during a random mission against a faction you are Disliked, Hated or Loathed a Nemesis lance will be created. This lance will continue to show up from time in one of three ways;

• Faction aligned: Nemesis Lances will spawn as a replacement or addition too to an existing units you must fight.
• Faction opposed: Nemesis Lances will spawn in the middle of combat with other forces (unaligned) , Nemesis Lances will by default not attack the unaligned forces until they are fired upon. (the target is you, not who you are fighting)
• Battle Aftermath: This is a battle of opportunity, Just as you are about to complete a mission the Nemesis Lances will drop and you must fight or escape.

Each time the Nemesis Lances shows up, the units will be better equipped and have more skilled mechwarrior. Defeating them will net you with additional salvage for that mission. To defeat them you would need to lethally kill or incapacitate the commander of the lance.