Parked To Kill aka Abombdoned Vehicles aka Things That Make You Go Boom - Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars Official Community Site

[SD]BongoBoy · 06-28-2007, 01:59 PM

(this started off as a reply to the Icarus thread, but it's a general point and probably worth its own thread)

Particularly at this early point of the Beta, it's not completely unknown for players to use vehicles as one-use taxis, just to commute to an objective, and abandon them there, littering choke points and objective areas. One could argue that this is perhaps not the best possible use of a vehicle, but it's worth considering what then happens to these abandoned vehicles, and what tactical use you can make of them. Just because their original driver has forgotten about them, you shouldn't ignore them too.

When vehicles die, they explode and do splash damage to players around them. If they've already taken some damage, it only takes a few AR/Lacerator shots to blow them up. Obviously, this could be a hazard for the defenders - I've seen more than a few important Strogg doorways and chokepoints inadvertently blocked off with burning Icari by impatient players - but it can also be used. Maybe leaving a damaged-to-burning Icarus parked next to the EMP Disruptor construction site is a good move for the Strogg defenders. If all it takes is a few blaster shots to make it explode and take a few toiling GDF Engineers with it, that's a pretty impressive firepower multiplier.

You could argue that you can defend an objective with abandoned "bomb" vehicles (go on, you know you want to call them Abombdoned's) or mines but probably not both because that makes it too easy for attackers to clear them all out by just dinging the vehicle a few times. It depends if your enemy consistently ignores potentially dangerous Abombdoneds. Maybe you can hide them just around the corner from a well hidden proximity mine, resulting in a really serious combined explosion. Un-armed mines will add to the fun, and they don't declare their presence, unlike their armed beeping prox or laser tripwire brethren. The Icarus and Husky are going to work best for this sort of thing because they're small and manouevrable and can be placed exactly where you need them, but be prepared to improvise, especially with huge great things like the Cyclops - how many times have you seen a Titan or Cyclops abandonded near an objective because the Driver bailed out and/or couldn't get it repaired? If it's going to blow up, make sure it does so when you want it to, and to your advantage.

Lots of players use the Icarus to get up to high rooftops or ledges and snipe, but they often don't move very far from where they left the still highly visible and explosive Icarus. If they're lazy enough to leave it in view, just shoot the Icarus, and maybe you'll catch them in the explosion.

RoboDuck · 06-28-2007, 02:09 PM

nice topic xD also wondering can you place a unarmed prox mine on a vehicle? then if it blows the mine adds to the damage?

I prefer to race around an objective with teammates hopping off when they want especially with the lethal hog

don't use vehicles like Cyclops much... to slow and to much of a target... I like fast things ^_^

oh yeah and also could you place a armed proximity mine on a vehicle then drive towards the enemy then jump out letting the vehicle roll on on its own and when it's near an enemy boom!!! or that not work? :P

Mithikal · 06-28-2007, 04:31 PM

I "Abombdoned'" myself earlier, I was in a Icarus on low hap and flew up the mountains to kill a sniper, I guess he had rader coz he heard me coming and started to take fire at me.

I figured it could only take about do hits so I landed it and hid behind a tree nearby. I then sent out a spy drone in an attempt of a easy kill. Well anyway instead of actually running to shoot me down he actually shot at the icarus which pretty much pwnt me.

The damage from even that small vehicle is enough to instantly kill a player.

b0rsuk · 06-28-2007, 05:47 PM

OMG ! You mean, I can plant unarmed mines and detonate them later ? They don't decay ?
Fun ! Countless possibilities ! I can plant two unarmed mines and the last one armed, and take entire enemy patrols with it ! I'll be designing the most evil traps possible.
And there's even teamplay potential. The explosives can be detonated by another player, for example a Covert Op with his 3rd eye camera.

loktite · 06-28-2007, 09:35 PM

Thank you BongoBoy

Please Strogg, take heed of this.... and STOP leaving your icarus in Strogg infested areas -- like the Sewer control room. We lost a map last night because of someone discarding this flying bomb near the controls, resulting in the death of 3 team members 2 seconds later when a gdf threw a grenade (all kills credited to the icarus).

space · 06-28-2007, 10:00 PM

Yeah I get pissed when team mates leave vehicles in the entrance to the EMP compound making it impossible for other vehicles to get into the compound if the defence barricade is still up.

Czin · 06-28-2007, 11:12 PM

I know you can place armed (or even unarmed ^^) mines on a vehicle but I'm not sure if it will stop it from decaying... I highly doubt it but I'll test it tonight.

somvone · 06-29-2007, 12:23 AM

Neat had not thought of that.

mf- · 06-29-2007, 02:19 AM

Very interesting topic, didn't even think to use vehicles as mines/bombs. Thanks man, good read.

b0rsuk · 06-29-2007, 08:56 AM

So do unarmed mines decay ? I'd hate to see that. There's already limit of 3 mines per engy, so what's the problem ? Instead of decay, make it so last placed mine disappears if you try to place another one.

Unarmed forever mines would be great for creative traps !

zig-zag · 06-29-2007, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b0rsuk

Instead of decay, make it so last placed mine disappears if you try to place another one.

Unarmed forever mines would be great for creative traps !

It works exactly that way

b0rsuk · 06-29-2007, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zig-zag

It works exactly that way

You sure ? My minion claimed unarmed mines decay with time. I need to punish him.

reyalp · 06-29-2007, 09:14 AM

I'm pretty sure that unarmed mines do decay eventually, but it takes a fair bit of time.

Reiver · 06-30-2007, 12:02 AM

Tip

Just don't arm a mine when a spawn changes and vehicles will appear (eg when EMP emitter has been constructed). I was planting one in the doorway of the substation nearest to the blowable barrier. I went to back off with my measly 20 hps intending to use them to irritate the human scum when a Husty popped up outside.

I was dead before I could phrase a suitable 'oh bugger'.

Flipside here is if a spawn is imminently about to change (and for whatever reason you are not in a position to help out) will planting mines in vehicle locations damage them on appearance, or do they have a spawn invulnerability as per their humanoid equivalents out of curiosity?

Hakuryu · 06-30-2007, 04:01 AM

The best use of armed and unarmed mines on Strogg defense is that little break in the wall next to the destroyable gate.

If you run a line of armed mines away from that spot, the first enemy trips one and then they all explode, moving out in front of that enemy, usually only killing that first enemy.

But, if you line up 2 unarmed mines, and an armed mine at the end (farthest from entry spot), the first to trigger the string of mines will be sending explosions behind them, perhaps catching their teammates in your trap also.

I've never noticed unarmed mines decaying, but I usually setup that trap quickly, and GDF like to move through there...

somvone · 07-02-2007, 05:16 PM

Bump.
(to short)

prO · 07-04-2007, 10:11 PM

After reading this thread I tried out the strategy as Strogg. It was at the Final stage of the game where the GDF needed to blow the gates - and I find that many GDF players like to take the alternative route towards the stairs for the height advantage. I took an Icarus - planted it near the doorway with enough room for one person to squeeze in and planted a few mines around the side of the doors. I shot the Icarus until it had minimal health.

A minute later and it ended up taking out 3 players. The added bonus of this strat in this instance - it gives the illusion that there are Strogg camping up the top - when they are elsewhere.

06-28-2007, 01:59 PM	#1
[SD]BongoBoy Senior Game Designer Join Date: Mar 2007	Parked To Kill aka Abombdoned Vehicles aka Things That Make You Go Boom (this started off as a reply to the Icarus thread, but it's a general point and probably worth its own thread) Particularly at this early point of the Beta, it's not completely unknown for players to use vehicles as one-use taxis, just to commute to an objective, and abandon them there, littering choke points and objective areas. One could argue that this is perhaps not the best possible use of a vehicle, but it's worth considering what then happens to these abandoned vehicles, and what tactical use you can make of them. Just because their original driver has forgotten about them, you shouldn't ignore them too. When vehicles die, they explode and do splash damage to players around them. If they've already taken some damage, it only takes a few AR/Lacerator shots to blow them up. Obviously, this could be a hazard for the defenders - I've seen more than a few important Strogg doorways and chokepoints inadvertently blocked off with burning Icari by impatient players - but it can also be used. Maybe leaving a damaged-to-burning Icarus parked next to the EMP Disruptor construction site is a good move for the Strogg defenders. If all it takes is a few blaster shots to make it explode and take a few toiling GDF Engineers with it, that's a pretty impressive firepower multiplier. You could argue that you can defend an objective with abandoned "bomb" vehicles (go on, you know you want to call them Abombdoned's) or mines but probably not both because that makes it too easy for attackers to clear them all out by just dinging the vehicle a few times. It depends if your enemy consistently ignores potentially dangerous Abombdoneds. Maybe you can hide them just around the corner from a well hidden proximity mine, resulting in a really serious combined explosion. Un-armed mines will add to the fun, and they don't declare their presence, unlike their armed beeping prox or laser tripwire brethren. The Icarus and Husky are going to work best for this sort of thing because they're small and manouevrable and can be placed exactly where you need them, but be prepared to improvise, especially with huge great things like the Cyclops - how many times have you seen a Titan or Cyclops abandonded near an objective because the Driver bailed out and/or couldn't get it repaired? If it's going to blow up, make sure it does so when you want it to, and to your advantage. Lots of players use the Icarus to get up to high rooftops or ledges and snipe, but they often don't move very far from where they left the still highly visible and explosive Icarus. If they're lazy enough to leave it in view, just shoot the Icarus, and maybe you'll catch them in the explosion. Last edited by [SD]BongoBoy : 06-28-2007 at 02:11 PM.

06-28-2007, 04:31 PM	#3
Mithikal Master Chief Join Date: May 2007 Location: London, England	I "Abombdoned'" myself earlier, I was in a Icarus on low hap and flew up the mountains to kill a sniper, I guess he had rader coz he heard me coming and started to take fire at me. I figured it could only take about do hits so I landed it and hid behind a tree nearby. I then sent out a spy drone in an attempt of a easy kill. Well anyway instead of actually running to shoot me down he actually shot at the icarus which pretty much pwnt me. The damage from even that small vehicle is enough to instantly kill a player. __________________

06-28-2007, 05:47 PM	#4
b0rsuk Commander Join Date: May 2007 Location: Poland	OMG ! You mean, I can plant unarmed mines and detonate them later ? They don't decay ? Fun ! Countless possibilities ! I can plant two unarmed mines and the last one armed, and take entire enemy patrols with it ! I'll be designing the most evil traps possible. And there's even teamplay potential. The explosives can be detonated by another player, for example a Covert Op with his 3rd eye camera. __________________ Last edited by b0rsuk : 06-28-2007 at 05:52 PM.

06-28-2007, 10:00 PM	#6
space Brigadier General Join Date: May 2007	Yeah I get pissed when team mates leave vehicles in the entrance to the EMP compound making it impossible for other vehicles to get into the compound if the defence barricade is still up. __________________ Xfire SN : sp4orce \|\| Gamertag : .space. [==] "I own with the Platypus.. and Trojan"

06-29-2007, 12:23 AM	#8
somvone 3rd Lieutenant Join Date: May 2007 Location: Portland Oregon	Neat had not thought of that. __________________ Do you want your figgin toasted.

06-28-2007, 02:09 PM	#2
RoboDuck Lieutenant Major Join Date: May 2007	nice topic xD also wondering can you place a unarmed prox mine on a vehicle? then if it blows the mine adds to the damage? I prefer to race around an objective with teammates hopping off when they want especially with the lethal hog don't use vehicles like Cyclops much... to slow and to much of a target... I like fast things ^_^ oh yeah and also could you place a armed proximity mine on a vehicle then drive towards the enemy then jump out letting the vehicle roll on on its own and when it's near an enemy boom!!! or that not work? :P

06-28-2007, 09:35 PM	#5
loktite Sergeant Join Date: Jun 2007	Thank you BongoBoy Please Strogg, take heed of this.... and STOP leaving your icarus in Strogg infested areas -- like the Sewer control room. We lost a map last night because of someone discarding this flying bomb near the controls, resulting in the death of 3 team members 2 seconds later when a gdf threw a grenade (all kills credited to the icarus).

06-28-2007, 11:12 PM	#7
Czin Gunnery Sergeant Join Date: Jun 2007	I know you can place armed (or even unarmed ^^) mines on a vehicle but I'm not sure if it will stop it from decaying... I highly doubt it but I'll test it tonight.

06-29-2007, 02:19 AM	#9
mf- Senior Captain Join Date: May 2007 Location: Brisbane, Australia	Very interesting topic, didn't even think to use vehicles as mines/bombs. Thanks man, good read. __________________ [ n C ' mf- ] #clan-nc on gamesurge \| Natural Selection hg \| mf- #hg on irc.ausirc.net \| Dys

06-29-2007, 08:56 AM	#10
b0rsuk Commander Join Date: May 2007 Location: Poland	So do unarmed mines decay ? I'd hate to see that. There's already limit of 3 mines per engy, so what's the problem ? Instead of decay, make it so last placed mine disappears if you try to place another one. Unarmed forever mines would be great for creative traps ! __________________

06-29-2007, 09:14 AM	#13
reyalp Global Volunteer Force Join Date: May 2007	I'm pretty sure that unarmed mines do decay eventually, but it takes a fair bit of time.

06-30-2007, 12:02 AM	#14
Reiver Master Sergeant Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Depends where the sheep are.	Tip Just don't arm a mine when a spawn changes and vehicles will appear (eg when EMP emitter has been constructed). I was planting one in the doorway of the substation nearest to the blowable barrier. I went to back off with my measly 20 hps intending to use them to irritate the human scum when a Husty popped up outside. I was dead before I could phrase a suitable 'oh bugger'. Flipside here is if a spawn is imminently about to change (and for whatever reason you are not in a position to help out) will planting mines in vehicle locations damage them on appearance, or do they have a spawn invulnerability as per their humanoid equivalents out of curiosity?

06-30-2007, 04:01 AM	#15
Hakuryu 3rd Lieutenant Join Date: May 2007 Location: Cleveland, OH	The best use of armed and unarmed mines on Strogg defense is that little break in the wall next to the destroyable gate. If you run a line of armed mines away from that spot, the first enemy trips one and then they all explode, moving out in front of that enemy, usually only killing that first enemy. But, if you line up 2 unarmed mines, and an armed mine at the end (farthest from entry spot), the first to trigger the string of mines will be sending explosions behind them, perhaps catching their teammates in your trap also. I've never noticed unarmed mines decaying, but I usually setup that trap quickly, and GDF like to move through there... __________________ My very old Tribes mod

07-02-2007, 05:16 PM	#16
somvone 3rd Lieutenant Join Date: May 2007 Location: Portland Oregon	Bump. (to short) __________________ Do you want your figgin toasted.

07-04-2007, 10:11 PM	#17
prO First Sergeant Join Date: Jun 2007	After reading this thread I tried out the strategy as Strogg. It was at the Final stage of the game where the GDF needed to blow the gates - and I find that many GDF players like to take the alternative route towards the stairs for the height advantage. I took an Icarus - planted it near the doorway with enough room for one person to squeeze in and planted a few mines around the side of the doors. I shot the Icarus until it had minimal health. A minute later and it ended up taking out 3 players. The added bonus of this strat in this instance - it gives the illusion that there are Strogg camping up the top - when they are elsewhere.