------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lancer
Version 1.6
Updated: 8/13/07
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Updates v1.6
------------
* Updated Tire Mine code (hopefully net compatible now).
Updates v1.5
------------
* Patches for online behavior of Tire Mines.
* Some passenger glitches fixed.
Updates v1.4
------------
* NET / ONLINE CAPABLE!
* Improved boosting effects.
* Code made more efficient for servers.
* Some passenger glitches fixed.
* Improved handling.
* Install batch file cleanup.
Basic Capabilities
------------------
* Suck in & plow through troops with Turbo Boost.
* Shove enemy vehicles off the road with Turbo Boost.
* Charge into heavy fire, since the Turbo Boost reduces all incoming
damage by 80%.
* Leave "Back To The Future" style flaming tire tracks with Turbo
Boost. Flames will cling to troops and vehicles that cross!
* Blow out hovercraft blades, tank treads, and tires with Tire Grenades.
* Jump, spin, and Turbo Boost for extra maneuverability.
* The Lancer's passenger is free to fire as s/he pleases. Few
other vehicles let you deliver a Redeemer with such style.
Vehicle Concept
---------------
The Lancer was designed to fill the following needs on the
battlefield:
* Control enemy troop movement with the fiery boost trail
* Control vehicle movement with Tire Grenades
The Lancer fills these needs in the following ways:
* Even though the Turbo Boost shreds ground troops and pushes
larger vehicles around, its main advantage is
containing enemy movement. A few Lancers can criss-cross
an area with flames, blocking off a critical entrance or
exit. In maps like Torlan, you can practically seal
troops in their own base with a towering curtain of fire.
If you come up against another Lancer, your Turbo Boost
will blow up their Tire Mines before they can get you.
The Turbo Boost will also destroy Spider Mines, normal
Grenades, or AVRiL's.
* The Tire Grenade is an excellent tool to disable, but not
destroy enemy vehicles. Most people think that outright
damage is the strongest asset; but in games like
Onslaught, where everything respawns, disabling a
vehicle can be much worse than destroying it.
Disabled vehicles will require extra attention by ground
troops, which distracts them from vital objectives or
exposes them to fire.
Tire Grenades will bounce after enemy vehicles for a short
while, but will "give up" easily if an enemy quickly moves
out of range. They're great on slow vehicles, but
have a hard time hitting Mantas and the like
consistently.
Once a vehicle has its damage from the Tire Grenade healed,
its tires / treads / hover blades will become fully functional
again.
Playing with the Lancer
-----------------------
Enough review -- let's talk about how to have a great time
with this vehicle!
* Road Rampage: Dive through groups of troops with zeal.
While boosting, the Lancer is almost impervious to damage.
Enemy troops will get sucked in by the turbine and
roadkilled, or at LEAST set on fire as you boost by.
* Boobytrap: Lay Tire Mines in an area traveled by enemy vehicles.
An unsuspecting tank, hovercraft, or wheeled craft will soon
become stranded away from the safety of a node, and force troops
out into the open. Leave their flaming carcasses as examples
to any other would-be challengers.
* Run 'em off the road: Enemy Mantas or Scorpions get tossed
around in the wake of the Turbo Boost shockwave -- use this
to push enemies off cliffs, into obstacles, etc. . Hellbenders
are a little more resilient, but can still be pushed around
with a careful approach.
* Impound: Visit an enemy power node, dropping off Tire Grenades
as you go. They'll find their vehicles in ruins, useless for
offense.
* Sucker!: If you have to abandon your Lancer, drop some Tire
Grenades nearby; if an enemy steals your bike, the grenades will
attack them immediately!
Strategy summary
----------------
The Lancer is meant to control a TERRITORY, NOT to fight
head-to-head against heavy-hitters like tanks and
turrets. The Lancer forces enemy troops to abandon safe
vantage points or bail out of damaged vehicles, which
buys time for friendly forces. In games like Onslaught,
where there's infinite respawning, delaying an enemy
can do much more harm than killing them outright.
On defense, the Lancer will lay most vehicles flat on
their faces, allowing friendlies to blast them apart.
Lancer pilots can boost & jump over incapacitated
opponents, lighting them on fire with every pass. When
the drivers bail out, they become tantalizing roadkill.
Although the Lancer has low health (175), it takes very
little damage while boosting (only 20%); nearby AVRiL's
are automatically destroyed. Lastly, the mutator can be set
to spawn several Lancers out of the same vehicle factory,
which can help balance the spread against Goliaths and
Paladins.
The Lancer is FAST, which can be an asset and a liability. If
you need to get to a node quickly, it's your best bet. However,
the Lancer performs best on open, flat land (roads), NOT bumpy
hillsides. Drivers quickly learn that turning AND accelerating
full speed often leads to a spin-out; try taking your foot off
the gas when you turn for better performance.
Pros and Cons:
--------------
Pros:
The Lancer can completely halt a strong enemy advance, igniting
ground troops and crippling vehicles. Raiding enemy nodes to
sabotage Hellbenders, Mantas, Scorpions, or even Goliaths gives
the Lancer team an enormous advantage. If you're racing across
the map, the Lancer beats out all land-based competition, and
pushes opponents off the road in the process. Lastly, the multi-
spawn option ensures your team will have a good supply of
vehicles at all times.
Cons:
The Lancer is still a lightweight. Don't take on tanks, turrets,
or aircraft unless you're prepared to dodge more than you shoot.
A full Hellbender is your sworn enemy -- it can be the juiciest
kill, but it's also most likely to blow you off the map.
The Lancer is also very poor at attacking power nodes or the power
core, so you'll have to dismount (which can be extremely
dangerous). You also have to use your boost meter VERY WISELY;
if you tap it too much, you'll leave yourself open at just the
wrong moment. Lastly, the Lancer can be hard to control if you're
not in its native city environment -- take your foot off the gas
often, or its extreme speed will end up spinning you out
more than propelling you forward.
Effectiveness Scale:
--------------------
1 = Lancer is killed, little damage to enemy
2 = Lancer is killed, enemy is partially damaged
3 = Draw
4 = Lancer kills enemy, but is damaged (roughly 1/2 health)
5 = Lancer kills enemy, minimal damage
Lancer vs.
---------------
Manta 5
Scorpion 5
SPMA 3
Hellbender 3
Paladin 2
Goliath 2
Turret 1
Raptor 1
Cicada 1
1-2 Ground Troops 5
3-4 Ground Troops 5
5+ Ground Troops 4
Fictional Intro
---------------
The Lancer made its introduction as a police motorcycle, allowing
law enforcement to quickly disable criminal vehicles with its
intelligent Tire Mine system. Superconducting magnets engage
when the Turbo Boost is activated, giving this tiny bike enough
hitting power to push most civilian vehicles off the road.
Passengers can provide cover fire from the back of the
bike with ease. Needless to say, the Lancer performed
exceptionally well in urban environments.
It was quickly brought into military use for its speed, but
engineers soon modified it for more of a combat role. The
solid-rocket boosters were replaced with turbines, which could
suck in nearby enemies. The partially-combusted exhaust from
the new engines was redirected to the ground, which left perilous
trails of fire in the Lancer's wake.
Experienced Lancer pilots constantly scold rookies for turning
too sharply, especially on rocky terrain -- their lack of
respect for the horsepower of the engine usually translates
into ejection from the vehicle. On a flat straightaway, though,
few things inspire more awe than a squadron of Lancers
boosting head-on into an enemy charge.
With special help from:
-----------------------
BattleBike base model, animations, sounds, and textures all credit to Monarch http://www.planetunreal.com/monarch/
Zielbetrag
