Age of Strategy Forums

Golias AMP (M.I. siege arty), by D.D.D

Cost: 4
Hp: 43
physical/energy/chemical Attack: 8/10/0 + burning effect (heavy incendiary cannons, 200% bonus against structures) - Overall 18 dmg
physical/energy/chemical Armor: 3/3/3
AOE: 1
Range: 2
Actions: 1
Speed: 3 (same modifiers as basic infantry, but 1 speed on mountains)
Sight: 4
Can't capture tc, buildable in barracks.
Abilities: Mortar shoot (unit gains +2 range in the next turn, 2 turns cooldown)
Which is image for it? I couldn't find it @DoomsdayDragonfire
Is that burning effect really ok? I mean whatever are our bulidings made for it doesn't burn. I guess it's some special sci-fi hoho fire?
Also we must figure out how exactly it should work. Damage, duration, stackablity. In AoWw flamethrower's burning lasts 5 turns, deals 5 damage with 200% bonus vs buildings, and is stackable, it also disables buildings (even tho based on JSON it... Shouldn't?). Does that make... Sense? If yes we should go with it here too.
Also... Can we just... Can we just... Give it 3 range instead of mortar shoot? C'mon, that's good enough...

It is the first one in the topic

Yes and no, yes bcz it is burning indeed, and no bcz isn't the standard burning, but it is a more than violent version of burning.

It uses white phosphorus projectiles, it is real and it is even banned in human warfare as "Chemical" weapon since it leaves too much horrific results, firstly, it does self ignite in flames when exposed to air and release a lot of smoke (like a realy lot of smoke, so it can be also be used to make smoke grenades) in process, and when it burns something else, this smoke blocks cells blood to breath, in other words, toxic to breath,
it adhere and violently burns any inflamable material it touches and "devour it to bones" to fuel its flames untill it does finish consume what is burning (including itself),
you can't use standard ways to extinguish its fire (as it even reacts to oxigen on the water) and to contain it from reacting is only by seal it on a place without oxigen (eg: vaccum or submerged on oxigenless liquids) being mostly on "dead water" on a glass recipient.

You can't just use extinguishers or throw yourself on a river if you get contact with it, it is solid and does not dilute in water and hidrofolic fluids, so when you will get out to breath, even if you have a single particle of WP, it will ignite again. And since it also reacts to oxigen in water, the smoke that have high afinity to liquids, turns into phosphoric acid, meaning that you just will be worsening the situation...

So, many treaties and protocols have been signed to ban its use on warfare, but, who said that aliens had been included?

But if you don't get what is WP, white phosphorus is a manufactured material toxic/corrosive to organic matter, solid, non explosive, created using phosphorus, it is white when pure and yellow to red when impure, it doesn't have tolerance to oxigen, meaning that it ignites when exposed to the air...

So you can translate WP ammunition into persistent burning + smoke screen.

So for gameplay, to begin, you will need to set a few things.

Adjust dmg and cost (decrease base dmg or increase cost or both), also remove aoe to balance within this new burning...

Make a smoke effect that will reduce targets view as buildings for example (bcz i don't think we have a mechanic to actually obstruct view yet in game, so reduce view is the best alternative)
And with that you can make smoke grenades for infantries and tanks aswell for those units.

Then this "WP burning" effect from "WP ammunition", since it is very persistent and hard to isolate even into controled areas, i know it would be impossible to control on the battlefield... So it can't be removed by heal or mending... About stats, it last indefinitelly longer than other sources of fire, but I think every stack can delay the extinguish by 1, meaning indefitenely period, so reduce stacks chance would be nice...

What about 15 chemical dmg -1 sight for 1 turn? Or 12 chem -1 sight for 2 turns, + 100% bonus dmg to any organic material on both cases. (A really effective effect against myconids as they parasite everything right? Vehicles, structures...)

With that settled, i have 3 suggestions:

The first one is that you can remove any burning effect from the unit, the mortar shoot skill will be like the fireball with this WP burning effect and no aoe, but it would need you to research a tech before use it. You can set the cooldown timer as you please.

The second is that, in order to build, you will need to research the tech first so it could start with the hability.

The third is that, it will also need to research the tech, it have the 3 range, but it loses the mortar shoot hability, and receive the "WP burning" as on-hit effect, also, its base dmg is changed to chemical.

You won't make anything simpler eh?
Anyway, the effect is supposed to last 1 or 2 turns?

True ... Well It is up to you, if 2 turns is too much easy to stack it, then you can reduce to 1 turn.

Unit description:

The Siege AMP is an artilery version created to clear the way for your other units from safe distance, it does use the White Phosphorus ammunitions, a volatile material that burns itself in the air and that can't be extinguished using standard methods. Any crack on ammo shells can generate devasting results. So unlike other Goliaths, both arms where changed to two integrated cannons to allow automatic and safe reloads due ammunition intolerance to air.