Today the idea came into my mind, that anti tank guns could be made somehow deployable by the individual player, like the mg lafettes, and not just spawn at dedicated locations. I my opinion it would even match with the tactical dimension of the game.
This would represent the fact, that most armies had in a batallion a dedicated support company or even antitank company, which gave the heavy antitank support. I remember, that I even read somewhere, that the US Army had an antitank-platoon in every company. (Now I hope VM or whoever with more knowlegde on miliary doctines of the individual armies joins this thread and proves, that i am not totally wrong).
Basic thoughts:
Of course this would change balance of some maps, but noone ever said i has to be on every map. But there would also be some maps like Aberdeen, where a pak on the right place could balance them. Also the imbalance caused by the deployed at gun depends on which gun is deployed on what map. A Pak40 in a good position in an africa map would mean overkill, while a 6pounder in normandy in the right place could be still be a thread to german tankers, but a blessing to your own team.
The next thing, which could be seen positive, but also negative, this would solve the mobility problem of the pushed guns by still being vulnerable to enemy infantry or HE fire.
Also more mobile guns would make it a little bit more difficult to attack a flag, as you cant know, where the at-gun is. Yeah, I know hear some of you calling "Its still hard to take a flag, why make it even harder". I just got three answers, It would be more difficult to HE behind the fogrange, with the situation with pushable at-guns at the moment, it isnt much different. you can't always predict where they are and last but not least: I am just thinking, this is suggestion forums.
And of course as a new gameplay featrure, there a ways to abuse/exploit it, by deploying a group of guns, or deploying them behind enemy lines....
Another thing to balance it, we have to think about, if the deployed guns should be pushable or stationary like a lafette.
To implement this, I thought about three possibilities, each with its pros and cons.
1. An Antitank pickup-kit
This would basicly work like the mortar or lafette kits already in the game. You pick up the kit, move to the place, where you want the gun, then deploy it.
Cons: It would be possible, of course difficult, to sneak behind enemy lines, deploy it behind some tanks and shoot them. But without support, you would be still vulnerable to enemy infantry and it would be (depending on the map of course) still be difficult to get to a good location. But dont forget u can move at the moment behind enemy lines and use their weapons/guns against them, so it would not change that much.
The last danger i see is a possible exploit in the system by standing next to an ammo crate an deploying gun are gun, this could be partly prohibit by a long resupply time.
2. A truck spawns it (if possible)
A truck, like the ammo truck, would spawn a at-gun be pressing right mouse button like the ammo boxes from the ammo truck.
This would match best, to represent the weight of at-guns and the need of transport vehicles. with a truck it also would be impossible to sneak behind enemy lines, as you are vulnerable even to rifle fire.
Danger of exploit by ammotruck and at-gun-truck combination.
3. droplable by commander
This system would basicly use the car-dropping system of bf2. The commander would send a gun to the troops where requested. This has the least eploit danger, as there could only be 2 or 3 dropped cars on a map in vBF at the same time, so i am sure the number even could be lowered.
I hope after reading, u got the point. And I am sure this wasn't suggested before, as I am watching the forums for years now. And i hope my english is not that bad.
=dmk= Oberst S.
PS: I even see some people coming back with: Bring the lIG 18 or something.
