Will TML ever be balanced?

Anyone that has played my lobbies recently has probably seen me complain.

It is absolutely asinine that for the cost of a single TML you can kill a T2 mex, its wreck, and the surrounding storage.

And that cost to benefit ratio is only made worse(better) by how fast you can pump out missiles and kill more mexes completely.

Obviously "just build tmd idiot!" is the current solution. The problem being it costs way more mass & more importantly time to cover your mexes in TMD than it does to build and fire the TML. This depends on map size and mex layout of course.

I'm not much of a numbers guy so I'm not gonna get down into the stats of it all, but something really needs to change and I don't see anyone else talking about it.

I agree. There was a very short discussion in the balance-team but since the recent patch needs to finish, we delayed it. However it's definitely a topic I (or somebody else since it's a known thing) will mention it in an upcoming meeting.

Nice to know it's at least being thought about.

TML is one of the big benefits of going T2 ACU - but if it didn't damage the reclaim it would be much less oppressive (@Jip if this is possible in the engine?) maybe you could increase the aoe slightly then so that you could reliably take out all the storages on a capped mex

TML is OP mostly on large teamgame maps where it's common to get multiple T2 mexes before T2 tech and it's okay for one person to rush a TML. Outside of that it's fine since people will protect infrastructure with TMD. It's like not building flak then complaining that inties+gunships combo is OP.

"just build tmd id.."

i don't see the point. the missiles in the tml cost a lot of ressources so it has to cause some damage, otherwise it would be completely useless and tmd are cheaper.

My personal opinion is that TML should at least have a very low HP, so that you need to shield it or it can be taken out by bombers. In fact make it volatile as well.

@evan_ said in Will TML ever be balanced?:

In fact make it volatile as well.

They should be extra volatile when they contain missiles

TML are very good, but not in need of a nerf

??? TML are the most op form of aggression in the game, it's practically impossible to make one and have it not be efficient. I'm pretty sure killing 1 t2 mex and then reclaiming the launcher is already mass efficient.

The biggest problem that comes with TMLs to me is the ability to just send 1 notha around killing the TMD and now you lose 4 t2 mexes because of it.

I was also glad to see that the missile speed increase coming with the next patch only applies to mobile launchers, and not to TML and cruisers.

I agree, @Xayo.
The Spearhead feels significantly better with the MML missile speed increase, as well.

~ Stryker

MML is fine as far as I'm concerned. This post was purely about the stationary T2 TML. And as FtX pointed out that I missed, TMD is also stupidly vulnerable. Forget a notha, it only takes 2-3 T1 bombers to kill a TMD and expose whatever was behind it.

A notha, TML, and 4 loaded missiles, converts to 5 nothas. it's also really hard to not kill 4 t2 mex with 5 nothas. they are free to reload, help fight air, are not restricted to a maximum range, and they will even 100% consistently kill the mass storages around the mexes, so maybe nothas are the most OP form of aggression in the game. or maybe even t2 arty drops

if you're worried about nothas or t1 bombers bombing tmd, maybe you built t2 mexes too far forward, or you let the opponent build a tml too close to ur base

i only think tml acu is busted, regular tml is very strong but not broken imo

Ah yes, time for the daily "this thing is effective at X and therefore needs to be nerfed" thread. See also: telemazer, aeon in general, and fucking mantis for some ungodly reason.

T2 arty drops are the only thing that can even contest with tml, but I’d still say a dude intended on cancering with tml will do a lot more pain. TML acu does make it worse, but you tend to see it on water maps where building a tml is unfeasible I’d say.

It isn’t really about forward, exposed mexes. On a 10x10 you can build a tml well in your map control next to a t2 mex of your own and still basically hit anything that isn’t in the core base. It’s totally unrealistic to say just don’t upgrade half your mexes in a teamgame and you know it.

sorry havent played 10km in 37 years forgot they existed. fortunately its also 300x easier to cover ur entire base with 1 or 2 tmd there, and investing into 2 more just for safety, or a shield to protect tmd, are way more realistic options than on larger maps.
any attempts to bomb tmd are also completely negated if any form of t2 buildpower is nearby (which is likely to be the case since bases are much more concentrated), so its unlikely u really lose 4 t2 mex

i see extremely high value gun acus, t2 air plays, arty drops, and tml acus way more frequently than high value regular tmls

Move TML to T1, nerf cost & damage stats accordingly but leave range the same.
A fully loaded T1 TML should be able to destroy a T2 mex.

T1 TML will still threaten T2 mexes. By building multiple T1 TML you can still destroy a T2 mex in one volley.

Most importantly, with TML being a threat at T1 there is an awareness of TML and forgetting TMD isn't as much of a thing anymore.
When 1 T1 TML is working on a T2 mex, there is some opportunity to notice it and to spam up TMD or emergency repair.

@valki I'll have what you're smoking.

@indexlibrorum said in Will TML ever be balanced?:

@valki I'll have what you're smoking.

I'm sorry to say it, but what you have just written is a bannable offense. Hopefully admins are gonna administer the law as it's given.