Change Mantis to T1 tank icon

Fair enough, but still, changing the mantis icon to that of a tank is a bit extreme. If its that big of a problem, wouldnt it be better to just change icon of the mantis to a slightly different one? Or the LABs icon.

As for pillars and strikers, i never get them confused either, but if they use the same icon then its a real possibility, specially considering how similar both look. But it never was a real problem, so i dont understand why the mantis icon being the same as a LAB is. If LABs were widely used alongside tanks then id understand, but theyre not. At most you have one or two mixed in with a scout and a tank for raiding. They lose their utility very quickly.

The main problem is in 1v1 or 2v2 where you are focused mostly on base/engie management in the early game. You see a unit on your minimap. Was it a lab or a mantis? You couldn't zoom out and find the unit before it goes out of vision. Now you can't be sure what exactly you need to send to kill it.

I also don't really get the need for a whole new icon just for mantis, nor the argument that this destroys some of the uniqueness of the mantis. If it was unique it wouldn't function the exact same way as the 3 other mainline units which are all coincidentally tanks.

The uniqueness of it is covered by the fact it can help finish buildings with the 1 bp it has, not that it has a lab icon as a mainline tank.

@ftxcommando said in Change Mantis to T1 tank icon:

The main problem is in 1v1 or 2v2 where you are focused mostly on base/engie management in the early game. You see a unit on your minimap. Was it a lab or a mantis? You couldn't zoom out and find the unit before it goes out of vision. Now you can't be sure what exactly you need to send to kill it.

That makes sense. Altough ive never had this problem, i can see why people want the change.

@ftxcommando said in Change Mantis to T1 tank icon:

I also don't really get the need for a whole new icon just for mantis, nor the argument that this destroys some of the uniqueness of the mantis. If it was unique it wouldn't function the exact same way as the 3 other mainline units which are all coincidentally tanks.
The uniqueness of it is covered by the fact it can help finish buildings with the 1 bp it has, not that it has a lab icon as a mainline tank.

My argument is that it kind of defeats the purpose of the Mantis being considered a bot if its icon is that of a tank. It just doesnt sit right with me, because then whats the point of it being called a bot? You might as well call it a legged tank if it uses the tank icon.

I admit its more of a cosmetic question rather than a gameplay one, but still. The mantis icon has been the same for years. Changing it now just because are mixing it up with LABs feels wrong. Maybe changing the LAB icons to something slightly different could preserve this aspect of the mantis.

Oh wait theres a mod that changes it back. Problem solved

Is it possible that this could be "fixed" as a UI mod? Let people install a mod to see the mantis as a tank if they want.

It could be fixed as a ui mod in a similar vein to advanced strategic icons, probably.

Has anyone ever actually mistaken a lab for a mantis?

This should have happened a decade ago. The purpose of a unit icon is to inform the player of the role, capability, and danger of that unit at a glance, not to inform them whether it has legs or tracks.

@biass what FtXCommando says here has happened to me, and I assume a lot more players. But then again I'm a noob so I don't think my opinion should count very strongly.

@ftxcommando said in Change Mantis to T1 tank icon:

The main problem is in 1v1 or 2v2 where you are focused mostly on base/engie management in the early game. You see a unit on your minimap. Was it a lab or a mantis? You couldn't zoom out and find the unit before it goes out of vision. Now you can't be sure what exactly you need to send to kill it.

@pa4sam said in Change Mantis to T1 tank icon:

@biass what FtXCommando says here has happened to me, and I assume a lot more players. But then again I'm a noob so I don't think my opinion should count very strongly.

@ftxcommando said in Change Mantis to T1 tank icon:

The main problem is in 1v1 or 2v2 where you are focused mostly on base/engie management in the early game. You see a unit on your minimap. Was it a lab or a mantis? You couldn't zoom out and find the unit before it goes out of vision. Now you can't be sure what exactly you need to send to kill it.

It does, "noob" experience is very important, it would be a shame if someone left after a few weeks because the interface has too many unclarities... at least now it is 1 less.

Thats not a great argument imo. The icon isnt that way because its supposed to trick your enemy, its because Cybrans have more bots and they use a bot instead of a tank in t1. Its that simple. That being said, i do agree with wath @biass said. Making a ui mod would fix the problem without enforcing a change many people dont agree with.