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Halftracks, light tanks, and future updates.

I'm just making this thread so we can all discuss the future additions to the game (too early?:confused:)

So it has already been announced that the first DLC/update will include 4 new vehicles which will be the PZIII J, T-70, SdKfz 251/1 Halftrack, and a Universal carrier.

Currently I have no questions with the light tanks for I see no problems with adding them in as quicker support (and maybe even a entire map dedicated to light tank mayhem? :D). I do however, have a couple of things I want to know about these transports and how they are going to be implemented into the game in a realism-type fashion.

The first thing that comes to mind for me is, "Well you have to be able to get out of the half track, will there be a animation for climbing over the edge, or getting out the back?"

Also another thing (which I give props to MagicSnake for sparking the idea) "If a well placed shot by an AT rifle/launcher if hit on the carrier, will all the passengers die?" This really kinda stacks up kills for the Anti material soldiers in those types of maps

Two more things I want to know, will the driver/MG/rear MG (for german carrier) be an actual class? and those specific people can't get out? And you can get points for safely transporting troops to point A to point B? And will there be tanks on the carrier-included maps? Seems kinda like an easy load of kills for tank crew.

Anyways discuss your ideas here about the slightly mentioned update and even furture updates TWI can come up with! :)
 
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The first thing that comes to mind for me is, "Well you have to be able to get out of the half track, will there be a animation for climbing over the edge, or getting out the back?"

Hopefully, this is why it isn't coming out in the intial release. Because they will most probably have to make a few serperate animations for all the different seats in the Halftracks. I really REALLY want there to be animations when getting out. I think it will be a real downer if they just appear outside like in Ostfront.
 
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I really REALLY want there to be animations when getting out. I think it will be a real downer if they just appear outside like in Ostfront.

I was thinking, like the people closest to the door would go out the back door of the carrier, and the people closer to the driver would hop out the sides? I don't know.
 
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i like the idea of reward for successful transports...

makes driving the transport a more fun and viable option rather than the usual
- get in (possibly alone)
- rambo to the enemy/flank
- blow up
that's seen from most drivers

and if it is it's own class we then know the guy driving it is going to be serious about transporting and not running is into a trench in the middle of the field
 
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I would think this too, but wouldn't people get tired of driving people around? I mean IRL you would be ok with it cause at least your not getting shot at but people bought this game to shoot, not to drive.

How about an AI driver? And the halftrack gunner can be a class? The gunner would be able to direct the AI driver just like you can in tanks!

That way, the HT gunner can get points for successful deliveries AND he can have fun mowing down any resistance that stumbles upon the carrier. He can also switch to the rear MG too by animation??

Another thing, will people be able to fire out of the halftrack? Or will the be useless like in ROOST? Maybe firing small arms only? Or make it so you're only able to pop your head out to look around, and when you are taking cover you can get down and peek your head out.

I mean, we don't need to make the halftrack a gun firing machine... Although, with the amazing bullet pen system an MG or a semi-auto can easily mow down the clumped infantry inside...
 
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I would think this too, but wouldn't people get tired of driving people around? I mean IRL you would be ok with it cause at least your not getting shot at but people bought this game to shoot, not to drive.

Depends on the player.. or the mood. Sometimes I'd like a break from frontline shooting and may want to be a driver! I think in terms of roleplay/immersion it's fun every so often to take up a specific role. Especially if the driving controls are done well, and if you can get your team some serious flanks

How about an AI driver? And the halftrack gunner can be a class? The gunner would be able to direct the AI driver just like you can in tanks!

I could see that working as well, as long as pathing isn't too bad

That way, the HT gunner can get points for successful deliveries AND he can have fun mowing down any resistance that stumbles upon the carrier. He can also switch to the rear MG too by animation??

Another thing, will people be able to fire out of the halftrack? Or will the be useless like in ROOST? Maybe firing small arms only? Or make it so you're only able to pop your head out to look around, and when you are taking cover you can get down and peek your head out.

Realistically speaking, would soldiers ever have popped out to shoot at things as they rode? I could see possibly if they were stopped and being shot at. Too much bouncing around and the intensity of going in battle for soldiers to decide and stand up and take pot shots at people they drive by

I mean, we don't need to make the halftrack a gun firing machine... Although, with the amazing bullet pen system an MG or a semi-auto can easily mow down the clumped infantry inside...

I think the half track as a mobile MG is an awesome idea. Not an FPS, but Company of Heroes had half tracks used in such a way that they could utilize a various amount of weapons (depending on what you manufactured) for different uses. MG half track was good for quick suppression and cutting off of retreat routes. Supply halftrack providing more weapons and ammunition

Of course putting in too many we'd have more half tracks than plausible. But definitely MG+transport


^^
 
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I think it would have been rather stupid to fire out the half track when its moving. I mean, you're going down whatever terrain you are on at 20-40 KM/h and god knows whos in a little house all nice and set up. I just wouldn't see it much useful...

As for driving, yeah. I get those feelings when I just want to help people, and get that cinematic feel and all, but think of the vast majority of servers with all those people. Admins can make it a rule, but I think there should be a way that if there is a map with a halftrack, or uni carrier, that carrier gets used.
 
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Hopefully, this is why it isn't coming out in the intial release. Because they will most probably have to make a few serperate animations for all the different seats in the Halftracks. I really REALLY want there to be animations when getting out. I think it will be a real downer if they just appear outside like in Ostfront.

If both sides used a similar type truck (Seats on the side, rear exit - not side). Then you would only have to compose 1 set of animations and just try to model both vehicles so that the seats, height from floor are the same.


Infact you could cheat a lot with the animations

1) Make animation for climbing up the back of the half track. Then you can move around freely as if it was floor

2) Make animation for sitting. This means that every rear vehicle seat is just 1 animation. Ofcourse you can make variations of sitting down

3) Don't forget drivers door, and the gunners =)
 
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If both sides used a similar type truck (Seats on the side, rear exit - not side). Then you would only have to compose 1 set of animations and just try to model both vehicles so that the seats, height from floor are the same.

Not necessarily, they aren't trucks just to let you know, they are armored transport with an MG platform on them and the two coming in are totally different.

The Germans get a halftrack
3220780664_611903c981_o.jpg


And the Russians get a universal carrier
03561.jpg


They are pretty much different in size and armor (half track having up to 14.5MM and Universal 10MM)

I think the universal carrier was much more a mobile MG platform to carry supplies if anything.

I think maybe since the seating sizes are different (German HT being larger capacity and more cover for the troops inside) that the Russians should be able to fire out of their carrier since there are less seats and less covering for the troops.
 
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I'm interested to see how gameplay with vehicles changes once troop transports with realistic damage modeling are introduced. I can imagine: semi-automatic anti-tank rifles punching holes in troop and engine compartments, punctuated by yells, protesting metal, and the crackling of flames... a grenade lobbed into a vehicle, followed by the mad scramble to vault over the sides to safety... and (hopefully) armor-piercing tank rounds passing straight through a thin armored plate, the soft uniforms and flesh within, and right out the other side.:eek:

Seems like the mean green capping machines will certainly be a lot less so in RO2...
 
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and (hopefully) armor-piercing tank rounds passing straight through a thin armored plate, the soft uniforms and flesh within, and right out the other side.:eek:

Seems like the mean green capping machines will certainly be a lot less so in RO2...

I hope tanks aren't in maps where carriers are in. It's just easy kill stacks for tank gunners.

The carriers should be a powerful (yet weakly armored) support role. Since the MGs in this game can pierce the heavens (with it's drill) and by that I mean light brick, and anything less than that, the MG's on the carriers can make a vital mobile support role pinning enemy infantry for our troops to move up into position with out being mowed down themselves.
 
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The first thing that comes to mind for me is, "Well you have to be able to get out of the half track, will there be a animation for climbing over the edge, or getting out the back?"

I hope yes. The animations will give a lot of immersion, expecially during the get out.

Also another thing (which I give props to MagicSnake for sparking the idea) "If a well placed shot by an AT rifle/launcher if hit on the carrier, will all the passengers die?" This really kinda stacks up kills for the Anti material soldiers in those types of maps
maps? Seems kinda like an easy load of kills for tank crew.

The damage system will not be again as the OST one, with "HP system".
So, they will not need to nerf as hell the AT rifles power against the halftracks/carriers, because they will not explode after the first hit. Simply, if you shot with an AT rifle to a carrier the round will kill the crew behind the point hit by the bullet. I'm pretty sure that it will work in this way(as will be for the tanks, the walls etc....the guns penetration is realistic in RO2) ;)
 
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In a future update I would love to see the ability for players to ride on vehicles. This transportation method was used by armed forces during the Second World War to ride to the front. But since RO:HOS is a game, I think it would be fine and fun to allow players to ride tanks into battle zones.

Another thing, halftracks, especially German ones, were specifically designed to be driven into combat. In particular, Panzer Grenadier Regiments used the Schutzenpanzerwagen (SPW) Sd Kfz 251 variants (especially the standard vehicle) as a means to fight on the move. Panzer Grenadiers would stand on seating and fire from half tracks. They would, when the need arose, disembark from their vehicles to clear areas inaccessible to their halftracks. This tactic coincided with the German military doctrine of mobility and lightning attacks. (Roger Edwards, Panzer: A Revolution in Warfare, 1939-1945 (London: Brockhampton Press, 1998)).

I paraphrased Edwards point on Panzer Grenadiers and how halftracks were implimented (firing from and on the move from halftracks). So, whenever German halftracks are implimented into RO:HOS, I hope that we will be allowed access to this feature. It would invariably be very difficult to fire from a moving halftrack, but it would still be awesome. Firing from a stationary one would obviously be easier.

I don't know how universal carriers were used in comparison to how German halftracks were.
 
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In a future update I would love to see the ability for players to ride on vehicles. This transportation method was used by armed forces during the Second World War to ride to the front. But since RO:HOS is a game, I think it would be fine and fun to allow players to ride tanks into battle zones.

There was a lot of discussion of this after tanks were announced, and I don't think it's going to be in the game. Sure they did in real life, but mostly for transport, not into combat. And I doubt RO2 is going to have mile long stretches to get to the action, especially with squad spawning and other carriers.

Another thing, halftracks, especially German ones, were specifically designed to be driven into combat. In particular, Panzer Grenadier Regiments used the Schutzenpanzerwagen (SPW) Sd Kfz 251 variants (especially the standard vehicle) as a means to fight on the move. Panzer Grenadiers would stand on seating and fire from half tracks. They would, when the need arose, disembark from their vehicles to clear areas inaccessible to their halftracks. This tactic coincided with the German military doctrine of mobility and lightning attacks. (Roger Edwards, Panzer: A Revolution in Warfare, 1939-1945 (London: Brockhampton Press, 1998)).

Huh really? That's some nice info. It also kind of made sense with the Germans lightning tactics too, especially for smaller alleyways or empty streets.

I paraphrased Edwards point on Panzer Grenadiers and how halftracks were implimented (firing from and on the move from halftracks). So, whenever German halftracks are implimented into RO:HOS, I hope that we will be allowed access to this feature. It would invariably be very difficult to fire from a moving halftrack, but it would still be awesome. Firing from a stationary one would obviously be easier.

I would like to know how difficult it would be to fire from a moving vehicle and actually hit something. Of course, it depends on the speed of the halftrack, and if the terrain is as smooth as a road or some offroad terrain, since there are a bunch of calculations in tank warfare, bullet pen, and all that I hope they can compromise something for this update.

I don't know how universal carriers were used in comparison to how German halftracks were.

In ROOST there were only able to carry 2 crew (driver and gunner) and 4 passengers, I'm sure in real life people would have crowed more in there. The universal carrier wasn't really a transport where people can shoot out of, it was more of a mobile MG platform to lay down the fire.

There are surprisingly many versions of this carrier...

Yup... ^
 
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Not necessarily, they aren't trucks just to let you know, they are armored transport with an MG platform on them and the two coming in are totally different.

The Germans get a halftrack
3220780664_611903c981_o.jpg


And the Russians get a universal carrier
03561.jpg


They are pretty much different in size and armor (half track having up to 14.5MM and Universal 10MM)

I think the universal carrier was much more a mobile MG platform to carry supplies if anything.

I think maybe since the seating sizes are different (German HT being larger capacity and more cover for the troops inside) that the Russians should be able to fire out of their carrier since there are less seats and less covering for the troops.

Yes. This is why I said

"If both sides used similar trucks". I'm aware they are planning on the universal carrier which isn't a truck. My suggestion was to reduce workload yet improve quality. I'm sure the Russians would have had access to some sort of truck. And I use the term "Truck" lightly as a troop carrier.

My suggestion still stands though. TWI might be planning on doing it all. Have both vehicles fully (And properly) animated to every passenger. Entrance and Exit. However, if they arn't then a big plea from me is to just do what I suggested -shrugs-.
 
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FFS, Halo has animations for entering and exiting vehicles, is halo more realistic? what I'm trying to say here, is that the fact that the addition of the animations is being doubted is really pissing me off, i don't care if they take a month more just because of them and it costs more money, at the end of the day small things like those define the overall quality of the product specially to an outsider watching a gameplay video or something, so if tripwire wants to invite Mr. gaymer joe then it helps too.

Hell, some of you guys where pissed at the font on the new title/box art being "cheap" (or of low quality) and thus making random people who see it think so as well.
 
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