ZeroK: Zero-K v1.6.2.9 – Shieldbot Balance

From ZeroK: link to original post

Shieldbots escaped the previous patch relatively unscathed. Here is a version to rectify this oversight.

Balance

Racketeer:

• Reload time 7s -> 10s.
• Disarm time 9s -> 6s.
• Damage 1500 -> 1800.

This is indeed a significant nerf. The intention is to specialize Racketeer against heavy units as it is currently a quite oppressive against units in the 150 to 400 cost range. Two Racketeers should be able to reliably lock down a heavy unit, however, an army of Racketeers will no longer be able to disable entire armies.

Rogue:

• Projectile speed 170 -> 200.

This change violates Quants Rule but it otherwise looks quite small and reasonable. Was projectile speed the root cause of all the issues with Rogue? Try it and see.

Felon:

• Shield charge 1200 -> 1600.

Higher max capacity is a buff to Felons ability to suck charge from nearby shields. It also prevents it going from perfectly fine to dead against a Phantom. Now the Cloakbot player needs to wait do some damage or wait for it to engage before picking up massive value.

Interface

• Reduced the command reply spam prevention timer and added an option to control it in the Audio submenu (with simple settings unticked). Also added an option for selection reply spam prevention.
• Clicking the other mouse button while issuing a line command now cancels the command. This is consistent with area commands.
• Made commander selection tooltips more descriptive by default.
• Fixed occasional flicker caused by selection modkeys.
• Added an attack command helper. Units are now targeted by attack or set target commands even if they move out from under the mouse between press and release. Similar behaviour exists for unit selection.
• Made Lobster able to set target allies.
• Set target command is now removed on Stop for bombers (for consistency with other units).

Mechanics Fixes

• Fixed Lobsters ability to fire much further than its range by targeting speedy units as they move towards it.
• Fixed Raven diving too low into shields when targeting tall structures.
• Fixed (removed) the ability of transports to occasionally pick up mobile enemy units.
• Fixed chick and antinuke refusal to fire.
• Fixed Gauss aiming over obstacles.