(suggestion) Have Invulnerable Envoys not trip Mines

from Sins Forums

This is a minor thing, and may well have been identified previously, but in the latest beta builds, the Envoys of the various races can trip mines while cloaked in diplomatic immunity.  The issue here is a sort of economic sabotage, as the ability to send an Envoy into a gravity well ahead of an assaulting fleet to clear a beachhead for incoming invasion forces is possibly beyond the designed scope of the cruisers' functions.

 

It isn't the end of the world, but I have been routinely using Envoys to clear mines prior to assaults because, with diplo. immunity, they have a 100% of successfully cleaning out a small space before being pummeled to death by other mines or defensive forces.

 

That's all.  THanks!

 

Dav

4,672 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

Even more amusingly, if you're advent you can use the sacrifice ability right as the diplo immunity wears off, and have the enemy like you more for clearing their mines :D

Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top

Hahaha, that's kinda funny :D . Yep, envoys should definately not trigger mines while immune. Diplomatic immunity should not shield you from damage but should make it so no one fires on you. Although, realistically, the envoy should trigger mines while invulnerable and take the damage anyways--but no one wants that  ;P .

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Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

When first hearing about envoys, that was one of my primary concerns on how the hell they'd deal with mines.  Do they and other ships at least fly harmlessly through fields if you have a ceasefire?

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

Actually, i think it should operate the other way round.

To my understanding, diplomatic immunity is supposed to represent an unseen negotiation with another faction, which agrees to not attack. It is not an actual technology of 'shield of invulnerability'.

Therefore, since mines are completely autonomous and not sentient, when triggered by an envoy, they should explode and cause damage even though the envoy is 'invulnerable'.

Not matter that you have diplomatic immunuty, you moved through a minefield and stepped in a mine, it's your fault if you fly off in little pieces.

It just makes more sense to me. 

 

Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top
Who says mines are completely autonomous and not sentient? Well, not sentient I get, but the fact that you are able to manually arm/disarm you mines, and target specific ships (if you really like to micro) shows that the mines are open to external commands. With that knowledge, there's no reason you or your imaginary generals on the field couldn't update the mines targeting parameters to adhere to a state of diplomatic immunity.
Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top

Disabling/enabling OK, no problem. But selectively just for the envoy, i think it would be exploitable. Just pack some envoys together with your fleet so that the mines are disabled when the envoys goes near, and go through the mnefield to whip the enemy's @ss out.

I just think it makes more sense to make the Envoy not to be targetable by ships/structures, but it should still be damaged by mines if he goes headfirst on them. It's less exploitable.

Well, that's just my opinion, feel free to disagree. :grin:  

Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top

Therefore, since mines are completely autonomous and not sentient, when triggered by an envoy, they should explode and cause damage even though the envoy is 'invulnerable'.

Either way's fine.