- gamertag: Xaelra
- user homepage:
The problem here is that while Bungie did an unbelievably good job with tactically setting up different types of infantry, armor and air forces, drones fall into a completely separate kind of situation.
In combat, air forces are meant to be quick strike forces that deal a lot of damage to the ground forces. Armor is meant to bust up hard points, while infantry is meant for taking and holding ground. That's how combat works in real life.
Looking at Bungie's set up with human and covenant forces in Halo 3, they did a spot on job of balancing those forces out and making them work together. Now we come to the drones.
Drones are aerial infantry. In modern combat, there's literally no place for aerial infantry in combat tactics. What Bungie did was set drones into separate combat scenarios where they fought alone, with no armor or air support. That's the quick, easy, and lazy approach imho.
Here's some ideas:
*Make drones into quick aerial sniper teams. Jackal snipers are too slow and camp too much. Much more can be done with an aerial sniper AI that finds spots to snipe from instead of being placed in designated spots on a campaign.
*Make drones into aerial support units. Their air to air capabilities have been seriously under-rated. Since Reach is about a full scale world-wide assault, there should be a lot more air to air combat.. at least in the background. Think about the last time you took control of a Hornet. It would be incredibly frustrating to try and fight a bunch of drones in that Hornet.
*Make drones into bunker busters. Give them heavy weapons and let them get behind enemy lines. Remember every time you took cover to get your shields back? Imagine a few drones getting back there- not with plasma pistols either! Either give them spikers, plasma rifles, or a carbine. SOMETHING to give them the ability to finish the kill. Drones were always meant to harrass, let them do that to the best of their ability. This would REALLY work well in an urban combat zone where humans/spartans use cover a lot.