Hellion Visuals

[Pandonetho]

That's it, you're going to get it now. Just wait till a Viking smashes through your roof and blasts your house apart from inside out. Just wait for it.

[DemolitionSquid]

... but right now the ground form is simply a gimmick to keep the Viking balanced, instead of a neat tactical option.

There is oodles of evidence to the contrary. Your opinion is logically void.

[Aldrius]

There is oodles of evidence to the contrary. Your opinion is logically void.

Then provide it instead of being flippant without backing up your statements.

[DemolitionSquid]

Then provide it instead of being flippant without backing up your statements.

We have backed them up. You've ignored them.

- It lets the GTG Viking be highly mobile.
- It lets the ATA Viking serve a purpose after all the enemies air units have been killed.
- It lets the Viking be good at AA, like the Wraith and Goliath.
- It lets the Viking be good at AG, unlike the Wraith and Goliath.
- It lets the Viking be good at averting AA.
- It lets the Viking be good at avoiding AG.
- This all combines to make it adaptable and versatile.
- It can raid effectively, counter air effectively, and support ground forces effectively once its main AA abilities are of no more use.
- But it can only do one of these things at a time, so it's not overpowered.

[Aldrius]

We have backed them up. You've ignored them.

Really haven't... I've addressed them pretty generally, but I haven't ignored any of those points.

- It lets the GTG Viking be highly mobile.
- It lets the ATA Viking serve a purpose after all the enemies air units have been killed.
- It lets the Viking be good at AA, like the Wraith and Goliath.
- It lets the Viking be good at AG, unlike the Wraith and Goliath.
- It lets the Viking be good at averting AA.
- It lets the Viking be good at avoiding AG.
- This all combines to make it adaptable and versatile.
- It can raid effectively, counter air effectively, and support ground forces effectively once its main AA abilities are of no more use.
- But it can only do one of these things at a time, so it's not overpowered.

How is any of that not 'stuff to make the Viking balanced', though? I mean I can understand if you're okay with it being that. But I'm personally not. I'd always have preferred the GTG Viking from the Factory becoming the ATA Viking. Rather than the ATA Viking being from the Starport becoming the GTG Viking. It seems like a small thing, but I don't think it is. I think it changes the whole unit.

And yes, I know it's been that way for a while. I really don't care.

[pure.Wasted]

Really haven't... I've addressed them pretty generally, but I haven't ignored any of those points.

You are ignoring them, Aldrius, because you're not making explicitly clear that your opinion is based on IRRATIONAL associations, which may or may not be objectively valid. (see: Siege Tank, which starts in a mode with qualities X Y and transforms into one with qualities A B, losing X Y in the process. Same as the Viking.)

We all do it, but it's important to make that distinction, because it sounds like you're talking about balance... and that's what our side of the argument has been about. That the Viking's ground form, as an ADDED FUNCTIONALITY to the primary air mode, is both useful and balanced. It is not the primary mode, and it is not a mode that will make enemies quake with fear. But it doesn't need to.

I agree with you that it could. But that's not necessary for the unit to function properly within the game, at all. I think they could give the ground mode some more niche function that would make it a good unit as a counter, as opposed to only serving in a support/harass/getaway function (which are also very important). But it isn't necessary, and this argument isn't founded on balance.

[Nicol Bolas]

I think they could give the ground mode some more niche function that would make it a good unit as a counter, as opposed to only serving in a support/harass/getaway function (which are also very important).

Hmmm. Maybe they could give them a damage bonus vs. Massive. To mirror the one they get in air mode. This would make them more effective against Thors. But it would be niche enough that you wouldn't build them just for that bonus (unless you're facing the all-Ultralisk hell army).