I'm sure I can't be the only one who has notices both the extremely high digging speeds and the not-really-comparable amount of time listed to cover up by digging. On a base HA, it has a digging speed of 20 MPH, which is about 30 feet per second (1/4th this speed through rock and concrete.). Yet it then follows to say it would take 3D6 melee rounds to dig down enough to adequately hide from enemies on the surface - that's a minimum of 45 seconds to almost 4.5 minutes.
How have people been rectifying these seemingly incompatible results?
Hit the dirt! Digging Speeds and covering up.
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Hit the dirt! Digging Speeds and covering up.
"Rifts Earth is alot more scary when you realize that its effectively people with the education level of retarded children running around with military grade ordinance." - Taylor White
Any man who afflicts the human race with ideas must be prepared to see them misunderstood.
H. L. Mencken
US editor (1880 - 1956)
Any man who afflicts the human race with ideas must be prepared to see them misunderstood.
H. L. Mencken
US editor (1880 - 1956)
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RiftJunkie
- Dungeon Crawler
- Posts: 227
- Joined: Sat May 25, 2013 12:44 pm
- Location: Ft Drum / Watertown area
Re: Hit the dirt! Digging Speeds and covering up.
I believe the "dig down enough to adequately hide" is more about getting deep enough for the Machine to not go after you. The Machine has problems with communications at depths, that's why the Resistance lives underground. Base speed for digging may be 20mph, but that's "top speed". I think the roll of the dice is to represent "luck of the draw" whether you have soft, easy to dig ground or gravel or patches of both. Actual speeds may not work out mathematically, but I think the game mechanics work pretty good in this case.
My apologies up front if my posts come across as argumentative or crass. It is not a personal attack on anyone, just my blunt style. I bear no ill will towards anybody that plays Palladium Games (there’s not enough of us to hold a grudge).
Re: Hit the dirt! Digging Speeds and covering up.
It is one of many weird questions.
Re: Hit the dirt! Digging Speeds and covering up.
RiftJunkie wrote:I believe the "dig down enough to adequately hide" is more about getting deep enough for the Machine to not go after you. The Machine has problems with communications at depths, that's why the Resistance lives underground. Base speed for digging may be 20mph, but that's "top speed". I think the roll of the dice is to represent "luck of the draw" whether you have soft, easy to dig ground or gravel or patches of both. Actual speeds may not work out mathematically, but I think the game mechanics work pretty good in this case.
That was my take on it as well its not just get some dirt on you its dig down deep enough to really be fully concealed from standard sensors.
Re: Hit the dirt! Digging Speeds and covering up.
So we are going with the X number of melee rounds to bury yourself is to hide from sensors? That, visually speaking, you are out of site in a matter of a few seconds, based on speed (even 2 seconds, at the slowest speed, is still 15 feet, which is enough for most to be completely underground).
The follow-up question then becomes: if I can dig so fast, can I dodge INTO the ground? If I have a hail of missiles coming towards, digging 20 feet into the grounds may be the best option to avoid not only direct hits, but also splash damage.
The follow-up question then becomes: if I can dig so fast, can I dodge INTO the ground? If I have a hail of missiles coming towards, digging 20 feet into the grounds may be the best option to avoid not only direct hits, but also splash damage.
"Rifts Earth is alot more scary when you realize that its effectively people with the education level of retarded children running around with military grade ordinance." - Taylor White
Any man who afflicts the human race with ideas must be prepared to see them misunderstood.
H. L. Mencken
US editor (1880 - 1956)
Any man who afflicts the human race with ideas must be prepared to see them misunderstood.
H. L. Mencken
US editor (1880 - 1956)
Re: Hit the dirt! Digging Speeds and covering up.
Malakai wrote:So we are going with the X number of melee rounds to bury yourself is to hide from sensors? That, visually speaking, you are out of site in a matter of a few seconds, based on speed (even 2 seconds, at the slowest speed, is still 15 feet, which is enough for most to be completely underground).
The follow-up question then becomes: if I can dig so fast, can I dodge INTO the ground? If I have a hail of missiles coming towards, digging 20 feet into the grounds may be the best option to avoid not only direct hits, but also splash damage.
I don't think you could do it as a dodge action but you could burrow a pretty mean fox hole in combat although that is less useful in an MDC fight situation but still helps for concealment. The fast burrowing abilities I think are probably one of the reasons splicers were not just totally wiped out. With the arial coverage the machine has the more you can do to stay low the better.