[Engi/Magus] Make turrets castable on the move.

[Glorian]

General Assumption:
I’m writing from an Engineer perspective. All points are but therefore also valid for the Magus and all proposed changes are therefore also meant for the Magus to happen too. So if you read Flame Turret it also means Flamer Deamon and so on.

Identifying the Issue:
Engineer and Magus Mobility is greatly improved by the Flamer Turret and Bombard buff which let you cast grenades and such on the move when you have at least one stack and stay in 65 feet of your Turret.
Still to let this work you need one of the following tactics a must slot to stay mobile in SCs or small roaming groups.
That is either “Well Oiled Machine” (Instacasts of the Turret and Redeploy reduced to 0 AP) or “Expert Skirmisher” which reduces your turret build time by 50%.

Explaining why it is an issue:
Being a mobile Grenadier is currently impossible without “Well oiled Machine”.
Without the tactic the situation is as follows:
You can leave your turret at a maximum of 160feet behind you and then use Redeploy once. Even when you are at 160feet away your buff should be almost completely depleted or down to 1 or 2 stacks. IF you had 8 stacks in the start which is hardly possible after the SC has started.
Also for Example in Stone Troll Crossing or the bigger SCs where you have to run from flag to flag your Redeploy is then on a 30sec CD. So you need to rebuild your turret in 3 secs and then wait even longer for the first stack to cast on the move.
So my point is, that you can’t uphold the stacks without the tactic “Well oiled Machine”.

Propose a viable solution to the problem:
Solution 1. Make the tactic “Well oiled Machine” allways activated in the Engineer Career.
Solution 2. Make it possible for the Engi/Magus to cast a Turret on the move.

Solution 1 is imo too much of a boost, also it would make the Engi/Magus to easy to play. Simply run anywhere use redeploy for 0 AP or instacast the turret, loose 4 stacks, but instantly continue with damaging or building the buff stacks. Also you would get a free tactic slot you can put in a lot of viable options. Also it would contradict the idea of the turret. If you are near it you get a damage and other boosts. Like the Dot or Dodge/Disrupt boost. If you could instantly get the turret after you, then why should you get this ability for free and the turret buff.
Solution 2 is a solution to said above problem because you can cast the Turret on the move and then it is where you will end with it. Or in bigger SCs you can cast it on the move, while without moving without a mount, and then it is near your final destination and then you can use redeploy to get it where you really want it. When you chase after the enemy you can use redeploy once and then use the cast on the move to keep it in range of 200 feet to use redeploy when you have contact to your enemy.
Casting on the move gives you the bonus that you can have a turret more in the near if you think ahead and don’t travel on your mount.

Is Well Oiled Machine after Solution 2 obsolete?
No. “Well Oiled Machine” is still better then a cast on the move. Because it is instacast and you don’t need 3 secs to wait for it. The idea is, that you can ditch “Well oiled Machine” as a must have tactic.

Is Expert Skirmisher OP with Solution 2?
Not really. Turret is still build at a faster rate, but you can then move while casting it. You still loose 4 stacks for rebuilding it, so casting it every 5 secs while on the move is not a viable option.

Is it doable in the current state of the game?
Yes. This Proposal was made in the past. It was said by the devs it is viable but the cast animation, the dropping box will occur where you start the casting, not where the turret will end.
Imo this is not a problem. I have no krutting idea how the cast animation on the magus and his pet is. If I see the the pink deamon, then I see it. That is the information I need and not that he just started getting a new turret/deamon. So what information the other side get by seeing a box land on me where I cast the turret, or where I casted it in the move and be 3 seconds later with a turret is the same, as I had the turret nearby and use redeploy. There is no sign whatsoever for the enemy side that I just have got my turret on my position.

[Penril]

I'm gonna decline for now. Engi/Magus got buffed with the 8 stacks because they are supposed to be stationary dps kings. They should lose some strength while moving, and you can always use a core tactic (WOM) to alleviate this issue.