As it is, the game code seems to count the Technician’s auto-turret as a “friendly unit.” An unfortunate consequence of this is that, if and when it is destroyed, the NJ soldiers each lose a Will Point as if they just saw a flesh-and-blood comrade die in front of them.
Which…doesn’t really make sense? The turret is not a flesh-and-blood soldier - it is a piece of hardware made to be disposable. Almost any player would gladly prefer it to be targeted/killed over an actual soldier - hence my habit of putting it in the open, in the line of fire of several crabmen, or using it as bait for the Queen.
Also, the soldiers do not lose will if a weapon such as the Heavy’s machine gun/rocket launcher is destroyed. So why should they lose will if the turret bites it?
You beat me to posting it but yes I noticed this as well. Last game my heavy panicked before I had a chance to restore his will points. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that all the squad had lost will points somehow even though I hadn’t bee using their willpower skills and none of them had died. When the third turret went down I noticed what was happening.
Fairly confident in saying this is not intentional and will be corrected in later builds. I supposed it’s a little subjective. Watching all your turrets get wrecked when you have the enemy bearing down on you could be quite stressful but equally, I would expect hardened NJ soldiers to be able to take this in their stride. And yes I agree about the inconsistency with the turret destruction vs weapon in hand destruction, the latter would potentially be even more stressful than the former. I can’t see this loss of will being a permanent feature in later builds.
I basically agree with you. I really don’t think soldiers should respond equally to the demise of a disposable auto-turret and the death of a flesh and blood comrade.
Perhaps some of those soldiers grew up with that turret and have very fond memories of it being in their youthful lives. It would be a devastating blow to see this memoir destroyed. I personally cry evrytime.
