What if experimentals could only be build by T3 ACU or SACU

[CavemanHost]

So. I had this crazy idea and I wonder what you guys think about it:
What if experimentals could only be build by a T3 ACU or support commanders, but not by t3 engineers (they can just assist). That way support commanders would get used quite a lot more, I guess. It also makes SACUs a more valueable target and experimental rush could be delayed a bit. Not by much though.

It might be a bit unfair to have a T3 factory that can't be used to produce t3 engis that can build an exp though. I really don't have the knowledge to see the extent of such a change. It would be nice to have some input on this (why this is a good or bad idea).

Thanks in advance!

[AFGHAN PSYCHO]

This is a relatively old suggestion. The consensus has always leaned towards not doing so otherwise people wouldn't take as more risks with their ACU/SACUs because you would need them to make exps.

[Apofenas]

This is an Diamond mod feature where experimentals and nukes could be built only by SCUs. May be whoever played it a lot could comment on that.

Such change wouldn't be good at current balance. T3 land wins experimentals mass for mass hardly, but requires far more time or build power to be built. Monkeylord is already a questionable exp to rush in team game if enemy team has like 2 UEF players capable to get 5 Percivals each and meet that Spider. That means if you needed additional time and resource investemts for that, the Spider would meet much stronger t3 army for sure.

Than you have another problem: SCUs themselves. What's the point to get Ythotha which damages your own army if you already capable build rambo SCUs straight from gates?

I suggested in past to make exps stronger, but add such 7k mass (gate+SCU) requirement so game had a proper t1->t2->t3->SCUs->t4 progression. But this can be done other (simplier) way like in equilibrium where exps take a lot more time to be built

[Sprouto]

Those who've played using Diamond Mod or the LOUDAI will be well used to this change. For myself, I've played this way for well over two years and after the initial 'shock' wore off, our entire group agreed that this actually improved the game. We've since moved both Nukes and Anti-Nukes into the same category.

Most notably, it made the mid-game FAR more interesting since it goes on for a longer period before you see experimentals and nukes. This has made the mobile game quite a bit more exciting and satisfying, which as a result, has actually done wonders to reduce the incidence of turtling.

[CavemanHost]

So what I got from your answers is:
T3 has to be more expensive and experimentals need to be tougher and shouldn't be buildable as quickly as now. Only then this idea would make sense.

Also, I fear that it would be true that players would hide their coms and support commanders, so they don't lose the ability to build experimentals.

[RoQe]

it would also give an unfair advantage to certain factions, given that not every scu costs the same (marginally, just the regular QQ)

now if we're talking game balance:
it's too easily scoutable
it costs alot more to build a t4 in this
it would extend the t3 stage, giving certain factions who rely on breaching the t4 stage ASAP after t1-2 or early t3 a disadvantage against top dog t3 factions such as cybran and UEF (arguably) (cough cough, sera chicken support, cybran monkey rush, aeon GC)
it would unnecessarily complicate the game for newbies, who already seem to struggle to figure out how to build a t4 in their first few games

[RocketRooster]

Howzabout a structure dedicated to building experimentals? (like the Krogoth Gantry of yore). Fully upgraded engy station with an extra upgrade tier or suchlike. Give it a fairly large build radius to accommodate Tempest and make the upgrade path to the final tier expensive. And maybe not assistable, or less so than normal. This would allow com drops etc to be unaffected in terms of risk.