The Ambush game mode has potential but it has some problems too.
The details I find more interesting is this game mode force players to have more specific roles and its really based on teamwork and communication. Actually teamwork is completely essential in this game mode because it is the hardest available.
One boring thing is that many times, the VIP is eliminated too fast because some players play like crazy when they play VIP and also the attacking team tends to play completely as campers. Sometimes this let other players without even getting into a single gun fight before the round ends. Some rounds feels too short and empty (higher player count may help too). When the insurgents plays like crazy too the VIP can fast get in the extraction point the game also ends too fast.
To keep the game more exciting and engaging some changes could be made to the rule set.
VIP could use more heavy body armor making him harder to kill, maybe twice harder than other players.
I think players should respawn waves but not too fast, maybe 1 minute after death and also maybe if each team has only one more respawn wave could be enough. This would keep more players fighting during the rounds making the game more intense and fun and maybe this game mode with respawn would be better on bigger maps. In case of doubt there could be two versions: A normal Ambush (which would have respawns) and Hardcore Ambush without respawns.
Another change that could make the rounds more unpredictable and provide some exciting complication would be if the extraction points change position at least one time during the round if time to extract VIP run out . In case protective team lose their time window to extract VIP, the extraction points could be deactivated and new extraction points appear in the map(like an emergency plan). That would make players re-think their strategies and that is cool and engaging, and also, this would make campers to have to reposition what makes the matches more dynamic.
Another change that could help is to favor players with more played hours in this mode (or higher patents) to be VIP. Novice tends to screw all plans if they play as VIP.
I think if each round only ends upon VIP being extracted or killed could be a good option, but if the time limit is used each team could have one more respawn wave and another extraction points, as mentioned above, can be good too.
This game mode is only good, and its very good, when the teams uses heavy teamwork, otherwise it can be boring.
Some changes could be made to reinforce the teamwork. I don't know exactly what but some simple ideas could be:
- The commander could have the possibility to add some marks in the map to help to coordinate the team;
- There could be a constant indication in the compass showing the VIP direction to vip protectors.
- The VIP could automatically report an enemy position in the compass if any enemy get closer than a 10 or 20 meter radius.
- Commander could call just some attacks or supports, like smoke, artillery barrage, gas attacks and drone bombing. Helicopter air support can unbalance the match.
- Maybe when the insurgents call a drone bombing attack they could have a momentary location (for one or two seconds) of the VIP in the map, just that.
- The communication should never be heard by the other team in this mode.
Any way to enhance communication would be very welcome.
This game mode could have a helicopter coming to rescue VIP in the end. It would be a good cool detail addition too.
You can see some of this problems in this video with a guy having his first contacts with this game mode: