NimoStar
commented
4 years ago That seems fine by me. I always mount searchlights on my custom designs because it seems unrealistic to have a 100 ton mech not dedicating anything to lighting their path.
The first rule as it is does seem a little excessive because you would not always be able to look at the searchlight if its pointing to the other side. But if its official I think little could be done (other than making an unofficial rule to use a "Light cone" and it would only have the searchlight malus if the unit seeing it is within this "light cone").
In version 47.7 units with a searchlight that is active have a to-hit modifier as if they are illuminated by a searchlight, regardless if they are actively illuminating a target or not. That's a little overbalanced to the attacker in my opinion. There's the option to ignore darkness modifiers to ground movement but that's a little blunt.
I would like to see an (unofficial) option where units with a turned-on searchlight do not need to use "reckless movement" to have their full ground movement. In essence they are using their searchlight to light their way, and should have full movement until the searchlight is turned off or destroyed.