[Suggestion] Clip can be topped up

[Arctic]

Certain clips (i.e. racks of shotgun shells) should be able to be topped up with other identical clips. For instance, if a shotgun is loaded with a shotgun "clip" that has one round left, and I have a full clip with 6 rounds remaining, I should be able to reload the shotgun with the 6 round clip. The shotgun is now loaded with 6 rounds, and the clip in my pocket has 1 round. Another scenario: I have a shotgun with 1 round left in the "clip". I have a clip on my soldier's belt with 3 rounds (out of 6). If I try to reload  the shotgun with this clip, it will disappear and the shotgun will be loaded with 4 rounds. In this scenario, TUs would be saved by not having to remove the existing clip from the shotgun to load additional ammo.

I believe this will add additional tactical depth to certain weapons which take "clips" that represent loose ammunition.

[Alex_D]

I like the idea. I can see a ruleset entry where only for certain ammo (e.g. shotgun shells), a partially empty clip on hand doesn't replace another partially empty clip in gun, but top it off.

Some details need to be worked out:

1/ Only works if the clip on hand is of the exactly type of the one already in gun. Different shell types (e.g. rubber rounds vs buckshot) would be treated separately. If a gun has more than one type of ammo (e.g. rifle with underbarrel shotgun), the feature will only work if there is already the same ammo (then top it off to clip max) or if empty (then insert it all).

2/ Interface. I think CTRL or some other key while reloading from inventory will replace the existing ammo in gun with the clip selected. Another key combo may need to be selected for a top off versus full replacement.

3/ Proportional TU usage. I'd suggest that the TU used for top off the ammo in the gun be proportional to the number of rounds being added. This is in addition to any TU to move item from pocket into hand (or equivalent), as applicable.
E.g. if clip in hand has 6 shells, and only 4 are in gun (2 free). Then the total TU cost is TU of moving item to hand + 2/6x(TU of normal reloading).

4/ This can be applied to shotgun shells (not drums or magazines), some pistols (loose rounds, not quick loaders), some belt ammo (maybe), some quivers (arrow holders), maybe some drum grenade launchers.

[Yankes]

I would make this simple, you need define new flag in given ammo (some ting like `looseBullets: true`) then
when you reload then game will transfer bullets instead of whole "clip" if new clip have same type.
Additionally you could have new option in inventory to manually transfer bullets between "clips"
(similar how you load ammo to weapon, but target is another clip, it will fill up target clip).

For cost, proportional reload cost is fine (always `roundUp(TU*newLoadedBullets/maxBullets)+moveCost`).

[0xEBJC]

I haven't paid that much attention, but how does this work when a half spent clip is left and the mission ends?

Does the clip count as used and get removed? Or, does the clip count as being there and is "FULL" again?  I would think these are the two likely options currently.

It would be a nice feature to have clips be combined not only on mission but at the end of the mission automatically.  For example if you have 5 soldiers all with shotguns ammo max = 6 and there is the following remaining across the 5 soldiers (2, 4, 6, 1, 3) then you would have 2 full clips taken back to base, and then I don't know what is best for the clip combined with 4 ammo left?

[Juku121]

It would be a nice feature to have clips be combined not only on mission but at the end of the mission automatically.  For example if you have 5 soldiers all with shotguns ammo max = 6 and there is the following remaining across the 5 soldiers (2, 4, 6, 1, 3) then you would have 2 full clips taken back to base, and then I don't know what is best for the clip combined with 4 ammo left?

AFAIK, that's what the 'statisticalBulletConservation' variable does already. The last 4/6 ammo would get you a 4/6 chance to retain the clip.