diff --git a/source/core/thingdef_data.cpp b/source/core/thingdef_data.cpp
index cb4795388..d38cde2c8 100644
--- a/source/core/thingdef_data.cpp
+++ b/source/core/thingdef_data.cpp
@@ -188,6 +188,7 @@ static FFlagDef DukeActorFlagDefs[] =
 	DEFINE_FLAG(SFLAG3, DONTENTERWATERONGROUND, DDukeActor, flags3),
 	DEFINE_FLAG(SFLAG3, RANDOMANGLEONWATER, DDukeActor, flags3),
 	DEFINE_FLAG(SFLAG3, NORANDOMANGLEWHENBLOCKED, DDukeActor, flags3),
+	DEFINE_FLAG(SFLAG3, QUICKALTERANG, DDukeActor, flags3),
 
 };
 
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/actors.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/actors.cpp
index d247b6c6a..6fa5ecaf8 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/actors.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/actors.cpp
@@ -3553,7 +3553,7 @@ void alterang(int ang, DDukeActor* actor, int playernum)
 		else
 			goalang = (Owner->spr.pos.XY() - actor->spr.pos.XY()).Angle();
 
-		if (actor->vel.X != 0 && actor->spr.picnum != TILE_DRONE)
+		if (actor->vel.X != 0 && !(actor->flags3 & SFLAG3_QUICKALTERANG))
 		{
 			angdif = deltaangle(aang, goalang);
 
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/animatesprites_d.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/animatesprites_d.cpp
index 5f6c732e3..b06d1459a 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/animatesprites_d.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/animatesprites_d.cpp
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ void animatesprites_d(tspriteArray& tsprites, const DVector2& viewVec, DAngle vi
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		if (h->spr.picnum == DTILE_APLAYER)
+		if (h->isPlayer())
 		{
 			p = h->PlayerIndex();
 
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/animatesprites_r.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/animatesprites_r.cpp
index cb06a6e7d..5e541f8b3 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/animatesprites_r.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/animatesprites_r.cpp
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ void animatesprites_r(tspriteArray& tsprites, const DVector2& viewVec, DAngle vi
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		if (h->spr.picnum == RTILE_APLAYER)
+		if (h->isPlayer())
 		{
 			p = h->PlayerIndex();
 
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/classnames.h b/source/games/duke/src/classnames.h
index 75f10d0be..f262f9693 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/classnames.h
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/classnames.h
@@ -112,3 +112,5 @@ xx(RedneckMoonshine)
 xx(RedneckTitgun)
 xx(RedneckTitAmmo)
 xx(DukeRadiusExplosion)
+xx(DukePlayerBase)
+xx(DukePlayerPawn)
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/constants.h b/source/games/duke/src/constants.h
index 0964e48c2..0151f7465 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/constants.h
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/constants.h
@@ -421,6 +421,7 @@ enum sflags3_t
 	SFLAG3_DONTENTERWATERONGROUND = 0x00080000,
 	SFLAG3_RANDOMANGLEONWATER = 0x00100000,
 	SFLAG3_NORANDOMANGLEWHENBLOCKED = 0x00200000,
+	SFLAG3_QUICKALTERANG = 0x00400000,
 
 
 };
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/dispatch.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/dispatch.cpp
index b4d589cc0..5b1f2ba55 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/dispatch.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/dispatch.cpp
@@ -136,10 +136,6 @@ void SetDispatcher()
 }
 
 
-int TILE_APLAYER;
-int TILE_DRONE;
-int TILE_WATERBUBBLE;
-int TILE_BLOODPOOL;
 int TILE_CROSSHAIR;
 
 END_DUKE_NS
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/flags_d.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/flags_d.cpp
index a6783668b..82c467ef8 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/flags_d.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/flags_d.cpp
@@ -57,10 +57,6 @@ void initactorflags_d()
 	gs.weaponsandammosprites[14] = DukeFreezeAmmoClass;
 	gs.firstdebris = DTILE_SCRAP6;
 
-	TILE_APLAYER = DTILE_APLAYER;
-	TILE_DRONE = DTILE_DRONE;
-	TILE_WATERBUBBLE = DTILE_WATERBUBBLE;
-	TILE_BLOODPOOL = DTILE_BLOODPOOL;
 	TILE_CROSSHAIR = DTILE_CROSSHAIR;
 
 }
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/flags_r.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/flags_r.cpp
index 167eefea0..8c2557a61 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/flags_r.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/flags_r.cpp
@@ -50,10 +50,6 @@ void initactorflags_r()
 	gs.weaponsandammosprites[13] = RedneckTitgunClass;
 	gs.weaponsandammosprites[14] = RedneckTitAmmoClass;
 
-	TILE_APLAYER = RTILE_APLAYER;
-	TILE_DRONE = RTILE_DRONE;
-	TILE_WATERBUBBLE = RTILE_WATERBUBBLE;
-	TILE_BLOODPOOL = RTILE_BLOODPOOL;
 	TILE_CROSSHAIR = RTILE_CROSSHAIR;
 
 	gs.firstdebris = RTILE_SCRAP6;
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/inlines.h b/source/games/duke/src/inlines.h
index 03b65fe0c..141b60825 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/inlines.h
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/inlines.h
@@ -296,6 +296,12 @@ inline const ActorInfo* DDukeActor::conInfo() const
 	return tn < 0 ? nullptr : &gs.actorinfo[tn];
 }
 
+inline bool DDukeActor::isPlayer() const
+{
+	return IsKindOf(DukePlayerBaseClass);
+}
+
+
 inline void setPlayerActorViewZOffset(DDukeActor* const pact)
 {
 	if (!PlayClock)
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/input.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/input.cpp
index 650720fb4..25d226095 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/input.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/input.cpp
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ void hud_input(int plnum)
 							p->inven_icon = 3;
 
 							auto pactor =
-								CreateActor(p->cursector, p->GetActor()->getPosWithOffsetZ().plusZ(30), TILE_APLAYER, -64, DVector2(0, 0), p->GetActor()->spr.Angles.Yaw, 0., 0., nullptr, 10);
+								CreateActor(p->cursector, p->GetActor()->getPosWithOffsetZ().plusZ(30), DukePlayerPawnClass, -64, DVector2(0, 0), p->GetActor()->spr.Angles.Yaw, 0., 0., nullptr, 10);
 							pactor->temp_data[3] = pactor->temp_data[4] = 0;
 							p->holoduke_on = pactor;
 							pactor->spr.yint = plnum;
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/names.h b/source/games/duke/src/names.h
index d4bb05556..61de8fa87 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/names.h
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/names.h
@@ -3,10 +3,6 @@
 BEGIN_DUKE_NS
 
 // These are all globally accessed tiles.
-extern int TILE_APLAYER;
-extern int TILE_DRONE;
-extern int TILE_WATERBUBBLE;
-extern int TILE_BLOODPOOL;
 extern int TILE_CROSSHAIR;
 
 
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/premap.cpp b/source/games/duke/src/premap.cpp
index e6c3ffe02..4b94d8620 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/premap.cpp
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/premap.cpp
@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ void resetpspritevars(int g, const DVector3& startpos, const DAngle startang)
 	STATUSBARTYPE tsbar[MAXPLAYERS];
 
 	auto newActor = CreateActor(ps[0].cursector, startpos,
-		TILE_APLAYER, 0, DVector2(0, 0), startang, 0., 0., nullptr, 10);
+		DukePlayerPawnClass /*fixme for RR later!*/, 0, DVector2(0, 0), startang, 0., 0., nullptr, 10);
 
 	newActor->spr.Angles.Pitch = DAngle::fromDeg(-17.354);
 	newActor->backuploc();
diff --git a/source/games/duke/src/types.h b/source/games/duke/src/types.h
index f22a4e8ef..bafd981d4 100644
--- a/source/games/duke/src/types.h
+++ b/source/games/duke/src/types.h
@@ -144,10 +144,7 @@ public:
 		return spr.yint;
 	}
 
-	bool isPlayer() const
-	{
-		return spr.picnum == TILE_APLAYER;
-	}
+	bool isPlayer() const;
 
 	void Serialize(FSerializer& arc) override;
 
diff --git a/wadsrc/static/zscript/games/duke/actors/mech.zs b/wadsrc/static/zscript/games/duke/actors/mech.zs
index 45b9443aa..aca3f30e3 100644
--- a/wadsrc/static/zscript/games/duke/actors/mech.zs
+++ b/wadsrc/static/zscript/games/duke/actors/mech.zs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ class DukeDrone : DukeActor
 		+KILLCOUNT;
 		+NOWATERDIP;
 		+FLOATING;
+		+QUICKALTERANG;
 		falladjustz 0;
 	}
 	
diff --git a/wadsrc/static/zscript/games/duke/actors/player.zs b/wadsrc/static/zscript/games/duke/actors/player.zs
index 2cdedb0c6..b0b50ce36 100644
--- a/wadsrc/static/zscript/games/duke/actors/player.zs
+++ b/wadsrc/static/zscript/games/duke/actors/player.zs
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
-class DukePlayerPawn : DukeActor
+class DukePlayerBase : DukeActor
+{
+}
+
+class DukePlayerPawn : DukePlayerBase
 {
 	default
 	{
diff --git a/wadsrc/static/zscript/games/duke/actors/redneckenemies.zs b/wadsrc/static/zscript/games/duke/actors/redneckenemies.zs
index c02c1874a..47e66d4bb 100644
--- a/wadsrc/static/zscript/games/duke/actors/redneckenemies.zs
+++ b/wadsrc/static/zscript/games/duke/actors/redneckenemies.zs
@@ -440,6 +440,7 @@ class RedneckMosquito : DukeActor
 		+KILLCOUNT;
 		+NOWATERDIP;
 		+FLOATING;
+		+QUICKALTERANG;
 		falladjustz 0;
 	}
 	override void Initialize()