test content
Logo
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc
Vehicles and balance
laughinxan
Posts: 623 Arc User
I am making this as a review of the overall combat characteristics of vehicles as well as suggestions for vehicle weapons.
Part 1; How people USE vehicles(so we have a baseline of what to aim for)
They are fast
They can hit hard
But they suck in a protracted fight
If this sounds familiar, then you probably flew in a vehicle in CO. Indeed anyone who studied warfare, even, would say that vehicles fight a lot like cavalry; they are vulnerable but they can really dish it out and pull back very quickly. Even the hover tanks can fall somewhat under this characteristic(in fact, sometimes they have LESS staying power, i'll explain in a bit)
The first thing to go over is the tactics people use with vehicles, we often see the following;
Charge, spam the best weapon and die;
Newcomers often fight with vehicles similarly to how they fight on foot, they attack right away with their best weapon, but they do not use their shield and they tend to get to close. Against (tough) rank enemies in the LI for example, this leads to disaster pretty quickly, they'll do damage and may last with gravity pulse, but thats it. Sometimes done with micromunitions or some other, useless weapon to tickle the guys.
Hit and run;
The player smacks hard and runs when damaged, this is a normal and an intended tactic for vehicles. Most often done with maxed flight computer and nanite booster upgrades with one of the few good vehicle weapons.
Long range bomber;
The player is using a slower vehicle, such as a gravity tank, or maybe a faster one like a VTOL or a bike, and uses incendiary rounds to pound the enemies from afar. This is also sometimes done with railgun mk2, but the player has to keep the absolute max distance to see any reasonable damage out of railgun. Mods required(you don't have the energy, otherwise) are double enemy hull scanner 6, 1 reconstructive bio steel and 1 of any other defense mod that provides health regen.
The Cataphract;
My personal style. Named after the Persian heavy cataphracts, this style involves rushing in with a mark 1 or mark 2 kinetic dampening field, and hitting hard with gravity pulse mark 1 or 2. Speed is sacrificed(as cataphracts were actually very slow for cavalry) in favor of resistance mods, either double hull plating or 1 hull plating and 1 reconstructive bio steel, and either double onboard AI for more resistance or double enemy hull scanner for better costs to keep kinetic dampening field up. Kinetic dampening field is critical for this style, as it involves staying in the thick of the fighting, but at the same time, even a tank could run away if it was damaged enough that it had to. This tactic requires very careful management of energy, as even a tank can be destroyed in moments by (tough) enemies.
Anti-Air prototype(interceptor)
Prototypes have good versions of the weaker weapons, particularly anti-aircraft missiles and full batter bombardment. So naturally, they have a few options, but anti-aircraft missiles fire fast and dish out very high damage, enough to be respectfully comparable to actual on-foot weapons. Full battery barrage is also lethal, though its energy drain is a huge problem. Full power burst is usually used when enemies aren't aware, or when the person can open up with it without consequence.
These are a few playstyles. Some involve being a "tank" using incendiary rounds, or using flashbangs from a very rare heavy assault prototype.
Next post; The weak weapons.
Part 1; How people USE vehicles(so we have a baseline of what to aim for)
They are fast
They can hit hard
But they suck in a protracted fight
If this sounds familiar, then you probably flew in a vehicle in CO. Indeed anyone who studied warfare, even, would say that vehicles fight a lot like cavalry; they are vulnerable but they can really dish it out and pull back very quickly. Even the hover tanks can fall somewhat under this characteristic(in fact, sometimes they have LESS staying power, i'll explain in a bit)
The first thing to go over is the tactics people use with vehicles, we often see the following;
Charge, spam the best weapon and die;
Newcomers often fight with vehicles similarly to how they fight on foot, they attack right away with their best weapon, but they do not use their shield and they tend to get to close. Against (tough) rank enemies in the LI for example, this leads to disaster pretty quickly, they'll do damage and may last with gravity pulse, but thats it. Sometimes done with micromunitions or some other, useless weapon to tickle the guys.
Hit and run;
The player smacks hard and runs when damaged, this is a normal and an intended tactic for vehicles. Most often done with maxed flight computer and nanite booster upgrades with one of the few good vehicle weapons.
Long range bomber;
The player is using a slower vehicle, such as a gravity tank, or maybe a faster one like a VTOL or a bike, and uses incendiary rounds to pound the enemies from afar. This is also sometimes done with railgun mk2, but the player has to keep the absolute max distance to see any reasonable damage out of railgun. Mods required(you don't have the energy, otherwise) are double enemy hull scanner 6, 1 reconstructive bio steel and 1 of any other defense mod that provides health regen.
The Cataphract;
My personal style. Named after the Persian heavy cataphracts, this style involves rushing in with a mark 1 or mark 2 kinetic dampening field, and hitting hard with gravity pulse mark 1 or 2. Speed is sacrificed(as cataphracts were actually very slow for cavalry) in favor of resistance mods, either double hull plating or 1 hull plating and 1 reconstructive bio steel, and either double onboard AI for more resistance or double enemy hull scanner for better costs to keep kinetic dampening field up. Kinetic dampening field is critical for this style, as it involves staying in the thick of the fighting, but at the same time, even a tank could run away if it was damaged enough that it had to. This tactic requires very careful management of energy, as even a tank can be destroyed in moments by (tough) enemies.
Anti-Air prototype(interceptor)
Prototypes have good versions of the weaker weapons, particularly anti-aircraft missiles and full batter bombardment. So naturally, they have a few options, but anti-aircraft missiles fire fast and dish out very high damage, enough to be respectfully comparable to actual on-foot weapons. Full battery barrage is also lethal, though its energy drain is a huge problem. Full power burst is usually used when enemies aren't aware, or when the person can open up with it without consequence.
These are a few playstyles. Some involve being a "tank" using incendiary rounds, or using flashbangs from a very rare heavy assault prototype.
Next post; The weak weapons.
It takes a strong man to deny whats right in front of him. And when the truth is undeniable, you create your own.
Post edited by laughinxan on
0
Comments
Same about Z-Store rides.
Prettiest of all jets? Stealth Hawkwing. Now, if I only could use Demonwing with its skin... But keeping better stats.
- Be safe and have fun, champs - for science!
Where's the Variable Fighter? Shoot 3 incendiaries, pop HK Shield, shoot Singularity Bomb, Boost, go in with a tapped Pulse then TRANSFORM AND ROLL OUT :O! (or in rather)
Maybe a little bitter here.
New effects for old powers
More EXP for Adventure Packs please.