Synergy between lock-ons and Harassers

Discussion in 'PlanetSide 2 Gameplay Discussion' started by WTSherman, Jul 28, 2013.

  1. WTSherman

    *equips flame shield*

    So, I was playing on my TR character the other day, and noticed something unusual.

    Harassers didn't seem OP at all. In fact, they were hardly even annoying. They seemed balanced, or even slightly UP. This was unusual because whenever I'm on my NC character Harassers are a huge pain to deal with and usually take multiple tanks focusing fire to destroy, but as TR they hardly felt threatening at all, and just a handful of infantry handled them easily.

    So as I killed my third or fourth harasser for that hour with my Striker, something occurred to me: I was actually hitting them. In fact, almost every time I was hitting them with an entire volley, regardless of the angle or elevation I fired from, or how many hills they ducked behind after I fired.

    By contrast, the NC's AV lockon almost never hits a Harasser. If fired from any elevation, it dives straight into the ground. If fired from a level surface, it often rises to take a top-attack profile that is not only useless due to how PS2 determines armor facing (based on where the firer is rather than the projectile) but also sends it straight into the dirt when it tries to dive on the speeding buggy. In order to hit, either the driver has to help you out by stopping while your rocket travels to him or you have to fire at close range while it is driving directly towards you. The latter is obviously not very healthy.

    The reason it seems OP as NC, but seems balanced or even slightly UP as TR, is that the TR have a weapon that can actually hit it and deal appreciable damage, while the NC don't. Additionally the Vulcan, being a high-DPS bullet weapon, is well-suited for harasser vs harasser fights regardless of where it otherwise stands balance-wise.

    Now at this point you're probably going "Enough stories, tell us what you want to nerf so we can flame you." Well, I don't want to nerf anything. In fact, TR can go ahead and have the best Harasser, Vanu can have the best MAX, and NC can have the best tank (though the NC's tank might need some help to become the "best").

    However, NC (and probably Vanu, though I'm less familiar with their AV weapons) do need a weapon that can reliably counter the Harasser. The easiest way to do that would be to improve the agility of all empires' 250 cert AV lockons, so that they can hit harassers just like the Striker. They can already hit everything else, including a Flash, so no other vehicles would be negatively affected by this buff. With this change, NC and Vanu would both have a reliable, accessible anti-Harasser weapon, and TR infantry would have an option besides the Striker. Aircraft wouldn't see any change, because the AV launchers in question can't lock on to them.
    • Up x 3
  2. Linus

    On a Mbt, the Vulcan is very good against Harassers, the Saron and the Enforcer are not.
    When I drive a Prowler, we do not see the Vanu or Nc harassers like a threat even if they use an Halleberd. We destroy them easily.
    In the contrary, when i play with a Magrider, I feel so weak when a fully certed TR Harasser starts to attack us. I am lucky if I can kill one.

    The vulcan is by far the most awesome AV weapon to use with an Harasser. Also the striker is the best infantery weapon to destroy quickly an ennemy harasser.

    As me, you felt this huge difference between TR and Vanu/NC with their respective ability to counter or to use effectively harassers.
    • Up x 1
  3. SpaceKing


    Simple reason for this is TR f'in love harassers and will bring at least 12 to a fight
    • Up x 2
  4. Morpholine

    You know, I think you're on to something, OP.
  5. Tommyp2006

    The annihilator tracks them pretty well as well.
  6. P4NJ

    Just so you know, even if the title didn't mention TR, I knew what this topic would be about =P

    But you really don't want to use any lockons aginst competent drivers unless you have a great position, you should use dumbfire because they WILL get up close to you. I even prefer shooting at it with my LMG if I'm heavy because the rest of my squad will be firing at it and it will die before I get even one rocket on it. Same goes for close up hover ESFs.
  7. FateJH

    To add to what P4NJ said, you were using a Striker. The thing's guidance is, as oft-mentioned, bugged. It doesn't matter how - the last cited method was the rockets ignoring terrain collision - but one way or another the weapon is imperfect. Standard faction lock-on launchers have a better chance of being outrun, especially with the common way that rockets fly straight for a while and then begins tracking the target; something that moves as fast as the Harasser can outpace it.
  8. LahLahSr

    I can say from personal experience, as a die-hard Vanu, that the pathetic Hades lock-on anti ground-vehicle missile launcher is all but useless against Harassers. Only in a very narrow range of angles/vectors will it hit Harassers (or any other vehicle for that matter.).

    Like you, I don't feel that the Harasser is OP at all. It does what it is supposed to do..harass. It's a pain in the neck and can be frustrating when they surprise infantry, but overall they fit the role on the battlefield they are intended for, very well.

    However, I really wish that SOE would bring the faction-specific missile launchers of to a more comparative level of performance. When I drive Harassers against the TR, it's an exercise in very careful skirmishing. Hit & Run tactics. And that is purely because of the near-infallible tracking of the Striker. The Striker works, for the most part, they way they should all work - except for the "ignore terrain and obstacle"-bug which I maintain is still there, unfixed.
  9. WTSherman

    The main problem with trying to kung-fu them with a dumbfire is that they can survive said dumbfire, and once they have gotten close enough for you to hit them, you won't live long enough to reload. And that's if you hit. You pretty much have to assume that at least 4 other people will be firing with you, all of you will hit, none of you will get killed before they can fire, and your hits will be close enough together that the harasser doesn't repair enough to survive.

    That's a lot of assuming. Where as if our standard lock-ons could track as well as a Striker, bugs aside, we would be able to attack Harassers from outside their optimum engagement range. This would give us little luxuries like reloading. Furthermore, we would also be better able to assist people who are under Harasser attack because we would not have to close distance before we can hit.
    • Up x 4
  10. Cinnamon

    I have noticed this as well. But it's not just Harassers that those lockon launchers fail to hit but just about anything. Just by moving forward at the same speed they were going all along. The gta launcher is fine.
  11. Silkensmooth

    Lock-ons are bad.
  12. VirtualGuerilla

    My AV magrider eats harassers! Seriously, the Saron's alpha strike burst damage is insane! Combined with my AV main cannon, a harasser will die, fast.
    • Up x 1
  13. Joram

    The striker is bugged and the missiles go through terrain. It's normal not having troubles with harassers as TR, the 2 overpowered weapons for harasser are TR only.
    • Up x 1
  14. hawken is better

    When I'm fighting scrubs, I regularly destroy Harassers with the Decimater. That doesn't change the fact that I still believe that Harassers are overpowered in terms of total armor. When you consider their mobility, they are just too resilient to damage. I've used the Striker against them a few times, but they usually hide behind rocks/trees before I can actually get a lock.
  15. Izzy


    Yes the Vanu AV Launcher (Hades) has the problem as well. Its lock-on does NOT hit the Harasser, unless it is close to still.
  16. Flying Mug

    This is what I've been saying too, about the Hades. Sounds like the Crow, and as far as I know, the Skep function the same way. Saving up for Lancer now.
  17. Crayv

    The Striker and the Annihilator both do a ton of damage to Harassers. It only takes 7 hits from a Striker to instantly kill a Harasser and 3 for the Annihilator. Just an FYI it takes the same number to kill an ESF.

    This is without armor of course.
  18. HellasVagabond

    They don't go through terrain, they go Around it.......The most advanced Lockon weapon in the game by FAR.
    That being said with the recent Striker sale every TR has one so they are creating a nofly/noroll zone around areas something the other 2 factions can't do.
    I really don't know what SOE is thinking.
  19. Linus

    At close range it is very effective against harassers, but harder when your gunner has to aim more precisely a fast target.
    I find the Vulcan more handy for this purpose.
  20. NewSith

    I'm a member of "AMS drivers against Harassers lawlessness" club, so I can't comment at all.

    Well, except maybe that players should probably start using small arms on Harassers instead of trying to hit it with missiles.
    • Up x 2