Hornets are meant to be precision weapons. Why do they exhibit traits that actively counter this?

Discussion in 'PlanetSide 2 Gameplay Discussion' started by Angry Scientist, Oct 18, 2014.

  1. Angry Scientist

    Those being the fact that they have drop, meaning you need to struggle against gravity even on still targets, which is to say, you have to lead a target that isn't moving. And the reticule being an imprecise box. What gives, there? Why is it not a tidy dot? Or hell, I'd settle for two dots to show the hornets going. Something.

    They're good weapons, don't get me wrong. But I don't like the feeling of a weapon actively struggling to resist what it should be good at.
    • Up x 1
  2. Alarox

    The targets you're hitting can't actually dodge your shots so I don't think the weapon requiring more than point-and-click is an issue.

    IMO, you ought to be happy that the only limitation on the weapon is a little bit of drop.

    I agree about the reticle though.
    • Up x 3
  3. CorporalClegg

    .... They can shoot back seeing as ESF requires LOS and are fragile as ****. Hornets are fine as is.
  4. Killuminati C

    I disagree and I'd go so far as to say it's quite the opposite. There's nothing keeping the target stationary so they can dodge all they want while the esf is in effect, hovering in the open. And their velocity pretty much rules them out for the designator of "point and click" in my opinion.
    • Up x 1
  5. Alarox

    In my experience on the receiving end there is absolutely nothing I can possibly do to avoid those Hornet missiles.

    I can avoid rocketpods because you can't guide them in the air. I can gear pop at the right moment and avoid maybe half of the volley. Against Hornets what can I do? You can guide them. It doesn't matter what I do, unless you're incompetent there's no way to avoid them.

    Hornets move at 125m/s. Most ground vehicles can't even move at 20m/s.
    • Up x 4
  6. Elrobochanco

    Hornets are fine and since the last patch they actually feel faster (I think maybe new particle fx is less obscuring). I am not a good pilot or shot but I don't typically miss unless I'm trying to snipe something with them that is more meant for rocket pod bombardment. Typically though as I'm doing a flyby on a tank and dropping them like torpedoes there is no chance of a tank avoiding it.

    Agreed on the reticule though, current one is junk and really doesn't fit the weapon.
  7. Killuminati C

    I guess I'm just speaking of my personal experiences with them (both firing as well as being fired upon).

    I'm never away from cover in a tank and am generally in big fights fighting for the lesser pop in which case a hovering esf is toast if he tries to guide his rockets from more than 50 meters.

    But maybe it's a difference in servers; lock on's and burster maxes are pretty prevalent on Connery.
  8. Klypto

    I hate hornets. Remove wire-guided then do whatever you want. You can literally be the world's worst pilot and still kill a tank with pure hover + attrition.
    • Up x 4
  9. Rentago


    those missiles are slow and they don't turn on a dime, your best bet to avoid them is to perform the simple action of moving, and not vertical to the aircraft but horizontally if you really want to give him trouble.
  10. EGuardian1

    Hornets do require some weird three dimensional awareness to use at speed. They're pretty awesome if you fly with wingmen.


    That being shown - it's not a fire and forget weapon. Being forced to keep LOS means AA will shred you, and fly swatter Vanguards can TEAR you *** out through your mouth if you decide to fire from low altitude
  11. BobSanders123

    22,000 cert vanguard hours upon hours of experience Against BR 32 with decent aim and Hornet missiles with the common sense to stay out of turret angle. Guess who wins that one.

    Most ground vehicles have no countermeasure or way of defeating these things. The only thing you can do is hope to god there is a nearby tower or bunker you can hide in for a while.
  12. Flag

    If you can't land hornets on an MBT, I've got news for you.

    (It's really ****** easy - and they hit like trucks)


    So basically you have to take refuge in a zerg?
    • Up x 1
  13. Cest7

    I thought the hornets sounded cool, I tried them out.

    Used freelook and the rocket traced my vehicle facing.

    Never used them again.
  14. Rentago


    i would like to point out that were discussing what to do on the recieving end, no one said shooting is hard, its what to do when you are being shot you scrublord, i bet you think you are god's gift to gaming because you know how to quickscope too.

    the thing about the missiles is, they move where you are looking, but if its a moving target you cant aim at them directly or they'll hit the floor, most pilots come down from a diving angle which if you move horizontally to them they'll have to shuffle their aircraft to keep those missiles aiming ahead of where you are going and in most cases that will throw them off, its what i do.

    Some pilots are smart and they come in low and fast and make sure there isnt time for you to try to run away, just you getting hit as soon as they fire. Ive also shot my fair share down with my AP rounds when they do it, but overall its just being aware of your surroundings, if you are a tank in enemy aircraft turf you are already throwing your tank away. Much like pilots going places alone without ground or air support.
  15. Killuminati C

    Where did I say that? I will admit that I generally don't pull my A2G loadouts on 1-12 versus 1-12 though instead preferring to use them to break stalemates so call that what you want oh mighty BR100...

    And I have news for you, if you can't stop that "holy terror" of a hornet user then I'll give you a tip, find an incline and fire away with your tank. Hell, use dumbfires cause he's gonna stay stationary while firing.

    Christ with all the complaining on here you'd think they're the terror of every tanker out there but I can count on one hand how many times I've died to them. I don't care one way or the other, I just gave my opinion.
  16. SerasVic


    Or take a Walker
    or take a Ranger
    or even take a kobalt/basilik 'ld save you from 1 hornet user

    If you run solo AND pure G2G loadout, you can't complain about air.
    Just like no one complain being killed by 5 infantry with AV loadout.

    Stop ********
  17. barunedpat

    Vanguards can have air deterrent turrets on top, can't they?

    I also agree the reticule is horrible. Maybe the big box represents an old idea of the size of the explosion? The farther away you are the bigger are if covers? :rolleyes: (one can only imagine).
  18. Flag

    I know how the missiles work.
    Besides, the point I believe Alarox wanted to push across is that as far as being a target goes, any chance you have to fighting back isn't determined by how good you are as a tanker, but how "bad" the pilot is. And that really sucks for the tank.

    Ps: I don't consider myself "gods gift to gaming". The thing about hornets though is that using them is piss easy, and the pay-off is high.

    You didn't, but it's heavily implied.
    I'll also repeat what I said above: If you can fight back against hornets, it's not really because you're good, but because the ESF is "bad". Plain, and simple.


    Yeah, shame the ESFs don't have to **** themselves in the say way to attack ground as ground has to to attack air.
    • Up x 2
  19. SerasVic

    Yeah it's a shame that they doesn't give up afterburners fuels/ tomcats /coyotes in order to attack ground.

    Oh wait, they do.
  20. Flag

    They still have after burners, it's just not as potent.
    As for the tomcats/coyotes, damn, having to give up weapons that do most of the work for you? Forgive me if I don't consider that as a valid complaint.