Upcoming adjustments to Air vs Ground balance

Stat changes, are not a functionality change.

Which is exactly my point...
The actual role of the gun is still the same. Now if they changed it from a G2A to a G2G weapon then I can totally understand the outcry.

The Decimator is for air and ground...
Also, Rocketpods have been nerfed a bit when it comes to infantry.

WTB Baseline flares.

I was neither for nor against changes to rocketpods, didn't see them as a problem, though that was largely thanks to my G2A launcher. So I'm not sure how the rest of your post relates to me. Though I would prefer stat changes to not being able to fire unless locked on. If you don't want me shooting tanks, well, they managed that balance fine in PS1 without making these specific changes. Why now? Oh look, the Decimator!

wtb less cooldown on flares

While this seems like minor changes to a major problem i'll wait until it appears on the server to pass judgement.

One thing I'd like to strongly suggest is lowering the price of all AA weapons and increasing the XP amount for kill assists so people might actually start using ground AA.

Agreed, but they still would be a mandatory "option" either way. As it stands if you choose to run anything else, you lose.

Certs should be enhancements, not requirements.

Here are my thoughts:

Lock on Rocket Launchers (AV and AA):
- Range Increase
- Faster reload time (to compensate for lock on time)
- Now require lock on to fire

I thought the range was fine because it is a tad shorter than Flak. Faster reload would equal more damage if target remains in view so this would be good. Lock on required to fire? Why? So this is exclusively an AA weapon? I bought it because of it's versatility (meager armor damage) and it will no longer be the launcher my HA will typically have equipped. Only when defending a base with a swarm of ESF and a few Liberators would I pull this out again. I have a feeling this will end up being a far inferior weapon vs air than the Decimator will be to EVERYTHING but fast moving targets.
I wish you could experiment with other things like increasing the lock on time at very long ranges. Or giving ESF the ability to see a UI identification of the target that is locking onto you. So that way even if it isn't in render distance you know generally where from.

Flak:
- Minor damage increase
- Projectile speed increase

I feel like the hit radius should be upped some instead.

A30 Walker:
- Buffed Damage
- Faster Projectile

Don't know, couldn't justify purchase. Can I now?

Rocket Pods:
- Decrease to the inner explosion radius: 3m to 1.5m. This is the center of the rocket explosion where the maximum damage occurs, so this will not affect direct hits. Effectively this makes the damage falloff at the center of the rocket pod explosion start closer to the center.

Right now it takes 6 rockets to kill infantry. With this change it will be about the same but you might have to be closer and aim more accurately. I thought with how they are now vs tanks is good and the the explosion radius reduction would make them not effective enough. IMO there needs to be a reduction to damage vs infantry (not MAX) instead of a drop in the radius so that it takes 8-10 rockets instead.

Flak Armor:
- Increase maximum explosion resistance for certed Flak armor from 25% to 50%. This makes Flak armor a more viable choice over Nanoweave for soldiers being attacked with explosives.

I've had flak 2 suit on my Engineer and I can't tell that it helps all that much. With it double, probably but at 50% might be too much. IMO 35-40% resist fully certed or like I said before, increase all infantry resistance to rocket pods. Does this change make tanks with HE do minimal damage to you?

The role of the gun is not the same. A good shot can dumb fire the current AA onto a hovering ****. Free damage. Now they can lock on as they run away. Now the AA launcher MUST warn the pilot that hes getting ready to fire. This means the pilot just needs to wait a few seconds. pop flares continue bombing, wait a few more seconds than leave.

You cannot deter something that is immune to your gun for 15 seconds.

double burster max buffed? what the ****..

What do you mean Why now? PS2 is a different game with different mechanics, in a different time, on a different scale, with a different model.

All I was saying was how could people want SOE to directly nerf the rocketpods (something ppl paid for) and expect ppl w/ rocketpods not to complaing....but at the same time, try to justify wanting their money back over a functionality change that's not a direct nerfing of the weapon and actually makes the weapon more for what it was intended for.

Glad for alot of these changes - namely the requiring lock on to fire. Will give each rocket its specialized role and make the default launcher more relevant for those that want a jack of all trades or anti infantry launcher.

That said -

How does the decimator stack up to the current default launcher - more damage I'm sure, but does it have massive arc and drop? Is its projectile really that slow? Without having seen it first hand yet its hard to imagine how it can't be better in almost every way to the default. (Perhaps very limited ammo is the answer)

Kinda disappointed they did not increase the projectile speed of the default rocket launchers.

Again stop talking. This does not make the AA launcher more for what it was designed to be. Its a nerf that gives the Air target an even better counter... TO THE COUNTER of the air.

The current AA has no certs and has no way to counter flares. But the AA is suppose to deter or counter air. How can it do that if Air gets 15 seconds of total immunity?

The role is exactly the same, it's an G2A deterrent.
15 seconds? It's actually 5 seconds. If that pilot stays there hovering then you can lock on to him and fire before he can escape and he wont be able to use another flare...especially with the faster reload time. If there are 2 G2A launchers around then it'll seriously damage him with 1 hit from each guy.

You're thinking about this on a 1vs1 situation. You can have friendly skyguards, AA maxes, G2A launchers, Decimators, a30 walkers, and other aircraft within the same region. Once more and more ppl unlock the counters then it will become much less of a 'problem'. You can do major pendulum-type changes on a game of this scale after release.

Mainly mean't, why now as in post release, and coinciding with the release of the Decimator. Anyway, honestly regarding rocketpods, I can't disagree with what you said there. I would be more accepting of damage amounts being altered. It's sort of akin to if they made one of the silly changes to rocketpods some people suggest, such as "you can't fire while in hover (whatever that means)". I really hate asking for refunds, but I can honestly say I wouldn't have bought a weapon you have to have locked on to fire.

You cannot count it seems.

It takes 3-4 seconds to lock on. Pop flare this is 5 seconds of the first rocket just going away and now immunity. wait 3-4 seconds for lock on.

Count how many seconds that was where you weren't getting touched.

Maybe this will keep tanks from sitting right at the gates at bases and actually pound the bases from afar

I have both. rocket pods are currently a bit ridiculous with being able to fly over a biolab air pad or techplant backdoor, get 6+ kills in one volley, pop flares, and get out safely unless they have multiple dual-burster maxes. AA launcher seemed fine already because of the significantly reduced damage against ground and how easy it is for planes to dodge it. people used it because of its versatility, now I have literally no reason to ever pull it because I also have dual-burster max.

can smoke grenades be made more effective? right now they are pretty useless and only give off a whiff of smoke and gone in 5-10 seconds. they need to be more effective.. also have a look at some grenades on low settings. i get a bigger puff of smoke when i start my 1980 chevelle.