I use the shield in biolabs or when I'm moving with engies/medics nearby. It's damned near useless if people actually focus fire on you, but putting it up means 95% of people will just switch targets. This is useful because you can create a safe and happy place behind you for engineers to keep you alive in. It's only useful with slugs, though. Keeping at midrange means you don't have to go into cover to reload with the shield, although it REALLY sucks not having charge a lot of the time. Honestly, if the shield gave a movement bonus instead of movement penalty when deployed it'd be great (with slugs). Being slow just means getting roadkilled or blown up, and it's not like we have an offense when it's out. But in general this is the way to go. Charge gives you a retreat option, often sending you from "DANGER OH ****" to "engineers oh yesssss" in just a second or three. Shield is much, much more situational and tactical. I recommend it with slugs if you're good at keeping a safe distance. If you prefer to play a bit more Rambo-style, you want charge for sure. You should be playing with slugs
Charge all day, I have both abilities at maximum rank and I always feel nerfed when I'm trying to use the shield, almost like I'm forcing myself to try and make it useful. Also, I find it funny when people oooooh and ahhhh over witnessing a team of 4 maxes with shields cover a gen being repaired or something like that. My opinion has always been that the max armor is a shield enough in it's own right, we don't need an extra level of protection, those 4 MAX units with their shields out protecing the engy would have double the effectiveness if they were just using their bodies as effective shields while still being able to shoot and killing advancing enemies.
If you are playing with an organized group then the shield will probably best overall. If you are running solo then you will want charge. You can also apply this formula to lockdown for the TR. It doesn't work for ZOE because ZOE is just better than the other abilities.
I dont play NC MAX but i would assume Charge is overall better. The whole idea of the NC MAX seems to be about getting close to your enemy. Charge does that quickly. Shield, not so much.
really depends on the situation. when i am with an engi behind me I take the shield. When i have to defend a point, i take the shield. If I have to take out a room with a rocketlaunching HA inside, i take the shield. If I fight outside where I have long distances, i take the dash. If i have to rush a landingpad or something like that i take the dash. Most of the time i have the shield equipted & self repair. a great combination when there is no or just random enginers arround.
I use Shield mostly...when I use charge, only because I need to get out of a bad environment... I never use it for attacking (always died when I tried it lol). In a Max you need a very good situational awareness in general, and shield helps alot against C4/Rockets, thus improving the NC Maxs Role of Point Defense. But if youre going solo charge might be better, but i rarely do that anymore
I use shield over charge personally. I play my MAX like a bulwark. Acting like a wall if medics or engineers need a form of cover to do their work. It's also handy for drawing fire, since for some reason using the shield seems to attract the ire of every enemy in range. Thankfully rank 5 Aegis can take a pounding. It makes dealing with lone HAs and C4 fairies trivial.
Charge is simply a better choice. One of the main issues with Aegis is that most people that use Max charge will tell you that Charge is best saved as a defensive tool. That your better off just letting the enemy get away in a fight then you are charging after them unless you are certain that charging wont put you in line of fire of more enemies. You use charge as defensive tool to get away from a fight where you are out numbered are in a bad position. That means Aegis shield that is also a defensive tool simply creates a situation where NC max chooses between defensive Charge are defensive Aegis. Lockdown and ZOE on the other had are offensive abilities so the choice there is between defense with Charge and offense with Lockdown and ZOE. It doesn't matter how many youtube videos SoE releases showing Aegis max with shields up the fact that it is simply worse then charge as a defensive ability wont change.
Absolutely agree that Charge is largely a defensive tool - those that use it offensively will find themselves a sitting duck a lot of the time, stuck in a long reload. I use Aegis both offensively and defensively. It won't get me out of the area and probably out of trouble the way Charge does but it'll allow me to absorb damage and remain in the fight if used intelligently. For me, that's the key difference. It also allows me to enter heavily defended areas that I otherwise wouldn't have been able to. Walk in shield up, absorb the initial fire aimed at the door, inflict some burst damage to those near the entrance, throw up the shield during the reload and push - hopefully with support behind you. Charge is probably better for individual survivability over the long run but I bet I'm a lot more effective at killing enemy with my Shield equipped.
Its a really tough choice for me. I feel like i need dash to close gaps to actually do some killing or sometimes to get away, but I feel like i cant go toe to toe with another Max without my shield (damn you long, long reload), also the shield just looks sexy. Functionally its kind of meh. It is good, its useful, but I just dont think its enough. So while i do use the shield (probably too much due to aesthetics) i feel a bit of a *** not using dash.
Charge. Mobility, escape/bumrush tool > anything else. (ZOE scatmax, cmon do it SOE). For outdoors AV work with ravens the shield is viable, but scats = charge.
Shield all the way. I have rank 5, It lasts surprisingly long. It can cover grenades, and C4. Allow spotting without worry of getting your head taken off. Give infantry something to advance behind. Attract and absorb long range fire, allowing team mates to return fire while being shot less. Protect me while reloading. Additional Rocket Pod protection while on AA duty. on top of all that, it looks cool. The more I use it the more fun I have with it and the more uses I find for it. I enjoy making Shield Wall advances and standing my ground as long as possible. Shield works better with team play in mind. Thats my play style and The Shield fits it greatly. Charge is good for.......charging in, getting off your shots and dying while reloading or retreating. Im not a fan of hit and run, or retreating. Good for avoiding Rocket Pods while on AA duty as well. I cant remember the last time ive wanted to charge into anything as opposed to a steady advance. I accept the fact that I dont have long range offensive capability, and it does not bother me at all. There are plenty of people with long range guns on both sides. Ill fight where i can fight best. Both abilities disable weapon fire which i find silly. (unless charge was changed, Have not used it in months)
If you play solo u take charge, just charge in capture room and oneshot everyone b4 they realize u are in. Shield only for teamwork
I'll go by with what has worked against me, I would say either, its situational, if you're in a more open area, I'd say the shield would lead to your survival, as it gives you a ridiculous defensive buff and if you're going to be a team player, it does change you into portable cover. I know so many people say its useless, I notice they're usually the people who say nc maxes are useless. Its all about how you use your assets. The shield gives you excellent survivability even against aircraft and vehicles(a direct hit tank round does little damage). Charge is good if you're close enough to make it worthwhile and not charge to your doom. Best to use it somewhere there is a roof so that a light assault or a heavy with a vantage point won't whittle down your health or just C4 you.
Aegis Shield + Flak Armor = Virtual immunity to rocketpod fighters and Zephyr Liberators. You can weather an entire salvo of direct hits from their payload, losing barely a bar or two of health and return fire in between with your bursters.
I like regen armor and shield, it really increases your survivability. its not a tool that gives you more certs, but its a vtial tool for teamwork. countless times I protect teammates with the shield. its also very easy in a frantic big fight to get people to empty their mag on your shield, and get them when they reloading.
