I think something a lot of people are missing out on is PS2 is based around squad and platoon based combat not 1 v 1's. When you bring a squad of people to a fight you want 1 infiltrator at most (depending on hacking needs) 2 medics (In case one dies) and 1 engineer (If you aren't running MAXes). That means the last 8 spots are for heavy assault. Light assault is usually more of a lone wolf or separate squad to their own as they ideally should not be fighting at the same level as everyone else. Someone is going to say "But but but.... that is 8 heavies per squad, see how broken, OP, etc etc etc" I'm sorry you are wrong. That is still balanced. Something being the backbone of a team does not make it OP. It only becomes OP when a squad brings 12 of a certain unit and can constantly steamroll everything. Specalized units with utility are just that, specialized. e.g. you don't always need them all the time in great numbers. What you do need is your basic AI/AV "grunt" and as long as you have the bare minimum of specialized classes you want to bring as many as possible. This is nothing new to other games from other genres. Bring 1 or 2 healers, 1 or 2 specialized support (tank/agro/crowd control) and then load up on DPS. The fact that people want their infiltrator or engineer or medic to be on the level of heavy assault proves they simply don't understand game balance. And I think it was herpderp or something who keeps saying something along the lines of "Heavy Assault is the only class that can deal with vehicles and they are good against infantry" you are wrong. Engineers are the most versatile AV class (Mines, C4, AV turret) for ambush, close and medium to extreme (1000M) ranges. Heavy Assaults have launchers and C4 Making them good at close to medium range only. Missing out on longer (unless you are VS and have a lancer) ranges as well as setting ambushes with tank mines. If anything Heavy Assaults are the go to AA "Free pull" infantry class thanks to lock on launchers. But that might change whenever engineers eventually get an AA mana turret.
I don't understand why people try to fight HA head-on. "Heck, my class got a nice little set of things I use to do surprise attacks on the slow moving, earth-bound, glowing, bullet-hose thingies there and just kick his **** as soon as he hits the reload button. But I rather charge cloaked into his constant stream of bullets to get slaughtered to complain at the forums afterward." What a mentality... HA is the only class in the game made for head-on fights. The ONLY! so why is everyone trying to kill them head-on? Infiltrator: long range... one headshot, one bodyshot - problem solved Infiltrator: short range... wait till someone runs past you, burst him down, cloak, ****, repeat LA: Jetpack, Shotgun/CQC carbine/SMG - problem solved (use flashnades if needed) Shoot HA in the back... before they turn around they are dead. Look for sprinting HA or the ones with a RocketLauncher ont heir shoulder... have you seen how long it takes to switch to a LMG? he should be dead before he can switch - if not: your fault. I don't get it.
I can speak for the infiltrator part of it. Look at the infiltrator forums and you'll get the same answer. We don't charge at heavies, we do shoot them from range. Sometimes that works, but if they have Nanoweave of the appropriate level, and it is becoming more and more common that they do, then they don't die. Yes, you can shoot them twice, I often do, but I haven't met a heavy who doesn't at least have the cognitive capacity to get to cover and use a medipak. Then there's close range - cloak/spray, knife works, but if you miss with even one shot, if you don't hit them quite enough to break their shields, then you are dead. You cannot hide when you're that close, the cloak is useless at that range. They will back up, pop a medipak and then hunt you till the ends of the earth with their superior weapons and armour. Better yet, they will spin around, shoot you once with the shotgun, and you're done. I'm not saying HAs are overpowered, but the infiltrator isn't terribly equipped to deal with them at the moment. You have to play smart and manuever yourself into a position where you can get a lot of hits in and retreat easily. Use a silencer at closer ranges or, wait until you see their shield run out - a lot of heavies seem to forget that it's on a timer. Hell, I've killed a lot even with the TR standard pistol if the situation favours it. - Braddigan
High level Nanoweave, high level Adrenaline shield and a weapon with a good TTK is an awesome combo, I absolutely love and wouldn't trade it for the world. Try this build with the Godhammer, MCG or a Shotgun (I prefer the high capacity ones, but whatever floats your boat). Additionally, heal kits and Concussion grenades will further strengthen this build. There are similar builds for the other classes as well. One I want to try out is LA with (the new) drifter jets, Adrenaline pump and a shotgun for some high speed hilarity. If you have a problem facing a particular class look at your own build and see what you can do to tweak it to make it equally as powerful, the options are there. If you don't know off any good builds, ask around in your outfit, or check out Youtube. EDIT: Also, EMP grenades remove a targets shields and de-powers their class ability (like the heavies over-shield), which even with maxed out nanoweave still only leaves them with 750 HP, which is a lot less than what they had to start with.
I'd disagree, I'd recommend: 1 LA, squad leader, to place spawn beacons in hard to reach places, and get rid of spawn beacons in hard to reach places, also C4! 1 Infiltrator, for hacking, dealing with enemy infiltrators, diverting enemies from the front line to come and find you, placing mines to prevent the enemies from getting to the fight. 2 Medics, always nice to have a back up. 2 Enginneers, same as before, and prevents the entire squad from having to camp the same area to get ammo, thereby reducing deaths from C4, etc, can also help out with AI/AT duties with turrets and mines. 6 HA/MAX, equipped with what you need for that situation (AI/AV/AA)
Not that this is on topic exactly but agree 100% with the LA as squad leader, completely missed that one. 2 Engineers I'll give you. Can't hurt depending on what you are doing/where you are going. But yeah the general point was you are going to want more heavies, a lot more heavies than any other unit in your squad.
I play LA mostly.. nowadays with the Cyclone (so my equipment is like the one of an Infi). 50% of the time I get HA down. A lot more when attacking not from the side (or front sometimes) but from the back. Land behind them run the last 3m towards spray them down, strafing sidewards (not ADADADAD anymore more AAAAAAAAADDDAAAAAAA or DDDDDDDDDAADDD) and I get okayish results with it. (But then again... I am an average gamer. So I don't get huge kill streaks and stuff. Perhaps I am just bad. Don't know, don't care.) Inifltrators really have a hard time against HA nothing to say against this. But there is more stuff to shoot than just these guys. There are a lot of them, true enough but there is always an Engineer placing ammo boxes (yummy!) or a Medic reviving (also delicious) or Infiltrators with BASR to kill.
There are actually guns that do a lot more damage than the LMG's that HA has, so infiltrators are actually at advantage, using something like the sirius. Or, using a sniper..... Headshot kill!
I think people are missing the point of the infiltrator. There is a reason they only had pistol slots in Planetside 1 and only had sniper rifles at the release of PS2. They are a stealth class, scouts, snipers, recon, and now they have SMG's. They aren't a class made for head to head close quarter infantry combat, you have the option to be stealthy and kill people with an SMG from an ambush or surprise attack, the game would be ******** if you have dozens of infiltrators running around taking on infantry and being equal in head to head combat. It would also take away the unique feeling an fun of playing an infiltrator. You are sneaking by the HA's because you can't beat them 1v1 head to head, you act to out maneuver them and either get I a good position to snipe them or pick them off taking them by surprise.
All I can get from the rest of your post is that you seem to want all classes to be equal to each other under all circumstances and battle conditions; so lets do away with all the other classes except the one; there, "balance" as you want it to be?
Yeah this post ********, every class is situational, and the OP is an infiltrator and mad that the heavy assault class which is made for running through doors and opening fire and he's to head combat is eating his infiltrator. You want complete balance? In his mind HA runs around the map killing everyone and never dies because he has an overshield and blows up planes and tanks with ease. When in reality HA is the ones running straight in on the front line keeping and storming cap points, trying to deter tanks and aircraft from pressing up to close, while medics hang back healing and reviving, engineers hang back supplying ammo, repairing vehicles, and setting up deployed/fortified turrets that do what the HA does even better when not assaulting, infiltrators hang back and snipe or sneak in behind the lines causing chaos, and light assaults flank the enemy from places no other class can get to with ease. The games balanced, it works, HA does exactly what it's supposed to. When you play as a medic do you rush in and storm the enemy? No because you die just as fast as everyone else, the HA can withstand more fire to help set up enemy lines, and can stay 'entrenched' with the support of of medics and engineers. While the LA and Infiltrators do the flanking and stealth work. You don't like that heavy assault owns your infiltrator head to head in medium to close range? Well try sniping them when they are held up in a firefight or sneak around with your cloak and throw a grenade and unload with your SMG. Learn to play your class.
I hop between Medic and Heavy assault. I personally find that when I play the medic, other heavies are the easiest kills. Typically because they stand out in the firing range for so long. /Lockthread
If your saying HA is overpowered then medic and other classes are as well. I mean I usually rock my HA with resist shield and max nanoweave. In most cases I can kill several enemies before dying. Since, like someone said its not a 1vs1 combat game more squad based. If you have a squad/platoon working and communicating really well. It doesn't matter if there are 3-6 really good HA running around they will lose the battle due to the effectiveness of the enemy communicating effectively. It is paramount that the HA bring their opponents into a 1vs1 situation and avoid being flanked. If the HA is flanked regardless of the shield, the other class wins. If the enemy is smart enough depending upon who your going up against AKA The Iron Wolves or Sex Drugs and Lasers. They are very well organized and you are going to need a team to beat those forces. In situations playing defensively, I can run around as a heavy assault taking out small pockets of infantry if they are not moving in all at once unless they are lined up in a straight line I can shoot them all down normally. Its situational the HA is, but again. HA isn't for taking on infantry advancing as a group as you will get owned trying to do so. It just sucks trying to so. HA isn't overpowered. I find my medic can compete with HA if I have the right weapon equipped for the situation. HA is a limited ability class so you will need to work on flanking the enemy rather than trying to engage a enemy headon if you do not HEADSHOT your enemy first. You need to work on headshots. That will definately even the odds against HA if you are still trying to go headon with a HA.
I was close to liking what BloodArmoredApostle said, but then again: I can't like anything with words like this in it... (or "should of" and stuff) I really like what he says though
Well, that class is called heavy ASSAULT after all, it is supposed to lead assaults, eat a lot of fire and to tear apart anything other than MAX suits. It would be silly if it could not do so. If people like that simple in-your-face-style that's okay. Just because a lot of people choose one class that doesn't mean that class is overpowered. Maybe users just like it's straight way of fighting. On Ceres I didn't recognize and overflow of HA players. In fact if we have an overflow it's a medic overflow most of the time. On an note you don't have to play HA as a breakthrough unit. I like the versatility of this class - maybe the reason why so many people play it is because you can play it so differently. You can play it as a sniper as well - just grab an upgraded Eidolon and have fun. You can also go out specifically hunting tanks or aircraft (if you do so the Eidolon/Battle Rifle is in fact your best choice). And you can go do some "heavy infiltrating" - you may not have cloak or mines but you have a range of decent weapons, some ugly grenades (AV grenade is funny when thrown at a choke point), a nasty rocket launcher and incredibly destructive C4.
Yes, it does. Learn about the flippin class before posting here to have it nerfed. It just makes you look like an idiot and ends up with everyone discounting everything you say. And just an FYI since you obviously haven't taken time to find this out: When you flick that HA shield on, your movement rate goes DOWN. And if you are in an open situation where lots of eyes can see you.. its like painting a target on your chest. I've played HA a lot.. and there are lots of situations where its better not to flick it on and KNOW I'm going to die.
