I have spent 90% of my time playing Medic and Engineer, and recently wanted to try something different, so started playing a Heavy Assault. The trouble is that most of the guns feel clunky and cumbersome. R seemed a good choice as it feels just like a 50 round Cycler. However, I usually have 2 guns/loadouts, 1 for close range and 1 for distance. I still cant find anything that `feels` good for range for TR. NC is another matter entirely, as everything feels so recoil heavy and unwieldy. I have the NS15M unlocked on a TR toon with certs, but despite handling very well, it just doesn't seem to have any damage to it. Don't want to spend SC on it, and don't want to save up (another) 1000 certs on something that isn't faction specific. I play 90% of the time ADS, so can virtually guarantee I will be using a Forward Grip and have a very strong preference for a 2X reflex, so will always go for that over a weapon without one. My preferred engagement range is between 20 and 50 meters and I tend to be a "pray-sprayer" rather than using burst fire if that makes a difference. I did try the default Carv, but found it horrible. Am trying the Default Saw at the moment but only have the 1st of the grips so far. Tried pretty much everything in the VR room, but find that it really doesn't give a feel for real in-game fighting. The trial system is flawed in that I cant use any reflex sights for my 30 mins and cant stand iron sights. So, basically looking for recommendations for: TR Medium/Long Range NC Close range NC Medium/Long Range Many thanks.
TR - TMG-50 medium. NC - Well I'll go against the grain here. I run an EM1 with adv laser for close.....or a Jackhammer. NC - Med just about any of them, SAW is a good start. To be honest though if you are a prayer sprayer, none of the NC guns are going to work well. They need controlled bursts. Same goes for any LMG at medium/long range.
TR TMG-50 or Rhino NC EM6 or LA1 Anchor or Blitz? NC Havn't used them all but the Saw S has nice recoil. I enjoy using it.
Seems to have lost some of the OP Paragraph 2 should start... "I really liked the default Cycler and Trac5 when playing my TR so the MSW-R seemed like a good choice...." Thanks Greyfrog, I had a feeling you might say that about NC weapons. I will see if I can burst when not under pressure and get the habit to stick.
TMG-50, no contest; uses 2x, compensator, foregrip. high bullet damage, velocity, fair DPS, controllable recoil One of the easiest to use guns in the game, yet still effective. Jackhammer (not an LMG, but the best weapon an NC HA can have for CQC) The other alternative is Anchor, but it's inferior to the MSW-R in CQC along with the Orion everywhere NC6/EM6 NC6 is stronger long, but still better than the faction counterparts for medium EM6 is the strongest mid-range LMG in the game Both can use 2x, foregrip (adv for NC6) and compensator
TMG-50 is my TR LMG for med-long distance but out of the box it's terrible. Here's what I run on it and I love it. Advanced Forward Grip Compensator Reflex 2x Optic Try High Velocity Ammo. It kinda negates the Compensator but it's a noticiable velocity increase. Really helps with those long distance shots. I love this gun and use it almost exclusively on my TR heavy. Also keep in mind that this gun has selecatble fire. You can switch from auto to burst to semi. The semi-auto feature is great; you can really pick people off at a long distance. Only time I hate this gun is close range. The 2x sucks.... hip fire sucks... it really is med to long distance only. ========================================= Default Orion LMG for the VS is actually a great gun; not sure why you wouldn't like it. Could throw some upgrades on it and make it better.
Not available for the TMG-50, but the Rhino, another good medium-long choice. It does not have the 2x, DPS of the TMG and cannot burst fire in small intervals as well due to high first shot recoil. It's a gun that has a niche between medium and long range. Not bad, but not as good as the TMG-50.
The 2 TRs I have been leaning towards are the T16 and TMG50. According to http://planetside.wikia.com/wiki/Light_Machine_Guns The T16 Doesn't have 2XR but does have an Advanced grip but the TMG50 does have the Reflex but not the AFG. Is the difference between Advanced and Basic grips significant?# Edit - Crossed with Pie's post
After reading this post and thinking "ahhh.... so THATS why using the 2x reflex is a PITA" I may go for the 3.4. Also going to look at the iron sights again and see if they are terribad or acceptable.
For the NC, the EM1 is really our best close range machine gun. Get the advanced laser attachment, suppressor, soft point ammo. This gun doesn't have particularly good accuracy, but it also tolerates extremely long bursts of 10-15 rounds before the bloom effect kicks off in a bad way so it's great for spraying people down. The EM6 is the best all-arounder, while the NC6 is hands down the long range champion due to its perfect single shot accuracy and fast projectile. Basically: EM6 if you want a mid range machine gun, NC6 if you want a semi automatic sniper rifle with a fun switch.
T32 Bull... Terran Iron sights ( no reticle) grip soft point ammo. Kill........................................... Lissik in game ....ask my foes! try it... i am not wrong
TR Medium/Long Range: T16 Rhino. HVA. Your choice of scope. Laser Sight, Extended Mag or Advanced Foregrip all make sense as modifications depending on situation and personal preference. Flash Suppressor at night. People suggest TMG-50... I wouldn't recommend it as a general purpose weapon. The low RoF and higher bullet damage mean that it's only really a competitive weapon at longer ranges. At medium/close range, targets will be moving faster and you will be missing more. You want to put your eggs in as few baskets as possible (hence higher RPM/lower bullet damage). NC close range: depends if you want a very specific or a general purpose weapon. LA1 Anchor is the most NC-ish LMG that is good at closer quarters. It isn't brilliant at it though due to a the low rof/high bullet damage problem outlined earlier and the restrictive (50) magazine capacity. It also has a terrible recoil pattern, so isn't the best ADS weapon. You might want to consider one of the general purpose (medium/long range) NC LMGs kitted more towards CQC. The EM6 with a Laser Sight might be what you are looking for (this is personally my favourite). GD22S is also another option. GD22S is trading mag size and some potential DPS/TTK for a tigher hip fire CoF and a much more controllable recoil pattern.
I have not yet found concrete data, but the recoil reduction actually varies depending on the gun used, i.e. it's probably a percentage. The T16 with an advanced grip has trivial horizontal recoil, making it able to do longer bursts at range than the TMG-50, but at very long ranges it is harder to use, since you are required to use 1-2 shot bursts and the initial recoil makes it harder along with the inferior bullet damage etc. I suggest you try both in the VR. It is important to note that the T16 has low DPS, even lower than that of the TMG-50. Even with a laser sight, the T16 does not have comparable accuracy to the MSW-R in CQC, so that it is not a good CQC weapon in any capacity. The T16 also has higher innate bullet velocity making it easier to lead targets. It is also important to note that the flinch mechanic in this game is tied to DPS (it scales by weapon damage), so that the TMG-50 fares better in CQC assuming you have good aim. The +25 rounds per magazine and faster reload per magazine are nice, but in my opinion not essential, which is why I haven't acknowledged those benefits. I've auraxed both weapons and I prefer the TMG-50, since it is a much more versatile weapon. Once again, I strongly suggest you spend at least an hour testing each weapon in the VR, so you can decide which you prefer to use.
TR min long range LMG: -T16 is more pray and spray and is limited at mid+ range. -TMG50 is better at burst firing at longer range and have better DPS at mid- range (more versatility) NC short range weapon: -Jackhammer is the king of shotgun with burst fire at shorter range and better accuracy at close-mid range, but it's still a shotgun -Blitz or Cyclone are beasty SMGs but are also weak at range. -Anchor havn't the stopping power of the MSW-R and Orion, but is better at range. NC mid-long range weapon: -Gauss saw is the best auto long range weapon of the game but have bad moving COFs and pretty strong vertical recoil. -Gauss saw-S if you don't like Saw moving COFs and recoil patterns. -EM6 is more focus mid range but have tons of ammos. It's more an all rounder. -GD-22S is also an all rounders but is very easy to handle, better at range than EM6 and better at hipfiring.
NC Medium/Long: NC6 Gauss Saw for long range and medium, Gauss Saw S for medium. EM6 is basically a Gauss Saw S with more first shot recoil but slightly higher RoF. You can manage with GD-22S at medium range as well. NC Close: Anchor and GD-22S. Use this if you want to see the actual stats for the weapons, not just the in-game stuff.
Where are you guys finding long range engagements? Taking pot shots from indar excavation site to quartz ridge? 90% of this game is CQC...
Ironic you should say that, because LMGs are not the best CQC weapons. By your reasoning, he should just get a shotgun/SMG. I know it's crazy, but there is an entire world outside of the A point in a tower.
