Ace pilots use needler and not rotary

Tells you something doesn't it? *Wink wink*

Rotary buff

100+ views and no one disagrees This is looking good

I don't really see this as a bad thing? I mean does it really matter if the preferred weapon is X over Y as long as X is effective? I mean every serious VG driver uses AP, but I don't think that means they need to buff the HEAT or HE well i do think HE needs a buff but not because people who know what they're doing use AP.

The Terran Rotary is eh. At the ranges you want to use it, the Vortek Rotary will rip you to shreds. So, yeah, it's not that great. The Needler is better just for the simple fact that it's used to stand at a nice, safe distance away from Reavers, far, far away from their Rotary and Air Hammer.

But then you run into a Scythe, and they blow you up with their laser Sarons.

We just can't win!

The TR trait of more dakka applied to both the needler and rotary has made that gap between their damage values (min & max) minuscule compared to the differences with the other ESF defaults and rotaries. Meaning the only real statistical reason to run rotary over needler is for fire rate, since the needler wins out for damage.

I still use the rotary a lot though. It's not that ******.

Has this not been the case ever since PU2? People stopped using a2a nose gun and started using default nose gun instead.

Yup that's about it. But plus added downsides
-with reduced clip size (compared to needler) you have to reload more often and is more unforgiving for missed shots
-with reduced bullet speed (compared to needler) you have to compensate a lot more at moving targets
-with reduced effective range (compared to needler) you have to get a lot closer and present yourself to greater danger

The needler is just superior. At least one or two of those downsides has to be upped a teeny weeny bit for some rotary lovin.

yeah, revert back to 62 rounds, maybe a tiny dps buff

I actually flew with it the past two days and had decent success, well, more than I thought I was going to have

the vortek is obviously still a viable option, and the hailstorm is pretty good, the needler is more of a straight upgrade compared to the rotary

If you find yourselves in close-combat a lot it is still the better choice, but if you are fighting libs, tanks, or find that you generally don't need the extra DPS then the needler is definitely the way to go. One of the biggest advantages of the needler, and the default guns in general, is the extra up-time. Those 300+ extra rounds means an extra 1-3 fights before needing ammo. That doesn't seem like much, but if just a single lib is included in one of those fights the ESF with a rotary is going to be heading back to an air pad much more often than the default user.

The M18 Rotary could probably use a slight DPS and/or mag size buff, and the other two rotaries could use a reserve ammo buff equivalent to about 3ish max sized clips.

Ammo pool for rotary is enough to keep me from using it any more. Can't even judge its current state since using it means spending half the game running back to an ammo pad.

Rotaries need huge ammo capacity buff. I'd say double the ammo capacity what they currently have.

This. I think rotaries and deafults are fairly well balanced in regard to each other, but the rotaries are so ammo inefficient it's just annoying to have to go back to get ammo every damn 4 minutes.

My opinion on this will probably be unpopular, but eh...

I think all noseguns should be reworked to have clearer roles. A difference in fire rate, clip size, and max reserve ammo just isn't enough. As a VS, I personally have absolutely no reason to use the light PPA in most situations - if I want A2G, i'll bring explosive secondaries of some sort. If I want A2A, i'll use my default, and if I want to fly back for ammo and reload after accidentally breathing on my trigger, i'll use my rotary. (And if I want to fire slower and explode more often, i'll use the newest nosecannon, whose names escape me right now.)

The Saron is simply too versatile to not use, it's useful in every situation... and more often then not, it's the most effective at it's job. The Light PPA is fun in the very, very rare situation when there is no enemy G2A / A2A attempting to blow me out of the sky, I only bother with this when there's a friendly airsquad or 3 providing cover.

Before I get too offtopic, the roles I believe each weapon should have are thus:

Default nosecannons: Nice and versatile, effective against all targets. This is fine, the nerf vs ground a few patches ago was painful, but understandable - no more sniping armor from 500 meters, I can live with that.

AI Nosecannons: These are good at what they do, and each faction has quite a bit of flavor for these guns. It's not the light PPA's fault it isn't pulled often, I blame that on overall game balance. Although out performed by rocketpods, it has it's role.

A2A Rotaries: Some can use these to great effect - I can't stand them. In every situation I have fired my nosegun with my hailstorm equipped, I wished I had brought along my Saron. These need a universal clip size / max ammo count buff, for all factions. It appears to me that this is intended as an A2A nosegun, there should be incentive to bring it along for this purpose.

Unless I am mistaken (and please correct me if I am) Rotaries have:

• Smaller magazine sizes
• Lower max ammo count
• higher damage dropoff at range
• minimal rate of fire buff in exchange for the above

I believe a new mechanic could be useful in allowing rotaries to fulfill their intended role. When encountering heavy armor at high altitude, all rotary rounds should penetrate armor, triggering secondary explosions in any reserve ammo supplies armored aircraft possess. (Basically, Anti Lib / Galaxy guns, less effective on gals due to lower degree of firepower) Rotaries should shred Libs more effectively then anything else. The lib is intended to be an A2G bomber, with limited AA defensive capabilities. The ESF is intended to allow for effective engagement of any unit, provided they pick the correct weapon systems for the job. Rotaries should reign supreme for A2A noseguns, and currently, they are the worst choice short of the light PPA.

The new noseguns appear to be working as intended, assuming the intent is to provide a low fire-rate default nosegun for a minimal clip size increase. The NC's feels powerful, the VS / TR's just feel hamstrung.

Unless you have 100% accuracy with it, its not worth using the Vortek, just due to coyote spam. Getting in close is not a realistic idea against a coyote user, the closer you get, the less they have to aim.

Yep,TR rotary is by far worst A2A nosegun in game atm

It needs dps buff and mag size buff AND reserve ammo buff

yeah but you can out dps them very easily with a vortek, or any nosegun if they aren't moving

I use the Rotary... not because it's more effective (in general, it's not) but because it's more fun.

so glad I saw this thread. I was about 40 hours into flying with a rotary from the start (got it right away) and now went back to the needler. I seem to like it better as well. It seems to reward accuracy more then the rotary which i like.

Rotary still rewards for accuracy, any weapon does, you just have to do it within the damage dropoff range for it to matter on the rotary.