[Suggestion] Dedicated MBT gunner option

Your idea is quite interesting but the bonus are too strong, and sometimes irrelevant (shell speed bonus, etc.)
The thing about changing ammo type was already suggested a while ago, I made a thread about it, independantly of the 4/4 tank aspect, it could be a nice addition and something much more interesting, while being really balanced. So the idea needs some tweaks, and 4/4 mbt won't alas appear anywhere in the roadmap: The power of such a beast would be so tremendous infantry would cry enough to make northern indar a sea again.

To be fair, infantry will cry over anything. I mean look at how much they cry over our puny HE/HEAT cannon as it is.

Honestly I don't think they'd have any tears left after a 4/4 MBT stomps them.

But maybe if they realized how much power a MBT should have as is visible in a 4/4 MBT, then they'll shut up about 2/2 MBTs. So introduce OP 4/4 MBTs, remove them a week later, and then everyone's happy!

This is what I wanted from the beginning, but some devs were too afraid of losing the yoloswagcodmtdew incoming players. The last I asked for this to be an option, somebody said "maybe."

Guddrem MAGRIDERS!!!

It's not less effective at all...
It's just that SOE ****** up MBTs for the sake of selling Main Cannons, which is ironic considering there is now a greater number of options available for the Secondary Gun.

This is what I've been arguing for SINCE BETA!!!
Muh poor Lightning, only being used as a poor mans MBT because MBTs in this game are Driver/Main Gunner...

Hell, even simpler, JUST SWITCH THE DAMN GUN MOUNTS!
Cannons go on top of the Magrider, Secondary on the nose!
THIS IS EXACTLY HOW THE MAGRIDER WAS SET-UP IN THE ORIGINAL PLANETSIDE!!!

Exactly...

This was the PS1 version of the Prowler...

You are so hilariously wrong about this it's not even funny...

I miss you PS1, why did Higges forsake you?!?!

And if you want to go solo, THERE IS ALWAYS THE LIGHTNING!!!

Cert or Station Cash?
Because they would certainly be willing to give you Certs back for your Tank Upgrades...

Bu-but that would require TEAMWORK, and Magriders to not just be HoverHeavies with MBT Cannons...

Exactly!
This is why I prefer flying a Galaxy or driving a Sunderer when playing with a Squad; I LIKE being able to focus entirely on how my Vehicle moves through the Battlefield!
Yes, I COULD Tonk with an MBT, but a Lightning is often a better choice than a Prowler when it comes to Vehicle Combat anyways.

Well what the Mag lacks for being a "Tank" it makes up for in being an Armored Weapons Platform able to get damn near anywhere...

Hell, I got roped into Planetside 2 during the Beta, and I still agree that the Original did MANY things better than the "sequel"...
Dedicated Gunners are one of them but Vehicle Entry Points are, like the Inventory System, something that I can understand being cut for all around convenience.

Indeed... and the reason we didn't get the "option"?
Gurd Deng MAGRIDERS!!!

Why not just move the main gun to the top of the magrider when a dedicated gunner variation is preferred and have the driver control a coaxial basilisk or something where the existing main gun is.

That or add an NS tank that requires 2 crew and is modeled on the vanguard/prowler chassis.

Because they weren't willing to put the work in to make that change all the way back in BETA, let alone as an extra option...

Peh, probably the best we'll get now.

I don't know how hard it would really be to do this. I just think it's worth having as an option. I just wish SOE or someone would at least comment on this.

Are you saying here that Harasser is bad design and would be better if it was 1/1 vehicle where driver would control turret as in tank? I have to wholeheartedly disagree. The only thing that keeps Harasser alive is that driver drives and gunner guns. Splitting those roles in a tank would have same benefits as in Harasser.

Exactly, plus if you want a One-man Tank, WE HAVE THE LIGHTNING!

Mag wasn't dedicated driver in PS1 either (drivers gun was weaker though and gunners was a proper main canon)

I think it's fine for TR and NC to gave optional dedicated gunner.

The question then is, what's the benefit?

If you have NO additional power then all you're doing is adding 50% more crew for the same power. While I don't think people would have a problem if someone wanted to play that way, it's weakening your force manpower.

This is where the new turrets (4 canon for Prowler, Railgun for Vanguard) come into play......

BUT we're back to "What about the VS" then, and in this case, the VS would get shafted without something on par.

Not exactly. Harasser lives and dies by it's mobility, and it's speed requires a LOT more focus on driving than MBT's do.

*dbl and appended to prior as all relevent*

Driving a tank and gunning is a lot different than driving a Harasser and gunning.

I have to say the difference in the driving/gunning configs in PS1 really put the Empire differences into a stark contrast.

IT was huge fun playing the massive advantage/disadvantage game in MBT vs MBT battles.

Vanguards (2-man crew) with their gigantic damage per shot from the main gun and the AA/AV help of the secondary weapon,

Magrider (2-man crew) with it's high mobility and concentrated fire with two fairly high damage AV/AI weapons but virtually zero AA abilities (except for the occasional lucky hit on an ailing air vehicle)...

and of course the opportunity to set three guns-a-blazin' at one target or take on three separate targets with the Prowler (3-man crew!).

Not saying they need to duplicate that in this game but it shows that having radical differences in Empire abilities can make for fun gaming.

Some quick clarification, to save people wiki diving.

• The Planetside Classic Vanguard had two-seat and two weapons.
  • The driver had no weapon.
  • Both the main cannon and the coaxial were controlled by the gunner, but he had to switch between the two.
    • The main cannon was strong but slow and range-locked and its shot arced.
    • The coaxial contributed to really distant targets and gave minor anti-Air capability.
  • Only one weapon could be fired at a time.
• The Planetside Classic Magrider had two seats and two weapons, just like our PS2 Magrider.
  • It can be said that the top cannon (gunner controlled) was the platform's "main weapon."
    • The top cannon was very much a Saron.
  • The front cannon (driver controlled) was a support-ish weapon, effectively anti-Infantry.
    • The front cannon was very nearly hitscan (if I recall correctly).
  • Both weapons could be fired simultaneously, in other words.
• The Planetside Classic Prowler had three seats and two weapons.
  • The driver had no weapon.
  • The first gunner controlled the main cannon, which was double-barreled, but its shots arced.
  • The second gunner controlled the top weapon (effectively the tank's coaxial).
  • Both weapons could be fired simultaneously, in other words.

You can pretty much non-scope(shoot without aiming, or whatever you call) when you are driving a vanguard or a lightning with accurate within 150m, not sure about prowler. All you need to do is spend sometime on VR to get a feel of it,I love to drive lightning HE non-scope,it make my tank harder to shoot and I can keep driving non-stop why being able to shoot back

Easy solution

Nerf all factions main guns to hell and back reduce fire rate, damage, increase CoF etc, then buff the secondaries

Or, switch control of the guns over on the Prowler and Vanguard, and physically switch the guns over on the Magrider so where the main gun is becomes where the secondary is, and vice versa.

But this will never happen for reasons, CoDMoH kiddies rule the tank game

How to code it for the dev's. Adding a vehicle seat when the player wants it won't be easy, and if MBT's get a permanent extra vehicle seat I don't know how it would be used. Adding a Heavy to your team for some extra punch sounds fun, but could be rather powerful...