How ESF's kill the fun

Err, when did this happen?
Ive one shotted ESFs with the Python AP very recently?

He's just flat out wrong in all aspects.
Not only could you NOT 1hko ESF's with AP lightning before CAI, it was buffed to be able to 1hko during/after CAI.

Thats what i thought lol.
Glad im not losing my marbles, unless we both are .

Laughing, not to be rude, but have you ever actually tried to hide in a building from an ESF? They just go down to the door, hover, and light up the room with pods. And, have you ever actually tried to shoot down an ESF with 1 flak gun? They just fly away. Its not accurate enough at long distances, nor does it have high enough bullet velocity to get them at any range. Even with 2 flak guns, you have to get them in closer range, otherwise they just fly away, repair, and come back.

I don't know anything about CAI or recent changes. Like many others, i took a hissy fit and left when DBG didn't listen to the player base way back before CAI. Please enlighten me with the updates.

As far as i remember, back then, shooting an ESF with lighting AP put it on fire, whereby it could only recover by putting the fire out. It's sort of a one hit kill after a few seconds but not really, if you know what i mean.

Even with your formidable skills, you'll have difficulty making me believe you can outmaneuver and chase down aircraft. Plus, I'd like to see how fare when the first harasser or non AA lightning comes across you.

My point is that AA is extremely dedicated, costs a lot, and is less efficient than air. I have no doubt you killed a few dudes with you skyguard, I'd be shocked if you didn't. The thing is, how long did that last? You killed a dude or two and then what? The rest disappear and then good luck hunting them down with your lightning. You can do a lot more damage if you master air than you can mastering the skyguard.

The thing is no matter how you try to make it sound, the skill gap between mastering air is way higher than that of mastering how to pew pew at **** like a ****** in a skyguard, and should skilled pilots be rewarded with such killing potential?

At least kill some of the versatility in air weapons. They can damage everything and do pretty significant damage for that matter, they're accurate, add that to the fact they're mounted on a highly mobile platform, and you get an elite killing machine, (maybe not for you, since you have skyguard MASTERY and killing them just becomes the simplest of tasks) but yeah, for other people they're quite the pain in the ***.

So I'd like to see a decrease in the versatility of their weapons, or maybe you could give me the name of the server you main on so I don't have to fear air anymore, as you'll defend the continent with your valiant skyguard.

Yes it used to set them on fire you are correct.
After CAI it kills them outright with 1 hit, no chance to suppress.

I tried to find the patch notes about it but gave up.

https://planetside.fandom.com/wiki/L100_Python_AP
This gives a shots to kill table for the stock vehicles.

i perfer my 120MM AA gun from my deployed prowler

one shoting with AP lightning is still possible .. it shouldn´t however be a neccesity but a option .. flakarmor does not help against a esf as it is the one vehicle capable to cause both AV and AI damage with one pilot weither he uses his primary nosegun, which is a small arms weapon, or explosive secondary ...
a lock on has very short range and gives the pilot a fair ammount of time to retreat, even then you need 3 lock on missiles to down the esf..

AV manaturrets lack in pitch still so you require a high position for it in the first place ..

I am on Vanu Genudine Server. I get that it is a pain. To most people the E.S.F. itself is an outright pain. They are hard to fly because they do not have a realistic drift. And within that whole mess some of them just out class the others which makes them easier to handle depending on which team you are on. The way to learn their characteristics is by days of just flying around and testing your limits alone by flying recklessly. Once you can do so without crashing into everything and it's mother, then you are ready to apply what you have learned to real world situations. Sadly you will not have it so easy with a Skyguard, as the only way to learn how to use one is by targeting enemy aircraft. That means, yes, you are going to have to pull them out at the wrong time just to get the practice you need in. That is called: "Taking your lumps". In time however, you will get good enough to where you can pull them at the right time and keep them until the opportunity again presents itself to use it to its fullest.
Which leads me to answer your question, I can keep my Skygaurd up a good long time, 20, 30, 40 minutes and up. Even after I encounter another Lighting. As with every other ground vehicle other than a flash, The Harasser and the Prowler are the only foes you will truly have issues with, because you cannot outrun either. The key is to always have an escape route, know when to press, and when to hush your four mouths. It is rare I say this, but on this unit your setup is actually secondary. Because I can do the same things in a bone stock Lightning, with just my turret maxed. What I cannot accomplish in a Skyguard, I do in a Max. In my opinion ground to air fights are about as balanced as they are going to be. The people who are killing in a plane with a nose gun, have my respect, when I hop in one, I find myself needing to escape more than I can fight, If I am running, I am not killing, if I am not killing, I am a non-factor, so yeah, that is fair. The ONLY reason I manage to survive battles, is because the SECOND I take flack damage, I am gone. The first sound of a tin can being bent, BYE! And even then, against good shots, I am usually smoking and I cannot land to repair thanks to the lightnings speed. All things take time to learn. It is up to you to put in the time.

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSH!!!!!!!! SHUT-UP!!!!!!! Don't tell them that TRUTH!!!! We have enough issues without missiles we cannot detect until they are RIGHT freaking THERE taking chunks out of our armor..... Heaven help you if their are more than one..... Keep your freaking Strikers in whatever nasty place you stick them, T.R. SCUM!!!! *AYHEM* I mean..... We fear NOTHING!!!!!

It does requires a LITTLE skill if the fighter you are up against is skilled thanks to its lower shot speed, but yes it is easy to pick up on....