After having spent the great majority of my time in PS2 as Light Assault, I decided it was time to try out something else. Being that I play this game to be more of an FPS I wasn't too interested in certing vehicles, so I saved up about 3,100 certs to put into Heavy Assault, as I figured it would help me with those open-field scenarios as well as contesting points where a jetpack isn't much help. I spared no expense and certed into my playstyle - Adrenaline Shield, Advanced Shield Capacitor, and reflex sights with foregrip for the Orion, as well as 3.4x scope and laser sight for SVA-88. After playing HA for about two hours, I really started to regret spending so many certifications. With LA I was able to maintain between 4-5 KDR very consistently, even when doing things like assaulting control points and such. Hitting from one window and flying over to another almost always got me a couple kills, and whenever I get behind enemy lines I can go on some pretty massive sprees. With HA I seem barely able to hold a KDR of 1.5-2.5, and I even find myself a little more useless against armor without my double C4 from LA. I can hit them a few times with a rocket launcher, then they just run off and repair. I think I must be missing something as far as what makes this class the favorite for infantry fighters (statistically the most played in large infantry battles), I always use my shield and I'm a pretty good shot. But it just never seems to be enough. Everything I can do on HA I seem to do better with LA. So what makes it unique?
Heavies are fine. K/D is irrelevant from the perspective of balance. If you want high a K/D fly an aircraft, drive a tank, play as an Infiltrator, LA or MAX. Heavies are designed to be the front line of infantry warfare, along with MAX suits, hence the shields and massive magazines. Someone has to be the front line, you can't not have one. Yes, you will die more because you will be taking more damage, but no that does not make heavy inferior to light.
If you have the Orion and you still can't get decent K/D the fault is entirely in your playstyle(I assume it's not skill, if you have 3100 certs then you obviously put a lot of time into the game).
I'd venture if you're finding yourself being mown down alot, its because your Medics are one of those wierd breeds that think letting you die so they can rez you (a technique to increase xp/action gains) is the way to go. Most of those who have an eye on the bigger picture will stand behind cover off to one side of you and keep topping your HP up so you don't fall over so quick, sadly, alot of Medics are still playing as if they are an assult troop 1st and a healer 2nd.
Well to answer your question: what makes HA unique? It's the ability to carry LMGs with large mags, and carry a variety of AV/AA rocket launchers. Why you can't maintain the same KD is a question for yourself, not us.
Look, you don't actually need high K/D ratio, unless you feel that it's useful. In my opinion, it's just a way to prove you're being coward. I know, people can hate me for telling it, but as I already said, it's my opinion. Sometimes you just can't avoid getting killed, unless you hide whenever you find a place to get cover. Playing as Heavy Assault, my K/D ratio is less than with Infiltrator or Light Assault, but my kill score is always higher. It means that I kill a lot, but I die more often than with other classes. So, in my opinion, it's perfect. Now I'm trying to focus on anti-vehicle Heavy Assault, and it's getting funny.
Well... a KDR of 2 is actually pretty good when using a class thats build to go head to head with the enemy. What makes the HA special? Well... nothing really. He is the guy, that holds the line. If he wasn't there, there would be no line you could slip behind with your LA. This is why i get pissed by people saying HA are overpowered because they cant go head on head with a HA and win. Wich they actually often can, because most weapons are better than LMGs in any aspect except mag size. So when playing heavy assault: dont exspect to get the most kill. You are mostly there to be able to TAKE damage, not dish it out. Your weapon is excellent at keeping pressure on the enemy, but at an disadvantage when it actually comes to killing them. The fact that C4 currently is the far better antitank weapon than the Rocket Launcher is valid on the other hand. It makes the notion of good anti vehicle capability in the heavy assaults class description pretty stupid.
Thades you've clearly invested a lot of time in LA and fine tuning your playstyle to fit around that class's strengths. So with only a couple of hours as HA, you really shouldn't expect to have adjusted your strategy to suit it yet, as you are only just learning what HA is about. Granted, there''s going to be a large proportion of knowledge crossover but it's the finer points that will effect your KD and score more greatly. I've not played very much LA myself, but from what I have and from your post, it's clear you have been taking advantage of that jetpack to get yourself in behind enemy lines, flanking and generally getting the drop on your opponents. With HA, there's no short cut to get into those positions, you are limited to using your noggin to anticipate their positions, where they are coming from/going to and either finding a good position or taking the long way round to flank them. More often than not, you'll be pushing an objective head on, keeping up sustained fire, trying to make ground and get to the objective, keeping the enemy focused on you. Meanwhile the LA will sneak round the back/side and mop up some kills, which let's you push up. So inevitably, the HA is likely to die more and won't have such a glamorous KD, but then it's not all about KD is it? Oh and with regards to the rockets, don't waste them on difficult shots (unless you can resupply easily), I think it's more important to get into a good position so you can get those 2 rockets into their rear end needed for a kill.
I mostly play HA, and the ability to survive is really what it's good at. And instantkills with the Rocket Launcher. LA will frequently get more kills, though that brings ammo problems. Really, ask yourself this: If you use a Shotgun, you can use it on every class bar Infiltrators(As TR or Vanu, not on Maxes, as well). So the firepower would be absolutely no argument. Now, why would you use which class, just for yourself? Yes, there are support roles, that actually make people useful in large battles, repairing, C4 runs, healing, suppression... but I suppose that's not what you're looking for right here. Why would you use them just for yourself? Heavy can take more damage, Lights are more mobile, medics can heal themselves, engineers have unlimited ammo. And that's really your choice. Spending so many Certs on a class you've basically never played is questionable at best; There's weapon trials for a reason; buy the first level of shield, buy Nanoweave (Approaching it like a LA by picking Shield regen instead probably shows part of the problem), get your favourite visor for 30 certs, maybe trial a weapon... for just a few hundred certs, you have a good idea of what a class plays like.
