This weapon seems to be really lacking. I never seem to have very good luck with it, because its stationary and doesn't really provide a lot of cover. It seems to work better as a doorway block or some extremely minor cover when you have none Are there any techniques to maximizing the utility of the turret that i am not aware of? Is there a better way to use this engineer perk better? Its also pretty ugly in my opinion, but that doesnt really matter
I don't play engineer as a main character and since I've buy the AV mana turret, I use the AI turret only in a few situation. But when I have it, I found it really usefull. -Place it and don't use it, you've create a free cover for you and your ally. -At longer range, it's far better than carabine / SMG, and probably BR. (shot in 2-4 bullet burst for sniper accuracy) -Can be place before vehicule for "additional armor" or to slow / block enemy vehicule. -Good deterrent against ESF and harasser. -Sniper don't OHK you if you angle your shield correctly. Use it for bio labs and in medium range engagement. (avoid to use it on close combat). You just have to know AI turret have a slow muzzle velocity, it's harder to shot mobile target, but it's not impossible.
I use the AI turret frequently, if not effectively. It's a good deterrent against most infantry, and can actually bring down a careless hovering ESF, particularly if you can get a bead on a lolpodder from the side. A week or two ago, I got the most kills I've had in recent memory using the turret. It was one of those stalemated base defense affairs where we'd pushed the enemy back to their sunderer, but they were blasting the hell out of us before we could close the distance to get around the lone rock outcrop the battlebus was parked behind. Most of their infantry took up positions on the rock or in front of it, with HA's popping around the side to fire off dumb-fire rockets at anything that looked like it made a decent target before ducking back into cover. Even at extreme range, you can drop infantry pretty quickly in this kind of situation. It really has a decent ROF, and if you burst fire instead of just unloading non-stop until you get heat-lock, you can hit most targets pretty consistently. I actually find that I have the most luck against enemy MAXes at range, because they're convinced that the turret won't put out enough fire to cripple them, while their own weapons are very much geared for close range encounters, generally. I think I got something like 15 or 20 consecutive infantry kills with the turret in the particular scenario and a metric ****-ton of assists. Some guidelines: 1. Always set up while the enemy is distant, so you don't get mobbed while you're trying to set up 2. Try to fire on clumps of infantry whenever possible 3. Try to set up next to existing cover, if there is any. That way, if you're forced to abandon your position, you can duck directly into cover. 4. Deploy in an area with ample infantry support. 5a. Chokepoints are your friends, unless there are several in your immediate vicinity; by nature, they tend to obscure your vision, which leads to you getting flanked by intelligent enemies 5b. Large, open areas outside of a base are your friends, if and only if the enemy isn't already behind you or at your extreme flanks. This seems very contradictory to 5a, but there is an upside in that here you can see your opponents approaching at range as long as they are in front or at distant angles. If you aren't left blind by terrain, you have more opportunities to shoot your enemies and not get a knife in the back. When you're hard-up for anti-ESF fire, you can use the AI turret in a pinch. However, given the fact that you are stationary and have limited field of view/fire, try to find a location where you have some sort of roof, and a wall to cover your back. If you can use the terrain to force an ESF to come at you from the front, you can actually put out enough fire to drive him off. This is both more and less important when there are a few lolpodders farming mindlessly: if they actually see you, you're going to be one of their few priority targets; on the other hand, if they're busy exploding other players, you can basically shoot at them with impunity (again, if they're in front of where you're already set up.)
I usually just use it for cover. However, there are situations where it's really good for covering fire, especially in groups. Biolabs have a lot of good spots for AI turrets. The second floor of the gen room is nice. Mine one bridge entrance, place your turret at the back of the room of the other and you can hold your own pretty well. One covering each bridge can hold enemies for awhile--especially since these things are pretty darned accurate. Another good biolab spot is in the gen room itself. Get up on top of the shelves by using the stairs. In general, if you can get on a piece of terrain inside a building, you'll be pretty safe (since the shields cover your feet very well), and can just rip people apart with headshots, and people don't often expect it. Open fields surrounded by allies sometimes works if you keep sweeping to prevent headshots, but isn't great. However, there are some good group situations where this can work. For example, a few AI turrets covering a canyon supported by medics is tricky to break through. One really good spot I like is the northern satellite of Allatum biolab. There's that really big arch you can climb. Put 6 engineers up there with a couple medics and no one is getting on that point. So I guess the tl;dr is get the high ground, and have good supporting medics. I'd also say don't stand in doorways. Ever. Get against a back wall or corner so you can't be flanked easily. The longer the distance between your enemy and you, the more time you have to sustain fire on them and take them out. You always want a long, controlled fire lane if possible so you won't be sniped, and so enemies can't can't close.
It's also a nice decoy to place in a room where you expect people to run in. Hide in the opposite corner, and witness the targets rushing in and immediately turning their back to you to look at the shiny turret.
The first few shots of are absolutely pinpoint accurate, spam click for rapid COF recovery. I routinely manage headshot spam at infantry render with this thing. Granted... it doesnt exactly do much damage at that range, but the suppressive capabilities are amazing
Yep, decoy, and mobile cover. Truth is, it can do OK damage to cover for your team in a fight. Having a turret in a big fight can really help pressure the enemies. You won't be getting any killing blows though, so..yeah, no glory. Personally, I still use mine just for cover. Once they buff the turret so that it can be set up on a slight incline, then I'll get back to using 'em.
