AP lightnings

This thread is all about lightnings not about heavy tanks. Just saying.

You're right.

You'd still need to either set Explosive Splash resistance for ESFs to -7.5% (my math was wrong the first time) or move L100 Python HE into its own resistance category and set that to -200% for ESFs, at least.

In practice most ESFs you can/will actually hit will be damaged at least a little so AP cannon not OHK'ing isn't a huge problem too often.

I would be tempted to go the other way:

HE & HEAT = 1 shot kill vs ESF
AP = 2 shot kill vs ESF

Realistically I think the AP shell would just punch a neat hole but maybe more to the point, I don't know that the best vehicle killing weapon should also be the best aircraft killing weapon. HE and HEAT are already such a niche weapon (weak against the main two things that will kill you -- aircraft and other vehicles) that it would make more sense to buff them against aircraft and leave AP as-is.

Alright it seems like some of you guys want to makes this realistic but if we start to think like that it would be like deadly shots into EFS engine or gas spots or you can hit useless part which would make pointless damage. But thats not gonna happen this game is with aliens and other nano technology so deal with it. Go play cod or battlefield for a realistic gameplay.

Ground vehicles have been nerfed for a farming. So EFS need more attention right now.

I don't always use fire suppression.

I have successfully landed and repaired many a burning ESF. (Afterburn at ground that is behind some cover, at last second nose up and VThrust up to stop from blowing yourself to hell, then land lightly and get that repair beam on immediately)

Generally not if I have a bogey unloading nosegun into me... but then fire supp is apt to not save you anyways.

I still have Scout Radar on my LPPA Loadout (which I don't use much), but I have Fire Suppression on everything else.

I didn't try or use Fire Suppression for a long time. I used to used mostly Decoy Flares, but had fully unlocked Decoy Flares and Scout Radar. But Fire Suppression overlaps coverage for Decoy Flares most the time, and it also does so much more.

I know some pilots still use Decoy Flares, because I hunt ESF with HA Annihilator sometimes, and it's been used on me some. I also know some pilots use Scout Radar, because I can see the huge Dish on their bad (NOTE: I wish ALL Utility/Defense/Performance Certs and Weapons Types showed such an easy to see and id visual representation.

What other Utility slot do you use?

Mostly scout radar... also on LPPA/Banshee/AirHammer (Banshee and AH use Fuel pods, LPPA uses Coyote... cause you can't outrun **** in a Scythe, and Banshee/AH can be used in A2A combat as well)

Sometimes Flares. (My Hailstorm/Rotary + Plasma/Rocket Pods builds uses this)

I also have engagement radar for my A2A TomCat mossie. (I don't have tomcats on NC/VS)

Oh, and you can't really see Radar on Scythe (it's only 2 little spokes/spikes instead of a huge dish like Reaver/Mossie) and you also can't determine difference between Scout and Engagement types

Actually, I don't think I have Fire Supp on my reaver at all (Lowest BR, took flares a looong time ago)

Yup, same here.

Scout Radar well works for AI Noseguns, because Infantry are their bread-and-butter, and the Scout Radar helps track down the Infantry targets.

I also use Coyote with LPPA. LPPA is terrible for A2A vs. ESFs, so I need the Coyotes to deal with them.

I have AH and Banshee, but currently don't use either. Instead, I just use Default Nosegun + Rocket Pods. Banshee nerf made it worse than Rocket Pods for AI, and AH takes more Aim/Flight skill than I have.

Do you think it's better than Fire Suppression? I'd have a hard time going back to Flares at this point. My number of deaths would go way up, and/or the riskiness of my playstyle would have to go way down if I switched back to Flares.

You like it?

Yeah, true. It's not nearly as visible on the Scythe.

Yeah, true again. They really should make them look different.

Fire Suppression ROCKS!

{Think the perceived problem would be solved by simply giving AP barrel a little more vertical range, w/o having to find some incline to compensate for vertical.} That's what I was going to say, took a breath. TBH, people need the opinions of those who have been in both seats. But to have what equates to Dalton rounds from both above, and below, makes esf seat little too hot. I read here on forum, as above re hornet range{feels to me also is about G2A lockon range}, from people who obviously never used them, and do not understand how the esf must fly, the predictable path and manner it must take, to land those nose guided missiles.

The single biggest advantage the majority of esf's have, even whether they realize it or not, is that they generally have operated tanks more than the tankers below have operated esf's. I believe esf's were treated a bit different for fire suppresion because u can't just back up 8m behind a rock to repair, and every single tree, tower, building, rock, vehicle, wreckage of any vehicle air or ground, virtually any weapon, can kill you. Even easy mode aint all that easy, and definitely not as easy as a giant ohk sniper cannon from a base back. An esf cannot one clip or with full salvo of any weapon, let alone ohk, even kill an harraser....imho giving every ap round a ohk headshot on esf is op.

I'm playing with all vehicles. Than I use a styche. Most of my air to ground against vehicles are easy kills that they have not even single chance to hit me. And if they get lucky they hit me once and of course I survive. No matter what I'm using fire suppression or no attachments at all becouse you can land and repair come back and take him down. The point is that tanks have no angle to kill EFS (and all other airships but we are talking about EFS problem) and It's not even 1 shot kill. If tanks would have full angle that will make it horrible and unbalanced for air experience but extra little damage to make sure it will one shot kill EFS in 0-300metres would be fair enough in both ways.

I must say since the nerf I've gone back to RP needler on Mossie.

I haven't flown my Reaver in a lil bit but I've always loved the AH. I just miss the days it could 2 clip a Liberator LMAO (well, not as the other factions ).

AH is definitely the most dangerous weapon to use though. You have to get in dumbfire range for that thing to be super effective. It just has a cool factor I can't pass up, and it's still relatively effective in A2A (Vortek is king though)

Better? no. Different? Yes.

It's great against coyotes and tomcats for sure. Especially "gank squads" of them as you can avoid all missile damage for 6 seconds where the extra 20% health from FireSupp doesn't change the fact that 3 Tomcats or Coyote mags will kill you.

Against a single Tomcat you're still up in health, again, as it prevents a 40% damage hit compared to healing back 20% of it.

Where Fire Supp has advantage is vs Flak and Noseguns.

Eh, I mostly wanted to try it and see how good it was for newer pilots. Considering it's lower cost and the awareness gained from it I can't say it's bad, but it's prolly not as good as maxed flares or fire supp.

I think I might end up putting it on "Interceptor" loadouts (rotary + fuel + stealth) but it's pretty good with the TomCats too.

It's my lib hunting build really. Best thing to use tomcats for IMO.

If they make it higher damage but easier to avoid (which wouldn't help Libs/Gals much) I'd love TomCats 10x more even. I use it against ESF's because it's a great leadoff in a fight, and I've got it, but that's not why I pull the thing. Interceptor and Coyotes builds are easily superior.

Only thing that makes TomCats truly dangerous are packs of them... and still a pack of Ace pilots with Interceptor is far more terrifying because they have so much more AB burn time... TomCats just lets a pack of lower skilled pilots do some serious damage to even skilled pilots, which is why they get so much hate.

A walker top gun would fix that right quick, or a single Skyguard in their armor column. 2 skyguards and you're toast before you can get out of range if they're smart/wait to engage for you to begin attack run.

Well yes, but realistically an AP round would also punch a nice neat hole through a pilot if it happened to hit them - which is why realism is not so helpful here. Mostly as the game mechanics cannot (I don't think) account for locational shots on an ESF, i.e. figuring out if it would hit the pilot or not.

Sure like AP lightnings can't kill EFS in one shot while magriders,vanguards can do it with AP...

up

HEAT is not for infantry... the name says clearly Anti Tank...

I believe I can help with this. I use the AP lightning a lot, the lightning is my primary vehicle, and the AP is my primary weapon on it. I try and normally specialise in hitting ESFs (since I am pretty good at it). For those who say that lightning AP should 1-hit ESFs, while this would benefit me greatly in getting more kills, the AP lightning is already good enough as it is for hitting aircraft. Unless you know what you're doing, you shouldn't be trying it. The comparatively minimalistic angle range of the AP proves that it is intended to be used for anti vehicle, and anti-infantry if you can aim well and lead your targets properly.

SHORT VERSION - Many ESFs which you try and shoot at with an AP lightning will already have been partially damaged (it is only logical, since ESFs can get damaged by every weapon in the game except for a knife...). Hence, you should be aiming well with this weapon, double checking your lead picture before you fire, and taking your time with each shot (you have longer than you think to make the shot in most cases).

Make HE one hit them because if you hit one with an HE round lol