https://forums.station.sony.com/ps2/index.php?threads/scheduled-maintenance-march-13th-6-am.177481/ Does this mean that ESFs are dead now? I personally can't see a reason to pull an ESF over a liberator anymore. Can anyone provide some insight on this? I feel lost and abused =[
Quite the opposite. Now ESFs have a solid role within the game that complements, counters and contrasts the Liberator. G2A is only effective up to a certain altitude. And with the changes to composite armour, Liberators are nearly invulnerable at high altitudes. That is where ESFs step in to fulfil their intended role of air superiority. But the most notable thing I noticed with the patch is that it separated the wheat from the chaff. In the past running as part of an air squadron was something optional. But now I would argue that it is a necessity for effectiveness. The air gameplay has been rejuvenated by having both the ESF and the Liberator complement each other. It is now possible for aircraft to make a difference even in large engagements that in the past were the exclusive realm of ground vehicle and infantry. Now a Liberator can tank a considerable amount of damage from the enemy AA before being forced off or shot down. And this works twofold: it both gives it time to retaliate with its own fire, but also distract AA from engaging friendly aircraft thus allowing an otherwise fragile ESF to take the opportunity to strike at a distracted enemy with rocket pods. Even today people started to take note of this, as it is a very rewarding approach in offensive A2G gameplay. There are as many reasons to pull an ESF as there are reasons to pull a Liberator. That is not necessarily a bad thing. But it is increasingly clear that there is no reason not to play with teammates rather than playing solo.
Was up flying with my outfit today as part of the usual mixed wing of ESFs and a few Libs. Was as fun as ever. Dunno where this 'death of the ESF' thing is coming from.
I'm almost always flying with a friend when I'm up in the sky. Flying solo is simply a death sentence. In fact, if I ever find myself solo in a reaver, I either wait at the warpgate for another lion to pull a reaver or find some bluebuerries (preferrably QRY) to fly next to. Still, I find more often than not that engaging enemy liberators - regardless of altitude or numbers - is a fatal endeavor. You get two options as an ESF pilot when faced with a liberator: try to snipe him from a distance and hope he doesn't make it back to friendly flak or the warpgate, or run like hell. Since there's almost no liberators in the sky without a Dalton (not sure what that's like now), which can one-shot ESFs, even the sight of a liberator at max render brings me more fear than an ESF. Additionally, it's extremely difficult to take out a liberator using just one ESF. If you haven't got at least three birds on him he's going to just skirt back to the warpgate lobbing daltons at you until you die. As if Liberator A2A wasn't godly enough already with the Dalton, Shredder, Tank Buseter, and Walker, now they have a free-look nose cannon, lock-on rocket tailguns that can swivel like the belly gun, and even more armor than they had before. Is it really still worth it to spawn ESFs? I feel like I'd have a better shot at killing a liberator using a liberator.
Cool, I'm glad to hear that the lib patch didn't completely break the game. I'll be back in the skies soon to see what it's like.
The Spur is garbage. The free-look ability does not come anywhere near justifying the laughable damage it does. The new Hyenas are significantly worse then your standard Coyote missiles. And the Composite Armor only effects Flak and Tank shells, you still can 2.5 clip a Liberator with your stock nosegun. AND YES, YOU CAN EASILY KILL LIBERATORS WITH OTHER LIBERATORS. WE ARE THE HEAVY TANKS OF THE SKY. YOU ARE THE HEAVY BUGGIES. USE YOUR SUPERIOR ACCELERATION AND WEAPONS PLATFORMS TO DESTROY US. OF COURSE HEAVY ANTI TANK GUNS AND ARMOR PIERCING GATLING GUNS WILL DEAL A HELL OF A LOT OF DAMAGE.
O.O I know that. In fact, I think I may have been the one to make that comparison originally in another thread xP. Okay, I definitely was not the first to make that comparison, but yyeaaahhhhhh~. The thing about libbies is they are just as maneuverable as ESFs ._. we can't fly around them, look for weak spots, or flank them in any way shape or form. The only possible angle from which to avoid fire is directly above them, which is an impossible angle to obtain and maintain as the libs can just roll over whenever they want. Also, there is no ESF nosegun in the game that can 2.5 clip a liberator (that I'm aware of) except maybe the Kestrel. Even if there is, that's 2.5 clips of ammunition assuming you don't miss a single bullet, which is nearly impossible while flying. Also, 2.5 clips is a hell of a lot considering it takes a liberator one of the following: 1 dalton, 1 clip of shredder, 1/4 a clip of tankbuster, and about a clip of walker. I've been looking for ways to outmaneuver, outsmart, or outplay liberators while flying ESF and I have yet to find a way to do it other than sit at extreme distances and anticipate the dalton shots while dodging them. Other methods can be incredibly risky if the liberator pilot knows what he's doing.
Yep ESF is done for. Coming from a beta player. The TR prowler is pretty crap and not fun at all and the ESF in general is pretty wanked. Abit sad. They were my favourites.
Not sure if every single lib I've faced was just horrible, but I find it quite easy to deal with them. Since everyone is now running composite armor I only have to empty a full clip into them and pull of before they can engage me directly, playing the game of attrition. At this point they have three options: 1.Try to chase me down. I'll just AB away to friendly AA, forcing them to retreat and then getting right back on their tail when they do so. 2. Go back to pounding ground. In that case I will loop around and be right back on them. 3. Retreat to friendly AA and repair. I will pursue them from a distance where noone of the tailguns are effective. I might kill them but even if I don't they will still be delayed from their ground assault. If they do escape and fully repair I can simply go at them again once they return. As long as you stay at mid-long range there is really nothing a lib can do to you.
If you don't want to read all the other posts this will sum it up for you: Pro-pilot: ESFs are a bit underpowered Infantryman: ESFs are OP lolpodders I'm pretty sure it will always be this way. I'm not taking sides or saying every pilot/infantry says that, its just typical.
Speaking from both ends of the spectrum, i find ESF's crap regardless, even if i want to fly them. A2Gwise they're decent against infantry and weak against vehicles (Mind you, this is just the Reaver i talk about. Our rocket pods are terribad.) As for A2A...well, it feels lopsided. With all of the recent rebalances, the ESF's role is no longer clear. If it's meant to be the sky version of a lightning, at least give it the proper viability: It's nigh-on useless in it's 'role' as it's too easily blown up, has very little damage towards it's intended targets with it's intended weapons (Really, what are rocketpods for? Infantry supression? Vehicle destruction? It's not clear!). When it comes to facing ESF's from the ground, i can scare them off with very little effort as well.. let alone shattering them with rocket launchers.
Libs are no harder to kill than they ever were. I have not seen any top-tier lib crews using any of the new additions (Spur, Duster, Racer, or even comp armor usually) because they are still not good enough compared to the traditional High G/ Precision, TB, Nanites loadout. The only real change for higher skill lib crews is that the primary a2a loadoat consists of a shredder and a dedicated tailgunner. And to be honest, depending on who's gunning, even with the added tailgunner, libs are still probably easier to kill with an ESF than when the dalton was the primary a2a wep. It's actually fairly easy to fight against a decent lib team. If the lib charges you (which most decent lib teams will), simply go into reverse maneuver and use the afterburner to keep your distance and dodge as you light them up. This IS risky (as it should be, you're a 1 man 250 resource fighter against a 3 man 350 resource gunship), but it's the best way to kill a lib that knows what they're doing. Besides, if you don't feel like you're confident enough to kill a lib that knows what they're doing, simply don't. You, as the fast and nimble ESF, can simply disengage. But trust me, it's definitely possible to kill decent libs, it just takes some effort.
every patch has been heralded as the death of ESF and/or death of air as a whole. G2A lock on made so it couldn't be dodged by drifting lazily while you hover was the death of air rangers and walkers being introduced for MBT and sunderers was the death of air flak armor got buffed it was the death of air ESRLs were the death of air every time any aircraft got buffed, nerfed or tweaked it was the death of air. weather or not something was related to aircraft, it was the death of air. the amount of times its been screamed that the sky is falling is some combination of hilarious and sad. Yet those who fly will still fly, and most of them will still do well. Air will not die so easily.
solo isn't an death sentence, I can't remember the last time I flew with wingmen. I may have been in a squad with people in esf's but I'm either nowehre near them or on another continent, ganking is just not fun. This is only possible because I dominate 99% of the server. The libs are fine, the lockons are chessy as always, and the dalton noise changes are frustrating, but fighting libs is still quite easy
Thing is that ESFs are no longer faster than libs and just a little more manueverable. So they loose on speed, weaponry and armor... That's the problem. ESFs are infantry killers and can fight only against other ESFs. Libs with autorepair repair themselves too fast. And kill tanks with rockets take ages.
I have not played in a while. In my opinion from my play today. ESF's are dead. I am now running from libs and gals with little chance to compete. The sheer numbers equal defeat because there is always more than one now. Not to mention their updates. Then I noticed the skyguard had quite a ROF buff. I was amazed at how fast I was blown to bits. Even hitting fire surpression with full thrusters. Tried the A2Am against libs. Absolute BS!! first one gets flared, second one deflects off in some other direction for no reason. Try to get into a battle with my esf now at a base and the enemy always has a couple libs. Death again. Logged out and probably am done with PS2. And the door never hits me. It is not quick enough.
Dead while speculation in forums might suggest something i keep seeing more ESF ingame. Whatever it was you saw as ruining them has not affected reality, at least not yet.
Since I never even saw another esf, it would suggest you are playing with your eyes closed. LOL SOE has ruined my playstyle. The one I have developed since launch. Tried again today. Just not worth the frustration. There are better things to do with my time than play ever evolving video games that don't accomplish anything.
