ESF role shifted to Air Superiority / Light A2G (Good!)... Now, to fix the final issues with A2G2A.

ESFs are now air superiority oriented. In the heat of combat, it's no longer feasible to expect to kill an MBT in a single pass.
With significant AA presence like it is nowadays, it's time to facilitate the shift of ESFs to air superiority roles.

Rotary cannons were given a velocity nerf (significant one) that shifted them into a close-in weapons system, to distinguish them from the default nose cannons.

I believe that it is time to increase the velocities of both the Default Nosecannons as well as the Rotary Cannons.
In order to preserve the "sidegrades" relationship of these two weapons, I believe that the default cannon should be lowered in RoF, increased in proj. velocity (since accu will go up, as its easier to lead with higher proj. velocities)
Rotaries should have a flat out proj. velocity increase to pre-nerf levels.

This should make the A2A role less frustrating for newer pilots without capping skill too low. As it stands now, many people I've asked to pick up A2A flying don't wish to do so because it's frustrating - they can't land enough rounds on target before the enemy flees to friendly AA/ESFs, and battles between newbies rarely end with a vehicle kill, but rather with one or both running out of ammo or running away.

Liberators should also gain some durability against flak (and flak only), as they have never and as it stands, will never be effective AT platforms in a full scale battle consisting of a few AA max units + AA turrets.
This will allow them to survive a pass over a hotzone (without gaining staying power) and provide a necessity for the aforementioned ESFs to maintain a presence over hostile skies as AA turrets cannot reliably kill a skilled liberator pilot doing passes.
Soon you will see the following emerge:

Fighter sweeps - send friendly fighters out to clear the sky for the libs to come in
Combat Air Patrol - maintain ESF presence over contested airspace to support friendly armour
Bomber Escort (uh, obvious)

Etc

Final issue? We havn't even gotten started. What needs to happen is the complete removal of rocketpods to greatly shift the focus from the current all-purpose esf into a specialized A2A fighter. Making esf counter armor was a horribly idea to begin with.

In turn, reduce the range of flak, either reduce velocity or increase spread or add damage fall-off to shift their purpose from massive area denial into point defense. This would allow air to work around AA without completely locking them out of large engagements, while still allowing flak to be a decent defensive counter to air.

This way we would have liberators as the main tank killer. Esf would be used primarily to kill enemy air, either killing enemy liberators to keep our own ground troops safe, or kill enemy esf to protect our liberators. We would still have the option of countering infantry with the dedicated AI guns, but would do so at the cost of some of our A2A power. AA would be just as effective when defending a base from a direct assault from air or in 1v1 battles, but would no longer be able to cover all adjecent bases aswell. Rather then being the go-to counter against air they would be used more to support friendly esf or as a fall-back option when you've lost air superiority and your ground activites are getting heavily disrupted by enemy liberators.

This would give air an actual role in medium-large engagements, instead of being locked out by a wall of flak, while not making every singe tank caught out in the open a free kill for any esf happening to pass by.

I don't mind a greater purpose for Libs, but A2G in an ESF is fun. Rocketpods should get a slight buff or there should be AV/AI rocket options. I think a single pass in an ESF should force an MBT to retreat.

Well said, though I'd like to slightly adapt the bolded part into "sift the focus from the current all-purpose esf into a specialized A2A fighter. Why shouldn't it be possible to be a specialized A2G fighter? I agree, it shouldn't come close to effectiveness as a liberator. The current problem is that there is no downside to rocketpods. You only loose the AB tank, which only makes a significant difference in the hands of a skilled pilot. Make the difference between rocketpods (A2G) and AB tank (A2A) larger and we have a winner.

Upgrades for the fuel tanks would solve this issue, so we could have pilots that can afterburn away from each swoop to win the energy fight with quick charging tanks, or pilots who could fly 2 kilometers at full speed with high capacity fuel tanks to intercept enemy bombers, or some other mods to cert into.

This.

All esf need to have true fighter characteristics is for the fuel pods to have certs that improve recharge rate and maybe reduce the initial cost of activating the afterburner. This would give all forms of esf extra speed at the expense of a powerful secondary, and could actually give the speed and turn rate certifications some real worth over the hover cert tree.

Yep, that one would go a long way towards making A2A ESF's actually different from A2G ESF's. An A2A ESF would have the upper hand in that the A2G esf's could never successfully run from them, but an A2A ESF could disengage at will. This increases the A2A survive-ability which should make them a bit more desirable for the lesser skilled pilots.

instead of giving libs a buff give it to ESF's instead!
you want A2A pilots to stay, let a lone fight, over a base for air superiority and provide coverage to libs?
buff ESF's resistance to AA.
because right now all any force needs to do is pull AA and call in A2G to **** the other side until they pull AA. Why do they have to pull AA? because their friendly A2A pilots can't survive against the other sides AA.

however i do like your idea about un-nerfing the velocity of the A2A guns.

There's no point in fighting for air superiority if AA destroys libs so quickly.
Once libs can do quick passes without fear of dying to AA (enough HP to survive the run in and out of aa range), then the main worry is the surrounding airspace containing ESFs waiting to pounce on these libs as they enter/exit the "hot zone"

There's no point in a vehicle designed to protect a Liberator if the Liberator itself has no purpose.
Once the Liberator can safely do a medium-slow pass through heavy AA taking only maybe 50% hp in damage, then the main worry is ESFs in the combat area.

I have to disagree with the OP, I would prefer having the skill curve remain high, otherwise more pilots will "do well", resulting in more QQ and more nerfs for the ESF class.

In all honesty, A2A is fine right now. Besides, most dogfights end up being tight turn matches that don't go further than 400-500m. Any half decent pilot should have the ability focus on A2G and A2A, depending on where need arises. Ever wonder why all the best pilots in the showcase videos use Rocket Pods instead of Lock Ons? Because they put in the time and learned how to effectively use their rotaries, which is how this game should stay. I don't want the skies inundated with pilots who are having their hands held by a lower skill curve.

Concerning AA, I would love it if the bursters range or damage was decreased, since they're usually spammed anyway. Although in all honesty, you really shouldn't be destroyed by enemy AA if you're flying correctly. Yes, you'll take damage, but after a certain point as a pilot AA should rarely destroy you. Fly into a combat zone at low speed and high altitude, that way you can see where the AA is coming from and plot appropriate areas where you can afterburner to safety.

That said, I do agree that Libs need at least an armor buff. That way they can stay in the fight longer than they do now.

If you take out rocket pods, then air is wiped from the game. Sorry, but thats the way it is. The esf is not a fighter jet, not even close.

They are meant for ground as well as air, and that they do.

Most of the time there are not enough planes in the air for air to air combat. Shoot I still see tons of liberators and galaxies.

The problem right now is AA. It makes A2A a nightmare, so the only thing to do is farm infantry and armor.

edit, repeat.

Balancing around pods was the problem.

Wait, pods were the problem.

What I meant was keeping esf's to air only. I don't use rocket pods.

But the problem is most do. And these are the guys I prey on A2A. So take them out, and you take me out.

The problem is even with the massive amount of G2A in this game there are still good pilots spanking peasants on the ground, and peasants don't like this.


Most pilots are using lulpods cause A2A rockets are not very efficient meanwhile fuel pods only leave you with the nose canon, the best way to get XP is to multirole, and since lulpods are good for A2A and A2G why wouldn't you use them.

ESF don't have much of a role in handling armour in large scale conflicts any longer.
AA denies them sufficient time to unload all their rockets accurately.

You share very similar ideas to what I used to have, check out my previous posts.

You will also notice that my entire goal of this change is to shift ESFs to air superiority. Reread my original post.
ESFs rocketpods currently don't work well against armour (thankfully) so long as the driver reacts fast enough. In a small scale battle, a single lone MBT will still lose out to an ESF, but even if the ESF doesn't use pods, it'll still die. That is the nature of air. No matter how weak you make its weapons, it's going to win if it wants to in the absence of AA or other Air units. As it stands now, Rocketpods work well against isolated infantry and isolated tanks/buggies with no support from friendly aa/esf.

You don't necessarily need to keep ESFs out of ground play, but they MUST NOT BE GROUND KILLERS.
Only air "support".

Further reading: http://forums.station.sony.com/ps2/...flak-if-they-did-not-have-rocket-pods.120828/

How about keeping the pods as is but having them equipped increases the weight of the plane, decreasing the efficiency of the afterburners, vertical thrust, and max cruise speed while also increasing hover stability.

External afterburner fuel tanks should keep ESF physics the same as they are.

A2A missiles should have the lightest weight increasing cruise speed, afterburner efficiency, and increasing vertical thrust.

This should come with a general buff to ESF resistance to bursters. Lib resistance and ESF resistance to small arms or missiles should remain unchanged. Skyguards are pretty much the AA variant of rocktpods. The lightning costs just as much as an ESF and both Rocket pods and the Skyguard turret cost the same. It should be the ground based hard counter so resistance should not change.

Rocketpod ESFs will be easier to hit with both rockets and flack. They will also lack the ability to leave the combat zone as fast as the other variants.

Pure A2A ESFs will be harder to hit and have an easier time evading with the increased thrust.

AA buffs should have directed at Liberators only. A2A is a complement to AA in shooting down A2G and A2A counters A2A not AA

The reason AA is pretty much a direct counter to all aircraft is because the skill cap to getting into A2A is notoriously high. Currently, the only flight model that really works is the hover specced VTOL with rocket pods, and they all have flares so the A2A missiles are fairly worthless for just long enough for that rocket podder to engage with their nose gun. If they're experienced, they'll win, hands down. A2A missiles are our first hint the attacker isn't so experienced.

There are pilots that don't want the learning curve lowered, but frankly, AA will have to remain as powerful as it is until flying is easier to get into and A2A isn't simply a matter of which ESF has the most powerful vertical thrust and whom has the better aim. Flying a VTOL correctly is the high learning curve and is the most rewarding, this can remain true. The effectiveness of turn-and-burn and boom-and-zoom builds is, frankly, weak. Fuel pods sort of help, but like all defaults, fuel pods are essentially crap until certed. Problem is, there are no certs to improve fuel pods when there very well should be. If pods could be certed into faster regeneration and possibly lower initialization cost - these complement each other very well, so the latter most likely isn't necessary depending on the regeneration rate - pilots could finally treat their crafts like proper fighters if they really wanted to. If they can treat their crafts like proper fighters, see:

These guys would be best at taking out other fighters and the ground pounders. It could only enrich aerial gameplay so that it doesn't just look like a bunch of vultures circling for meat. The trade off is a much lower effectiveness against ground targets.

When the getting into A2A doesn't require dozens of hours of practice and a degree in Auraxian physics, then flak can stand to have it's effective range shortened to being merely a point defense in response to enemy air support. Until then, any time the buzzards come in looking for cheap kills, I'll pull my MAX and chase them away if not down them completely in a justifiable fashion called BALANCE. Can't have your cake and eat it too. YOU WILL DIE in Planetside 2. So please, pick your poison. At least enemy aircraft render in more often than MAXes.