HA and why I feel gimped.

Discussion in 'Heavy Assault' started by Cigarenvy, Jan 24, 2013.

  1. Cigarenvy

    I play HA approximately 90% of my time on Planetside and have spent most of my certs on HA equipment. I love the game and I love the versatility of the HA class, however, I can't help but feel gimped when it comes to the equipment and class ability's. When I say this I don't mean to imply that any one faction or any one weapon is more or less underpowered. I mean to say is this... the only way for me to get certs is Via kills.

    As opposed to the engineer who can kill only slightly less effectively than I can, tanks included via tank mines. they also get the ability to gain certs before, during, and after a base cap. where I am only able to gain certs during and get the 1-4 certs everyone gets regardless of how much they contributed in the fighting.

    My weapon selection is also strange. LMG's are not that great when you think about it. Some of them are great and some are not. However Assault Rifles are in a lot of way superior to LMGs. Faster ROF, faster recoil recovery, lower recoil in general. They even gain access to equipment that heavy's cant.

    I want the ability to gain certs in another way besides killing, especially if the weapons you give me are not the best for the job you have given me. Give me access to Assault Rifles.

    I just wanted to let my feelings be known if any dev's happened upon this and to see if anyone else feels this way.
  2. KnightCole

    Thats why really, I feel the HA should get the ammo kit while the Engi should get the Rocket Launcher. The HA's Icon is an ammo box anyway, while the Engi is the wrench. It only makes sense that the HA be the ammo guy, hes got all the big belts anyway.

    If that switch ever happened, I would feel somewhat odd not having a big tube on my back to blow up tanks with, but I rarely am hunting tanks anyway. The ability to have ammo forever while im on my lone wolf trips would be soo awesome.
  3. LibertyRevolution

    You have a rocket launcher, so you can kill armor at 0 resources cost.
    That is your role. If you don't want to play that role.. why play HA? You need shields to not die?
    • Up x 5
  4. exLupo

    HA is about free target selection, not specialization. You trade having the most accurate weapon for the highest volume of continuous fire so can engage more targets in a row. You have a shield that can extend your life but only as long as you have a hp bar so it's good but not as good as heals. While the rockets are limited in stock, they've got high range and some lock and, as noted above, they have no resource cost.

    Every other class does one thing better and other things worse. HA isn't the best at anything but does a whole lot of things really well, all at once. It's no single-role superstar but it is easily the most versatile class in terms of target engagement.
    • Up x 2
  5. IntergalacticYoghurt

    I'm not sure I entirely agree. HA is without a doubt, the most effective infantry vs infantry class in the game. I think that's already a big enough draw card to play one.
    I like to think of it as a luxury class - you can play as a less effective killer (Combat Medic or Engineer) but gain certs faster through repair/healing, or you can play as Johnny Business-End and get your stomp on.

    It's the same deal with Light Assault, Infiltrator and the MAX. They are also luxury class' to me. The Combat Medic and Engineer deserve their XP gain - EXCEPT when the Engineer only plays the class to pilot vehicles. But I cant really think of a work-around to that issue.
    Though I would argue that Infiltrators could use something extra. If only fat XP gains from hacking.
    • Up x 2
  6. Joe_da_cro

    as posted above HAs can be SC/Certed to engage any target in the game. Jack of all trades master of none is best applied to the class.

    it is not the best assault class becuase LA do that better with mobility. but a HA can suppress multiple enemies.
    HA can fire at tanks but mines are better.
    HA can fire at air but AA maxes are better.

    play to the classes strength which is versatility and supression and you will find you will get more kills and have more satisfaction with the class.
    • Up x 3
  7. KnightCole

    i love the HA class, I play the game almost exclusively for infantry battles, seeing how BFRs are never coming back. HA is a killer of infantry. That is its specialty. Kitted out right, with good aim and lots of luck, the HA is a bucket of fun and a ton of death. I dont feel gimped playing th HA at all. Sometimes I feel to invincible...
  8. Bambolero

    It's an armor destroyer class and should be used primarily with that in mind.
    From what I've seen in game, my rough estimate based on nothing but my own feel is that ~90% of players are playing the HA in a wrong way, very aggressively (Rambo).

    I'm guilty of it myself but since i started playing LA ( the true aggressor ) I changed the way I play my HA a lot.
    In an offence situation I play it more from behind the front-line, shooting rockets at armor, 'counter sniping' with my dear SAW and suppressive fire.
    NC HA excels at these things because of our default LMG, teh mighty SAW.
    LMGs are seriously handicaped in CQC (at least NC ones definately are) and only situation where you should find yourself in CQC as a HA, imo, is in a second row behind MAXes when a big push is made.

    For defence, well, I switch to different class usually, it's more fun, but you can do the same I guess, until enemy gets too close then I would rather switch to LA.

    For small skirmishes I preffer playing LA or Infiltrator.
    • Up x 1
  9. Tenmar

    Maybe you aren't putting your certs in the right place. Also are you playing lone wolf, squad, platoon or outfit? Cause each role you will find the heavy to either be effective or non-effective.

    Personally if you are going lone wolf going flak armor isn't going to do jack **** for you as you will probably be fighting infantry more. Best get the extra health with the resist shield for solo play. Also a lone heavy just sucks against armor, sure you can do damage but chances are you are going to die unless they are a complete ballard or careless.

    Squad is where if balanced a heavy can really shine for the team. You can take the damage and with enough heavy units armor isn't really a problem anymore. Flak armor or extra health means a lot here. You can also focus more on utility as well because you need to be the aggressive one on the team.

    I would check where you put your certs and specialize each load out for each scenario. That should no longer make you feel gimped. One for solo play(resist shield and extra health), one for anti-vehicle(flak armor/extra health and NMG), and one for personal preference. But the power of a heavy in a team can really mean a lot when working with other heavy units. A team of heavy units with the Annihilator(talking about a full squad of heavy units) can basically destroy any air or ground coming their way.
  10. KnightCole

    My primary playstyle isnt rambo, its sneaky, slow, methodical and pretty much just getting kills as they come to me. During base atk or def, im not defending any specific spot, just running around shooting anything that comes my way. I play semi slow and careful...

    I am cautious about using my rocket, it doesnt 1 shot tanks so I avoid drawing attention to myself. Gotta watch it with those, lest I catch a tank roound in teh face.
  11. Rigsta

    HA is a core combat class. Tons of health with the shield activated, guided & unguided rocket launchers, you can carry C4 or med-packs and anti-vehicle grenades, no other infantry class barring the MAX can do as well in a slugfest and against vehicles.

    Sure it doesn't have fancy gadgets, but it does get guns that can hold 75 or 100 bullets and the ability to survive longer than any other class. If you want to get support exp and/or assault rifles, medic would be an excellent choice.
  12. Bambolero

    Yes, mate I've done the same until I tried LA and realized that it's much more effective class in that sneeky role.
  13. Satanam

    You just need to love infantry vs infantry and know when you're able to feel like an unkillable and ruthless guy. If you're on a place full of enemies, don't rush on them. Just cover, get angle, shoot to kill and repeat. Tank mines are usually used as a trap, but try to, for example, blow up a deployed Sunderer using it. You won't do it, because people who's respawning at the Sunderer will fight you, and you'll probably lose if your not Heavy Assault. Then, try it again using a 2xC4 plus a rocket on it. If it has extra armor, just use a rocket, reload, then 2xC4 and a rocket again (I wouldn't tell you to blow up the C4s with your rocket because sometimes it won't get the damage you want).
    exLupo said "HA isn't the best at anything", but I have to disagree. Even against anti-infantry MAX, you'll end up killing it if you know what to do. I'm using a mini-chaingun and the rocket launcher (the one with highest damage, I can't remember its name and I won't login just to check it because I gotta leave in a few minutes lol) with 2x C4. Sometimes I just change shields (depending if we're attacking or defending, and also depending on how many enemies we got), so I can't tell you what's my main. Well... Heavy Assault is my main job, and I must say it's pretty useful for both "rambo mode" and tactic.
    Anyway, I don't know if you guys would agree with me, but... What about some extra experience for killing enemies when you're playing as Heavy Assault? Not something like +30% than others, I guess +7~10% would be nice. Well, ignore how much of it and just focus on the question for if it would be fair or not.
  14. Cigarenvy

    I appreciate everyone's posts and comments. I understand the role of a HA, I understand the ins and outs of infantry combat as an HA. I've even trained myself to hit the shield so often that I randomly turn on my AOE heal as a medic when I start taking fire.

    The HA has the hardest job in the game. Kill everything and kill it now. While I don't like to boast but I do always maintain a moderate to high KDR when using Lmg's but I don't think they are vary good weapons.

    the HA's job is to kill infantry and tanks correct? with no other way to get certs why not allow them the most flexibility when it comes to completing there job? Some situations call for an LMG, some call for a carbine, another a combat shotgun.

    Besides SOE, if you gave me the option as an HA to pick and use any weapons shy of sniper rifles I would actually be more inclined to buy more weapons.
  15. gunshooter


    Wtf are you smoking. HA is the best anti-infantry class by a country mile and people play it as anti-infantry because it's the primary capability and the AV is SECONDARY.
  16. AuntLou42

    The HA is the most played infantry class. If it was gimped this wouldn't be the case.
  17. KnightCole

    Yeah, I know it is, but between having played the Support class in BF2142 forever and a day and now a HA here...I cant make the assault rifle work for me. Not enough bullets lol. LA is a fun class though, jumping around and what not.
  18. Stadulator

    If you can't kill with less than a clip on LA you need to do something. Add a foregrip and shoot people in the head. And if you're not using a gaming mouse with adjustable DPI, you gimping yourself.
  19. Stadulator

    hey OP why don't you just play engie for a bit?

    imho people that only play one class are missing out, big time. Check my stats on PSU and my avatar btw, primary class is HA. But my engie and LA are also well outfitted with weapons and certs, and every vehicle has certs and upgrades (some more than others of course.)

    Shake it up some, sounds like you're bored with HA to me.
  20. KnightCole


    Lol, I can kill people with LA and CM. takes maybe half the mag lol....my shooting has become shoddy since focusing mainly on LMG classes in games. I used to rock the Baur HAR in BF2142...then the Ganz and IDS came along....never looked back and my shooting has decreased along with it. Used to be a pretty amazing shot, getting accused of aimbotting all the time.

    As for my mouse, its just a regular old HP optical mouse frmo walmart haha.