Honestly, right now I'm questioning if this was even worth it. I'm having trouble adjusting to the lower mag size and slower bullet velocity compared to the stock Mustang. I feel like I can't do anything with it outside of 50 meters. I'm really tempted to switch back to the Mustang every time I spawn a Reaver. Any advice?
The Vortek is the highest DPS nose gun in the game (technically the air hammer has a lower TTK, lol). So if you and your opponent are hitting with every single round, you will win. That means, the closer you are to an equal-skill opponent, the more likely it is that your Vortek will beat whatever he's packing. On the other hand (for example) the Scythe has the highest nose gun projectile velocity and the lowest head-on profile, which makes it spectacular for long-range hover fights. If you're committed to the long-range combat style, you should probably stick with the Mustang. If you can get the hang of getting in your opponent's face, the Vortek will serve you very well.
mustang is better unless your aim is insanely good, which isn't really possible if you're new to piloting
Yeah, I think the problem is that I'm used to engaging from a distance. I'll give that a try. :/ My aim in a Reaver is way below average. Sigh... Why does I spent 300 certs on dis. The ammo pool sucks, too.
If you have poor aim just stick to the mustang. The vortex's ammo pools is too low to accommodate tons of wasted ammo.
I dunno. My aim is terrible... so I always try to get in close and unload with the Rotary where it's hard for me to miss. That usually works out better than staying at range with the default nose gun.
Use the default while you work on your aim. It might not be better at close range, but it will not punish you for missing shots as severely as the Vortek does. The Vortek, like the Reaver itself, needs quite a few certs before it starts to shine, particularly mag size and ammo.
To clarify: After 5,500+ ESF nose gun kills, using the Vortek at short range suits my aiming ability much better than using the Mustang at long range. My aim isn't getting any better these days, but through maneuvering and close-range application of Vortek, I can beat pilots who are better at aiming than I am.
Yeah, I see that the Vortek shines at close range... the only problem is that I usually can't get up close to an enemy ESF without getting side reaped by one of his allies. And when I do get into hover battles, I just get destroyed while I'm trying to aim at my opponent because I can't maneuver and track my opponent at the same time with the Reaver's clunky window frame.
Honestly, situational awareness is the most important part of flying. You can be the best shooter/pilot in the game, but still get obliterated if you stumble into the enemy's territory and get jumped by a swarm of enemies. I constantly switch between 3rd person and cockpit view while I'm flying to watch for enemy aircraft. If you're flying near a battle, roll right a bit, look out the right window (using middle mouse to move your head) to look for enemy aircraft coming in. Then circle back the other way, roll left, and look out the left window into enemy territory. Obviously being near flight ceiling is best for this, since it's easier to see below than above. And be sure to listen VERY carefully to your surroundings. Scythes are pretty easy to hear, but Mosquitos are super quiet. If you haven't, learn the specific sound each of the ESF nose guns makes, and practice triangulating that in-flight when you hear an enemy firing. Stay up high, watch a low-flying rocket podder go below you toward a fight, and swoop down like a mighty eagle of freedom and justice.
I love the rotary, the reduced bullets isn't really an issue. Most dog fights there are ample moments when you know you won't get the right angle to shoot to take advantage of reloading. When when you do the rotary makes they paaaaaaaaay dearly
