I suggest that the Heavy Assault class be changed to Anti-Vehicle class. Its been nerfed to the point where the assault portion is no longer a valid part of the name.Yep thanks!
This is a troll post right? high ammo capacity LMG, overshield and concussion grenades render assault role ineffective? Not to mention my recent experience of seeing more HAs using dumbfire rocket launchers against infantry in base fights.
Not so much a troll post, as hoping people would chime in their opinions on the Heavy Assault nerf. Sadly, that hasnt happened.
Fair enough...............I don't HA much at all now although I was exclusively HA for quite a long time. I found HA to be more of an all-round damage dealer than specialised towards a particular role (e.g. anti vehicle). The C4 option with a rocket launcher does give them some decent AV capability but then the AT mines and AV Mana turret of the engineer seem to be more effective as an anti vehicle specialism (and they can carry C4 as well if they want to instead of mines). I think HA are described quite well as assault troopers and the heavy element seems to come from their overshield, which gives them more chance to carry off an assault whilst slowing them down a bit. You'll probably already know that equipping the RL slows them down as well and 'slow' kind of associates with 'heavy'. I sometimes think the original intention behind the classes (in the devs minds) is not how things have panned out in practice. For example, you could get the impression that LA were meant to be the prime assault class supported by the HA, who would then move up and hold the position. After all, they carry what today would be called a Squad Automatic Weapon and the overshield for soaking up damage could be just as much a defence ability as an attacking one. RLs could have been an intended way of enabling HA to drive off attempts to retake a position with armoured support as much as attacking tools. So they could be considered Heavy Support, except that in general usage they have become the most common assault class.
I believe that either Wrel or ZoranTheBear has a video stating that this is actually how the game used to work, back in the days when you could destroy generators and SCUs with bullets.
Do you have much HA experience? Good HAs with solid loadouts can still hold points and mow infantry down. Their AV isn't a strong compared to Engineers or LAs, but it's enough to deter zergs.
The point is they got nerfed because people who dont want to properly play their own role lose to them in a head on fight. They are SUPPOSED to win in a head on fight.
Heavy Assaults are not solely anti-vehicle. They are not, and never were intended to be. The combination of defensive shields, heavy machine guns and missile launchers gives them two roles; Anti-Vehicle, and Shock Trooper. They're supposed to be the breaching troops, the ones to burst in before the rest of the team and take the hits and dish out the pain while the rest move in behind them and mop up. That's why they're the 'Heavy' Assault in contrast to the 'Light' Assault, who instead have increased maneuverability in the form of jetpacks. Speaking as a veteran HA, I can tell you that with the proper loadout - which is not that expensive, really - a HA can and will mow mfakers down. You just have to play the class right.
The nerf to HA was very well done, and I am and always have been a HA main. The NMG and Adrenaline shield were meant to be the reactive choice. This is because they never lose effectiveness, no matter the situation. They are still strong enough that any player will beat an opponent of similar skill in a straight up one on one, and only lose if they get flanked well. And it recharges quick enough to be good for fight after fight after fight, instead of once every 30-45 seconds. The Resist is made to be the proactive overshield. If you turn it on before taking damage, it will make you more survivable than the others, but less if you take too much, something like 1/4. The change to shields put them in their proper places. Pre-change the NMG would always block about as much damage as the Resist, even if Resist was mitigating from 100%, now it's different. And HA can still do the "Assault" part perfectly fine. With their high power LMGs and ES Heavy Weapons and their Overshield, they can turn any opponent into mincemeat.
