Honest opinion on the VS Mag Rider?

I think though the same is true of the NC as well.

MBT hours: Lightning Hours
VS: 0.78 (596.1/763.7)
NC: 0.80 (649.0/811.2)
TR: 1.07 (790.6/741.4)

So the TR are the only ones pulling more Prowlers than they pull Lightnings. The VS and the NC pretty equally detest their MBTs and pull more Lightnings than MBTs. But the ratio of VS pulling Lightnings instead of MBTs is about the same for the NC pulling Lightnings instead of MBTs.

Pretty much Prowler>Lightning>Vanguard=Magrider from the pull ratio point of view.

I just get so ticked when anyone trots out this crap. Players with no sense of the game's history, how things have changed, vehicles balanced and rebalanced. Once upon a time the devs nerfed the Magrider hard. They reduced its traction so much it couldn't climb any hills at all. At the same time they over buffed the Prowler's muzzle velocity and rate of fire. The situation was so bad TR players actually hated how easy it was.

The Magrider isn't anywhere near as powerful as it once was. Yet, the devs figured out the key to balancing the Magrider was buff the other vehicles. They did. They finally corrected the Prowler issue, and the Vanguard still has the most effective main gun in the game. Yet, we still see threads like this started by green horn players who don't know the first thing about this game's history, like how ******* hard it has been to get where we are right now in terms of MBT balance.

Do I like how the Magrider performs right now? No, I don't, but I'll b damned if I'm going to let threads like this go unanswered. The last thing we need are the devs to pay this lip service any mind. I'll accept the Mag's shortcomings if for nothing but to not go back to a time when I couldn't even drive up a ramp.

I personally think out AP gun needs a pass, a total rework, but I'll take what we have for now.

The Magrider isn't OP. Period. The whiners got their nerfed Mag back in 2013. It was a disaster for everyone. Stop asking for a repeat.

History lesson

Way back when the game was shiny and new there was a sale on station cash and this was then followed with a 30% off vehicle weapons.

A lot of VS got the Saron laser cannon of doom and a gunner for it. Naturally.
Not many TR or NC bothered

For months after that the NC/TR whined about how their tank was UP and the Mag was OP, so some idiot gave into their whining without looking into the stats correctly. The Mag got nerfed into a cert pinata (made slower, less maneuverable, projectile speed reduced), the TR got railguns when locked down (for a week there was a 600% increase in projectile speed) well the NC and TR got weapon projectile increases.

Sad thing is that when testing the TR/NC kit the VS players would beat everyone as they drove the Vannies and Prowlers like they drove their mags on the live servers - With AV gunners in communication.

It was only when the same dev that nerfed the VS into pinatas for forced to drive/gun a mag he realized that he had gone over board with the nerf bat and removed some of the nerfs.

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Mags cannot dodge shots with actual maths

Vanguard shot travels at 275 m/s
Magrider moves sideways at 20 kph /1000 *60 *60 = 5.5m/s Mag is 10m wide

The minimum distance the magrider needs to be to dodge a shot is 275m with 0 lag and a reaction speed of 0, ideally the mag should be 412 meters factoring 0.5 seconds lag / human reaction

Oh dear, the emotionally driven forumside warriors won't know what to do with this. Now they have to accept they missed a shot rather than coming up with excuses as to why their, obviously, perfect aim was compromised by the Matrix agent bullet dodging Magrider. I'll make some popcorn, this is going to be good.

Silly Vanu >> believes Mag is 10m wide.

It is 2 infantry heights wide, which means it is at MOST 4m wide.

Which means, if you were aiming at the perfect center of the Mag, there is a 2m forgivance.

So, that means the Mag has a 1/3 chance (assuming random left/right strafing/stopping) of being hit by a perfect aimer at 275m/(5.5m/2m) = 100m, which is the common mid-range engagement for tank battles; these perfect aimers who would otherwise hit 100% of the time.

My opinion on the Magrider:

It is an annoying tank to deal with, and it's most useful ability comes with no cert requirements.

Thankfully (me as a TR), with the recent MBT secondary update, the Saron is no longer over performing. The gatekeeper has finally given everyone a secondary on equal footing (according to last months stats on Oracle of Death; the vulcan has always severely underperformed no matter how many people complain about it).

Maneuverability: this is the single most important aspect of the Magrider. A moving magrider is effectively 25-50% harder to hit at any range. It can dodge shells while facing it's strongest front armor to the enemy (effect negated with side armor purchase). It can shoot while moving due to it's high stability. These are capabilities other tanks cannot dream to have, and is only balanced by the Mag's lower DPS, armor, and lack of a useful ES ability.

Bullet drop: The Supernova travels only 10% slower than the Prowler's P2. At close/mid range, this is pretty much irrelevant. At long range, it is still easily made up for and then some by the fact that the SN has no recoil.

ES ability: the Magburner is not comparable to the shield or lockdown. It can't be used to run away since it only goes forward. I have seen it used to charge over another tank and then take shots from behind, but that's a 1 time cheese. It's main use is to get onto hills, then use its pinpoint accuracy and no-recoil to farm stationary targets/doorways. It's pretty useless in combat IMO.

Secondary: Saron is a highly useful weapon, due to its solid combination of accuracy, range, and DPS. It is effective against infantry (kind of), vehicle, and air.
- I'm not sure why nobody is complaining about the Aphelion, but so many were complaining about the Vulcan. The Aphelion, when used correctly, has a ridiculous 15-20% faster TTK than the Vulcan, with a tiny 15% damage drop.

My sole experience with magriders has been failing to hit them with dumbfire rockets, but then again I'm new, a poor shot and was aiming from quite a distance off with no cover like an idiot ('-.-)

Generally, it seems there's some debate as to the viability of the mag. however, i think viability is based on the drivers, not the mag itself. If you have a skilled team, communicating often, and armed with a well certed tank, they will do well. If some n00b (possibly such as myself) who doesn't know anything about the mag tries to fight an anchored prowler, they will lose every time.

Cry HAX and let slip the dogs of nerf! Newer or uncoordinated players can't fight properly! Compare stats as much as you want, it's down to the players to make them count.

This is why I find it a joke that, when regarding the Gatekeeper and the Vulcan, TR players instantly retort with "But VS has Saron. Saron is very OP". The Saron was very powerful, yes we will all admit that. though it has been nerfed - and nerfed hard - in the past. Personally, I still love the Magrider regardless, because it is unique and can do things that other vehicles cannot.

The Magrider can dodge shots though. Your mathematics are theoretical rather than de facto. There are many variables that come into this, such as the aim of your adversary, and whether you have any obstacles to slide around to hind behind. That said, it is true that dodging shots are a rarity, though they can happen, and often do.

*Stands up, straightens back, looks Shiaari in the eye, and with tremendous vigour and a movement so sharply splendid, salutes*.

The Magrider is unique - it is fun and very maneuverable, but is incredibly vulnerable to certain attacks.

Thanks to the fixed gun and low elevation, just about any air attack is deadly

Thanks to the fixed gun, sluggish movement and slow shell speed, a fast moving attacker is deadly (eg. Vulcan Harasser)

Historically the Magrider has really needed a secondary gunner to be viable. Catch a 1/2 Magrider in anything with AV potential and it's going to have a hard time. BUT - nearly all will be 2/2 as the VS understand this requirement.

Vanguard and now the Prowler are very often 2/2 though - Enforcer is good, Gatekeeper is awesome - marginalising what the Magrider can hope to achieve in an MBT scrap.

I think the Magrider is now best used on the outskirts of a battle, picking off anything weak / wounded while staying away from the heavy guns unless you have a serious tactical advantage. Just watch out for air !

Problem is, we basically NEED a 2nd gunner to not be ****e on a mag. Last I checked, TR and NC didn't have to rely so heavily on that, which means they could field more tanks or more infantry.

The magrider being able to move to locations that no other MBT can reach makes it OP.

It has to have some counter mechanic to lockdown and shields, but the magrider has already has the ability to strafe and utilize turbo.

Allowing to get into position where no other MBT can reach is a bit much. This make the Vanu the only faction to be able to get MBTs in position to fire down into some bases and toward targets that no other faction can reach with that same kind of fire power.

Geez the Magrider pays dearly in nearly every other respect for it's maneuverability.

In terms of killing TR or NC MBTs, C4 is statistically the most effective VS weapon. For TR - the P2-120AP is the most effective. For NC, the Titan-150 AP is the most effective.

I play all three factions and I seriously recommend others should - if you don't then I strongly suggest you create a VS Alt and go tanking. See how long you last, and just hope upon all hopes that you don't come across a Vanguard or Prowler (or Harasser - or Battlebus, Lightning or any air...)

system trashed my reply.

Basically ::

I do play all three factions.

I don't have a magrider fully CERTed out to see what it really can do in battle.

I'm not part of a Vanu Outfit so I'm rarely able to gun for a skilled Mag rider pilot.

I've seen what Magriders can do in the field.

I know that Vanguard and Prowler drivers are wary of battling Magriders.

Magriders CAN get where no other MBT can.

Yep, this is Q4 vehicle deaths (so mostly non-noobs) as of 5th October. With MBT and Harasser weapons highlighted.

I have mouse Frd & Back buttons mapped to tank turret turning so I just hit 1 of those buttons for maximum turn speed when turning, and have appropriate mouse-x sensitivity for aiming.

NC victim complex much?

Yes, there are quite a few good Magrider pilots out there, and they make some good videos. I'm sure you're not one of them, however, if you think vehicle mouse sensitivity influences how fast the Magrider turns.

It doesn't. Not in the slightest. It only FEELS faster because increased sensitivity pegs the turn rate quicker.

You don't change the max turn speed but it makes it easier to reach that speed with mouse turning alone. Can be mitigated to some extent by using the arrow keys/look left-right bound to something but it's not a replacement for finer mouse control.

I can honestly say I've never driven an MBT, so I have little experience in this matter from either view. From the viewpoint of myself, all the MBTs are OP, but mostly because I can't lead my ML-7 that well. Magriders are the tank I've most encountered, mostly on hills. They usually duck around my poorly aimed shots and I get a blast to the face. TBF though I have seen a Prowler squad before, and the other day we lost a base, I had to retreat, and a vanguard was at the door all like "oh, you wanna leave? Too bad!" I'd've redeployed, but I'd've been shot while standing around waiting to deploy. All the tanks have their ups and downs, and good players can make them work much better despite their faults.

As a pilot I beg to differ. Out of the three the one I least fear is the Prowler. It has no instagib ability and is very unwieldy on terrain. This makes it very hard for it to actually take you down with its main turret. As for the Vangaurd, that thing is a sniper. I don't fear it for its turret elevation. I fear it for that shot from 400m away that smacks you out the air with no warning or realization. As for the Magrider, with its ability to traverse rougher terrain and steeper inclines, coupled with the Magburner, it can be very effective against air. In flat open areas with no inclines, the Magrider sucks due to the turret elevation. But if you have the slightest bit of terrain you can utilize, it can stand on par or even above the other tanks. Just google Magrider AA and watch some of the uses of terrain to your advantage. If I ever find a Magrider out by itself with no support. I still have to be mindful of my position relative to them and the terrain surrounding them when attacking. As they can switch the engagement in a second with a well placed magburn and use of terrain.