After Higbty answered some of the Reddit community's questions earlier in the week, it came to light that recon abilities were not being considered for LA, but were instead being considered exclusively for the Infiltrator class. I feel that this is a mistake. Infiltrators definitely need to be improved upon and of course they should have access to reconnaissance tools, but the Light Assault class lends itself quite well to these tasks as well, and as a Light Assault player, I would personally love to have them, whatever they may turn out to be, even if they are limited when compared to the Infiltrator. It's been made clear that the Infiltrator class is intended to serve dual purpose as both sniper and infiltrator. These are very different things, but they're both part of the same class. So why shouldn't LA be allowed to spec as a scout if they are so inclined? Radar transmitters and other observation devices seem like a perfect match for the Light Assault class. Their mobility is an incredible boon to those who wish to play the role of an information gatherer, just as stealth is for the Infiltrator. It would open up an entire new dynamic for the class, and ensure that they had a role in a team setting. LA is not generally considered viable as a team-oriented class. Giving us more lone-wolf abilities is appreciated, but without something to make us useful in a squad setting, this decision will only cause players of the class to be even further ostracized.
Agreed... Sure we got C4 but so do Engi's... Ehm... We got grenades! Wait everyone got grenades... Alright we got jet packs! Well actually everyone got a special ability... Mmh I remember someone making a good overview of the current class abilities... Engineer: Repair, Rearm. Infiltrator: Cloak, Hacking. Medic: Heal, Revive. Heavy: Shield, AV Max: AV, AI, Charge LA: Jetpack...
Higbty said, that LA need most "love" of all classes and that they will be adding something so we will be more viable for outfits. So i guess we will get some additional distinctive ability. Engineer: Repair, rearm, turrets, landmine)
Jetpack is arguably the single most valuable "standalone" special ability of any class. There is no other unique ability that empowers an individual player more. Other abilities, like engineer/medic heal have huge support abilities, but for the individual the jet pack is astoundingly valuable. Right now I wonder if people just don't know how to use it right or they haven't burned enough certs to build it up (it's a bit expensive to get the underslung grenades + C4 + jet pack certs), but in most of the heavy fights I have been in LA get to run around relatively unobstructed and do horrific rear line damage. I do think they could use some love, but only some. Giving them things like long rifles or more explosives, or even stealth abilities, would simply make them too powerful. Radar pings could be nice. But I don't know what else you could give them that wouldn't make them overpowered. It is already probably the single most devastating anti-infantry class in game if played right.
^ this we basicly have no borders which opens up tons of possibilities for us. cant breach through the front? take the side way! tanks cant get through shields? fly over the wall and overcharge generator. found a sniper nest up in hills? well fly up there and kill them enemy has unbreakable defensive lines formed? well flank em and throw a grenade they only thing were jetpacks are kinda useless is in tight indoor areas. LAs are pretty much the backbone of every coordinated attack. unless you want to spent a 3 hour fight.
You can just as easily accomplish any task without LA as you can with. And you could potentially say the exact same thing about the HA shield as you can about the LA jump jets. LA can't survive as a one trick pony.
What other class can get onto roof tops and fire into your line with grenades? Spawn beacons are the only thing close to this, and they truly are a one trick pony.
What other class NEEDS to? Half the times I see a chance to flank someone, I can do it by walking around the other side of the building just as easily as jumping up to the top of it. People seriously need to stop overplaying the advantage of jumping on roof tops. It's not that difficult to aim up rather then aim strait forward.
people seriously overestimate the time it takes us to overcharge generators and cleaning flanks while your are still busy getting throught the chokepoints somehow. also, you flank someone, we flank whole groups (shooting at you)
I have to wonder how much time you've spent actually using rooftops/ledges tactically for you to have this opinion. Sure, it's just as easy to aim up, but 1) most enemy of other classes don't seem to think about it most of the time and 2) I'm far more likely to be off to the side or behind their direction of travel AND up above them. This results in ridiculous kill sprees, xp, and cert points. We are pretty squishy (as we should be given our unique ability) in a straight up fight, so we need to use those ledges and rooftops. You shouldn't be on the rooftop anyway, any more than you should be on the hilltop. Big target. I started pc gaming way back when the first Tribes was making waves and played the hell out of that and Tribes 2. LA brings back a lot of those fun memories and, frankly, tactics. (though they need to add skiing, lol, to make it complete). I find getting around the main firefights by going around or over things gets me to the inevitable area where the enemy is clogging up behind cover. Grenades work wonders at that point. Aside from the purely tactical utility of using elevations effectively, using the JJ when someone catches me off-guard has saved my killing sprees more often than not. Non-LA's just don't seem to be ready for someone reacting by disappearing up and to their side...just before dying themselves.
Been playing mostly Engie since beta but loaded up an LA last night, mainly due to a long stalemate battle at a Tech plant and being bored of it. My plan was simple: fly up and attack from above. Well, as it turned out, I wasn;t alone. There were half a dozen other LA's doing the same thing (dropping down the transporter chute) and my gun there seemed to make a much bigger difference than my ammo boxes did on the front line...and it was a helluva lot more fun! Anyway, three cheers for light assault!
I agree that, if used properly, even just a single LA can completely change a fight. However, in a lot of major outfits, LA is banned in group actions because they're considered extremely situational. I'd just like to see them get some utility that makes them worthy of consideration in a squad situation, and I think recon capabilities suit the class perfectly. This is exactly the kind of thinking that I'm talking about. People don't think they're useful and so they aren't allowed in platoon actions.
...which oddly enough is where "Stealth" is even more useless. And Atleast some of the Buildings have stairs in their roof that a L.A. can fly up on and flank into...
You can't call LA a one trick pony, because it has an entire extra plane of motion to all others. The class has the potential to be highly unpredictable, and that is what makes the LA so useful imo.
I really am somewhat confused as to why outfits really don't like LA. They are dead useful and can distract entire squads for minuets at a time. This is great for groups if they are actually using them correctly because they can get behind, make those kills and open up the opportunity for the rest of the squad to push at the same time. This is really devastating and yet... No one wants to use it???
I've been encouraging people in my outfit to play LA. Even without burning all the certs for C4 and USGL they are all starting to realize how dead sexy it is. There are few classes that can defeat an entrenched position better. I would say they may be more effective than MAXs in many situations. Hell, after tonight...I may go so far as to say that, properly certed, they may be overpowered. Bein able to drop 9 explosives from an elevated position is...just absurd. But I would never actually say that because I prefer people thinking HA/Eng/Medic is the only way to go and have them all sit in a blob together.
Never underestimate the ability to c4 a liberator. Yes, i've done it before, then I died from the fall because my jumpjets decided to take a nap. Still totally worth it tho. LA is one of the most versatile classes in the game, the Jetpack really is good for screwing with people's heads.
i dont care what people think. people thought that the earth was the center of the universe, people think world will end 21.12 and <put random crap here>. the mayority of people cant think straight. LAs use guerilla tactics which is probably why we get guerilla badges. nuff said.
Make outfit makes heavy use of LA, most of the time we push on something LA squad leader puts a beacon on the roof and they start dropping in like space marines. While we hammer them from the ground, they get pooped on from the air.
