[Vehicle] Lightning Secondary Weapons

Originally, the Lightning was supposed to get two different weapons, like so:



But along the way someone dropped the ball and the Lightning ended up how it is now... with only one weapon.

Giving two weapons to a single-player vehicle isn't a bad, unworkable idea. After all, ESFs get to run around with two weapons... and they cost the same as a Lightning!

So my suggestion is to give the Lightning a secondary, co-axial weapon. These would fall into similar categories as ESF weapons.

Also some new primary Lightning weapons, though it isn't completely necessary that secondaries are paired with a particular primary weapon.

Lightning AV Build: 55mm Sidewinder EW-Cannon and Mantisfly ATGM



55mm Sidewinder EW-Cannon- While not even as damaging as the Viper, this small but high-tech cannon is meant to compliment the Mantisfly ATGM. Shots travel with a very high velocity and a very flat arc. Upon hitting an enemy vehicle, offensive nanites are deployed, causing the target vehicle to have its speed reduced by 75%. This makes enemy vehicles easier to target with the Mantisfly ATGMs, as well as preventing the enemy from escaping.

Mantisfly ATGMs- Although a bit ugly and inelegant, the Mantisflies give the Lightning significant AT capabilities. They are wire-guided in a similar fashion to the ESF Hornets, but travel faster and pack a bigger punch. Can be launched in a salvo of two before reloading is needed.

Mantisflies are inspired by the old BMP-1 Malyutka missiles:



Lightning AA Build: 30mm Anaconda Chaingun and Siamese SAMs



30mm Anaconda Chaingun- An enlarged and elongated Tank Buster allows the Lightning to deliver heavy AA fire at medium ranges, though lighter projectiles mean that effectiveness against light and heavy armour is significantly reduced.

Siamese SAMs- While the Anaconda can engage close-in targets, the Siamese SAMs allow the Lightning to engage targets that are further away. Functionally identical to A2A Tomcats, but the Lightning can fire off four before having to reload.

Both weapons exist in the form of the Kashtan CIW System:



Lightning AI Build: Fer-de-Lance Flamethrower and Bengal Thermobaric Rockets



Fer-de-Lance Flamethrower- Affectionately called "Freddy" by Lightning crews, this weapon allows the Lightning to engage infantry at close quarters. The imprecise spurt of flame makes it difficult for infantry to gain the initiative and mount an attack, as it results in both plenty of flames and smoke. Operates on a heat mechanic, similar to Phalanx turrets, though also has limited ammunition.

Bengal Thermobaric Rockets- If the main flamethrower wasn't enough, the Bengal rockets allow the Lightning to deliver explosive death at longer ranges or around obstacles. HE rockets have a significant blast radius. Similar to the ESF rocketpods, these rockets trade lower damage-per-shot for a much greater salvo of rockets before reloading is needed.

Thermobaric rockets are found in things like the TOS-1 Buratino:

OH BOY! THIS AGAIN!

In any case, I have long wanted ALL tank driver canons to have a coax.

Lightnings and MBT's... Magrider get's slightly screwed here the way it's canon is fixed, so coax would be as well, but 'tis what 'tis.

I still don't know why Coax cannons aren't in the game, considering how much infantryside loves complaining about OHK weapons I'd have thought anything that encourages tankers to shoot them with something that won't insta kill them on hit they'd be all for.

The Lightning should not get a second weapon.

What would be cool is new "main guns" for Lightnings that are themselves two weapons.

It really is the single best solution IMO.

Give every driver a coax kobalt.

No MBT or Lightning has 2 weapons, so it'd be as simple as making it accessible as a secondary weapon like ESF's.

Voila!

Not only that, but as a tank hunter lightning, I would no longer have to waste shells on infantry

Why settle for a little LMG when you could have ATGMs, SAMs, or thermobaric rockets?

Although I'm not against Lightnings from having a coaxial LMG... maybe that could be a tertiary weapon?

Because your ideas make ESF secondaires look like Beamers.

So you want THREE weapons for the ESF, main canon, ridiculously OP ordinance, AND a coax.

Lovely.

Can you give an example?

Sure, we can give the ESF a coaxial LMG too!

I don't think that would make much of a difference really. I mean a Kobalt on an ESF would somehow be frightening?

no...

give ESF's main canons.

Their nose guns are more like Kobalt, so then they should get a lighting 105mm canon

The picture in the OP looks kind of like that. Two guns, mounted in the sides of the turret, but it doesn't get a main cannon. They could be, just to toss it out, roughly as strong as Harasser weapons. But it would have the versatility of using one or the other at any given time.

Things like the Air Hammer/Banshee/L PPA already get about as many KPU as Lightning HE cannon. They pretty much have those already!

Lightning HE KPU- 11.85
ESF AI Nosegun (including the heavily nerfed Banshee) KPU- 10.03
ESF Rocket Pods KPU- 6.91

So while ESF AI weapons have 16.94 KPU, the Lightning HE cannon only has 11.85. Thus the Lightning needs a secondary AI weapon that gets at least 5.09 KPU to be even!

I would have used KPH, but everyone knows that KPH is wonky with ESFs (on account of 1 person having two weapons).

you... actually responded seriously.....

Just take a coax. It's the only thing remotely possible/reasonable.

Would you prefer a Drake CoAx?

Again, why should Lightnings settle for a coax when ESFs get much cooler things that have higher KPUs?

Seems like the short end of the stick here.

I'd prefer the AI solution to be more dakka (e.g. a medium-damage but dead-accurate (no CoF bloom) machine gun) than gimmicky stuff like a flamethrower and another blast radius weapon that is bound to be nerfed to oblivion within 7 days of release.

Isn't there already models for coaxial Kobolts and Basilisks already in the game?
Is there any reason they can't just change the stats on them and use those?

i like lightnings the way they are now, they are great platforms to learn tanking, and make for amazing tank killers on the right hands.

im pissed vehicle stats don't show anymore on the armory... had some pretty beast lightning stats to brag about.

anyway, i feel like giving a coax to lightnings will just complicate the platform for new players and make AI turrets get too op. (no downtime on damage)

as far a AI goes, lightnings need a buff. and that buff has to be a Skyguard rework. make the turret work on the go as an AI tool, then allow for it to deploy so we can finally buff the AA capabilities of the skyguard, while balancing it by making it a stationary platform with some ridiculous 10 second unpack timer. this will also give MBTs and Infantry some juicy objectives to go for.

just a thought.

I'm holding onto my resub until the Skyguard gets its' secondary chaingun back from PS1. Give the poor thing something else to do when air decides to go attack a different hex for awhile. Always figured the little metal circle on the top of the gun was suppose to be a mounting point for something.

I dunno. A coaxial LMG seems kinda boring.

I mean an ESF gets an automatic grenade launcher and rockets/missiles/ATGMs/whatever. The Lightning would be dull in comparison if all it got was a LMG and a cannon.

Even the old Sheridan light tank had an ATGM option!



I don't think it's too much to ask for technologies from the 1960s.

I refer you all to the PS1 Lighting.. 50mm cannon and co-axial machine gun. I think this would work well for ALL version of the Lightning as a close in defense weapon. I would model it after the walker but with the same fire arc as the mounted main cannon.