I've been taking an interest in playing the max more often and hence looking for some advice on what weapons I should be looking at, specifically Anti Infantry. I've tested out all the weapons in VR but hitting stationary targets isn't the best metric. it really comes down to hacksaws or mattocks. Are mattocks increased range (which from testing it feels like it doesn't really have any) worth it over the hacksaws rapid damage output at close range? Should I even bother with AI as an NC max because with the default weapons (haven't invested certs into max because it seems dodgy and wouldn't want to waste certs) going into such close range either gets me C4'd or makes me an easy target for rockets. If I ambush a guy I get some kills but that's how it is with any class and maxes aren't exactly subtle. Should I just invest in AV (Ravens that everyone is crying about) because even the single starter falcon feels really solid and I've killed scores of vehicles with it, the scattercannon just FEELS weak. Does the max get better with dual shotguns and become worth the certs?
NC max is the king of CQC, but it does not have any ranged weapons (unless you want to get ravens or slug mattocks). It does get better with dual shotguns, or dual everything. (Don't ever make a hybrid max)
as much as people dont want to emite it there IS some skill involved with a MAX and it comes in the form of hitting fast moving targets, and looking up XD. yes the MAX gets alot more powerful with duel weps and ask for ravens, AV has never been my forte so i cant give any advice for them
The issue isn't dual weapons, the issue is that any of the NC AI weapons need extended magazines in order to be effective. That's 500 certs per arm. Otherwise the long reload times will get you killed. If you want to an effective NC AI Max, you also need to sink a lot of certs into armor and the Aegis shield, because you're going to be working at close range, and you will take hits. If you are not willing to spend certs to get the extended magazines, look at using dual Falcons (or even dual Ravens) in an AI role.
ravens. if you want strictly close quarters then hacksaws are monsters, but for everything else, forget mattocks, forget slugs, just go with ravens. i spent the 3,300 certs it costs to get mattocks with extended mags and slugs, and honestly they can't hold a candle to ravens. and thats just from an AI perspective, the fact that ravens can also demolish entire vehicle columns just amplifies their position as the no.1 max weapon.
For the NC max I can suggest a few things from my play style take it with a grain of salt or two. First off Aegis Shield. It helps in a team-mate role and helps you close the gap to them, level it up higher and the more damage it can soak up. Second for the team role at night I find more so then the day people are inclined to shoot you for the big blue shoot me sign you carry allowing team mates to pop shot them while they're distracted. Also worth mentioning not many NC max seem to know is you can trigger reload pull the shield up and use it as cover until the reload is complete. You can also use your shield as cover for allies provided you have a engineer or two nearby, crouch with the shield and team mates can stand up to shoot over you as you absorb damage for them. As for combat roles CQC is key, if you can find a way to make your enemies come to you in a building or a small room do it. Also slugs are good for range while without them allows your pellets to spread good for forcing 2-3 people back in cover that would just shoot at you. Bio labs are your home. Tech plant capture points and SCU rooms will also be your home. last bit of information comes down to personal preference on this one Kinetic armor or Flak. Kinetic armor is great at soaking up gun fire which I find myself in a lot while flak is good at soaking up indirect explosions. Not sure if it's a bug or not but flak doesn't seem to soak up direct hits with explosives i.e. Sticky grenades, rockets and tank shells to name a few. Those are just tips from my experience I hope they help you.
The basic rule of thumb for NC AI MAXs is: 2x Grinders with pellets for 0-8m engagements (and 0-8m anti-MAX engagements) and 2x Mattocks with slugs for everything else. The reasons behind this are simple, the Grinder beats the SC and Hacksaw in damage per mag whilst retain 0.0 infantry TTK and is the only set up with enough damage in 2 mags to kill a KA5 MAX without a reload. Where as Mattocks have better CoF/Spread and velocity for longer ranges. Obviously that is just a rule of thumb and there are instances where Hacksaws might be the better option, say if you're popping out of a door into enemy fire and just want to unload 2x mags at a mass of enemy before getting back into cover.... the Hacksaws RoF might make it the..... if not best, then perhaps least worst option for that. But yes you do tend to be more vulerable to C4 and Rockets as an NC AI MAX, as generally you will be closer, the flipside to that is you are more deadly in the 0-8m range. YMMV. If you're talking about just longer range AI work then Ravens or Falcons would be your better choice almost certainly.
I play VS max pretty heavily and what ive found is that much like tanks don't go in unsupported by infantry Go in with a push not ahead of it. I have played a little NC max and even with lvl 1 of that shield it is amazing. Use your team mates and that shield to move from cover to cover and lock down the points. I would recommend nanite auto-repair but since NC max is a different play style it may not be the best option.
I find NC to be the least vulnerable to C4, mainly because you only have to line up the sights, not track the target, someone that close doesn't have the time to throw and detonate. Conversely, the poor range leaves you most vulnerable to heavies with deci's, since they can just aim in at distance while they sit almost impervious to your pillow launchers. Then again if you fight distant opponents as a scat max you are doing it wrong. NC max is for breaking holds, best application is to use charge to push into the middle of the room and start tearing stuff up while they are afraid of shooting each other, you can knock out a good 4-5 guys in a jiffy while distracting the whole defense, as long as your team isn't a bunch of wussies, this punches a hole for them to get in and clean up. The weapon I always recommend is a second scat, for busting a room they are the same one shot effect as a pair of mattocks, but require less precision with the extra pellet and greater spread, out further that spread does more harm than the extra pellet does good but this has no bearing on room clearing. one scat is also cheaper than 2 mattocks. Grinders are good if you are busting a hold on an SCU in an outpost, or some tiny little room like that, and maybe holds in those 2 story buildings with the balcony (just don't try to shoot all the way down the hall downstairs) or the 2 story room where the gen is in a tech plant. NC max's weak point is defending rooms, the low ammo count means the steady stream of enemies will eventually catch you in a reload. Outside fighting is also not good, I've completely taken NC maxes solo with just a solstice...
