Extremely accurate. I lolled, only at close ambush range, taking shots at long range is like a gamble to hit.
That's why I did a quick fly-by. If there's one MAX, the shots will be more or less parallel to each othere - which isn't the case with two MAX', unless they stand on top of each other and shoots at the same spot. I agree that the HA is a huge problem as well - even more after the latest "fix" of the rockets. They are a fair bit harder to escape from now, and even more when you don't know from which direction they come.
I have always laughed when a SG starts opening up on me or my mossy pals. usually i climb to max height, then divebomb the SG till it blows up or runs for cover. i agree with morph because SG would be used more often and i would start being more serious The divebomb thing works on AA maxes too, if they dont wise to it within three volleys of rockets they are toast.....unless they have a support team.....Though I thankfully I can kill those when I shoot the max lol I recall two separate instances where I divebombed a MAX pair and a SG. It took me 10 dives and I still hadnt killed them. I killed a couple infantry (engis mostly) but no MAXs. I divebombed the skyguard ONCE. He blew. Then I slammed into the engineer behind him cuz I was done playing for the day ;P SG needs more power. Max needs to be more easily spotted....or something.
who cares anymore about balance, infantry dont want it. The burster would be perfectly fine if every heavy was not also carrying anti air. Welcome to cod only in space... This is what the devs invisioned i guess mass infantry fighting mass infantry.
The only problem with Burster MAXes is that they can't be suppressed by ground forces. Given a MAX's natural survivability, Charge, and the ability to hide pretty much anywhere, it's much, much harder for ground units to eliminate MAX AA than it would be to, say, eliminate AA turrets, even if they were in defensible positions that weren't a joke. When the only thing that can reliably kill AA is air, then you've got a really weird situation where two separate things are designed to counter each other. Burster MAXes are conceptually broken, not just in practice.
Please tell me which game your playing ........ Maxes die VERY easily to infantry rifles. Hell, even sniper pistols can wipe out a MAx unit pretty damn fast. So yes, they are very easily suppressed by ground forces, once you force an AA max to start looking for incomming infantry or to run for cover it is no longer doing it's job of watching the skies = AA max suppressed. Air can escape/ dodge fire from Maxes far easier than a Max can run / dodge fire from infantry, and my AA max uses Ammo Storage instead of charge, as they aren't meant for rushing and more Ammo is far more useful to me due to how fast it gets used up.
Dmg of skyguard compared to max? Check skyguard wrecks a ESF with one flyover..max only chase it away...extremly accurat? Jeah shure...if a flak can hit you you should lear to fly...I have a hard tiem killing esf when I`m alone and he at least knows that flying a straight line is dumb.
My opinion of SG: It is as effective as p*ssing with your eyes closed and in headwind - it's all over the place and you feel embarrassed.
I would imagine the only way to know is if the MAX kills you and there was nobody listed for the assist.
The problem is you can be just 50m behind the front lines, and yet never encounter enemy infantry. The MAX is more than sturdy enough to get spotted by an enemy or two and sprint away unless they ambush it with Rockets/C4. Making the MAX spend 10 seconds charging away and settings up shop in the next building over, or in the new and improved spawn rooms, is not suppressing it.
I would disagree with you somewhat in the volume of people you need to operate maxes efficiently. I use do AA with a dual burster frequently on Jaeger in defensive fights. You do need an engi to do it right, but it is the same with a skyguard if you want repairs, and for Ammo, you have to locate an ammo tower, which isn't nearly as useful as droppable ammo (And since ammo sundies are rare). Ammo wise, a single engi is all that is needed for a squad of Dual bursters, they just don't got through ammo that fast, and that same Engi can pull repair duty. As to bursters being useless against infantry, maybe at long range. Short range, bursters will tear infantry up. I can go toe to toe with all infantry classes using dual bursters and still survive. I mean, the machine guns are better, but you don't have to fold the moment someone walks up if you are using dual bursters. Failing that, just throw punches at them, like a drunken sailor, maybe not practical in future combat, but it's still hilarious.
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!! A single max with a single engineer can decimate an airforce. I know because I've been on both sides of the battle many times. I can kill 20 aircraft before anyone even has a clue where I am. Keep in mind I'm using a dual bursters and I track the aircraft. ESFs less than a magazine and they are gone. Libs, 2 magazines and they are done. Libs have a better chance of getting away if you start shooting too early, or too late. You have to time it correctly so that they are in view and in range for long enough to hit them with two complete mags. The Max IS ridiculously OP without question. Also, the ESFs primary A2G weapon (the rockets) are VERY ineffective against maxes. You need to hit them with the nose gun inorder to take them out with any consistency.
At release they were probably perfectly balanced, but they did not need the AA flak buff they got in December, that buff has caused them to be overpowered by extending their effective range considerably. Overall their damage is perfect at close range from an air perspective, their range is just a tad too far. At the time they needed the buff because G2A missiles literally didn't work, skygaurds were pathetic, and lolpods/zepher were still pre nerf unbalanced stupidity, leaving the AA MAX the only viable G2A unit in the game. In close quarters combat (from an air perspective) AA MAXes absolutely shred ESFs. This is a good thing as AA MAXes should be for close quarters infantry support, and their damage makes them very effective here. Within 300 meters everything the AA MAX does is perfect. The issue is grouped AA MAXes can extend this range and effectively create huge no fly zones far larger then their intended ground defensive role; this is especially compounded by render issues where their flak can be invisible. The AA MAX shouldn't be the best air superiority unit in the game, that should be the role for A2A ESFs; however due to the range and effectiveness of grouped AA MAXes, air superiority has been pretty much stolen from ESFs by AA MAXes: This could be easily resolved by a slight reduction to AA MAX effective range. Whatever happens their damage within 300meters shouldn't be touched though, they should always be able to kill ESFs that get that close to the troops they are protecting.
Dual Burster Maxes are the BANE of my existance. I also completely r@ep ESF with them. Squads of 2 or 3 of these guys make flying impossible. 5 of these guys hardcounter any number of airborn units indefinitely. They are basically unkillable, live in spawn rooms firing out the shields. Im sure stupid ones get killed, never really happened to mine, I always get bored once air has left "for good" when I pull mine. I have solo'd teams of 5 to 7 ESF with them. They can be pulled anywhere and with minimal teamwork they can duo or trio entire air wings of 10 to 15 guys. Also they can instantly turn into AI or AV Maxes with a terminal or a Sundie. lol... OP? lol... Dual B Maxes make Annhilator squads jealous.
Reading through threads like these, I have to wonder how much rage some of you would spew if AA were at the level of effectiveness in this game as it is in PS1. A Burster max in PS1 could annihilate a Reaver in under a second, pretty handily. This, in a game with extremely long average TTK, overall.
Skygaurd is probably perfect where it is right now. And it's a dedicated unit, that should be able to harrass air at range. An MAXes can reequip for AI and even AV (to an extent) at any infantry terminal at not cost; so no he doesn't sacrifice his ability to do anything else (not in the same sense non reequipable vehicles do). Bursters are also plenty capable for dealing with lone infantry units (such as drop podders on air pads), bursters only become a seriously ineffective against massed infantry and vehicles; and we all know if the AA MAX is suddenly dealing with these threats the position is ususally being overrun anyway. The whole baiting thing has caught me unaware many times, and no matter how good you fly if 3 AA MAXes open up on you within 100 meters, you die, as it should be; the reason why AA MAXes become overpowered though is that a group of five or more of them establishes complete air superiority over a huge area. Do you really think the AA MAX should unequivacably be the best way to establish air superiority?
We're still on this idea that ESFs must fight aircraft? Run everyone, Smaug the dragon is despoiling us, only another dragon can save us!
Precisely. All this FUD about the AA MAX is just that. FUD. A single AA MAX is worthless against all but half asleep or horribly inexperienced fliers.
