MBTs use AP more than HEAT/HE combined

I'm making this thread partly because I find it interesting, and partly to dispel the idea that tankers are inherently farmers.

We don't have numbers on how many tanks pull X weapon but we do have numbers on the playtime for each.

Source: http://ps2oraclestats.com.



Vanguard (hours)
AP: 499.8
HEAT: 360.1
HE: 48.9

Magrider (hours)
FPC: 489.7
PC: 382.8
VPC: 93.6

Prowler (hours)
AP: 516.7
HEAT: 474
HE: 77.1

I also want to point out that HEAT is inflated because most people who randomly decide to hop into a tank will be using HEAT as it is the stock weapon. Here's a comparison between average BR:

Average BR (AP/HEAT)
Vanguard: 73.6 vs 47.2
Prowler: 77.9 vs 51.6
Magrider: 77.5 vs 54.3

Of course, this doesn't take into account PPA Magriders or that AP Prowlers can still farm infantry fairly well. Not that I'm disagreeing with the overall point.

People don't use them cause they suck after the nerf.

That's still a valid point to make. An FPC Magrider can equip a PPA for the times when you have no vehicles to kill and an AP Prowler can still pick off infantry. Although I would argue that even if your focus is killing vehicles the infantry don't distinguish between you and someone with HE, so being able to defend yourself against infantry is fine.

But PPA is a problem in that sense since it fulfills the role of HE more than the role of something like a Kobalt.

I was a staunch HEAT user all the way up to the last patch, but I'm making the move (sometimes at least) to AP now that I can't splash-OHK rocket spammers. If I need to hit them to kill them, I'll at least make the projectile better at it.

That's probably because most MBT pilots who main the tank are able to hit an average infantry with the AP gun, and don't even need the splash.

Why restrict yourself to compensating for your aim when you can run both AI and AV with great effectiveness?

(Granted, TR/VS have far more effectiveness..... PPA and Marauder.)

I wanted to take this data and break it down by faction and percentage to see if the rates of AP usage are the same across all factions:

Vanguard (percentage)
AP: 55.0%
HEAT: 39.6%
HE: 5.4%

Magrider (percentage)
AP: 50.7%
HEAT: 39.6%
HE: 9.7%

Prowler (percentage)
AP: 48.4%
HEAT: 44.4%
HE: 7.2%

Vanguards use AP the most and Prowler use it the least.

Interestingly enough both the Vanguard and the Magrider have almost the exact same usage of HEAT; the Magrider simply uses more HE as much as the Vanguard uses more AP.

Magriders use HE the most, while Vanguards use HE the least.

The Prowler doesn't use AP very much, but also doesn't use HE very much. They have a higher HEAT usage relative to the Vanguard and Magrider. Maybe more new or casual TR tankers?

So essentially the Vanguard is the one most often kitted out for AT work, the Magrider is the one most often kitted out for AI work, and the Prowler is the one most often kitted out for general work.

At least based on this segment of data, which seems to mostly be a one-month thing?

The data is a daily average of the previous 30 days. Recalculated daily, table updates daily about 5am PDT.

I figure a month is long enough to generate a reasonable average for most weapons, even low usage ones. It's also a short enough time period that doesn't suffer long term problems from past changes to weapon balance.

Is there anywhere to tell the % rate of secondary along with the primary % or do I have to do it by hand (chances of meeting a HE/AV tank or a AP/AI tank.). If there is no way then I'll do it by hand and figure out the average to the best of my abilities.

Edit; changed AP/HE to AP/AI

I use HEAT or AP on my MBT, haven't unlocked HE but I'm aiming for it when I araxium my lightning.

The use of AP and HE is more or less direct counters, HE is very effective against infantry, having one for my lightning can speak for its effectiveness to a degree. AP has been more generalized given the whole concept of tanks fighting other tanks. Such combat is pretty typical for this game but its either one thing or the other as tanks are designed to support infantry or to fight other tanks. The HEAT round actually gives the MBT extensive versatility but support role mixed with a combat role is really something that the medic class can do. Though it gives the MBT a sort of 'jack of all trades' which isn't bad considering the amounts of tanks fielded in planetside 2.

I've had a little idea that might even out the way tanks are loaded out. It relates to a combined armor defensive attachment that I posted some time ago, but also a 'shield' defense slot which was suggested to be used on the magrider by another forum poster. Concept is, Armor plating reduces damage to HE shots, anti-personnel rockets, anything with large splash damage but low direct damage. This means AP rounds can easily negate the armor, HEAT is only half as effective against the armor. On the flip side, having a energy shield, similar to the deployment sunderers for tanks that reduces direct damage, such as C4, mines, AP cannons, however it is negated with high splash damage weapons such as the HE cannon, Bulldog, and other anti-personnel weapons. HEAT is only effective by half of that as AP.

Both instance HEAT isn't really negated, giving more power to its versatility. HA rocket launcher weapons are also unaffected and function similarly to a HEAT rocket. Both defensive abilities have one similar weakness and that is that the armor and shield does not cover the rear of the tank. Its not really much but that idea has been floating in my head for some time now. It seems pretty sound but I'm unsure what the effect would be if the tank lacked either the shield or the armor upgrade. Should similar damages be done? Or should there be some different resistant and damage variables? Not sure.

Exactly,If I need a direct hit to kill anyway (HE is a joke now) why not use AP with higher velocity,faster reload speed and better damage to armor? IMO they need to atleast bring back the OHK splash potential on heat the whole idea is to kill that ******* light assault BEFORE he instagibs my futuristic heavily armored tank if I need a direct hit against him why hinder myself against armor?

Average BR for every HE cannon is the highest hahahaha. People get to a certain point and realize its just farmside why do anything but go on armored point and click adventures.

I thiught everybody knew since ages ago that 95% of certed tanks use AP.

That shouldn't surprise anybody.

AP gives you an advantage in nearly every situation. HEAT/HE are convenience at best.

Well of course. I mean, which would you rather use?

AP: One hits infantry on a direct hit, has no splash damage, does excellent damage to armor.
HE/HEAT: One hits infantry on a direct hit, has crappy splash damage, does crap damage to armor.

There is just no reason to use HE or HEAT right now. I mean, I hate being farmed by tanks, don't get me wrong. I fully believe the Planetside 1 tank model was much better. But still, I hate seeing two items that people have spent certs on be completely useless.

Main reason for HEAT is that's the stock cannon.
Once you get used to it, then you cert into it.. now you are even further into it, might as well finish.. (auraxium)
then collect tons of certs with that maxed out HEAT set up, and then use those new certs to get AP.

Hitting infantry with AP is damn difficult.. even with the two shot Prowler cannon.. slimy little suckers those
running soldiers.. the AP shell is not that much faster than HEAT..
It's not easy for me to hit things with it...

If the Prowler had a secondary like the PPA.. I wouldn't have a problem finding a gunner..
My Halberd just sticks out like a limb noodle most of the time..

News Flash:
....with no passive C/Ds & so many more resources filling up everyone's resource banks after only a couple kills....
There's a lot more vehicles being pulled, therefore there's a lot more VEHICLES TO SHOOT AT


There's no conspiracy here. No amazing secret that makes picking off moving infantry and esf's somehow easy for AP.
It's b/c the resource flow changed how often which players visit which terminals

Well...

I'm interested to see what Lightnings are running these days. I'm seeing more of them running Python barrels, but I'm usually not on the receiving end so I can't tell which ones exactly.

Don't be lazy. I'll forgive you this time though.