I've been playing Infiltrator extensively since launch, as well as briefly during beta. I'm shelving it for the moment because, in my view, it is currently inferior. Here's my analysis of why it is inferior, as well as a few suggestions to fix it. Every other class has the ability to operate competitively at short to mid range (bar MAX at mid, which is a special flower) in addition to the special features they bring to the table. Being able to operate competitively at short to mid range is very important as the majority of infantry gameplay is decided in these ranges (e.g. cap point X, defend point Y). In addition, there are very limited opportunities to operate at long range in a manner that would actually be beneficial for your team. Yes you can randomly go around killing people, but in many situations they are just going to respawn at a nearby Sunderer and carry on with what they were doing. Lastly, if you are operating exclusively at long range your team cannot take advantage of the other key Infiltrator abilities (terminal hacking & scan). The standard cloak, although fine when using it while immobile, is as much of a hindrance than a help while moving. The fact you need to decloak before firing makes you too slow. Nano-armor cloaking just seems plain useless. It's only apparent use it to let you run through a fire fight, however, the cloak is not effective enough to stop people seeing you and it runs out to fast. Furthermore, running through a fire fight will likely put you in close to mid range of enemies, a range which Infiltrators do not excel at. In my opinion, Nano-armor cloaking needs to go back to the drawing board completely. The next point I want to make is about vehicles. Every other class (including MAX this time) has at least one ability (sometimes more) that will allow them to damage enemy vehicles, in addition to their special function. The last of the four more important points is about hacking terminals. In many ways, this is the best thing we can do as part of a short to mid range squad. However, randoms have a habit of blowing up enemy terminals, making hacking them impossible. Some of the weapons also need looking at. The recoil and low clip size of the Artemis (Vanu automatic) make it a lackluster long range weapon in comparison to any other of the Infiltrator weapons. It doesn't do well at short to mid range either because the low clip size usually necessitates a reload. At mid range, the Nyx is very similar to a Phantom with the same scope. The Phantom is slightly less accurate (scope drift) but has a higher rate of fire. At short range the Nyx is slightly better as the aim from the hip reticle is smaller. However, at long range Nyx is pants while the Phantom is still good. This is because the Nyx has slow projectiles (easily dodged) to don't seem to do that much damage at range. It doesn't seem worth giving up all your long range potential (half the point of being an Infiltrator) for being slightly better at short range (something you won't excel at any way). Here are some very easy to implement ideas that I think would bring the Infiltrator up to par with the other classes: Remove pistols as a secondary and add LMG/carbine-like weapons instead. When moving shooting should bring you out of the hunter cloak. However, while immobile you would still have to press F. Proximity mines should damage vehicles as well. Destroyed terminals should be hack-able.
The class is inferior, however, it does allow for anyone who is a good sneak in general to simply hinder the enemy. Try this: Sneak into the enemy base (If you're tryin' this at the Crown, you fail as player anyway.) and find their turrets. Get slightly to one side of the turret and start hacking it. If someone is inside the turret, turn and face the exit point as you hack. Shoot to kill when the hack is done. Hack every turret. If the enemy has a LOT of open targets infront of the turrets, you can stop to hit some before taking off. (This is easier to do than most realize, though it still requires a skilled player.) Doing that alone will severely hinder the enemy's defense. Afterwards, you can do 1 of 3 things: 1: Go to their generator. Overload it, lay down some recon darts and wait. Stealth on and off if you have level 3+ hunter cloak as the recharge is quick enough. (Ya some people will hear you, but for the most part, if you're not moving and already stealthed when they walk in, they won't find ya quick enough.) And basically play the delay plan. If ya can't insta-gib them, hit and run around something, come back from another angle and repeat. 1 infiltrator can prevent 3-4 engineers from repairing the generator in time. 2: Head to the top of the base if acessible and hack the AA turets and consols. (Especially the consols) Make it so the enemy can't be so quick to reinforce their defenses/offenses. Likewise, it would take an infiltrator of their own to revent the hack, which can take some time in a disorganized defense. This is also a great time to destroy any repairing/resupplying aircraft. Those AA turrets HURT. 3: Try your hand in over-all combat. Try to delay the enemy from recovering from any type of offensive you or your team can make. Generally when doing this, I try to find engineers or infiltrators trying to reverse the damage I've done and simply knife-knife (Or knife-shoot the quick reflexed one) in the back as they repair/re-hack. If I have a sniper on me for any reason, I can also find a cozy spot to snipe their engineers attempting to repair their sunderer. (Assuming we can get shots on it.) If not the sunderers, watch the tanks. Either get the guys repairing the tanks, or wait for the tank driver to hop and repair, then snipe him. (Do that, and you basically take a tank out of the equation for a moment. Do that when it's not behind a shield and that tank will go boom.) In closing: The primary problem for the infiltrator as a whole, is the fact that it takes an exceptionally skilled player to make an impact.An infiltrator requires to be a good shot, smart, quick thinker, know the base layout and where they can hide, able to think ahead and outsmart the enemy and have a bit of luck to make the same level of impact as an average player of another class.
Nano armor cloaking is neat! Just cloak when you're spotted. We aint rambo class, more support. Thats what I gotta say really.
