NC Desperately Needs Mid-Range MAX Anti-Infantry Weapons Like VS and TR

NOTE: This is not asking to NERF the VS and/or TR, it's asking to BUFF the NC



So a couple of weeks ago, my Vanu character pretty much became my main. At this point I have a VS, TR, and NC character on Emerald (formerly a Waterson player), and I've gotten fed up with the lack of organization and effort from the NC (my former main faction). Since the TR has the same affliction, in my experience, I've found the Emerald VS to be much more enjoyable these days - there are multiple talented Outfits which have the necessary organization, and high-skill, including one which is a very good fit for me, and I am proud to be a part of


That said, while I am enjoying the Vanu, I do entertain that idea of going back to the NC at some point, if the Emerald NC can get their act together


However, I have come to realize that I can never do that. After spending so much time in the VS MAX unit, I've grown to enjoy being a MAX user so much that I can't imagine going back to the NC's very limited MAX. The TR MAX is not as versatile as the VS MAX, but it's still good enough that I can consider playing the TR. The NC MAX is just too much of a one-trick pony that's only really useful for MAX crashes and close quarters, indoor battles. While the NC MAX is an unstoppable monster inside of a tightly packed base such as a Biolab, it's just useless in most other engagements, compared to the VS and TR MAX


If the NC MAX must keep it's shotguns, for whatever reason, then I understand that everyone will think it's overpowered to give the NC shotguns and midrange weapons that mirror the TR and VS, but I think that the NC would be much better off just trading the shotguns away entirely, in favor of fully automatic, high magazine size mid range AI weapons

http://ps2oraclestats.com/?stat=kph&weapon1=15030&weapon2=16024&weapon3=17030

Mattocks are the top AI weapon when you look at stats.

This is an age old argument though, for NC to get something like VS/TR's automatics it's pretty obvious VS and TR would need shotguns to balance this. They're not going to just remove / completely change the NC MAX shotguns, it'd be a pretty much unprecedented sort of change and they'd have an epic whinestorm on their hands. And trust me, while you might hate being limited in range, VS and TR also hate being instantly gibbed by NC MAXes. We'd run shotguns if we had them in many situations.

Whether or not this is too much homogenization is up for argument, sadly we can't post polls on the forums.

What is a concern is that it's a huge buff to MAX units to do that, since all MAXes would be able to pull close or mid-range MAX weapons in any fight depending on which the terrain favors. And they can switch at terminals without losing the MAX to change mid-fight even.

Mattocks, slugs, or falcons. You take your pick.

Slugs.

Slugs. Mattocks are the premier choice because of the better velocity and CoF, but Grinders are much cheaper and still quite effective with slugs. The extra 2 rounds per mag partially compensates for the lower accuracy. Remember to let your CoF settle after each shot. Avoid moving while firing (you're a MAX, so you can do that), and crouch if you're going for extreme range.

Slugs. Hacksaws with slugs are amazing if you have trigger control.

Removing NC MAX shotguns sounds good. Would end the complaints of NC MAXes feeling useless beyond 15 meters and everyone else getting instagibbed within said 15 meters.

However, can't have MAXes running around with both options.

I been asking for NC max shotguns to be removed since day ****** 1 and it still hasn't.

i agree though, we need new max weapons anyway.

NS flamethrowers for all factions for closequarters

and additionally, rapid-firing autocannons for NC

DEAL!

Considering the Mattocks are used the least of the 3 by a wide margin and that they have a higher average BR player using them, KPH seems like a meaningless stat to bother using. Plus as an NC mattock user i can guarantee you they're not using mattocks in the open effectively, most of those kills are just sitting on the other side of a door like the rest of the NC max users, the only difference is that with mattocks if they're on the otherside of the room you can at least mag dump and still kill them.

If they made slugs more reliable i'd be down, but right now you'll dump both mags and maybe get 2 kills, and you're completely open to getting murdered by another max because slugs kill your anti-max capabilities.

Slugs yo

Buckshot is straight up garbage, and slugs are a 2 shot kill (1 volley) out to 12m and a 3 shot kill at all others

I have been using grinders, but just recently got the mattocks.
Personally, I don't see too much of a problem, I mean, they are ok.
I just use them for bigger INDOOR areas or close to that.

If I am traversing the open I always have my Ravens.
I just love to shoot VS Vehicles and watch them scatter.
Always had to run away or avoid them.
Now I run after them.

Their sitting and spamming without fear of recourse has ended, I especially love to grab my bursters and go toe to toe with a scythe, they usually lose or run away.
But you are not going to be able to hover there and farm infantry while I am around.

And ofc Slug everything.

Could just go with the PS1 solution, give the NC MAX shotguns an adjustable choke. PS1 had 3 settings from close range to medium range, for balance however, the tighter the spread (for range) the slower the RoF.

It sounds like you're not letting the CoF reset after each shot. To get a kill across a room, you should need to fire exactly 2 volleys to get the kill, and Mattocks are accurate enough to do that quite reliably. 3-4 kills per mag (with extended mags, of course) is normal for me.

I'd also point out that I kill other AI MAXes with slugs far more often than they kill me, although other MAXes aren't free kills like they are when using buckshot at point blank. Up close, you can do enough damage with headshots to win before you reload, unless they're running high-rank kinetic armor. I'm not sure which weapons slugs will out-DPS, if any, but in practice my results have been good. At a distance, usually we both do some damage and then back off, but if the target is already damaged, there's a decent chance I'll kill them.

Like he said. Slugs are quite accurate provided you don't lay on the trigger and let the (admittedly crazy, but hey they're 2-3 hit kill rounds that you fire 2 at a time) COF settle.

Slugs do great against MAXes. Up close you'll do full damage and put all of that damage on the target, unlike with buckshot. In live fire scenarios odds are they've taken damage already too, and combined with the giant chunks of HP they lose to slugs (5% per slug per shot) you'll get most of your MAX kills shooting them in the back as they flee

Of course this is skirting the main reason to use slugs, which is that they're EXTREMELY FUN to use

"We are here today to remember Assymetrical Balance: It's life was cut short by the players of Planetside 2".

If there were a way to keep some flavour in the game, thn I'd be behinf this, but... Y'know.

By rapid fire you mean 250rpm, less than a battle rifle (333).

Mattocks, extended mags + slugs. Just give it a try. That combination is all you need for mid range < 35-40m.

As an alternative and arguably easier solution: Buff slugs. Make them accurate, fast but slow firing, or any sort of balance that make them viable as medium-long range oriented weapons.

You keep your close-range instagib shotguns, you can also opt for a more accurate weapon for engagements occuring at longer ranges, but not both.

I'd say it's a pretty good deal since NC would keep their ultra-deadly CQC shotguns and gain usable long range weapons, while the other two factions would get nothing out of this. But then again I don't play NC MAX.

just use slugs