So, I just certed up a BattleBus just for kicks. When it works, it really really works. But occasionally, I get gunners who couldn't pour beer out of a leaky bottle if they tried. My last run netted me a pair of gunners who, for some reason, simply could not follow map cues or even obvious visual cues. That lightning 10 meters away, to the right on the mini-map? Gunners are dutifully pointed the opposite direction while I end up ramming the damn thing to death, which I suppose was amusing enough. That magrider 5 meters in front of our face? The gunners twitch and swivel their guns but they seem to have forgotten how to pull their triggers. I repeatedly say in chat, "Those guns aren't for show you know, feel free to fire them", but no response, and no killing. They're in my squad, so I can't just kick them out. What can be done?
I'm running a Bulldog / Basilisk loadout, which I'm finding is versatile enough in most situations. It does great DPS on armour when both gunners focus fire and it shreds infantry groups that are clustered behind rocks. A good Basilisk gunner can also make most ESF pilots think twice about hover podding.
Run with your outfit and specifically ask for good gunners. In general, use proximity chat to cue them to targets and ask them to follow each other and focus fire on the same target. Then, continue using proximity chat to keep them on their toes.
Advantage of Basilisks is that, since it's a stock weapon, it puts most people off. Only dedicated gunners will gun for you and that'll solve your problem of clueless gunners.
You scream at them in proximity chat. Giving proxy chat cues on where targets are is very helpful since many players don't have a lick of situational awareness and have permanent tunnel vision.
Ask over chat "anyone know how to actually shoot?" Press Page down, then click the cross next to their names and say "Someone else Jump in the guns" then they can get back in just not in the important seats. My problem is usually the opposite, trying to sneak up in an AMS (without getting all 12 people killed) and there is some guy in the gun who wants to make sure everyone can hear and see you coming from miles away while spamming at Turrets and Esf's ineffectively. Edit: The other thing I noticed in your post just now, You said a lightning 10m to the right. Its actually easier to say North or North East or whatever (the compass is above the mini map) makes it a lot easier for people to look where you are saying. Due to the 360 degree nature of the game, and the fact that vehicles are usually turning and moving. East will always be east, but left or right wont always be.
Something that may help is telling your gunners to hit ''H'' , it makes the mini-map larger which makes it easier for them to see that lightning 10 meters to the right of you.
Oh yes you can. It doesn't matter who is in my gunner seat on my Prowler, if you refuse to shoot the targets I am firing on, or to shoot the Tank 10 feet away and instead try to snipe Infantry 100 meters away, or to shoot at Air and do no more than alert them to my presence, I WILL remove you from the gunner seat and let someone else get in. Outfit members or no, if you are a dip**** I don't need you wasting my 450 resources I spent on the vehicle, and I am under no obligation to let you use my gun. I'll give someone one or two tries and talk to them through proximity chat, but if they don't shape up I kick them out.
If you're too close the gunners might not be able to hit it, so keep that in mind. Some people just need experience, while others will always be "less than adequate".
