So I tried out the Skyguard

that would certainly be an improvement over the current SG which shoots hot air.

The fact they ask 1000certs or $8 for the Skyguard is insulting.

I tried out the Skygaurd two days ago.

Our faction didnt own most maps, I spawned into the game and thought "hey lets try out the skyguard" I activated the trial and the time was ticking. After that I wento to the tank spawn and could not spawn a tank, since we got almost no ressources. Some minutes before the trial did end I could spawn a lightning and damage some planes.
Nice feature that you can trial gear but cant spawn the vehicle for it....was a lesson.

What I noticed is that the range of the skygaurd is quiete good, otherwise the damage is meh.

Maybe an accuracy buff, but I would rather see an accuracy option. Like if I fire my skyguard when it is roughly in line with my body, that my accuracy is increased.

Perhaps a long-range air radar that increases accuracy on locked-on targets but makes you visible at long range with a "radar indicator" marker in your field of view, or alternately an air radar that detects aircraft within 800 meter radius (for all friendlies) but also highlights your position (and can be turned on and off).

But mostly I want to see XP awarded for damaging vehicles. Once that happens, then let's see how the AA numbers balance out.

I just trialed it too. Less effective Burster MAX. Probably less effective than just chucking Lightning HEAT/AP rounds at planes.

This is the crux of it. Move a bit, especially towards the fighter, and they often overshoot.

I find the Skyguard just needs a little bit of additional functionality to be fully useful for it's render issue drawbacks. Other than that, it just requires an understanding of how the weapon works.

You get it in form of kill assists

Conspiracy theory: aircraft is overpowered on purpose. AA weapons are everywhere but they are all pathetic. Players buy one AA weapon after the other hoping that this time they'll get one that works.

Prediction: aircraft will be balanced with the implementation of yet another AA weapon.

I have more aircraft kills with tank shells than the Skyguard which I tried out a total of about 20 minutes at the Crown and other hotspots. I would have tried it longer but AA duty is the most boring thing I've seen in a game in a while.

The Skyguard needs a buff. The best way to fix it would be to increase accuracy, range, and maybe projectile speed. Also, the damage needs to be more powerful than a dual MAX.

The problem isn't the skyguard, it's the lightning tank. If the skyguard came with deployable armour (sort of slides down off of the top to cover the weakest spots, but makes it immovable), it would be able to withstand a rocket barrage or two and give it enough time to destroy the ESF shooting at it.

I like that idea. People love to say, "Move when you fire!" It's a hell of a lot easier to say it than do it. I've had my vehicle rolling at high speed while trying to fire and I'll let you know that it's a complete pain in the ***. Unlike air units that hover over without having to worry about gun stabilization AND terrain obscuration, Skyguard pilots feel like they're trying to balance everything while trying to get away from a Zephyr or Rocket Pod barrage. We usually die anyway.

This is the stupidest post ever.

OP is in an area in which there are multiple multiple enemy aircrafts - he's mad because he cannot kill them with one anti-air vehicle by himself.

A few things OP, to try to save you from your own stupidity:

Get ONE other person to do it with you.

Get MORE THAN ONE other person to do it with you.

You're a straight up idiot if you think you should be able to clear the skies by yourself.

By your own admission there were multiple aircrafts, and you mentioned nothing of other people that were also trying to take care of the air.

Let me help you out - as an experienced liberator pilot:

If you're by yourself in a skyguard - I see a free kill.

If you have a second skyguard with you - I am RUNNING THE HELL AWAY.

If you have a second skygaurd and an AA max with you - I am dead before I can get away.

Beyond that point? Instant destruction for any vehicle in the area. 4 AA maxes? I'm dead. 3 skyguards? I'm dead. 1 AA max 1 scythe 1 skyguard? I'm dead. Learn you play the game dude.

So you are saying that anti-air(a vehicle that is useless at doing anything other than shooting air) should be forced to mass numbers to kill one air vehicle, but an esf/lib should have free reign to massacre everything solo.

Sounds legit.

Actually, the LIBERATOR shouldn't be standing stationary. A stationary liberator should be blown out of the sky in short order by a dedicated anti air unit like a max or skyguard.

Moreover skyguards can't engage ANYONE at long range.

Aircraft that get close to AA units should die. They should have to engage said AA units at long range using terrain and teamwork.

Exactly. Horrifically imbalanced.

A liberator is fast, able to engage all air and ground targets. A skyguard is slow and can ONLY engage air targets. It cannot fight tanks, it cannot fight infantry. It is a dedicated anti-air platform while the liberator is a platform capable of engaging all targets.

what should happen is...if a skyguard sees a liberator by itself just floating there in the air in its optimal range...the liberator should be a free kill for the skyguard.

Anything else is imbalanced.

If a liberator wants to engage a skyguard, he should have to enlist the help of other liberators. It's a team game, right?

Why can a aircraft kill him yet he cannot kill them?

Can people please ***** off with the "Aircraft can solo AT, AI, and AA yet AA should have to work as a team!" ******** argument? Thanks.

Just tried to use it again at the crown.
It is stupidly bad.

Moral of the story? Always trial everything before you buy it. Even if its on sale at 50% off and you are using station cash from a triple day deal...or you might get screwed.

I've never gotten or seen an answer for this other than something along the lines of "Its the way aircraft are supposed to be."

Liberators are the problem with all flak based AA. If you make the flak to strong then Liberators get decimated as they are to slow and to easy a target without the evasion capability of a ESF. If you make them to weak then Liberators have guns that can decimate the Lightning and driving is not a solution.

My feeling is that Skyguard should be very damaging with a better velocity in close (as in 1 clip = 70% damage) but weaker at range thus forcing Liberators up to a much higher altitude. This gives Libs a way to remain in the game without letting them dominate the ground as they would have a harder time safely remaining in infantry render distance and targeting would require greater judgement due to the distance on the dropping of bombs/shells.

I don't think you understand what you are asking (or demanding).

I've been on both sides of the equation. Try getting a Liberator within 800 meters of the Crown and see how long you last with just a handful of AA guns. You have approximately 5 seconds of fire time before you have to run unless the AA at the crown is completely asleep.

On the other side, I consistently engage with a skyguard at 600-800 meters, when a Liberator is so far away you can't tell its colors. Yes, few shots hit because of COF, but you do land shots and start to whittle down the Lib. Most liberator gunners can't fire at long range and in many cases the Liberator would have to nose-up to even try to do it.

In fact, I find the Skyguard EASIER to engage at long range because I can zoom. This is especially true at night, where aircraft are harder to see in the night sky while you fire.

Sometimes you find you have the hit detection bug, but you do actually hit.