I'm looking to expand my HA's versatility. I am quite adept in CQB and mid-range fighting, but the long range battles render me fairly useless. Since I'm still relatively new to this game, I want to focus my resources on one class and I have chosen the HA. My current character is VS. The first thing I intend to do is upgrade my weapon. The Orion VS54 is pretty great overall, but at range I might as well be shooting BBs. The most viable candidates for this seem to be the Eidolon VE33 and the Ursa. I'm hoping for some advice on this front before I make my decision. The Eidolon has a lower % decrease in damage over distance, although it is semi-auto which means that it does not transition very well. Additionally, it possesses a lower bullet velocity, so it makes hitting mobile targets at range harder. The Ursa has a lower overall bullet damage and higher % decrease over distance, but its fully automatic capability means that I can transition to mid/close range with ease. The significantly higher bullet velocity should help, as well. So, what advice can you offer about these two guns? What other things can the HA do to supplement his long range capability?
Never tried the Ursa, but I tried other faction equivalents of the Eidolon. Eidolon and other battle rifles happen to be in an awkward position where their role of long range support has either been replaced by semi-auto scouts, snipers, or other dedicated automatic weapons. Best tip I can give is to avoid shooting too quickly at range and pace yourself unless you happen to be in a frantic showdown with a sniper. I could suggest a Polaris if you happen to be a great team player. Suppression and long-range support fills this role nicely and it has a 100 round magazine the last time I checked. Recoil feels minimal, and the spread at range will be less than the faster-firing Orion.
Usually when fighting at range I try to use long bursts (to minimize the FSR factor). I have seen the Polaris mentioned a lot in my cursory view of other threads, so I will check it out. Thank you.
Unfortunately for us Vanu we dont really have a good hard hitting long range LMG option. I rather enjoy the Eidolon, However if you are looking for versatility with range and CQC the Polaris is your best bet. It has a lower rate of fire but is amazingly accurate. Long-range you can accurately place continuous fire and in med-close engagements its excellent hip-fire and head shot ability make it a wonderful LMG when used correctly. Its 100 round Battery also means you have allot of ammo pool to work with. However due to its lower rate of fire it does have a bit of a learning curve.
Of the VS LMGs, Only the Ursa and Polaris are really combat effective beyond ~100m or so. When choosing between the two, they're close enough in terms of accuracy that it's really a matter of determining which type of weapon feels more natural and controllable in your hands. The Ursa has technically-better accuracy stats. Its recoil also pulls straight up, which many people find easier to handle during sustained fire. However, it has higher vertical recoil per shot than the Polaris, and some players have issues with high-vertical-recoil weapons (see most of the NC arsenal). The Polaris OTOH has significantly lower vertical recoil and lower COF Bloom over time. However, it has a variable recoil pull to the right which again, many people have issues with. As for the Eidolon.... As much as I love that weapon, I cannot in good conscience recommend it to new players unless you reeeeeally like semi-auto weapons (like me). Its damage per shot is high, but it's one of the lowest per second of any primary weapon in the game, putting you at a big disadvantage anywhere <50m or so, which encompasses the majority of combat in PS2. Its bloom and recoil also make it hard to control at high ROF. That said, the Eidolon is more accurate than any LMG, and once you get skilled w/ it, it will outperform any LMG at ranges past 130-140m or so. The problem is at that range your main competitors are invisible infils with OHK BASRs, and their setup simply outclasses an Eidolon-equipped HA.. So ultimately, there isn't any range where another weapon can't do the same job as the Eidolon, only better. As for other suggestions, I'd get the Lancer as a compliment to your long range setup. It's the longest range AV option, and even though it has no lockon it's accurate enough to hit any vehicle out there, even fast moving ESFs. I'd also pick up Resist Shield and Advanced Shield Capacitor if you haven't already. Resist + ASC will maximize your uptime, and unlike CQC, with long range fights you generally have the ability to duck behind cover for a few seconds to let your shield(s) recharge.
Thank you for the help here. I've been testing out guns with the free trial system (when I can get it to work) and I have actually settled in the NS-15M2. I really like the way that gun handles, although the weird recoil took a bit of time to get under control. I'm using it with front grip, compensator, and HV ammo to give it some great long-range capability. The point about the resist shield is something I did not consider, so I will try that out. It seems like a good idea.
The NS-15M is a good weapon. A lot of people love how it handles and it's pretty good at longish range. Not quite Ursa caliber, but close enough for most situations. And you get that .75x ADS multiplier which is a plus. I personally never picked it up though, since anything I can do with it I can also do w/ the SVA-88, but with 73 more RPM and 20 more rounds in the mag. I do have to burst fire a little closer than w/ the NS-15M, but to me that's a small price to pay...
