[Vehicle] Tanking Careers: A penny for many of your thoughts....

Tons of tanking questions for all tankers in all career stages here. Please respond to what you can / all that apply. Yes I'm fishing.

I completely understand if you're unwilling to participate in this tank survey and any tank discussion due to the state of the tank game. In case you do want to humor me, I greatly appreciate your feedback.

Empire Specific (ES) Tankers

- Magrider lovers & haters: Why do you love / hate the Magrider? And for the haters: What is holding you back from getting over your obstacle of hating it?
- Prowler people: Why do you love / hate the Prowler? What is something you would like to learn or develop?
- Vanguard people: Why do you love / hate the Vanguard? What is something you would like to learn or develop?


General Questions

- Which do you prefer: gunning or driving, and why?
- What do you enjoy about fighting tanks?
- New Players: What do you look for when you tank? Zerging with a zerg; AV fights; AI fights; something else?
- Intermediate players: What role do you like to fulfill while tanking?
- Expert Players: How has your tanking career progressed over time? Do you focus on one or two aspects now that differ from when you started?
- Unless you're running with a gunner you know, what are the first things or ground rules you establish with new gunners? (Ignore this if you solo or don't take on new gunners)
- Soloers: Why do you prefer to solo?
- Apart from reasons such as working on directives; a lack of resources; not being connected to a tech plant and not having your gunner logged in; what are some reasons you prefer to run Lightnings over MBTs?
- Looking back at your career as an armor player, what are some things you wished you learned when you started off that you think could have dramatically improved your progression or enjoyment of planetside 2's MBTs?
- If there was one thing or two things or even some advice you could tell your armor-newb-self about Tank tactics and strategy, what would it be?


- Please share anything else you're inclined to that comes to mind; or ask any questions to the participants of this thread.

Thank you for humoring me. This exercise is helping me develop the most comprehensive armor encyclopedia ever. After Star Citizen comes out, this may be a moot point, but till then - it's balls to the wall.

PS: I have this over on Planetside's reddit page as well. Big thanks to anyone who shares this with their friends.

Empire Specific (ES) Tankers
- Magrider lovers & haters: Why do you love / hate the Magrider? And for the haters: What is holding you back from getting over your obstacle of hating it?
I hate fighting Magriders who know I'm there. If I can get close and get the jump on them, I can obliterate them, but if they see me before I'm close enough, they burner and strafe away and come back with buddies.
- Prowler people: Why do you love / hate the Prowler? What is something you would like to learn or develop?
I hate fighting the Prowler at distance because of lockdown. Dat DPS. Just like the Magrider, if I can get close, it's usually game over for them.
- Vanguard people: Why do you love / hate the Vanguard? What is something you would like to learn or develop?
I love the Vanguard because of the Titan-AP and the armor. There is almost no better feeling than using a racer chassis and stealth to roll up behind an unsuspecting group of vehicles and unloading the Titan and Halberd into their rear armor. That, and sniping ESF's and Libs with AP rounds.
As for the hate, I dislike the manguard shield. I use it, but I would honestly prefer lockdown or some sort of boost. It helps when you're in a close fight or a tough retreat situation, but it's overrated, in my opinion.
I would like to try the HE and play some AI with the radar and everything, but obliterating vehicles is too much fun at this point.

General Questions

- Which do you prefer: gunning or driving, and why?
Driving, the Titan-AP is glorious. I like to know where I'm moving while shooting.
- What do you enjoy about fighting tanks?
Sneaking up on an unsuspecting tank and unloading AP rounds at point-blank.
- New Players: What do you look for when you tank? Zerging with a zerg; AV fights; AI fights; something else?
I started tanking with the Lightning and the standard gun, just farming AI. I was forced to engage armor but mostly failed. It was a good learning experience for the Vanguard, though.
- Intermediate players: What role do you like to fulfill while tanking?
I consider myself intermediate or advanced. Like I said before, I enjoy flanking enemy armor and wrecking them from behind.
- Expert Players: How has your tanking career progressed over time? Do you focus on one or two aspects now that differ from when you started?
I don't consider myself an expert, but my career has gone from AI to AV. AI just isn't as rewarding for me any more.
- Unless you're running with a gunner you know, what are the first things or ground rules you establish with new gunners? (Ignore this if you solo or don't take on new gunners)
I don't really care who guns for me. I generally solo, but I'll get the occasional rando that will jump in. I use a Halberd with thermals and people seem to do pretty well with it.
- Soloers: Why do you prefer to solo?
Using stealth to sneak up on enemy armor doesn't work so well when Mr. BR3 is shooting the Halberd at passing Mossies. Also, I don't have to deal with impatient people who don't agree with how I approach an engagement.
- Apart from reasons such as working on directives; a lack of resources; not being connected to a tech plant and not having your gunner logged in; what are some reasons you prefer to run Lightnings over MBTs?
Swarms of scythes or mossies. I will always go pull a skyguard and eat them for lunch. Also, if there is a huge infantry fight and no vehicles, I'll sometimes grab a default lightning and start farming.
- Looking back at your career as an armor player, what are some things you wished you learned when you started off that you think could have dramatically improved your progression or enjoyment of planetside 2's MBTs?
That stealth is the best thing you can get for a Vanguard. I always ran NAR until I tried stealth, never went back. Getting the jump on enemy armor is waaaaay more valuable than the convenience of NAR.
- If there was one thing or two things or even some advice you could tell your armor-newb-self about Tank tactics and strategy, what would it be?
Stay away from the swarms of infantry. There be C4 fairies in them crowds.

1. I prefer driving, I like being in control of the Vanguard/Magrider/Harasser rather than just being a passenger. If I mess it up it's all on me and I apologize for it but if we do really well I feel proud. That's not to say I hate gunning, I do enjoy it but I only prefer gunning for someone I know can drive, which is few people.

2. It's a game of minds & aim. Flanking to get behind some prowler or Mag and just wreaking them is a great feeling.

3-5. I'd like to think I'm somewhere between intermediate and expert although I don't know what the criteria is. I like being an AV tank through and through. I have the HE gun but I never use the damn thing and probably never will. I won't even use it to get the auraxium lumbifier. It's just such a boring play style.

6. Spot, don't shoot. That ESF flying above us shooting something else? Don't shoot, spot. Since you're a random you should focus on what I shoot at, so we can actually kill things fast rather than some infantry 200 meters away.

7. When I do solo it's normally because I just had a bad gunnner and don't feel like potentially having more. A bad gunner can be at best a nuisance and at worst causing fatal errors.

8. Lightnings are great fun on esamir if you're fighting the no tech plant faction. You can have some pretty interesting lightning battles.

9. Flanking is life. Flanking is what makes it fun and risk and enjoyable. Being a "Tank of the Line" is pretty boring.

10. Don't buy that starter kit that has HE on the lightning/MBT on it. Also learn the damage model because it's not as you think it is. (For context, at the start of my tanking I though it mattered where shell hit the tank, so naturally I thought they'd be mostly hitting the top rather than the small area that is the front. I soon learned later this was not the case of course).

LayZboy/QuizicalExpresion.

Empire Specific (ES) Tankers

- Magrider lovers & haters: Why do you love / hate the Magrider? And for the haters: What is holding you back from getting over your obstacle of hating it?
As someone who's primarily TR, trying out a Magrider was quite the experience, moving my mouse only to have the entire tank turn rather than just a turret. The whole thing felt wiggly and confusing but since it was my first and only try, I don't think I can love nor hate it. I'm not really interested in learning or developing anything to do with the Mag, particularly as I have very little interest in playing VS at this time.

- Prowler people: Why do you love / hate the Prowler? What is something you would like to learn or develop?
I absolutely love the Prowler. I have no dislikes to it. It's fast when it needs to be. It has a great main turret, couple that with anchored mode and max reload and you're a killing machine. Granted you still need self-awareness since you don't want to be C4'd or tank mined up the backside since anchored mode leaves you quite vulnerable, once you learn when and where to best deploy, it's an amazing combination. I've played around with the Prowler since the day I signed up for this game, I expect there are probably new things I could learn about or develop, but for now I think I know enough to do what I intend to do.

- Vanguard people: Why do you love / hate the Vanguard? What is something you would like to learn or develop?
Again, since I primarily play TR, the lack of speed was an instant issue for me. It's not majorly slow, but it certainly feels it when going on any sort of incline. It's a great tank and it has great ES gunner options as well. The slower reload of the Titan is somewhat daunting and since I'm used to TR's reload speeds, I have to remind myself to pick my shots carefully. I'd probably like to learn how best to pick my fights. I'm never good in 1v1 tank fights so I think learning how best to develop my tank so that I can be capable of taking on other tanks 1v1 would be great.


General Questions

- Which do you prefer: gunning or driving, and why?
Both. I enjoy driving because I have access to the main turret. Unlike other vehicles like the Harasser where I either have to switch to, or rely on my fellow gunner to do damage, I can do it myself. I enjoy gunning because I enjoy being a second set of eyes and it's nice not to drive for a change.

- What do you enjoy about fighting tanks?
I haven't really thought about it. To me, they're just an obstacle that I need to cross to achieve my goal - to help my team and to win the objective.

- New Players: What do you look for when you tank? Zerging with a zerg; AV fights; AI fights; something else?
Definitely not a new player here, so pass on these.

- Intermediate players: What role do you like to fulfill while tanking?


Depends on the situation. When there's a lack of tanks around, I'll tank to provide the team some kind of vehicular support whether it be defencive or offencive. If there's a lot of other tanks around, I just try to work with my fellow tankers to take out the opposition, which is often enemy tanks.

- Expert Players: How has your tanking career progressed over time? Do you focus on one or two aspects now that differ from when you started?

Not really an expect player but having played for 2 years now, I'd say I make far less mistakes, I get a lot of enemy tank kills in and I certainly know when to back out of a fight I know I can't win. I don't really focus on anything, I just learn to adapt to new situations and play according to how that situation plays out.

- Unless you're running with a gunner you know, what are the first things or ground rules you establish with new gunners? (Ignore this if you solo or don't take on new gunners)

If I play without my friend, I often allow randoms to be my gunner. I don't establish any rules or regulations for getting in, unless we need foot soldiers rather than someone sitting having a nap in my 2nd space.

- Soloers: Why do you prefer to solo?

For the times I don't accept players as my gunner, this is often because again, there are many situations where a base needs taking and someone will hop into my 2nd seat and do nothing. It doesn't help the team by idling around, at least in my opinion. Another reason is that I'm very conscious of my driving. I feel I can only drive properly and perform well when I'm comfortable with my gunner aka my friend. If I have randoms in my 2nd seat I have this weird personal thing where I think people are judging me so I end up taking solo.

- Apart from reasons such as working on directives; a lack of resources; not being connected to a tech plant and not having your gunner logged in; what are some reasons you prefer to run Lightnings over MBTs?

I often see MBT's as the 'shoot first' tank. Whilst Lightnings have the potential to be as equally as dangerous, personally I see many people target the bigger things first. I'll spawn a lightning for the extra speed they provide over default MBT's, the Skyguard, when I don't want to have the potential to have a gunner with me, or when I don't feel like I want to be a great hulking target.

- Looking back at your career as an armor player, what are some things you wished you learned when you started off that you think could have dramatically improved your progression or enjoyment of planetside 2's MBTs?

Look at the damn ground. Seriously. A lack of self-awareness when I first started playing lead to many players getting free, easy tank mine kills on me.

- If there was one thing or two things or even some advice you could tell your armor-newb-self about Tank tactics and strategy, what would it be? Trees. Use the trees. Liberators hate the trees.

Magriders are difficult targets to hit, they can get into some really unexpected ambush and sniping positions, and the Saron is easily the best top gun in the game right now at any range except Vulcan's.

It saddens me that Prowlers have such great potential as long-range artillery or up-close assault tanks, but the TR just do not know how to set them up or utilize them in large enough quantities that I gave up on TR tanking. TR, seriously, if you want to Anchor and snipe, put up your Halberd with zoom instead of thermals or night vision, and quit screwing with people by offering Vulcan when you'll never get into range to use it. Just horrible, TR. Horrible.

Can't complain about the Vanguard at all. It's just a brawler that does everything really well, and the Enforcer performs well but not great at any range. It's hard to screw up the Vanguard. You have to really, really come up with some whack **** configuration and playstyle for a Vanguard to not be effective in any situation.

If you're going to drive and still keep your Basilisk up top, just do potential gunners a favor and lock your tank. If you've got Saron, Enforcer or Halberd and you're not using x1.25 zoom at the least, just please lock your tank and don't stop to pick anyone up, you're really wasting gunner's time better spent finding another MBT that isn't crippled coming off the vehicle terminal.

Gunners, please please please look around, squint your eyes, and look for the things that stick out in nature, like squares and rectangles, or reds, blues, purples and glowy bits, because those tend to be enemy vehicles, and they need to explode. I surprise myself with my patience with a gunner who flips his turret around 3 times looking for targets, looking right over a glowy-bits deployment Shield Sunderer 100m away. I can't even fathom how poor your eyesight must be to miss a glowing Sunderer 100m away 3 freggen' times.

I would much rather use thermals than zoom optic on the Halberd. It can still hit vehicles at range, but makes it easier for the gunner to spot C4 fairies that the driver doesn't always see.

If my gunner has Halberd, we're hanging back, taking 3-point shots with lots of displacement maneuvers to keep up an element of surprise and reduce incoming fire. But my NC Vanguard has x2.0 optics on both main gun and Enforcer, and my Prowler and Magriders are all sitting at x1.75, waiting on the 500 certs each to go to x2.0, so my MBT style is to exploit that massive range advantage over most tanks that are stock, or running x1.0 default because of thermals.

Hossin is really the only continent where having high zoom isn't to my benefit, because Hossin is just a knife-fight essentially everywhere you go. I don't like Hossin at all because the terrain and environment essentially negates a few-thousand certs worth of investing into an MBT, putting you back on near the same level as a BR 1 who pulled MBT by mistake.

I'm a pull whatever I feel like sort of player so I do some ground vehicle stuff.

- Which do you prefer: gunning or driving, and why?

Gunning, or both while in a Lightning or solo Sundy (F1/F2/F3 seat swapping w/ a locked bus).

- What do you enjoy about fighting tanks?

The large XP gains from destroying them, ha. Overall I don't find the tank game amazingly enjoyable, but then I don't have a dedicated crew wrecking stuff with a certed out 2/2 MBT or 3/3 Battle Bus.

- Intermediate players: What role do you like to fulfill while tanking?

Um... opportunist/ flanker. I like finding sneaky angles more than head-on vehicle fights which, when solo, are a lost cause vs. any decent 2/2 tanks anyway.

- Soloers: Why do you prefer to solo?

I have people issues? IDK, I usually just want to do what I want to do and don't like compromise/ commitment. Sometimes I will jump in an open sundy or MBT and gun for them but often they drive me to an early death. And when I let someone gun for me they often attract unwanted attention, waste time shooting at poor target choices, etc.

- Apart from reasons such as working on directives; a lack of resources; not being connected to a tech plant and not having your gunner logged in; what are some reasons you prefer to run Lightnings over MBTs?

Smaller target of course.

- Looking back at your career as an armor player, what are some things you wished you learned when you started off that you think could have dramatically improved your progression or enjoyment of planetside 2's MBTs?

Cert a repair sunderer for casual XP farming.

- If there was one thing or two things or even some advice you could tell your armor-newb-self about Tank tactics and strategy, what would it be.

Use 3rd person and look around often, don't get too tunnel visioned(I'm still bad about this). Also mark ammo sources on your map.

That makes sense. I tend to use the Halberd for getting up close and personal because of the alpha damage and the OHK on infantry. I've never liked long range engagements unless it's against turrets or sundies. I just have a hard time vs a strafing mag or a locked-down prowler.

I literally never play on Hossin. Never. I will play in VR training before that C4 fairy infested swamp.

I'm usually a Lightning operator... we're tankers too!

I can't stand Vanguards because they're big and slow and deathtraps. As soon as you pop into the field in one you have every AT weapon trained on you. It's also difficult to hide it. Whereas a Lightning is often so low-priority that most enemies really won't bother you too much.

As a Lightning operator... both. Though I have to say that I enjoy driving more because tanking is all about stealth and positioning in a Lightning.

Everything feels much more deliberate. You get out on the battlefield. Identify the enemy. Plan to isolate and flank that enemy. Whereas when I play as infantry things feel much more random (more targets, closer range, etc).

In other words, moments like this:

I started with the HEAT cannon, and now I'm exclusively AP and Skyguard. AP because most of the time I'm working with other tanks or guarding a Sunderer against enemy vehicles, and Skyguard because no one else will do it.

Actually when I run my Lightning I'm almost never solo. I like rolling alongside squad Vanguards who can take the brunt of the damage while I flank. I like rolling with a Sunderer of mechanized infantry so I can provide pinpoint anti-armor or anti-MAX fire support. I like rolling with other AP Lightnings to bait out enemy MBTs and smash them in a pincer.

Lots of people think the Lightning is a solo tank, but to me the fragility of it means that the Lightning benefits far more from teamwork. Better to have the Vanguard distract the enemy and soak up shots for me!

Lightnings are much stealthier (lower physical and threat profile) and faster than MBTs. I think I've only driven a Vanguard into combat... less than 10 times (and usually it was because someone gave me a free Vanguard). I will gun for Vanguards though!

Understanding that tanks in PS2 are not at all the same as tanks in most other games or IRL. PS2 tanks are much weaker, and as a result have a much greater fear of infantry. I mean the Viper is fun and all, but you tend to live longer if you play far away from bases.

Learning how to read a map and pull a tank would be nice! Would have saved me lots of dead newborn Lightnings.

Empire Specific (ES) Tankers
- Magrider lovers & haters: Why do you love / hate the Magrider? And for the haters: What is holding you back from getting over your obstacle of hating it?
I love the Magrider for its mobility. I'm not talking about strafing to evade shots. I'm talking about swinging it up and over hills, leaping around, smacking tanks in the butt and sides with AP shells. Even if it isn't particularly effective as either a 1v1 duelist against other tanks or as a front-line pusher, I find it hard to care about the Magrider's shortcomings when it's just so damn fun to drive. That said, the risk tends to outweigh the reward in a lot of flanking situations, and it's very easy to find oneself exceptionally vulnerable to counter-attack.

- Prowler people: Why do you love / hate the Prowler? What is something you would like to learn or develop?
I'm on the fence about the Prowler. I love Anchor. I love the speed and agility. I hate the fragility. I hate the turret rock. For the time being it's not much more than a siege engine, until I can cert it out and develop some strategies for it solo or duo. The main thing I want to get out of the way is dealing with the turret rock, which throws off my aim after a manoeuvre, and the extra time stationary aiming and firing both barrels before moving again (and consequently dealing with turret rock again).

- Vanguard people: Why do you love / hate the Vanguard? What is something you would like to learn or develop?
My experiences with the Vanguard are similar to the Magrider, in a way, only I believe that as a tank it's far superior. I find it great fun to drive and use, even if statistics say it's an underperforming vehicle. Its nickname 'Manguard' is apt, as one can't help but feel extremely manly when driving it (maybe it's something to do with having the biggest gun, the most armour...or maybe I just like riding over bumps in it) and flanking with it on open terrain, particularly North Indar, is a massive amount of fun. With regards to turret rock, it seems steady as a rock compared to the Prowler. Might just be my imagination, but I do know that the reduced time spent sitting still aiming and shooting is a big advantage. What do I want to learn? How to use the aforementioned rocking to hit air targets just out of reach.

General Questions
- Which do you prefer: gunning or driving, and why?
I like driving - I mentioned in the above I like throwing the Magrider around and riding over bumps in the Vanguard (for some reason). Evasion and tactical play in the Vanguard is fun, too. I have spent the majority of my time in the Vanguard gunning, however. Due to topgun selection, I find gunning on VS to be more fun than anywhere else (<3 Saron), but I still prefer driving.

- What do you enjoy about fighting tanks?
The feeling of satisfaction from successfully flanking and destroying enemy armour columns and intercepting reinforcements. There's also a great deal of satisfaction to be had from the careful, tactical play and logical thinking involved in direct 1v1 engagements - crosshair placement, third-person usage, brief repair stints, timing shots and timing evasive manoeuvres.

- New Players: What do you look for when you tank? Zerging with a zerg; AV fights; AI fights; something else?
I started out with the Vanguard, just looking for open field battles against enemy vehicles wherever I could. I did have a good number of AI sessions in both the Magrider and Vanguard early on, before HEAT was nerfed (among other toys). Now the only dedicated AI I ever do is with a Kobalt topgun. I also immediately set out flanking with my Magrider as soon as I started using it, inspired by the likes of Calisai and Paqu.

- Intermediate players: What role do you like to fulfill while tanking?
Interception and denial, sundiesniping, and depending on location anti-air (with AP) can be quite rewarding.

- Expert Players: How has your tanking career progressed over time? Do you focus on one or two aspects now that differ from when you started?
This question doesn't necessarily need to be pointed towards this specific type of player. I'm not an expert at this by any means, but I practically never engage infantry now unless an opportunity for an easy kill presents itself or I have a Kobalt on hand because it's just so ludicrously dangerous, whereas I used to dive headfirst into infantry balls. I also shoot at aircraft almost every opportunity I get, whereas I used to play very carefully or even outright avoid even solo ESFs.

- Unless you're running with a gunner you know, what are the first things or ground rules you establish with new gunners? (Ignore this if you solo or don't take on new gunners)
Ridin' solo. Mostly. When I do pick up a random, COME WITH ME! NO TIME TO EXPLAIN!

- Soloers: Why do you prefer to solo?
Freedom. I feel like my gunner is judging me. I also like not having to worry about randoms doing questionable things too much. This isn't the case when my dedicated gunner/driver (depending on faction) is around. I much prefer doing stuff with him in a 2/2 tank.

- Apart from reasons such as working on directives; a lack of resources; not being connected to a tech plant and not having your gunner logged in; what are some reasons you prefer to run Lightnings over MBTs?
I don't run Lightnings. I think they're pretty crappy, save for the Viper.

- Looking back at your career as an armor player, what are some things you wished you learned when you started off that you think could have dramatically improved your progression or enjoyment of planetside 2's MBTs?
Not sure. Many of my tweaks have just been to things like sensitivity. When I get around to using Stealth (I have it certed, just not using it yet) I'll probably wish I'd used it earlier.

- If there was one thing or two things or even some advice you could tell your armor-newb-self about Tank tactics and strategy, what would it be?
Buy a Kobalt. That thing is a godsend for covering a solo tank's weaknesses, and is great if you're starting out especially since it's massively cheap and effective. Always watch your map for everything from potential places to go to/be attacked from, vehicles that may be flanking you, aircraft flying overhead which may either compromise your position or net you an easy kill, or even friendly infantry around you that you might run over by accident. And for the Magrider, don't fall into a pattern of strafing. Time your movements, particularly if you're fighting Vanguards. Be aware that you can get two shots off faster than they can, and begin strafing or use Magburn after a shot to throw off their aim. In general, be proactive not reactive, and avoid patterns.

Hey, I've been needing 1 kill with the Vanguard Basilisk for months. It's so damned elusive, and you're not helping.

Empire Specific (ES) Tankers

- Magrider lovers & haters: Why do you love / hate the Magrider? And for the haters: What is holding you back from getting over your obstacle of hating it?
Neutral, Magriders aren't really a threat, more of an annoyance. I love fighting them head on since they are really easy to kill (just charge at them, the closer you are, the harder it is for them to hit you) and I only get outflanked by Magriders during low pop hours, which are so ridiculous on Miller I don't play seriously during those times anyway.
- Prowler people: Why do you love / hate the Prowler? What is something you would like to learn or develop?
LOVE IT. Holy ****. If people knew how good that thing really is it would be nerfed into the ground in no-time. Discovering the Prowler pretty much stopped me from quitting this game.
- Vanguard people: Why do you love / hate the Vanguard? What is something you would like to learn or develop?
Oh man I LOVE fighting Vanguards, 9/10 times it's free certs. Every Vanguard driver, almost every driver, even the experienced ones, think that the shield is a 1v1 instawin button. They ALWAYS come at me and I just deploy next to them and shred through that shield. On occasion, I can even out-DPS a 2/2 Vanguard on my own if they aren't very experienced or miss a shot or two. Other than that they are too slow to retreat from long-range bombardment which is also nice.


General Questions

- Which do you prefer: gunning or driving, and why?
Driving. I am a very tactical player, always thinking about flanking, attacking angles, battlefronts, specific targets like deployed sundies. I love having an impact on the battle and I do that with my own brand of manoeuvring
- What do you enjoy about fighting tanks?
It's actually fun. It's very challenging but fair and even, it involves a LOT more tactical thinking than infantry play (which is pretty much like: I shoot you first, I win. or You shoot me first, I throw up my shield, I win). There's a higher TTK which makes for some very interesting duels and tanks, even though the tank game has been ****** and ****** like crazy, tanks STILL have the biggest impact on the game, if used rights. Ultimately, MBTs are the most effective thing at taking out deployed sundies and most of the tank battles I am in involve me trying to pick off tanks that in the vicinity of a deployed sundy, so I can take it out.
- New Players: What do you look for when you tank? Zerging with a zerg; AV fights; AI fights; something else?
- Intermediate players: What role do you like to fulfill while tanking?
- Expert Players: How has your tanking career progressed over time? Do you focus on one or two aspects now that differ from when you started?
No. I was ALWAYS an infantry player and I wasn't really good at it. When I introduced one of my friends to the game he instantly bought a bunch of stuff with SC, among which a Vulcan for the Harrasser. We played that for a while and it was LOADS of fun and it made me think: What if I slap this thing on a Prowler, will I be able to actually do some tanking? Apparently, it helped a lot, and I discovered I love using the Prowler in the same way as a Harrasser. I've always played that way and always will. The only shift in tactics I've ever made is when I was Auraxing HE, which was a living hell, and when I ran a Marauder on top to get my Driver Assists for the Directive, which was difficult too. Even though I am a full anti-tank driver, it gave me the experience to run HE + Marauder which is extremely risky, but can absolutely lay waste to literally 96+ players when used in the right situation and with the right driver/gunner coordination
- Unless you're running with a gunner you know, what are the first things or ground rules you establish with new gunners? (Ignore this if you solo or don't take on new gunners)
I just tell them I am going to make risky moves through enemy territory and they should hold off fire until I shoot at a target myself.
- Soloers: Why do you prefer to solo?
I love having a personal impact. One of the greatest moments I've ever had in PS2 was during the last minute of an alert and VS were zerging Silver Valley Arsenal. If they capped it, they would have won and it had 58 seconds left. I had just gotten a Prowler from Onatha and went down south past the eastern side of the mountain to the north of Silver Valley. I moved behind the VS lines, deployed, and took out like 5 sundies that nobody seemed able to reach. We managed to flip the base in the last 10 seconds when the VS ran out of forces, TR won the alert. When I solo, I solely go for things like this, I don't care about KD or killrate, just this, when I solo.
- Apart from reasons such as working on directives; a lack of resources; not being connected to a tech plant and not having your gunner logged in; what are some reasons you prefer to run Lightnings over MBTs?
Skyguard. AA needs to be changed so Skyguards do lots of damage against ESFs and little against Libs/Gals, and MBTs need a heavy main AA cannon that can absolutely shred Libs/Gals but won't damage ESFs as much
- Looking back at your career as an armor player, what are some things you wished you learned when you started off that you think could have dramatically improved your progression or enjoyment of planetside 2's MBTs?
Nothing really, I really enjoyed the learning process. I quickly found out I'm a natural with tanks (as opposed to the grind that was infantry which really made me feel like I sucked at the game) and I enjoyed getting better and better, learning new tactics, macromanagement and micromanagement.
- If there was one thing or two things or even some advice you could tell your armor-newb-self about Tank tactics and strategy, what would it be?
Charge at Magriders, and when a Vanguard comes at you, deploy and shred it. Like everyone else, I used to hate Magriders for their manoeuvrability and I used to think the Vanguard shield was an overpowered instawin button. In 97/100 situations, the Prowler will always win with the right tactical moves. It depends on the driver, not the type of tank.

^ Finally, someone who realizes that anchored mode is superior to the manguard shield.

Empire Specific (ES) Tankers

- Magrider lovers & haters: Why do you love / hate the Magrider? And for the haters: What is holding you back from getting over your obstacle of hating it?
I love it because of the way it maneuvers and I hate it because it's so god damn slow at it.
- Prowler people: Why do you love / hate the Prowler? What is something you would like to learn or develop?
I'm just starting out with it more seriously and all I can say is: WOW I should have done that sooner! Incredible damage output, even with HEAT.
- Vanguard people: Why do you love / hate the Vanguard? What is something you would like to learn or develop?
I tried them but never liked them because these things are just too slow and unmaneuverable for me. They kinda force you into that traditional tanking roll which I find boring as hell.

General Questions

- Which do you prefer: gunning or driving, and why?
Can't say that I prefer either one. I like driving because I can flank the way I want. But occasionally I jump into someones tank and we just wreck stuff because the driver (usually magrider) has incredible situational awareness.
- What do you enjoy about fighting tanks?
The dynamics. Two main battle lines, some from my faction flanking, some from theirs, suicide runs.
- New Players: What do you look for when you tank? Zerging with a zerg; AV fights; AI fights; something else?
Not a new player but I enjoy the AV aspect of tanking way too much to even consider going purely AI.
- Intermediate players: What role do you like to fulfill while tanking?
Stealth flanker.
- Expert Players: How has your tanking career progressed over time? Do you focus on one or two aspects now that differ from when you started?
Should have started tanking sooner.
I went from front line magrider driver to full time flanking assassin (with lightnings too). It's just more fun than plinking at distant targets than can simply pull back and repair.
- Unless you're running with a gunner you know, what are the first things or ground rules you establish with new gunners? (Ignore this if you solo or don't take on new gunners)
If they shoot at everything they see then I either tell them to stop or kick them out. In the future I think I'm give them more info about my tank so they'll know how I want them to gun for me.
Something else I do is give everyone feedback. Last night I had someone gun my prowler basilisk (don't hate, didn't cert out the secondary yet) and he absolutely killed with it. He deserved to know that.
- Soloers: Why do you prefer to solo?
I like to choose my own engagements and not have someone screw up that long flanking rout I just took.
Yes, I mostly run solo. But when someone hops in, I want to give them a good time and try some different things.
- Apart from reasons such as working on directives; a lack of resources; not being connected to a tech plant and not having your gunner logged in; what are some reasons you prefer to run Lightnings over MBTs?
Skyguard obviously. Sometimes, when there is just to much infantry around, I prefer a lightning because I feel like it is perceived as less of a threat to them as an MBT. Then I go after them with the Viper...
- Looking back at your career as an armor player, what are some things you wished you learned when you started off that you think could have dramatically improved your progression or enjoyment of planetside 2's MBTs?
The power of max stealth and flanking. Driving harassers really taught me a lot about that.
- If there was one thing or two things or even some advice you could tell your armor-newb-self about Tank tactics and strategy, what would it be?
Spot everything you see because many tanks (and harassers) run stealth. This goes for both drivers and gunners.
Also learn to read the map and use territory to your advantage.
Don't follow the herd. Take a different route and profit.
Look around in third person and avoid tunnel vision.
If you are the gunner, always check what's going on around you. A good time for example would be while reloading your gun.

Magriders are baby mode, Prowlers are baby mode, Vanguards are baby mode. So long as you're not ******** and play your strengths, all the tanks are good.

Driving. I can't leave my fate in the hands of someone else.

I like fighting

I like fighting

Shoot at what I'm shooting at.

There is no reason to run a Lightning. Even a Skyguard is ******. Bursters or Bust.

For those that don't know me, I used to be a very active tanker. I haven't played much in the last 6-8months or so, but have recently started playing a bit again (and I'm back to tanking of course). I'd like to set the premises for my post first:
- I've used all three tanks and have them all certed up, so I will give my opinion on all three.
- I will not go into the balance between the tanks, as that is not what I understood to be the point of this. Feel free to ask about it though.
- I have always (>95% of my time) used my tanks as AV-weapons. That means loading up with the AP main cannon, and some form of AV-secondary.
- I'm not a zergling. Rarely will you see me using my tank from within a major friendly zerg.

I switched the order around, as I started my tanking career using the Prowler. To give a properly nuanced picture of my Prowler career let me start off with giving a short description of how I tank in PS2. I don't sit amongst 20 friendly vehicles shelling at unsuspecting sheeple just caught by the zerg. I prefer to catch the zergs and nip them in the buds, or just completely destroy them, depending on their level of situational awareness. I've always been one of the first to break off from a zerg, and go flanking. If no decent fights (meaning fights where my faction is underpoppped) with my own faction, I will have to move towards a fight between the other two factions. Using the Prowler to its advantages can be broken down into two segments:

1) The easiest: Sitting yourself up at long range and using your superior firepower + velocity to take the fight over long range, where inexperienced tankers will be inable to properly fight back. (Note: experienced tankers can and WILL fight you even at ranges upwards of 700m. Normally this is achieved by people sitting inside, or well behind, the zerg. This does not require much thought, and is something I deeply despise. When I roll out with the intention of using Anchor, it is to find and flank a zerg over long range, either because I cannot get closer due to terrain limitations, or masses of enemies (typically aircraft, the bane of my existence). Note: I rarely do this, simply because I don't really find farming lemmings and not having an impact fun. You most likely won't be killing any decent tankers from within the friendly zerg, and the only targets you are able to shoot at, 100 allies are also shooting at.

2) The hardest: Getting right up close and personal, where you use your exceptional firepower and forward speed to quickly get in and unload, and then get out once **** starts hitting the fan. Note: This doesn't imply getting right up infront of the zerg, but rather using the terrain to your advantages and laying out traps. I ALWAYS run with maxed Vehicle Stealth on my loadouts, which really helps in such situations. Knowing how far 50m, in combination with using maxed Vehicle Stealth is a really really valuable skill. I've destroyed zergs of more than 25 vehicles (without Anchor) and without being more than ~100-150m away from the enemies at any given time. Being able to fire in 3rd-person-perspective is a huuuge boost to your effectiveness here, as it allows you to stay mobile if **** hits the fan, but still be able to put out reliable DPS. This is also by far the most profitable way to use your tank, but it is risky, and does quire high levels of skill and situational awareness to keep it alive. Note: This is also the most effective way of hunting down the experienced tank crews out there (which is what I live and breathe for in PS2).

So what do I love? After having used it for so long, I guess it would be silly to say I don't like the DPS (especially if I'm solo and hunting). I like being able to move fast and flank, and this baby can do it, given the right terrain. If competent people know where you are, you might be in for some trouble though, as I find the Prowler to be by far the easiest tank to destroy in the game (and I have subsequently found out that I secretly LOVE hunting Prowlers.)
So what do I hate? I hate the double-shot cannon of the Prowler. Some people like it (LOL AI-power) but I find the other tanks more than capable of defending themselves from infantry. Having to hit ESF's etc twice, is a huuuge deal-breaker for me, and has been something that has bugged me for soooo long. The double-shot cannon is also less effective if you want to keep a low profile, as it requires you to be visible for longer (a minimum of ½ a sec for the re-fire delay + any additional reaction time) and the double-shot mechanic also makes it much harder to punish enemies for a quick positioning error (like turning their tank's rear towards mine for <½ a second). I also dislike that it doesn't FEEL like a tank, more like a piece of artillery.

I love that the Vanguard feels like a tank. I love the feeling of the Titan-AP rocking the tank, and the fact that I can actually tank a bit in it. I love the fact that it is a single-shot cannon, with all the benefits (1-shotting ESFs, 2-shotting most Libs, 1shotting Flak infantry etc. etc.). It can feel a bit sluggish, but that just lends more credibility towards being a tank in my opinion. It isn't the most pleasant to drive though. I find it easy to use both and long-range and short-range, at least against Prowlers. Maybe it's my extensive experience driving a Prowler, but they really feel like free certs most of the time. Oh, and if they are long range, they got absolutely 0 chance of destroying my tank. I've never really understood why people feared long-range Prowlers so much, it is so easy to find cover from them. And if you are close, you just either face-tank them if they aren't using Anchor. If they DO use Anchor in close range, they are usually dead meat. Depending on the range, you can either zoom towards their rear, burning Shield, or simply go behind cover, scoot ever so slightly out (so you can only see 2-10% of their tank hull) and take shots from there. They won't be able to fire back, and as soon as they start moving, you know they aren't Anchored, and can bum-rush them.

I love a lot of things about the Magrider. For starters, I love the sound the engine makes (the whup whup whup), and even the sounds of shuffling feet that accompanies it at times
It is by far the most pleasant thing to drive, as it provides you with an unrivaled smooth ride across most terrain, and can even climb very steep hills. Now, being able to climb the hills isn't all, it can also FIGHT from those hills effectively. The track-based tanks have a very hard time staying mobile and engaging enemies on uneven terrain (especially something like driving sideways across a cliff, whilst being able to fire accurately and not slip down). I love the mobility it brings to the table, the strafing, the Magburn etc. In short, it is just a pleasure to ride. Oh, and of course I like the 1-shot mechanic of the main weapon, however, the lack of elevation angle on the main cannon can be a limiting factor, especially if you aren't experienced in the tank, and can use hills to effectively fight off aircraft. The smooth ride is simply so pleasant, that I know I've mentioned it before, but it deserved a second notice. Fighting at long range with the Magrider isn't always effective at killing things, but they sure as heck can't kill you either (let alone hit you, especially if you also use cover). You sure can annoy them though Fighting at close range, and sneaking up and flanking enemies, is really what makes the Magrider shine in my opinion. Pop on maxed Vehicle Stealth, and go sneak up on enemies, especially using elevation to your advantage, you can really render the enemies incapable of fighting back effectively (unless they are using aircraft extensively).

General Questions

It depends a lot on my mood, and the state of things. If there isn't a lot of action, or just not the action I'm looking for (I prefer fighting other vehicles) then I don't mind gunning for someone. It can be so relaxing to gun for someone, especially if you find a competent driver that can use the tank well. But under optimal conditions, I prefer to be behind the wheel, especially if gunning for a Magrider. It does also depend on whether I have a gunner or not. Back when I used to play more, I had two dedicated gunners that could rotate, which really was a luxury. Furthermore, I had a VS tanker friend that I also used to gun for, which was very enjoyable. Now that I don't have such luxuries, I've gone more towards gunning for others, especially if I can find someone competent (and someone that doesn't just pot-shot at infantry all day).

I've generally always focused on the vehicular aspects of tanking, although, back in the day before the first Tank armor buffs, AP didn't really give any benefits apart from the slightly higher velocity, which is why I used HEAT extensively back then. That also led to some easier infantry kills. Ever since the patch that changed that soooo long ago, I've stuck with AP and never looked back. I did Aurax HE for a short time, but mostly just for the heck of it. These days the only infantry I kill are usually the ones that are direct threats, or annoying (MANA-AV turrets are always a high priority for me, and I've gotten quite good at nailing them at extreme ranges, as long as they actually render!!!!).
I don't play PS2 for the FPS aspect, for that there are other games that are much better in my opinion. I did used to snipe back when I was new to the game, but not so much anymore.
Regarding fighting tanks, I've always preferred games with a challenge, and that usually includes fighting on more or less even ground. Furthermore, the stakes are higher with tanks, and it is harder to just sneak up on someone unnoticed. It simply gets my adrenaline pumping much more-so than infantry combat ever does.

I don't do this with all gunners at all, but if I find someone that seems interested, and has a good time, I will tell them that I prefer for them to be engineers, and that I prefer for them not to be shooting at everything that moves, rather following my lead most often. This is especially important as I often run with maxed Vehicle Stealth, and I'm really into moving behind enemy lines for flanking maneuvers.

I solo at times, usually if I've had several poor experiences with random gunners in a row. But I'm generally always open for someone to jump in, as long as they aren't shooting friendlies. I'm a friendly guy, what can I say?

Skyguard. To be more exact, the only times I'm in my Lightning and not an MBT is if I feel like Skyguarding duty. On my NC and VS I never use Lightnings at all, as I prefer to use MBTs as makeshift-AA platforms, due to the 1-shot mechanic (yes, even the Magrider).

3rd person shooting would've been something that was nice to have known about to begin with (regarding tracked tanks, Lightning/Vanguard/Prowler). Other than that I feel like I had a pretty good grasp of what was involved back then, but I've always been a theorycrafter.

To practice and learn 3rd-person shooting from the get-go. Oh, and to learn that aircraft are always going to be able to **** upon you if they aren't brain-dead


If you want me to post this on Reddit as well, just say so. But I honestly don't think Reddit is a positive environment, especially for such a discussion. The Planetside2 Reddit in particular has deeply disappointed me.

Empire Specific (ES) Tankers

- Magrider lovers & haters: Why do you love / hate the Magrider? And for the haters: What is holding you back from getting over your obstacle of hating it?
The magrider is the ultimate flanking tool at the hand of a tanker. While it has the lowest combined dps of main and secondary gun, it can climb any cliff at less than a 90 degree angle. With side strafing you can (if you know the reload times of the other tanks) dodge tank shells at 70m+. Its secondary gun the Saron has 0 drop, it is pin point accurate and excellent at getting prowlers to undeploy from hills. The FPC unlike the other MBT AP guns, has 0 recoil. I've killed MBTs that were about 100m away without taking a scratch with this glorious beauty. Its downside is its dps. Also its a magrider, there are no obstacles, your argument is invalid.

- Prowler people: Why do you love / hate the Prowler? What is something you would like to learn or develop?
She's fast. The fastest. Essentially a fast and more manueverable stock lightning that packs a hell lotta punch with the armor of an MBT. Prowler lockdown when utilized properly can stop an entire zerg in a matter of seconds. It crushes unorganized players under your treads. Its downsides are that lockdown leaves you vulnerable and you don't have any get outta jail free cards like shield or magburn. You also have an amazing close range weapon in the vulcan, which chews armor to little bits. I don't know if theres anything else for me to learn about the prowler, I have all the numbers memorized on all the tanks and played each one... alot.

- Vanguard people: Why do you love / hate the Vanguard? What is something you would like to learn or develop?
The vanguard is the tankiest tank in the game. With a 150mm AP gun that deals 2075 dmg with a long range 500damage enforcer. The enforcer is more akin to a rapid fire MBT gun with 500dps. The titan 150 AP is a very rewarding weapon that has a high velocity and high damage. On top of all that the vanguard gets a shield, essentially for 6 seconds your tank has an extra 6k hp. (depending on where you're taking fire). ON top of all that as well, it has the highest armor values of the other MBTs reguardless of if they put extra armor on. Its downsides are its lack of maneuverability and acceleration. Also on your last question see the end of prowler post.

General Questions

- Which do you prefer: gunning or driving, and why?
both, the problem is that its hard to find other tankers that handle as well as I do. On top of that nobody wants to drive for me, they want to jump in the gunner seat and get ridiculous killstreaks.

- What do you enjoy about fighting tanks?
Its exhilarating. The moment another tank appears at a range of 200m the gloves come off and I immediately let my gunner know another MBT has been spotted in the area, at which point we will engage in a glorious duel to the death.

- New Players: What do you look for when you tank? Zerging with a zerg; AV fights; AI fights; something else?
Not new so I don't know. However had a BR1 in our TS, brand new to the game hop into my gunner seat I earned him a couple hundred certs in a few hours which kinda jumpstarted his planetside career. He was pretty good for a beginner too.

- Intermediate players: What role do you like to fulfill while tanking?
See above

- Expert Players: How has your tanking career progressed over time? Do you focus on one or two aspects now that differ from when you started?
I focus AP, both HE and HEAT lessen overall firepower and make you tank food. Maxing dps and practicing with your AP gun will improve your accuracy to the point where you don't need the splash damage to kill the infantry getting locks on you.

- Unless you're running with a gunner you know, what are the first things or ground rules you establish with new gunners? (Ignore this if you solo or don't take on new gunners)
If I have stealth, my gunners are told to only fire if:
1. Fired upon
2. I start firing (this can be discretionary due to who is gunning some people know when its time to fire)
3. We're spotted
4. Use common sense

If I have NAR, kinda same rules, but much more relaxed, I only pull NAR when I'm running with a large group or platoon.

- Soloers: Why do you prefer to solo?
The only reason to solo your tank is: 1. Your friends aren't online or 2. You have no friends. 3. You despise pubbies (this in combination with 1 and 2.)

- Apart from reasons such as working on directives; a lack of resources; not being connected to a tech plant and not having your gunner logged in; what are some reasons you prefer to run Lightnings over MBTs?
If I need high anti armor firepower immediately, however if I have time I'll pull a MBT from warpgate.

- Looking back at your career as an armor player, what are some things you wished you learned when you started off that you think could have dramatically improved your progression or enjoyment of planetside 2's MBTs?
Reload speed is important, it wasn't till I started using the prowler did I realize that is something really important to have (I thought that .5s wasn't all that much). However since tank rounds can get slung between tanks in the dozens that adds up to alot of extra time you otherwise didn't have.

- If there was one thing or two things or even some advice you could tell your armor-newb-self about Tank tactics and strategy, what would it be?
Get reload speed dammit you don't need that stupid rifle.

- Please share anything else you're inclined to that comes to mind; or ask any questions to the participants of this thread.
To max my magrider without SC, it took me to BR50 before I could max everything, but had it maxed in about 2 months so no complaints here.

General tips:
Stealth is a very VERY important ability and just about every good and above tanker will equip it and to this day the only tanks that have ever been able to get the drop on me are stealth ones. I also would not like to see more stealth tanks because that makes my life harder . Stealth can be a lotta fun for driver and gunner. I took my stealth prowler behind a vanguard attacking a base. we deployed behind his tank... touching his rear to my front. It took him about a minute to realize that an enemy tank was behind him. I also like to drive on top of enemy lightnings in a magrider when they're not looking it shows my superiority lol.

NAR (Nanite auto repair) is VERY handy when first starting your tanking career due to stealth being almost completely useless till its last rank. Allows you to not have to leave your tank till you absolutely have to.

Side armor (vanguard only) This will give you the highest armor resistance on an MBT possible with a 75% resistance giving you 16k effective hp on your side not counting for the shield.

Use your ES abilities, dont be the guy with fire suppression or IR smoke. Those are free tank kills.

If you solo tank take a walker (not recommended on a magrider due to low dps) You can also if you want take the Saron/haberd on your MBTs and this will allow you to swap seats to engage the enemy. If you let the reload timer reach about half when you switch seats the gun will be reloaded when you get back in.

How to cert your beginning tank:
1. grab first level of NAR
2. grab first level of ES ability
3. grab decent secondary (ES AV secondary or halberd)
4. grab AP gun.
5. Max out your chasis of preference which is the best thing you can do to improve tank performance outside of the weapons.

From here its to your discretion as to what is the most important thing to get next as everyone has a different playstyle.

Each tank has 2 ranges it excells at.
The magrider is good at mid and long distances
The vanguard is good at close and mid distances
The prowler is good at close and long distances

On the last bit about the prowler. The prowler unlike the other two, doesn't have an ability that would be widely advised to use in close combat like the magburn or shield. What it does have is good dps and that is what makes it an excellent tank. However, the only thing that makes it a good long range tank is its ability to lockdown. Without lockdown, 50% of what your tank is good at is wasted.

- Magrider
Using a Magrider: you NEED a gunner who spots and communicates. He's not just support, is your eyes.
Fighting a Magrider: placing C4 on a constantly moving tank? Hitting it beyond 40m with dumbfire RL? A tank shooting from a place that you struggle to reach even as LA, so he can get to cover safely?

- Prowler
Using: you have the firepower, a gunner is just extra. If you can flank your enemies and find a good LoS, lockdown will let destroy most vehicles in very short time. The bad thing: boring. Is more a mobile artillery than a tank.
Fighting: not enough experience with other MBTs to comment. As infantry is not that different from a Vanguard without shield.

- Vanguard people: Why do you love / hate the Vanguard? What is something you would like to learn or develop?
Using: level 1 shield might have a long cooldown, but is as effective when activated as top tier. Best gun when you are playing as a tank instead of artillery.
Fighting: "oh, you placed mines there?" Activate shield and run over them like a boss. "Did you sneaky peaky just place a C4 on me? Activate shield by the time you place the second. Let's see who dies first in the next 6 seconds"

General Questions
- Which do you prefer: gunning or driving, and why?
Gunning for a good driver is as rewarding as driving. Even more if you gun for a Magrider and take care of those out of sight for the driver. I'm your savior!

- Apart from reasons such as working on directives; a lack of resources; not being connected to a tech plant and not having your gunner logged in; what are some reasons you prefer to run Lightnings over MBTs?
If you are soloing, fighting infantry works better for me with a Lighting. You are smaller, faster, more agile. The extra damage of a MBT is not really useful against squishy enemies

- Looking back at your career as an armor player, what are some things you wished you learned when you started off that you think could have dramatically improved your progression or enjoyment of planetside 2's MBTs?
I ran for too long using side armor. I didn't know how different is tier 1 stealth and maximum tier.

- If there was one thing or two things or even some advice you could tell your armor-newb-self about Tank tactics and strategy, what would it be?
I think most tankers agree that Magrider is better with Rival and Vanguard with Racer, but I'm not sure about the Prowler. You can turn really fast with Rival, and move backwards at a decent speed (while zig-zagging a bit), which helps a LOT to avoid showing your back to your enemy. With Racer, speed increase is not that noticeable, although you might miss the ability to drive up some steep hills.
With the Lighting, I certainly prefer Rival. Racer means you need an airport runway to brake or turn! (and is so easy to end upside down) Don't complain if you use Racer and a Vulcan Harasser bursts your rear because you couldn't turn. Playing as VS I've yet to meet a Harasser killing my Rival/FS/AP lighting 1 vs 1 using just the Vulcan