[Guide] The Ultimate Guide To Liberating (Becoming a Good Liberator Pilot)

Now my highest account on PS2 is BR 30 on Miller. I only started playing around Oct/Nov and haven't many hours played. However I do have a basic grasp of the game and I'm actually becoming a good Liberator pilot - of which I have more to learn but I and others can share with you.

Foreword
Liberating is extremely difficult in an age where even the noob has access to lockons, turrets, burster maxes, sunderer guns and even skyguards to take down air with impudence. From what I've seen, heard and watched, the air game has already been negatively affected by the incessant whining of infantry players who just want to play CoD. Although this is often seen from the perspective of ESF's, people seem to overlook how badly Liberators in general are struggling - especially in fights where it counts.

On a typical Indar battle, Liberators are likely to get shot down in seconds due to the sheer density of the population and the flatness of the arid Indar landscape. Esamir is slightly easier, but not by much when it comes to an Amp station or Tech plant. On Amerish, you won't get shot down, but you won't get many kills or affect many fights either. Given also that ESF's are now more brazen because of the degradation of their air game, they actively hunt Liberators now.

The Liberator is a slow(ish) 3 man vehicle with 3 weapons and a requirement for above par piloting skills and communication between the pilot and the gunners. Calling for nerfs against something that needs at least 2 people to competently fly is unfair and smacks of false entitlement. The Liberator does not need new weapons, it does not need better armour (or whatever), it needs a lowered density of AA against it and better pilots to fly it. I'm not biased here.

TIPs

1. Practice flying in VR mode. Don't be that idiot at the warpgate who just flies around, getting in the way and flipping over other aircraft. VR mode is a free, open training ground for you to try out weapons, vehicles and learn how to fly. Use it.
2. Use High G as your Airframe. For the longest time my flying was below par even though I had practised banks, rolls and tight turns in VR mode. This was because I was lied to and I ended up getting Hover Frame (wasted 200 certs). After talking with my RL friend, I got 2 levels of High G and it was a night and day difference. I was able to get my gunner into position perfectly whilst executing necessary evasive manoeuvres and flying with the aim to flank. It turns your Liberator into a slower ESF.
3. Get a good regular gunner. You'll be making your exp and ribbons through your gunner, so he needs to be good. The last time I picked up random gunners at the warpgate (last weekend), I promptly ragequit. Do not do this. IF your gunner(s) aren't around, do not fly.
4. Certifications. Nanite Auto-Repair and Fire Suppression are mandatory in this case. Don't cert flares because unless you're getting mass locked on, you should be able to fly behind cover and mitigate damage. NAR and FS make sure that you stay in the action. A good Liberator (like mine) has at least level 3 of each.
5. Choose your weapons carefully. On my Liberator, I put special emphasis on the Dalton because my friend knows how to gun it. With my other friend, I'd outfit a Shredder. Personally if I'm gunning a Liberator, I use a Shredder. It is important that you correlate your gunner to his preferred weapon. I left out the Zephyr for a reason - its kind of trash. Apparently, its exceptional vs Infantry. But that's not very far off from what the Shredder and Dalton can also do to Infantry. Avoid certing up a Zephyr unless you have a gunner who specially requires it.
6. Weapon Certs. Dalton and Shredder both exponentially become more potent with higher reload speeds. Never put Thermal on the Dalton - always always always 2x + optics. Thermal can go on the Zephyr, but its not necessary on the Shredder either. Level 3 magazine size is cheap and should also be a priority to get.
7. Choose your battles carefully. Don't just fly into a 48+ vs 48+ thinking you are John Rambo and then wonder why you get shot down in 5 secs. If you have no air support there, its a no-fly-zone. If you're starting out, it is better for you to keep to Esamir as the battles there are less then (f*** Amerish). I only started seriously flying on Indar last week.
8. Learn how to belly up. ESFs will come at you like demons out of the Bible. Use that to your advantage and NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVERRRRRRRRRRRR run away from an ESFs - YOU. WILL. DIE. If you are getting shot, immediatly order your gunner to the tail gun and fly in a direction where the ESF is behind you and not grossly above you. Then, using the Throttle key, belly up (or side face) and shoot the Mofo out of the sky with the Dalton or make him burn with the Shredder (order your gunner back to the belly gun).
9. Communication. Is key. Flying is cool, but it won't pay off if you don't alert your gunner to targets. Also, gunners need to good at directing you too. I'm still making sure my flying is top notch, so I concentrate on flying and I allow my Gunner to tell me where to fly in most cases.

If anyone has anything they'd like to leave, please do!

For those actually here to learn about the topic: this ain't the "ultimate" guide, just what works best for him or his gunner, paired with irrational statements, i.e. that if a 2 man vehicle had a bomb that'd blow up everything within km, then...

Ask for balance and you'll be met with shaming tactics and the same attitude you've been accused of having.
Fortunately, there's no such weapon yet

Try your own optics and try your own air frame and utility, as well as your own flying style.

R.

Moin

This isn't "The Ultimate Guide". I haven't really found out yet if this is just some troll post or serious stuff.

This is ********. Though I have High G on my own liberator it isn't the only viable airframe. Both P-Bomber and Racer can be useful and all airframes should be tested in VR before you buy one.

There are good random gunners out there. Just ask for experienced libgunners when picking up people at the warpgate. Sometimes you end up with a new "regular gunner" in your friendslist.

Well yes, NAR is kinda nobrainer atm, but FS is not. Both Flares and Afterburner are good too, you should try them out.

I always demand thermal optics, no matter the weapon. I use it on Dalton, Shredder, Halberd etc. Zoom screws with my aim and leading. Let the gunner decide which optic he wants. Definitely cert thermal.

Accuses my OP of being formed of irrational statements whilst posting a pretty incoherent post.

This is 2014. I've been using the internet since 1998, don't reply to me with some iteration of "not sure if troll". Its boring and mundane. This is the ultimate guide, because its not a case of opening the floor to allow anyone with an imagination to fly however they want, but its a shoehorn with the intentions of getting anyone to fly in an efficient manner. A Liberator is at least 315 resources and in the hands of someone without a clue, it has the integrity of something less than a Flash. People can read what I've written and then expand upon it later on.

No. I flew with Precision Bomber for at least a month, working way below potential. In fact, it was my friend and some team mates in ISK who advocated High G. Like I said, its a night and day difference. If you want to roll and yawn quicker, turn up your sensitivity. If you however want to be able to dogfight ESFs, perform life saving manoeuvres, fly around mountains/cover and land in an expert manner and quickly manoeuvre from height to a good killing ground, High G is what you need.

High G also has the added benefit of enabling hover from ANY height. This allows you to sit still in the air and shell enemies from afar. You CANNOT do this with Precision Bomber for some reason. Try it yourself.

I know what I say. Either get a RL friend on skype/TS to gun for you, or someone from your outfit to gun for you. Why risk picking some scrub up from the warpgate and getting shot down within seconds because he's too busy derping around? You're basically suggesting people to roll the dice rather than make a SAFE and logical decision to form a good pilot-gunner partnership with friends or outfit members.

I don't think flares are necessary. It takes about 4 lockon hits to set the Liberator smoking... Unless you're fighting at cross roads, you shouldn't be in a position where you get successively locked on such that you would die without flares. The longevity that FS and NAR provide far outweigh what Flares would do - mainly because you're practically healing the entire time whilst taking damage.

As for Afterburners, no I have not tried these. But I don't see speed as a major characteristic of the Liberator. What would speed achieve except to run away faster? And a good pilot knows never to run from an ESF.

Thermal Optics has a maximum range of 350m. At 350m, you will get shot down by mass AA. Zephyrs use Thermal because 350m is about the decent limit where infantry renders properly for the gunner. With the Dalton and Shredder however, you don't have to put up with drop and low projectile velocity. Zoom in from a safe height and light the ground up.

You must also take into account of the 200 cert bill. As a BR 30, I'm not willing to sink my hard earned certs into 1 optic that is situational at best.

Moin

Well, I did. My pilot had it certed to rank 3 before he too changed to High-G. I use High-G too. I prefer it over P-Bomber. I still believe that it's not the best available but the best suited for me. If someone asks me which airframe he should pick I always answer "I use High-G and found it to be the best, but try them all out in VR." What's good for you doesn't have to be the best for other players.

If you have a reliable gunner online you should of course take him with you. But there's nothing wrong to ask for an experienced gunner at the warpgate. I have met some of my pilots that way. And by the way, I am not on TS with my main pilot and we only rarely communicate via squadcoms. We still have a lot of fun and manage to do good.

*sigh* No, flares are not necessary. But so is FS. Flares have 20 seconds less CD than FS, making them more efficient at mitigating lock-on damage. Afterburners can be used to get from hover to top speed really fast, which is great to get out of Flak and is helpful in lib vs. lib battles. Because when I use the Dalton against you, FS doesn't mean a damn, I will still kill you with 2 hits most of the time. But afterburners allow you to do some crazy dodging maneuvers.

Even at 500m, I don't need zoom. I can spot and nuke tanks just fine without it and infantry doesn't render at that distance anyway. If I hop into a random lib and it has zoom on the Dalton, I just use it for spotting distant targets. I switch out of it before taking the actual shot. Because it screws with my aim. Just ask your gunners which optic they prefer. I prefer thermals because it lets me see better through Flak and it's good to see where your shots are going when flying belly up and daltoning ESFs against the bright sky.

I didn't want to sound as if I was disagreeing with all you said. I just think that you state your own (very limited) experience as the one and only truth here. Which it isn't. Had you named the topic "My way of liberating" I wouldn't have criticised you. It just isn't the "ultimate guide" in my eyes, sorry.

This is not the ultimate guide. You say use High-G..... so automatically = noob.

lol OUT.

@ McToast, I will reply constructively to your post in some minutes, I'm eating.

Yes, please, entertain us

Just like most other players in this thread, I strongly disagree with you on this point.

It seems like High-G is the "MLG YOLO" option ATM, just like AB. For a long time (7 months) I ran high G + AB. Just to try, I maxed precision bomber and forced myself playing with it for 1 week. Now I cannot get back to high G.

Yes high G is amazing at dogfight and makes ESFs quite easy to handle, especially combined with AB (you can at any time give a good angle to your gunner). Plus it allows you to safely land even if you're in fire.

But precision bomber allows you being very effective with you nosegun and after discussion with my (regular) gunner, it's much more easy for him to aim while moving with P-bomber than high G (too much vertical thrust, shells are shot a weird way).


FYI I use it combined with FS ATM.

You didn't include a tailgun...
just slap a bulldog on your rear and you don't even have to try to hunt enemy ESF with your belly, just fly in a straight line and hit them twice.

also for me as a Solopilot (Galaxy for the most part, but sometimes Liberator) i equip High G, too.
otherwise Precision drop/bomber is extremly viably on both of them if you have only fly with gunners, as the Roll/yaw rate on both of them is extremly limited and they gain alot from it.

also Thermal vs Zoom:
Thermal boosts your awerness, zoom your long range capabilities. and for the most part you can live without zoom. also thermal can see trough flak.
so thermal is the better optic in my eyes (pun intented) even tough i already have a near perfect awerness for movement.

I have a hard time with a BR 30 writing an ultimate guide. The skies on some servers are a toxic soup of skilled pilots that will wreck your day in a heartbeat, I liken it to the wild wild west, gunslingers galore. My advice to getting good, get a regular crew and keep goin up till you find yourself the last one standing, then come back and write your Ultimate guide.


The belly gun I leave to gunners choice, whatever hes good with he gets. Everyone has their own style and flavor thats the beauty of the liberator.

I loled, thanks.

First, it's 3 or even 4 hits to destroy a full life ESF (not sure, but definetely not 2. exactly 3 accordiing to wikia). Second if an ESF is dumb enough to fly in a straight line in your direction so that you can hope to land 3 bulldog hits on it, it's even easier to take it out with the Dalton.

This is why IMO the walker is a go to as it allows you hitting ESFs that stay at distance (the reasonable way to take a lib down as an ESF). The bulldog adds nothing to the Dalton.

The only situation in which I equip the bulldog is when I run 3/3 and I know I'll do mostly A2G, just so that he does not get bored. If the tailgunner does not care I'd prefer the walker anyway.

the Bulldog was buffed. i tested it with battle galaxy. i got many esf oneshootkills, the target don'T need to fly in a straight line. the bullet drop isn't as high as it is on a sunderer.

your welcome, see you in the reticule of my 60mm Grenade

I don't get your point, apart from boasting.

Most of the time the ESFs you hit are flying in a straight line, right towards you. I never said bulldog were bad at hitting ESFs at point blank. Which weapon is actually ? Plus a walker and even a drake would have been even more efficient as such distances: 1450DPS for the drake, 1150 for the walker vs 800DPS for bulldog.

The only point at having a bulldog as tailgun when not sololibing is, for me, the challenge/ridiculizing your victims as at the distances the bulldog becomes efficient in air engagements, both the walker and the drake perform much better.

Maybe it's efficient in sololibing for the same reasons you use a Dalton rather than a shredder (high damage per shot) but this thread was, I guess, not about sololibing.

You're welcome.

Stopped reading at:

War Thunder, Ace Online, Aces High, World of Planes, and a billion others >>>>>> are that way.

Edit: Was actually interested in some flying tips, but literally 2nd paragraph started off as condescending to anyone who doesn't primarily air joust, as if that's 99% of the game.

PS: Never played CoD, and still believe game is quite well balanced air/ground.

You should come fly with me on miller

Good Points,

I disagree about Flairs, If you are running a zephyr Lib or even a shredder and you are going to hit a high infantry target especially one with TR. Then Flairs are essential, because it will allow you 2 sometimes even 3 volleys into your target. It is also important to allow the rockets to be fired before you pop your flairs, so your gunner can then target the HA's wielding lock-ons.

I love High-G as well, but racer with afterburner isn't a bad choice either, it really depends on your target and where your target is situated.

Wi

I have to comment on a few things here....

1. Yes, VR is good for some practice, but not all.
2. NO!! Your airframe is a matter of playing style....... The speed one being the lesser one, and I find that High H makes your gunner miss a lot more.
3. Yes, you do need a co-pilot since the experience of piloting will make him a better gunner and visa versa.
4. Yes auto repair is 95% of the time the most useful. I would, however never, ever invest in the fire suppression.
The afterburner is the one you want in my opinion since it helps you run away and it helps you in aerial combat.
5. Right now the Dalton is probably a better option in my opinion since you get high chance of killing while moving. But after the nerf in the patch I think the Shredder will be the strongest.
6. Reload speed for the Dalton but magazine size for the shredder......what optics you want is not something you should be stupid enough to decide .......ASK YOUR GUNNER!!
7. Just stay off indar ain't worth the effort. Dont expect to do much damage in Zergy fights. Amerish is just as good as Esamir probably better on the right time since of the terrain.
8. If its just one ESF sure take them on.......but good ESF's should get you the majority of the time. If there's more than one running is worth considering and hope for some support. The general gunner won't make the shot and the good pilot won't let you get in rage.
9.Yes communication is key but Not sure i would listen to my gunner. In general, I got more experience shooting and flying than him and if he spots thats really enough for me

LoL thats not me
It's ABTF Seb one of the best best Liberator Pilots. as you mentioned ISK you should have run already in to him.
and the Bulldog is just the best choice, regardless was you want to do with your Lib.
At close range an enemy ESF can easily pass by your rear, and you can see in some scenes how he switches to bulldog while Aeleva stays in the Dalton.
And at long range the walker hits like a towel and about as frequent as magnitude 3 Earthquake ( http://xkcd.com/1331/ )
also the Bulldog allows more A2G capabilites.
so in conclusion:
Why would you equip anything but a bulldog?