I think I'm a bit out of the mainstream here because when I play engie (or medic for that matter) I like to get stuck into the infantry figthing and use the engie abilities and tools as bonus abilities. And no, I don't die all that oftern even mixing it with the HAs and Maxes (not now anyway). What it comes down to is that I run nano and AI mines for preference, rather than flak and AT mines, which seem to be the norm. I make most of my certs from ammo resupply, with repairing maxes being the next best earner. Not so much from repairing vehicles (but then I don't tend to get run over by them or blown up too much by the vehicles they are fighting against either). Perhaps obviously, this role works better in base fights than open territory, so I try to ride vehicles up to the next place to assault when on the attack. If I need to help with repairs along wth way, that's all to the good. Anybody else have an engie role that is perhaps not mainstream? I read a post one time from someone who had equipped himself as a dedicated Max hunter (Archer, AT mines and Blackhand).
Don't forget Sniper-Bait by using your Mana AV and AI turrets. You find yourself a good spot to flank a zerg from behind at a distance and you can rake in the infantry and vehicle kills. I was totally shocked last night when I found a spot to setup my Mana AV turret and I was able to rain death down at the enemy for 30 minutes without a single sniper trying to kill me. But on most occasions, you'll be lucky to survive minute at an active engagements without getting picked off by a sniper or stabbed in the back. Maybe 5-10 minutes if you find a really good cover spot. As a side note, if you haven't already done this, you may want to watch some YouTube videos on how to adjust your various mouse sensitivity settings for all your weapons, vehicle and aiming views. Take time to sit in the VR training center to learn how to adjust all these settings for your Engineer. It really does make a difference.
At the moment HIVE killing. Not sure how mainstream it is, i usualy see heavies attacking with rockets. Drop 2-3 engineers with max demolitions pouch and bye-bye HIVE. Engies are the only class that can carry 4 c4, very powerful. I luv my engi, unlimited ammo, lots of explosives, rep maxs and vehicles, keep contruction items like turrets going for longer, deployable manas, spitfires, the list goes on.....stickies... Theres not much that i wont consider using an engi for.
I've done a lot of suicide engi for sunderer and MAX killing in the past. Also sticky grenade primary. More recently, I've mainly been a sunderer custodian.
interesting - all pretty aggressive roles, which is good to see. I don't like the care bear/pocket engie perception of our class myself.
I've my standard crew engineer that run AV turret / AV mines / archer with flak armor or mines bag. But for anti-infantry I take my "demolition man" engineer : UBGL, AI mines and grenade belt. Optionnal : explosive Xbow.
Engineer is extremely versatile and can do a lot of things. Point Holder - faction auto shotgun and either Spitfire or standard AI turret with AI mines. Max'd flak or nanoweave. With fully certed ammo pack you can lay 2 which means you can cover an entire point building with ammo (they fill through floors and walls). If with a small group or alone I use the spitfire to guard my back and with a larger group I use the AI turret for stairway cover. Airborne Demolitons - Usually still run the shotgun and drop out of a Valkyrie onto the top of enemy armor lines. Sundy balls are toast when you drop on top of them and toss out 5 mines and a sticky. I've literally taken out 3 sundies, 2 tanks, and 2-3 infantry in one drop more than a couple times. Obviously uses a lot of resources but is ridiculously effective. Remember though as the pilot when you eject from the Valk you'll actually exit from the left side of the aircraft and your actual drop point will be about 10m behind you where you were rather than where you currently are (if moving). So basically get altitude, spot armor column/sundy ball, fly just to the right side of them on your minimap (left edge of Valk even with right side of target point), and then eject when you are about 2 sunderer lengths past the target and you should fall right on top of them. Amp Station Hero - Battle rifle with UBGL, max'd shield capacitor, and central rooftops. I usually run a 3.4x sight and remove enemy snipers before harassing the **** out of infantry on the ground. Again, with fully certed ammo pack you can drop 2 about 15m apart from each other and just strafe back and forth while reloading the grenades. When enemy sunderers park right next to the central building all of those infantry spawning out are free kills. Get a friend up there using another UBGL or even a basic rocket launcher and you'll kill them all. Just some side notes. Max hunting with AT mines and C4 obviously works relatively well but never underestimate what a sticky grenade followed by the auto shotgun (10 round mag) can do. Also AI mines, especially TR's Claymores, do excellent damage to a max if 2 are placed right on top of each other. The Archer is a great harassment tool that will generally scare away any ESF with 1 shot, tanks in 2-3 shots, and is still capable of doing great damage on infantry with headshots. When running the Archer it's always a good idea to run your faction's best short to medium range pistol or the NS autopistol in case enemies close in on you. Just fire at them with the Archer, duck behind cover for a split second while you pull the pistol, then come back out going for their heads. It works almost all the time because they think you're waiting to chamber the Archer and/or running from them.
Patchwork engineer. I'll just roam around supplying/repairing things when other engineers are failing to do so, then swap back to something else when things lighten up. It's amazing how many MAX users will just stop and stare gormlessly at you while you repair them. Getting into the habit of ditching them when they do.
Strangely enough, it's the ones who run off back into the thick of battle where the bullets and bombs are flying and think you will follow them that bug me. I quite like them to stand still when I'm milking them for cer.........er, helping them
I'm fine with them standing still if they have the sense to guard me while I patch them up. I've died one too many times to a lone soldier coming up from the side and gunning me, then the MAX, down because the idiot in the heavily armored suit experienced a mental BSOD.
I have different loadouts. One is anti-max specific with Archer, AV turret, mines pouch and AV mines. One is strictly defensive with shotgun AI mines and spitfire (great for holding points) and a all-purpose loadout made of carbine, medikit, nanowave and AI mana turret. For this one I sometimes swap to trac-s or battle rifle.
I've recently started using burst carbines with the improved HVA and 3.4x sights for longer range engagements.....awesomeness. And trigger-spammable if they get too close.
As a new player on NC engineer,i play mainly close quarters damage dealer with an autoshotgun,with Blackhand as secondary for long range kills and maybe i have my engineer like a Halo spartan,with advanced shield capacitor,so i need a medic around me for heal me,also i picked up the bouncing bettyes for more damage dealing capabilityes. I have my NC engineer like my Vanu engineer,with the Pandora autoshotgun on my Vanu engineer and on my NC engineer i play with Piston. Autoshotguns are the best for dispatch close quarters combat heavy assaults with overshields and its very satisfying...
Demolitions, I hunt down anything that I can Blow up, setting a bunch of mines, AP and AT, the go out with C4 abd the AV MANA, and blow up all the things.
