Keri Starlight
Psygod9
81
   |
Posted - 2013.08.14 05:25:00 -
[1] - Quote
Important proposition:
One of my 3 characters is a HAV driver and another one is a PRO Heavy.
CCP, you said that the Forge Gun is working as intended. This is your word, so we have to accept this and take it as absolute truth.
However, that said, I can say without any doubt and without any fear that, in this case, HAV are NOT working as intended.
1. Why HAV are not working as intended:
An Ishukone FG does 1700 up to 2000+ damage (proficiency/damage mods) every 2.5 seconds, meaning I can kill the best tanks in the game in 10 seconds, with a single "clip", from a safe position (what's the purpose of having 7000 HP?). It's extremely hard for a HAV driver to spot a single forge gunner and, even so, it's impossible to run away if you are in an open area and the target is too small and too far away.
If you think it's wrong to compare a PRO weapon with a STD Tank, then tell me where PRO Tanks are.
Forge Gun is available in MLT versions for everyone, it's very simple to use effectively, it has extreme range and no fall-out or damage reduction at that range. Unlike some other game's versions (see Spartan Laser), it's not a Power Weapon, you can spawn with it. It also has a good amount of ammo and you can have more of them from a supply depot. Unlike Swarm Launchers, they are extremely effective against infantry, so you don't really sacrifice your survivability for not using a HMG. It's been a month since the last time I've been using a HMG.
HAV is supposed to be a dreadful weapon, an extreme area-denial tool and an immediate boost to your team. HAV should not be an "alternative" to dropsuits, it should be obviously something more. However, a single HAV's performance is comparable to a single Dropsuit's performance.
Instead, a single Forge Gunner on an elevated position is an area denial weapon for HAV. Or even a "map-denial", because the forge gunner can see the (almost?) the whole map from there and destroy a HAV before the RDV drops it.
You CANNOT call a HAV if you have an enemy Forge Gunner on a roof.
This means I'm spending 1.000.000 ISK to call the best Gunnlogi I can afford to help my team that's being pushed and mashed by the opponents only to give a free kill to some Forge Gunner somewhere up there.
2. So how to move HAV back to their role?
Possible Solution 1: Simply increase their resistance, this can be done in different ways.
- HP
- Heavy Shield booster and Armor Reppers efficiency
- Heavy Extenders and Plates efficiency
- Etc...
Experience teaches that a 10% general HP buff does not really make them more useful. The only appreciable fact is that SOMETIMES your tank goes down to 100-400 HP instead of blowing up immediately. So you might be able to jump out and survive... unlike your Tank. HAV need a more elaborated and complex survivability buff.
Possible Soultion 2: Cut HAV's price drastically and cut every turret's and HAV dedicated module's (Heavy boosters, reppers, plates, EVERYTHING) price drastically.
I don't like this solution because it's not making HAV useful, but just usable. If anything this can be a "temporary" solution while you work on 1 or 3.
Possible Solution 3: Leave the current HAV how they are and introduce higher tier HAV. |