Put your crutches away, remove cloaks and play scouts properly.

Let me just say this is long, but I am a scout and i am appalled by cloaks and how they are being used, what they detract from the game and skill of a scout. They are simply a crutch being used by unskilled players to be competitive but it's ruining the game.

There's no scout role playing, no skill required to use a cloak, no reason to have a scout with a cloak, just a massive advantage scouts do not require. Take off your crutches and remove cloaks from the game. I haven't heard a single other scout complain about cloaks or how their use a cloak to provide significant advantage not given to them by their poor stylist play in 1.7 or their lack of ability in FPS. They need to go.

1. Cloaks are ruining the game, and real scout role.
Scouts were fine in 1.7, those who couldn't hack it tough love but the role was still fun. Running, flanking, strategically moving around the map to get the jump on the enemy. There was skill in running a 250 eHP fragile suit, you could never be too careful when hacking an objective or taking the wrong path. You could never take on players 1v1 or rush the front lines, there was skilled involved in the decision making and how you created an advantage for yourself in a match.

Cloaks absolutely have ruined the game, and no scout wants to admit it. These unskilled pricks who couldn't hack it in 1.7 are now going largely undetected, running around with 650-800 eHP and could care less about Pathing or flanking. There no care i the world to check your back before hacking or climbing or even bother to check before you run across a large open space. These cloaked scouts are a step backwards. The cloaks is bullshit, it provides an advantage which is not required. There is no need to play strategically, no need to skillfully plan your route or avoid open areas. No need to worry about flanking the enemy. It's just a matter of running to the front lines, cloaking and getting the smallest jump on your foes. Because the scout now has so much eHP they are able to take on other classes with ease.

This is bullshit, it ends any skillful play but no one seems to care if you're a scout. There's no learning curve now, there's no stealth or gameplay adaptations now that you are a as out, it's just run as fast as you can then turn on a cloak and get a jump on someone by hiding for a second. There is no need for cloaks in the game, they are a massive problem and should be removed. If you can hack it as a real scout then go be something else. All you new cloaked scouts or those who think cloaks are a good thing because they help so much, go out your crutches away.

2. Scouts already got a boost in 1.8
Some scouts had a difficult time in 1.7, but the cloak isn't a solution. It only creates a larger problem of unbalance, bullshit, and diminished skill. In 1.8 scouts got a extra slot (low or a high), got two new classes (more options, more adaptability), and got a second equipment slot (perfect for bringing compact hives and compact drop links). There was no reason to provide cloaks to scouts when they clearly got significant boosts. Scouts could play stealth, speed, light infantry, hacking, sniping, etc roles but now there's no reason to. Scouts got a boost in 1.8 and there's no reason to further provide them with this ridiculous crutch.

3. Cloaks don't balance anything
Cloaks aren't useful to the game, they aren't required for people to be competitive as a scout. Players were fine in1.7 without scouts getting a boost, so why provide them with some insane cloak which kills their gameplay, hinders their role, eliminates stealth and skillful, removes any sort of balance to light-medium suits?

There's no explanation or reasoning behind cloaks, they should be removed and those who argue against it are either scouts who need it because they broke their legs, or people who argue its a counter to heavies (which is it not). You don't need a scout with a cloak to kill a heavy, they aren't the only class who can, scouts aren't required to keep another class in check but rather to provide diverse and function as a role in a team.

The cloaks is a equipment but why don't logi's get reduction? Seems ridiculous that they have a blanket racial bonus for equipment but just not that equipment. Kind of like saying you can have any car in the aisle of 20 at discount car rentals but not those 10. Its illogical, just like cloaks the self. No reason for them, scouts can succeed without them and have been successful in 1.7 and in 1.8 they were given a boost and still CCP gave them a cloak?!? Ridiculous.

Sorry for long text.