They better have equipment slots for armor repairs.

Go down with your ship if you are a REAL CAPTAIN, I say.

I proposed this before only to have a bunch of stupid AV activists comment. You need Pilot Suits to operate a vehicle with the exception of the LAV

The simplest dropsuit for this would be a light dtipsuit with scout stats but less slots and pgcpu with bonuses as a pro.

Militia- free to anyone- 0% bonuses
Std- 1% damage, reload, ammo
Adv- 2% damage, reload, ammo
Proto- 3% damage, reload, ammo
Officer-4% damage, reload, ammo

Pretty simple

Bruh even most of the pilots pulling that bs agree with you. Pilot suits are one of the most popular things ppl want in the game, even if they have no bonuses to start

Part of the reluctance of introducing Pilot Suits was that adding vehicle bonuses would further complicate vehicle balance.

However, if only people in Pilot Suits could operate closed vehicles (would not include LAVGÇÖs) then that would give Pilot Suits a purpose without having to give it vehicle bonuses.

It would be a low HP Scout suit, sidearm only (no light weapon), with an equipment slot for a Rep tool.

While it seems like a nerf to vehicle pilots on first glance, pilots will quickly realize that it is essentially the same as a vehicle lock, and therefor a buff to pilots.

Vehicles are getting native armor reps like infantry, so repair tools are no longer needed.

Additionally if you want to be supportive of your team as a vehicle pilot by spawning players, should you not be using a mCRU that's on your vehicle?

To be honest, a fully trained mercenary would be able to pilot a vehicle regardless of his suit. It's a bit nonsensical to claim he wouldn't be able to stash a rifle or swarm launcher in his tank, it makes perfect sense. Why would anyone climb into a vehicle with just a sidearm.

I would very much instate it as a suit with bonuses for dedicated tankers, but still allow other suits which don't offer a performance buff to pilot vehicles

Again really no reason for the repair tool if all vehicles have some passive armor regen. HAVs are getting them, I imagine LAVs and Dropships will happen at some point as well.

The main reason people want this required pilot suit crap, but no on LAVs, is because they use LAVs and don't want any changes that actually impact their personal playstyle, just limit others. I'm not a huge fan of the required pilot suit concept, but if they're going to do it, it better be all vehicles so people can really understand how annoying it'll be to need a pilot to drive them around.

Honestly adding an exist/entry timer would help alleviate many of the issues people are experiencing with others popping in and out of vehicles...hell you could even scale it with dropsuit size if you want to get fancy. And to be frank, the only 'must need a pilot suit to drive' system that I might consider supporting, is if anyone can pilot generalist vehicles, but it takes a pilot to drive specialist vehicles (UHAV, Logi LAV, ect)

As for the suit itself in terms of frame sized and HP, you do raise a fair point that you don't want them to be too squishy as not to get instablapped out of LAV. I'm not too set on any particular frame or whatever, I think many just jumped tot he Light frame because its the only frame with 1 specialty so far.

I just don't see the need to make pilot suits *required* to pilot a vehicle. Pilot suits should provide enough of a benefit that a pilot is going to be at a disadvantage if they're not using the suit, but they're still not required to.

It just feels like poor design when you have to impose arbitrary limitations (or exceptions) such as "Oh well this is always true, except LAVs, because reasons."

Limitations, like only one hardener.

Go watch the movie "FURY", then come back.

Why would we give tankers less space in the future?

There will never be balance, somebody will always complain.

CCP said that they want vehicles to have windows of opportunities and that's what we have now, at least for shielded vehicles.

You guys want vehicle V vehicle warfare and not be bothered by AV... It's not going to happen. If you want that, go to world of tanks. This is mainly an infantry shooter, that has vehicles as SUPPORT. If you can't accept that, you are in the wrong game.