These things are by no means intended to apply to the current map sizes we have now. They are ideas for when we reach the large scale battles we are hoping to eventually reach.

The ship to which you refer with the fixed weaponry for the pilot is essentially what we refer to as the attack ship. Also a swarm launcher variant turret for HAVs would be somewhat acceptable provided the countermeasures requested are also implemented. .

I wouldn`t worry about it (the Author of the OP), vehicles are very well orginized, although CCP said there was a 'Gunship', I think we can agree they were refaring to the DS further more a varient of the DS (or the HAA).



fighters/fighter bombers are LAA (Light Attack Aircraft), something we do know are that there are madruager & Enforcer HAVs. Understandiong that both the LAA and HAV is ment for direct combat they will have attacker varients more often then not, so what are thoose varients for? the Madruagers are HP vehicles ment to deal out damage as they get the job done, LAAs will most definitly have 1 varient based off of this, now the Enforcer, the Enforcers are weak and slow but deal great sums of damage, I`m 100% sure they will have a LAA varient with this same purpose that is used for strafe runs (aka your fighter bomber).

DS (DropShip): are used for for support and you can take it for an expensive airial logi bro, main purpose is for transport so the Logi varient is the outstanding varient for this, but a DS are used as triagers aswell and favored as gunships so you will also find a Assualt varient for battle, I would hope for a Trieger varient aswell in the later future.

HAA: not much is known, but it has to be carried by a RDV so not much larger then a tank, I would guess a airborn tank like vehicle that has to circle its targets like a Vulture but I truly don`t know.

btw, would you like to see a little gameplay of the LAA in the last engine?: skip to 5:30 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ED-YF-v7WCw

thats the gallante LAA, I can`t confirm what avrient since they havn`t released the names of the varients and they would all look the same anyways

Well, when I think Gunship, I think a Cobra or Apache. Or a Hokum or Tiger if you're in Europe.
Even the smallest Fighter aircraft we make today have a larger body than an attack helicopter due in part to the fact that you want it to be as narrow at the front as possible to make it harder to shoot down.

As far as weapons, I would think that aerial vehicles and possibly even MTACs would require a new class of body-mounted fixed-aim weapons, especially when you consider that guided air-to-air missiles are pretty much a necessity.

As to the first part, the only missiles we have right now are dumbfire.

Overall, I think a new weapon class would be the best way to go with this. Since the current vehicle weapons we have are referred to as "Turrets" specifically, I wouldn't be surprised if hard-mounted weapons are introduced later when there are vehicles that can use them.

Right.

Personally, I find close-air-support boring as sin. I'm gonna be the one gunning down all those LAAs.

the Assault DropShip varient (unknown if its standar, advance or proto, but there will be Caldari and Gallante) will be coming in Uprising (May 6th) aswell as the Gallante Pilot DropSuit.

Also to the guy talking about the bomber and stuff check this out, its a jet fighter and 1 of thye varients has a turret on the bottum: https://forums.dust514.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=69385&find=unread

sorry, I think I quoted the wrong post.