I feel like we have heard a lot from the dedicated HAV drivers in regards to what we know about the future of tanks in Uprising. We have also heard a lot from the "Tank-Haters" that don't specialize in AV and want to see tanks nerfed and/or made less of a threat to them. But, I think, AV vs HAV balance should be determined by the people that specialize in each, respectively. So i am curious to see more of the thoughts from dedicated AV guys on the current and possible future state of HAV vs AV.

Here are my thoughts:

<----- DEDICATED AV

AV Skills:
Weaponry 5
Forge Gun Operation 5
Forge Gun Proficiency 5
Heavy Weapon Sharpshooter 5
Heavy Weapon Sharpshooter Proficiency 5
Heavy Weapon Rapid Reload 5
Heavy Weapon Rapid Reload Proficiency 5
Heavy Weapon Ammo 5
Heavy Weapon Upgrades 3
Dropsuit Operation 5 (for the lower profile)

And always run 2-3 damage mods. Basically, I am designed to kill vehicles.

Here is the kicker: I 100% AGREE WITH WHAT MANY OF THE TANKERS ARE SAYING.

They are currently far too easy to solo and/or harass into worthlessness in a battle. Hunting tanks is my favorite thing to do and would HATE to see them nerfed into being rail snipers from the redlines. As, selfishly, this decreases my fun in hunting them.

With my skills, I should be able to solo a tank, but only with the right combination of skill and luck. But both skill and luck should factor in if I, one AV guy, am able to solo a tank. It shouldn't happen often (it does now, have yet to find a tank I couldn't solo if it leaves the redzone and I dedicate myself to destroying it). I should only solo a skilled tanker when they get overzealous or make a mistake, otherwise it should take at least one more AV besides myself in a coordinated effort to finish the job. Why should they "need support" if I don't? This is the go-to argument for the masses supporting tank nerfs, is it not?

I do fear that "glass cannon" is the future of Dust and will effectively eliminate both the HAV and AV specializations as "fun, specialized, and viable" gameplay options.

I will wait to see what Uprising brings to pass judgement on the AV/Vehicle debate. But I can see why dedicated tankers are worried, everything we know so far supports their worries. And I am worried too, as the downfall of the tanks would also be the downfall of AV.

Of course, I am only speaking about people specialized in HAVs, everything militia should always be vulnerable to everyone on the battlefield because you have not taken the time or effort to dedicate yourself to it and shouldn't reap the rewards of someone who did.

The issue is really Light AV being too potent. Even a Scout can do it.

The role of Light AV should be to deter vehicles, not outright destroy them (unless used en-masse).

I focused heavily into being an AV heavy. I greatly enjoy hunting down armor and making it go pop. Unprepared or poorly fit tanks go up in a fireball very quickly.

Better driven, and better fit tanks require real effort, but even the toughest tank can be dropped in short order by two AV guys. No amount of hardeners can protect from the amount of damage that two proto forges can put out in 8 seconds.

Tanks need some love.

However, and this might be a big deal, it might not, but it looks like forge guns are getting softer. No sharpshooter, no damage skill, and the proto suit can only run a single, not a triple damage mod setup.

So even though it looks rough for tankers, and it probably is to a certain degree, we should be waiting to see how the balance pass has worked for the forge guns before crying too much.

If CCP had done as promised an released the item list maybe we would find out that AV nades have been nerfed to hell and back.

One can hope. I just want tanks that are worth killing. I like being forced to bring out a fit with a proto forge and proto AV nades because the guy is just that hard to kill.

Ah yes, AV nades, this is another thing to address - the seek range is ridiculous, even on the ones that are supposed to have less seek range (is that the packed ones?). Drastically reduce the seek range, so you can't just lob an AV nade in the general direction and watch as it flies 90 degrees round to pull into the vehicle. Tone it down so that the AV nade has to pretty much exactly hit the vehicle and then it sticks. Hell, make them sticky grenades even!

However they do need to actually stick. Otherwise they'd bounce off and do no damage whatsoever and become completely pointless.

As a disclaimer: I don't want to see tanks nerfed, they are as balanced as I've ever seen them.
However the complainers about AV still need to HTFU.

I wouldn't say I'm dedicated AV, but at swarm proficiency 2, and maxed REs, I'd say I'm qualified to comment:
You say you can solo even the best tank, I can too. But I doubt what you mean by "solo" really means solo. Any tank, on any ambush map has retreat options, and the high hp tanks can resist proto AV long enough to perform that retreat. To follow them, you will very likely have to expose yourself to enemy infantry, and I think it is that infantry response that really determines wether you can solo a tank or not.

Everbody, no matter how skilled, has encountered those matches where they just aren't going to be able to make the difference. It is those matches, where tankers are overconfident in their abilities, that they complain about everybody pulling out militia AV, or being chased around the map by someone in proto gear. When AV is on the receiving end of those stomps, even a squad of skilled & dedicated proto AV isn't going to cost anyone their tank. It becomes simply unrealistic to hold the , minimum, two, complimentary positions required to take down a half-intelligent tanker.

Here is the kicker: I 100% AGREE WITH WHAT MANY OF THE TANKERS ARE SAYING.

They are currently far too easy to solo and/or harass into worthlessness in a battle. Hunting tanks is my favorite thing to do and would HATE to see them nerfed into being rail snipers from the redlines.

AV Skills:
Weaponry 5
Forge Gun Operation 5
Forge Gun Proficiency 5
Heavy Weapon Sharpshooter 5
Heavy Weapon Sharpshooter Proficiency 5
Heavy Weapon Rapid Reload 5
Heavy Weapon Rapid Reload Proficiency 5
Heavy Weapon Ammo 5
Heavy Weapon Upgrades 3
Dropsuit Operation 5 (for the lower profile)

And always run 2-3 damage mods. Basically, I am designed to kill vehicles.

As a disclaimer: I don't want to see tanks nerfed, they are as balanced as I've ever seen them.
However the complainers about AV still need to HTFU.

I wouldn't say I'm dedicated AV, but at swarm proficiency 2, and maxed REs, I'd say I'm qualified to comment:
You say you can solo even the best tank, I can too. But I doubt what you mean by "solo" really means solo. Any tank, on any ambush map has retreat options, and the high hp tanks can resist proto AV long enough to perform that retreat. To follow them, you will very likely have to expose yourself to enemy infantry, and I think it is that infantry response that really determines wether you can solo a tank or not.

Everbody, no matter how skilled, has encountered those matches where they just aren't going to be able to make the difference. It is those matches, where tankers are overconfident in their abilities, that they complain about everybody pulling out militia AV, or being chased around the map by someone in proto gear. When AV is on the receiving end of those stomps, even a squad of skilled & dedicated proto AV isn't going to cost anyone their tank. It becomes simply unrealistic to hold the , minimum, two, complimentary positions required to take down a half-intelligent tanker.

Again:

http://youtu.be/6qHL7jET8Gc

This is footage of a FGM-148 Javelin (1990s) completely obliterating a T-72 tank (1970s). This is essentially Advanced versus Standard in terms of generations. Why? The Javelin was the second generation of AV designed to kill T-72s, the first being the M47 Dragon.

Rules of believable AV:

Under optimal circumstances, a single AV user should be able to one-shot a tank of one meta lower.

Under optimal circumstances, a single AV user should be able to kill a tank of the same meta level without a nanohive.

When well implemented, Modules, Cover, and Infantry Screens negate the "optimal circumstances" for AV.

That said...

The current implementation of AV sucks. I'd be happy to see it revamped, provided the rules above hold.

You do realize if you hit a t72 anywhere but the turret it wont explode? The 45o slope on the hull makes LAW and TOW rounds to explode prematurely.
The javilin also uses a shaped copper charge to blast through the armour in the hopes of setting of the ammo or killing the crew.
Also most teat like that the target vehicle is loaded with a few hundred rounds to simulate live rounds.

Well, I know Swarms have been nerfed slightly.

He's right, though, it's super realistic and applicable to this situation. I mean, the T-72 probably has pretty much the same type of shield generators as our HAVs, and the plating is probably made from the same super dense rare-earth minerals.