I think the problem is that advanced and prototype AV weapons are present, while advanced (weak enforcers don't count) and prototype tanks aren't. This will be less of a problem when marauders are back, but there will still be a lack of prototype tanks.

Its like having prototype scrambler rifles (high shield damage) available when only standard shield extenders are available. The available offense far exceeds the available defense.

or the noobs could learn to carry av grenades like they need to be.

why the hell would ccp balance this game for people playing instant battles? how does that make any sense?

Bro, do you even TANK? The only successful tank drivers are those who get put in against noob/mlt players or those who use their tanks as mobile turrets. A well fit gunnlogi has 7k shields (no shield control) and about a 2k shield booster. A damage mod stacked DCMA-5 breach forge gun does 2800 ish damage. With about a 4.5 second charge time. Put him on a roof where he can see a majority of the battlefield and he can easily repulse almost any tank singlehandedly. An ishukone assault forge gun damage modded does around 2300 ish damage with a 1.4 second charge time. 6 seconds and my tank is running to the hills if not gone in a cloud of majestic atomization. And with a corp coordinating against you? Dont even bother with the tank. If they have two dedicated av guys and one or two more with av nades, the tank stands 0 chance.

It's a tank, it's supposed to be hard to kill. The problem boils down to laziness. Back in early open beta AV was ignored, I know because I was guilty of it for a while until I learned better. Tankers got better and better because their specified role was a more narrow path compared to infantry options for customization. Tankers got better and better over time but AV never caught up until recently. Is something truly OP when there's an effective counter readily available to spec into? It was a learning experience for all infantry and eventually most of us learned to adapt. No one person should be allowed to solo a tank, it should require coordination and focusing your fire at the precise moment to pop one. This also goes back to my video link earlier on counter play mechanics.
Tanks are fun to use, they give their users more options on the field to change the course of the battle and even the battlefield by destroying instillations. Destroying installations probably wasn't part of a HAV's intended purpose, but it's good strategy nonetheless. On the infantry side, this mechanic being used on them was intended to be equally fun because new options became available to them in the form of various AV. Infantry AV could try to solo the tank, pushing it back and denying its advances, or they could team together with infantry and lay one calculated strike to eliminate the threat. This promotes diversity in each battle.

Ok, bro, I'm that guy who will go 41/0 in a skirmish without ever losing half my shields and I am telling you that after may 14th, you probably will never see me pulling tanks in pubs because I've got PC to deal with. Most of the other serious tankers are the same way.

Also: omg 110,000 ISK!? That's sooooo much!

try 2.5 mil/suit and then come crying to me.

You make it seem like AV is underpowered against vehicles. Definitely not the case. My proposal, if implemented, would still allow us AV homies to solo tanks; it would just take longer.

The TTK a vehicle matters. The more time it takes the more AV guts will complain. The less it takes, the more tankers, pilot and drivers will complain. By proposing that vehicles do less damage, AV would still be viable and the only thing that would happen would be that it would take longer.

Justin,

I dislike having to die to switch to AV as much as the next AV Homie (why I run AV 80% of the time in Ambush).

Though, have you honestly not learned about my patented, Swarm & Flux ComboGäó? Easiest way for a noob to take down a high tier tank. Makes any high end HAV seem like a militia variant with no mods ;)

Want me to reveal this combo to you?

That is the beauty behind the love triangle

AV>Vehicles>Infantry>AV

You got to learn to adapt. That noob has to learn how to counter infantry. I started off as dedicated AV with my Dire Sentinel default class. It wasn't easy, though, you got to learn not to expose yourself greatly when attacking Tanks. If you really wany, I could put in a good word for you at Bojo's ;)

P.S you could always play Ambush OMS, A LOT less tanks; railguns can,easily destroy them, plus there are supply depots. Not to mention the maps and spawns are superior. To be honest I only like to play regular Ambush when I am going Vehicle hunting. The spawns are to inconsistent for my tastes.

Did you even watch the video I linked earlier on counter mechanics? Again, if the enemy brings in an HAV it's going to expose that new player to new options. They might find that they might want to specialize in AV, learn strategy from experienced players on how to effectively counter it, or they might be inspired to spec into HAV themselves and join the fun. That's the beauty of the sandbox experience in this game. One event can create a plethora of different reactions. You're only focusing on one reaction: rage quitting. We were all newbies in this game once, but look at us now, we learned and got better. Why not focusing on helping them than assuming that the game needs to cater to them. Example, after may 6th, if a HAV drops in a pub match and you saw a bunch of NPC corps on the board, turn on team chat and teach them on the fly how on what to do. I know I'll be doing so. And after the battle, I'll be making sure to direct them to Dust University or Bojo's School of the Trades or any corp willing to help newbies up that learning cliff of New Eden.


If pubs were infantry only, why are HAV, and Dropships even allowed to be called in. Or free LAVs for that matter? Taking vehicles out of pubs is going to be detrimental to this game. I don't even have a single SP invested in HAV and I know that. If there's an infantry only game mode it'll overall hurt the game. Newbies will never have a chance to practice how to hill vehicles so when they move on to PC and FW, they'll be less effective, never see vehicles in action which might inspire them to spec into vehicles themselves, or they might feel restricted to Infantry ONRY mode and never experience the what all of Dust 514 has to offer. Quite frankly, the latter scenario is probably worse because that's a fate worse than quitting. I played EVE online for 5+ years on and off always staying in the safety of high-sec. The last 2 years were the most fun when I ditched those training wheels and learned to play with the big boys of 0.0 space. I got my ass handed to me several times, but I got better. Newbies on here need to see everything available at all times because there's more to Dust 514 than foot soldiers with rifles.