As a dedicated FG user, I have to agree it's slightly OP. Only slightly. It did not need another 10% damage, for instance. But overall it's far from the point where you see everybody running around with AFGs, right? I mean, here are just the most common scenarios when using an AFG:

- vs Infantry: FGunner goes on an elevated position and starts bombarding infantry. Can kill some, damage others, and will deny area to further hostiles.
- vs Infantry 2: FGunner goes on even level against infantry, most shots miss unless the FGunner gets lucky, gets wrecked by enemy infantry or HAVs.
- vs LAVs: free LAV gets called in, people speed around, AFG blows them up, end of. Not all too easy though, given the speed of LAVs and the obstruction. However, the cost of using LAVs is relatively low, not absurdly much higher than, say, a standard-Heavy with AFG+complex damage mod.
- vs HAVs: AFG can quickly inflict concerning amounts of damage to tough tanks and force them into retreating into cover. Tank can repair/shield back up but suffers some area denial. Can try to shoot the FGunner or wait for infantry to kill the FGunner. Weak militia tanks are easily blown up, but are at least cheap in comparison.
- vs Dropships: FGunner spots DS, waits for it to hit a lull in speed and trajectory of flight, starts spamming AFG shots. DS can not easily hide behind obstructions or speed out of range quickly enough, is sent reeling in a vector according to the AFG shots, and goes down. A vehicle that cost an exorbitant amount of ISK is lost.

IMHO, the problem here is not the AFG, but how DS pilots have no chance to react to an AFG broadsiding them. LAVs have a similar problem, but require far less buy-in. HAVs have the sufficient amount of tnime to react because they can tough out a few shots before they find good cover and/or distance; a DS cannot.

HAVs already have to run from AFG, SL, and Proto AV grenade spam. Even the GOOD ones. Dropships are too weak for what they cost the player using them. They're like flying LAVs with more seats. You can talk about their speed all day long, but with fast FGs like the Assault type or the officer version, or Proto Swarms, they're turned into junk in a matter of seconds. The pilots have no time to react. What should they do, be flying out of range the entire match? Play floating spawn point?

Honestly this may not be true to life, but unless pc maps are so big that dropships become more viable, I would have no problem if the base hp of specialized dropships was raised significantly if IF the price increased. Leave the base versions cheap, but make the advanced ones either super fast, or super tanky. I mean like enough to take 5 hits from an installation or 3 hits from a double modded proto forge. This is just me, so feel free to tell me to go biomass myself, but I think considering they can transport 5 guys...they should cost more and be able to stand the heat. I dunno about balance cause this is my 1st fps since like halo 3, but that's my 0.02 isk

Very skilled and experienced pilot here:
In my opinion the biggest problem is that a completely decked out dropship(assualt logistics or standard) with all the modules and skills seems to be balanced ONLY when flown against militia/standard AV. Against AV at this level you will be denied your effectiveness around them yet still have an opportunity to do your job(troop transport, gunship, scout) for a few seconds before having to retreat. However, against proto AV you immediately have to retreat or your ship quickly becomes a burning wreck. Dropships NEED a big buff to shields/armor.

Tell em, Serimos