MAX squads

[Peacemaker]

You guys think that 10 MAXs (Diffrent types like 4 AI 3 AV and 3 AA) would own. I think that without some infantry support they would be easy prey to a bunch of NC guys with phnx missles. Most people think they will dominate the battle field but from what the beta journals say thats a negatory statement.

[TheGreatCarbini]

I would try to take that down with some long range vanguarding, as long as that thign can shoot, although even without support it wouldnt be a walk in the park to rip down 10 MAXs, all depends what you are fightin em with.

[mr_luc]

I dunno -- if you managed to surprise them, you could probably take a few out by ramming, and then a couple of shots point-blank . . .

But if I had a Vanguard I'd be sniping anyways. I think a Vanguard would be EXCELLENT against MAX armors from a distance (shoot, back up, shoot, back up -- they couldn't touch you), even though you would have to lead them. They can supposedly run pretty fast with the 'speedy walking thingy' turned on, but it also makes their path more predictable.

I dunno. You get 10 MAX armors together, I'll bet you will need some SERIOUS vehicle ownage to make a dent in them. I don't think ordinary infantry would stand a chance if they didn't have lots of time to prepare.

[Crimson Haven]

Frankly speaking, a squad of MAXs walking around will be deadly. If you meet them face to face...well....may the force be with you. If it's far range, the squad is still deadly. Phoenixes are good counter attacks though. Still, you meet them face to face, may the matrix be in you and you'll evade all the bullets:D

CrimsoN
Planetside Sector
http://planetside.gameannex.com

[Peacemaker]

No doubt if u ran into them then the onlything that could let you win would be 20 maxs right behind u all AV outfitted or 2 wookies

[Sando138]

if you meet a lot of maxes,

Step 1: try not to be noticed.
Step 2: RUN YOUR DAMN ASS OFF ASAP.
Step 3: Pray to whatever god(s) you believe in that they don't give chase.
Step 4: if followed, take the following steps:
[list=a]
Stop Running.
Place head between knees.
Kiss @$$ goodbye.
[/list=a]

[Ginzue]

Did we already have a topic like this a few days ago?

[Venoxile]

Who wins =
Team 1 = 4 AI maxes, 3 AV maxes, 3 AA maxes
Team 2 = 10 infantry, 5 loaded with gausses/phoenixes, 5 loaded with jackhammers/decimators.

At a range I believe team 2 can win, the 5 with gausses and phoenixes can take out a few maxes at a range before the maxes notice the squad. Then the 5 with jackhammers can go anti armor shells and decimators could really pack a punch against the remaining maxes at close range.

[WNxUndeadFenix]

i dunno if we had a topic like this before, i cnat remember, but im guessing that me and the other MAXes in warrior nation will form a squad n go on some pretty nice assults. hehe 10 vanu maxes jumping around attacking a squad of med & light armors... i can see it now...

[Venoxile]

I'm not worried too much about it, once you take a max down they're down... You won't see him back up a few minutes later unless you're in his base. That's whats nice about being a reinforced infantry, using ams's to respawn in heavy base assaults. Maxes gotta run 40 miles to get back...

EDIT: Also, I hope it takes like 20 seconds for a guy to put on a max suit on. Otherwise, I don't want to be assaulting a base, and a guy respawns next to me, and immediately puts on a max suit and starts blasting the hell out of me.

[WNxUndeadFenix]

i doubt it would take that long to put on a MAX suit. its probably same amt time as the other armors. and if it did take long... id still be ok with the idea.

[1024]

Defnese againt 10 MAXs:

Step 1: Get about 3-5 reavers
Step 2: Carpet bomb

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D

[Incompetent]

If the MAXes achieve complete and total suprise, they will slaughter whoever there fighting, but give the infantry a minutes warning, and you'll have ten dead MAX suits on your hands. Using a "fighting retreat" style of play while making heavy use of equipment such as mines and boomers will be deadly vs MAX suits.

edit: here is another thread about the same thing.

[Venoxile]

Originally posted by WNxUndeadFenix
i doubt it would take that long to put on a MAX suit. its probably same amt time as the other armors. and if it did take long... id still be ok with the idea.

No it's gotta take longer, otherwise taking over a base with 10 maxes respawning over and over will take forever... Until you fought to the respawn tubes where you just waited for them to respawn over and over as you blasted them to hell. Yeah, I think my main purpose is going to be taking over bases.

My dream squad =
5 gauss/phoenix/combat engineering reinforceds
5 jackhammer/decimator/advanced medics reinforceds
1 ai max, 1 av max
2 ams drivers with gauss
1 sunderer driver with gauss

[mr_luc]

Originally posted by Spike
Defnese againt 10 MAXs:

Step 1: Get about 3-5 reavers
Step 2: Carpet bomb

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D

This is another thing I will need to play to see.

Even if there were no AA MAX in that group, I'll bet you anything that you'd have a tough time surviving a bombing run against 10 freaking MAX armors. If they see you coming and respond well there would be an INCREDIBLE density of fire focused on you. Better be at some serious range. And if they have AA, well, man.

[Tendrilvx]

They are slow. That is their drawback. Only the gameplay itself will tell us if that can be properly exploited or not.

[mr_luc]

Well, and they can't respawn at AMS', although that was a recent change.

The thing is, they have that accelerated running speed.

My guess is that the biggest real downside to being a serious MAX player will turn out to be the reliance on other people for vehicle transport.

[1024]

Originally posted by mr_luc
This is another thing I will need to play to see.

Even if there were no AA MAX in that group, I'll bet you anything that you'd have a tough time surviving a bombing run against 10 freaking MAX armors. If they see you coming and respond well there would be an INCREDIBLE density of fire focused on you. Better be at some serious range. And if they have AA, well, man.

thats why you SURPRISE THEM. You always surprise in an attack, it's the best way to do it, unless creating a distraction.


EDIT: and from what i've seen in the SS's the reavers can shoot pretty far...

[NeoTassadar]

You guys are overestimating MAXs. I agree a head-on assault on a squad of ten is suicide, but Spike's got it right with surprise. First, you'll almost definately see them before they see you. Lay low with an AV weapon in some cover. Maybe lay some Boomers down beforehand. Wait until you have a bead on a MAX's ass. Open fire. You'll at least be able to take down two or three alone (very few people will be alone, so plan on more) under those conditions (unless you're using that disposable one), since the devs have said they are very difficult to handle and can't turn worth a damn (not just TR anchor), especially in the "travel mode".

[1024]

Originally posted by NeoTassadar
I agree a head-on assault on a squad of ten is suicide, but Spike's got it right with surprise.

:D Thanks Tass

I think that almost anyhting can be beaten with liek a third of te attacking force's size wit hthe right planning, rihgt equipment, and surprise.

[CDaws]

MAX armors are just like shooting an empire specific tank, about 3 well placed pheonixes/decimator missles will take one down or 2-3 mines placed by an engineer.

[luapo]

Problem is with having just MAXes in the squad it doesnt offer that much flexbility, no grenades, no medics, no hackers, no engineers, no vehicles, no planes etc.

I think someone else said this aswell, once you kill a max, they is no way they be revived- because there is no medic. Yes in the right circumstances one FG of MAXes would completly rule, but i think in planetside having squads with flexibility would wipeout a full MAX squad

[Matuse]

In order to be effective (given their numerous weaknesses), a squad of all MAXs would need to bunch up quite a bit in order to get maximum density of firepower.

That makes them cold, twitching, meat to 3-4 reinforced with thumpers, a hillside, and an infiltrator doing fire control. DFA and all that.

[Zatrais]

Why would i be concerned about 10 un supported MAXs... worst thing they can do is kill me a few times while i wear them down whit decimators..

Annyhow, best way to kill a minitank (MAX) is whit a bigger tank! (imo hehe). Magriders, Vanguards and prowlers, teh MAX poppers =)

[shodan]

Zatrais has got a point, three prowlers with some infantry harassing the sides (say, three each side with heavy weapons) and you're talking about some seriously owned maxes

[NeoTassadar]

Bah, if you're going for a vehicle squad, I would suggest (for you) 2 Prowlers, 2 Reavers, 2 Skeeters. For the other empires, switch the tank number to three. You don't want your three Prowlers getting owned by a single Reaver, do you? If you've seen how aircraft move in this game, you'll figure out real quick how much harder it will be to play AA tank than in Halo.

[Zatrais]

That rotary chainguns on the prowler should let it defend itself against air to a degree tho :)

[shodan]

That was my thinking, the chain guns on the back of a Prowler should cut into enemy aircraft

[NeoTassadar]

To a degree, yes (anti-infantry, but you know that). Or a very lucky shot or two from the cannons.

[Zatrais]

Can se the effects of a single 12MM chaingun fire at a downed plane in the GS vid thas 127 mb large. Altho the downed plane is hurt you can see that it dosn't use long to finnish it hehe. Then again you see that the 12MM dosn't do much damage to the reaver, altho the guy has a really crappy aim and dosn't hit a hole lott hehe.

Annyways, vehicle ammo is stored in the trunk of the vehicle so it is quite possible that you can place AP or AI rounds for it there.

[Camping Carl]

If it were me commanding the max suits, and some guys showed up with tanks, say 2 prowlers, and 4 infantry. (I'm trying to make it a fair 10 on 10 match, but that's assuming the prowlers are fully crewed.)
I'd order my max suits to circle around them and kill the infantry first, then kill the tanks, one at a time. Cause, they could only focus on a few max suits at once.
The max squad would probably take heavy loses, but I think they'd win.
You'd be better off with reavers and skeeters, using the skeeters as a distraction while the reavers try to sneak up behind them and blast them in to tiny bits. Possibly supported by infantry using thumpers like mortars.
^That's just what I think tho, it would vary a lot depending on other factors like terrain. For example, if you could pin them between a few tanks, say, in a valley or something, prowlers/vangaurds would be the way to go.

[shodan]

The only problem with that is your assuming they stand still.The only thing you could probably encircle, if you were lucky, would be the prowlers's. But then you'd have infantry behind you just making mince meat out of you.

Besides you'd actually have to get there to encirlce them and with a chain cannon and twin-100mm cannons you'd probably lose 2-3 before you even got there.

To be honest I don't think that tactic would stand a chance by the time you took all that and the MAX's poor manoeuvrability into account (and the original post only had 3AV MAX's in it)

[Vis Armata]

Originally posted by luapo
i think in planetside having squads with flexibility would wipeout a full MAX squad

I totally agree. MAXs might be powerful, but mass 10 of them together without a diverse mix of units, and their weaknesses are just magnified. A good, balanced squad should be able to wipe the floor with them, because they can adapt to the situation.

[NapalmEnima]

I'd expect ramming to be extremely effective against MAXes, particluarly TR MAXes when they're locked down.

:twisted:

But that really relies on some manuvering room. Outdoors without too many trees to hide behind.

Another idea would be to meet those 10 MAXes with your own squad of 5 MAXes and 5 support personnel... repair and advanced medic certs.

Your MAXes might initially face overwhelming fire, but could be repaired and REVIVED. You'd eventually win just through attrition. Some additional AV/AP fire from the regular infantry would certainly help as well.

EDIT: It occurs to me that the success of the 5 & 5 idea I mentioned relies heavily on terrain. If all your regular infantry only have MAXes to hide behind, they'll die fairly quickly. And without those support personnel, 10(or 9 or 8 by this time) vs 5 is gonna be messy.

But in the halls of a base, or outdoors with some form of cover, I'd put my money on the 5 & 5 squad.

[Camping Carl]

Originally posted by shodan
The only problem with that is your assuming they stand still.The only thing you could probably encircle, if you were lucky, would be the prowlers's. But then you'd have infantry behind you just making mince meat out of you.

Besides you'd actually have to get there to encirlce them and with a chain cannon and twin-100mm cannons you'd probably lose 2-3 before you even got there.

To be honest I don't think that tactic would stand a chance by the time you took all that and the MAX's poor manoeuvrability into account (and the original post only had 3AV MAX's in it)

Good, very good, but of course I have to disagree with you. :D

Couple things:

1. The plan calls for the maxs killing the infantry first, that's 4 infantry vs. 10 max suits. I would give them a life expectancy of maybe 5 seconds.

2. Maxs are not as sluggish as you seem to think.

3. You also seriously underestimate their armor. In the beta test, a squad of TR maxs was dropped into a base. They wiped out every living thing in the courtyard (is that what you'd call it?) with relative ease and while surrounded by base turrets and surely being fired upon from every angle. I'm sure the max squad took heavy loses, but because of this, as I recall, the TR took the base shortly after.

[Vis Armata]

So Carl, what are the MAXs weaknesses? There's got to be a way to blunt a MAX assault.

[Zatrais]

AV weapons and lack of self sufficiency, those are the 2 major weaknessess of the MAXs

[Camping Carl]

As I see it, Phoenix's, lancers, thumpers, reavers, other max's, engineer's turrets, etc.
Max's are one man wrecking machines, but I'm sure they'll have their weaknesses too.

[NeoDrgnMech]

I'd say that in the above situations, which are mostly outdoors, yeah, a MAX squad would have a hard time fighting a well organized enemy squad of armor and infantry. Of course, the emphasis is on well organized, and whether or not you can organize a suprise assault on the MAXs.

As for which MAX is best in the situation, it's already been said that the VS MAXs manuverability will make it a better choice for outdoor environments. The NC MAXs shotgun weaponry will make it vulnerable to distance attacks with AV weapons, and the TR MAXs ability to lock down would do squat if they were surrounded (and even worse with tanks. Nothing like an immobile target to lob a few shells at.) This isn't to say that the VS MAX isn't gonna have a hard time either. I doubt the VS ability to jump is gonna let them dodge too much fire, and chances are if they keep jumping around they're gonna get separated, which would probably result in some sort of search and destroy kinda deal, which most likely isn't gonna turn out good for the MAXs.

Still, a full MAX squad in an enemy base is a different matter. No Prowlers or Reavers for support. Only infantry and other MAXs to stand in their way. And no need for AA MAX's in a base, so they'd be far more lethal to enemy infantry and armor. Say, suppose, they have a squad of 9 MAXs and a hacker in an Inf. suit. It would take either a very well organized defense or another squad of MAXs to keep them from trucking through the base like they own it.

Well, that's all the stuff I could think of off the top of my head.

[NeoTassadar]

Originally posted by Vis Armata
So Carl, what are the MAXs weaknesses? There's got to be a way to blunt a MAX assault. All that armor makes a very large target (not quite a Galaxy or Vangaurd, but it will do), making it a perfect bullseye for AV weapons, especially since it doesn't have near the armor of a tank (which those are designed to kill).