Tanks still not used?

[Cyanide]

Even after all the stuff they did to make tanks more powerfull they still don't seem to be used that much. Does it seem that way to anybody else? If so, what do you think still needs to be done for tanks to be used more frequently in the game? Personally i think that they need to make major changes to the MAX units. MAXes don't seem to be all that much less powerfull than tanks and they're more maneuverable and more usefull in buildings. They need to make the MAXes much much harder to cert in or they need to make the tanks even stronger because right now it still seems as though they're a novilty item rather than something usefull.

[Irnbru]

ppl need to get high enuf BRs to cover basic stuff b4 getting certs in vehicles :rolleyes:

[Warborn]

I use a Prowler quite a bit. Only thing though is that I never use it without guys from my Outfit gunning it, and they need to be in Teamspeak with me while they do so. I don't trust any random guy to gun for me, and on top of that, I feel that it's necessary for multi-crew vehicles to use voice chat for quick and efficient vehicle operation.

Oh, and about anti-vehicle MAXs, well, at close range they're rather painful. When fighting them I usually stay at medium range, so that I can use my tank to doge their projectiles while my dual 100mm's gunner pummels them with shells. If I can keep a bit of distance between the MAX and my tank, the MAX will barely hurt us before it's sent to hell.

[AcidCat]

Yeah in my experience its fairly rare to see a tank, friendly or otherwise.

[ObnoxiousFrog]

Reaver :D

Good times.

[Navaron]

Yep, I use a tank, but its a major pain in the ass driving it around so other people can kill stuff.

[Warborn]

Originally posted by {BOHICA}Navaron
Yep, I use a tank, but its a major pain in the ass driving it around so other people can kill stuff.

I think it's a lot of fun, but I can very much understand what you mean. There's no combat at all for the driver, just vehicle management (which I enjoy).

[Knuckles]

The driver of the Magrider gets a gun to play with.

Join the dark side, Warborn. :father:

[Sentrosi]

Warborn, if you ever need someone to help you out, count me in. In T2, whenever I'd get a noob driver, I'd hop out. It makes gameplay very involved when you're with someone who knows WTH to do.

Don't have Beta CD's yet, but I guess no one from NY has them yet. Hopefully today (monday).

[Warborn]

Originally posted by Knuckles
The driver of the Magrider gets a gun to play with.

Join the dark side, Warborn. :father:

I'd prefer to try and get a hacked MagRider :)

Sentrosi:
Warborn, if you ever need someone to help you out, count me in. In T2, whenever I'd get a noob driver, I'd hop out. It makes gameplay very involved when you're with someone who knows WTH to do.

Well, I'm still pretty big on the use of Teamspeak 2, but sure, if I can't get a gunner and you're around, we'll do some tanking.

[Sprocket]

The problem with tanks I see is most battles still take place inside the base walls, or right around the base of the towers. This makes vehicles hard to use/maneuver because its more of an urban infantry setting. With more people battles will start to form on roads and at outposts, which will make tanks essential because of the terrain etc.

[IDgaf]

Do people ever use tanks to push towards a base, maxes behind them and then standard infantry behind them?

If they're no good in combat, they could be used to soak up fire en route to base.

I really want to test this game. *sigh*

[Chryse]

I use a Prowler quite a bit. Only thing though is that I never use it without guys from my Outfit gunning it, and they need to be in Teamspeak with me while they do so. I don't trust any random guy to gun for me, and on top of that, I feel that it's necessary for multi-crew vehicles to use voice chat for quick and efficient vehicle operation.Ain't that the truth, Warborn?

Warborn and I are in the same outfit and I'm usually his gunner (when I'm not in my Reaver) and I think it's essential for the driver and crew of a tank to be on voice IP communicating with each other to coordinate fire and movement. In a heated firefight, there's no time to be typing.

Do people ever use tanks to push towards a base, maxes behind them and then standard infantry behind them? I'm sure there have been a few people who've done that but, honestly, the terrain and obstacles that lie around are not conducive to formation movement like that. More often then not, what you normally see with tanks is them operating alone or in pairs, moving with MAX'es to initially assault a facility, followed by infantry running (or riding, or dropping) in after them. Also, you will see tanks escorting AMS'es and ANT's from time to time.

[LesserShade]

A friend and I were prowler tanking all weekend and we had a lot of success. After the wipe he immediately specced tank, and I specced engineer. For the most part we could fight almost indefinitely, generally lots of server lag was the cause of our deaths, although reavers were a pain on a few occasions because we didn't have a chaingunner that would hang around long enough in the 3rd seat to deal with them.

I think ultimately for anybody not NC, the phoenix will be the bane of your existance, because even after just starting the game we came across one guy with a phoenix in a tower and he was working us pretty hard. As always with a vehicle, when you try to run, you have to haul ass to drive out of the range of the phoenix, being that finding cover for your vehicle doesn't buy you anything because they can pummel you from out of LOS. The vanguard doesn't seem to need to run from AV threats like this so much because the 150mm obliterates reinforced AV users in 1 shot, where as the prowler 100mm cannon requires a number of close hits that can be hard to get on someone that is firing down from a tower roof.

Over all though, the prowler use was great, we were mowing down AI and AV max. Having an engineer in the tank is absolutely crucial though so you can break for repairs. I'll be interested to see how useful it is after everybody has their BR in the teens and the phoenix is everywhere again.

[DarkDragon00]

i always just get runned over... i use the AP sweeper and that usually does enough damage! I hate tanks, i see them alot. thats why i try to stay in my reaver and bomb the mofos! lol! I LIKE TO TREE WEAVE WIT' AFTER BURNERS ON!!!

[OneManArmy]

as was mentioned earlier Most of the combat that I come across is inside the bases. Infact, my squad(s) spend about all our time inside base walls and we rarely get any resistance on the way to a base. I love the vehicles so I have a few certs but for the most part the only ones we use the most are the sunderer or galaxy.

But I love to use an enforcer or tank whenever I can get a chance.

[Delirare]

the first cert i got was a vangaurd as i loved it before the wipe. its worth it. but like others stated, without a gunner you can communicate with.. you know.. not a n00b gunner, its kinda worthless. Unfortunate. Tanks are supposed to be kinda rare anyways i think. As they're a specific use thing, for like facility vs facility battles, shelling, and heavy support for an ams or something. you dont really use them to assault bases or defend bases persay, their more useful in protection and suppressive fire imho. They're very good for assaulting towers where theres massive resistance. ESPECIALLY now that the console is up high, park that puppy at the proper angle so it can look inside, have your guys up hacking it, you spam that lower area so they can get up there Tanks are uber, but only in some instances.

[Nasal.Infection]

I'd have to disagree, I have seen a ton of tanks. The vanguard is the one that just won't go away. I'd fire 6 salvo's with my striker and it would sit there, laugh, then pummel me. At a tense battle over Gunuku there were at least 4-6 vanguards, luckily it was on the second server where I am on their sides.

Those tanks hurt, period.

[LesserShade]

^yes, vanguards are nasty. The reason that they are especially deadly is that TR and VS AV users need to expose themselves to the vanguard fire to attack. The vanguard also has the ability to level a reinforced lancer or striker user in one hit.

[Kalam]

The MagRider is well balanced for driver and gunner.

The driver got a quite powerfull anti infanterie weapon, it kills everything in seconds. He can also easily strafe down enemy troopers or even MAX units.

The gunner has a strong AV beam.
It is good against enemy tanks, reavers or other vehicles. MAX are hard to hit, but not impossible.

So you see, the MagRider is fun for both, driver and gunner.

[Saethan]

But.. it's purple .

:-(

[MilitantB0B]

Originally posted by Saethan
But.. it's purple .

:-(

Not always! :D http://www.planetside-universe.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7039

[Sarah Jinstar]

While I haven't had the chance to pilot any tanks myself yet. I have to admit I've seen a fair share of them. A couple nights ago we were hotdropping over Gunkui (sp?) and the bridge was full of tanks from each side duking it out. Is it me or is that area extremely busy all the time??

Usually tho I'm airborne in a reaver, I find I'm best suited at support roles to begin with. Might have to play around with some ground vehicles once I get higher in BR. I'm at 7th now and loving it. :D

[Nitsch]

I love the VS tank cause it's soo easy to run people over with them! Unfortunatly, I have run over a few of my compadres and i am stuck with a bunch of grief points. I switched to engineer from tank driver because i got so many points.

Nothing can take down a max like running them over with a tank.

[Ebonwulf]

Ive never actually been shot with a tank, they just sweep down the walls around the base and plow people over 0.o

[Nitsch]

A tank's best weapon is it's front bumper.

[Chanfan]

I think tanks could be key in base defense. They will generally have the opportunity to catch troops outside, or reenforcements arriving overland.

Also, they could be key in taking out the AMS when it's located.

I'd love to see a roving tank group interdiction force - used to cut off reenforcements to bases that are under attack.

I think the reason you don't see more tanks is not only the coordination it takes for the crew, but also to be really effective, you need coordination on your side - to have them react / interdict where needed, and respond to contact reports from troops.

For that to happen, the whole team needs to know they are around, and communicate. That's the tricky part - good, higher level commanders might be able to help in that area.

[LesserShade]

My tank group was just sweeping back and forth in between an enemy tower and our base and we were mowing people down left and right. The max were the best because with run on they can't even try to defend themselves and my driver just kept running them over.

[obskure]

Originally posted by {BOHICA}Navaron
Yep, I use a tank, but its a major pain in the ass driving it around so other people can kill stuff.

thats why u hunt people down and run their pitiful asses over :P

[obskure]

Originally posted by LesserShade
My tank group was just sweeping back and forth in between an enemy tower and our base and we were mowing people down left and right. The max were the best because with run on they can't even try to defend themselves and my driver just kept running them over.

i believe i was that l33tz0r driver ;)

[LesserShade]

yesh.. ^ono! look who has come out of his hole. Servers must be down.

Anyway, anybody have any luck with the lightning.

[FearTheAtlas]

What's the Lightining (haven't heard of it before and I'm in beta..shows my arrareness :))...and I gun for my outfit's vanguard piolt..I think the reason that they aren't used alot is because its kinda of an inconvience not being able to be airlifed out, I mean its OK if your on the same continent your attacking, but continent hopping is kinda a pain, but worth it if your patient enough :)

[MrVulcan]

The main thing I do not like about the tanks is the old story of spending your points on getting the tank, and not being able to use the gun, just forcing you to drive it around.....
I think that the driver should be allowed to use the gun in they choose to, and drive at the same time, or let another grab the gun. Just my thoughts on it all.....

[Arakiel]

We might see more tanks when they have a true role in the 'ground war'. At the moment, 95% of base caps end up in a squad bunkering up in a CC waiting for resistance that often never comes.

[MorphiasAC]

I think that once platoons are implemented tanks will be used more. You know 1 infantry squad, 1 tank/ground vehicle squad, and one air squad. That would be nice yes? 5 tanks, 4 mosq, 6 reavers, and 7 or so maxes, with an engineer, medic and hacker along. It would be whooping time. Oh, and one of the not maxes would have to bring an ams too.