Sunderer Deployment Guide

[Grendalsh]

There appears to be numerous unwritten rules regarding 'proper' Sunderer deployment locations. For those of us that roll as support, giving others spawn points, it would be beneficial to share knowledge on do's and don't for Sunderer deployment. An open source guide will help avoid issues like having to destroy a friendly AMS because it's placement is causing issues.
(Please note, I do not take credit for all these. Many have been culled from a similar thread on the official forums. Hoping to cross pollinate ideas.)
To start;

• Do not deploy in an open field. You are a sitting target, and everyone that deploys from you will have to sprint for cover. Do deploy near cover, both for yourself and your spawners.

• Do try to leave a gap between your vehicle and cover. Players will spawn on either side or the rear of the Sundy unless a side is blocked by terrain or another vehicle. A gap will provide a covered spot for players to access the terminal or repair the Sundy while it takes fire.

• Do try to deploy in a position that doesn't prevent other friendly AMS from deploying in a useful location, especially at larger bases. When deployed, an AMS prevents other Sunderers from deploying around it. This is noted by a large white ring on the minimap around the deployed AMS, approx 200m in radius.

• Do NOT deploy on top of vehicle spawn pads, or blocking the exits from them. This will either prevent friendly vehicles being spawned or the result in the destruction of your vehicle.

• Do NOT deploy with your terminal facing a vehicle spawn pad. This will force spawning players into the path of spawning vehicles.

• Do man your Sundy's weapons on over watch when deployed. Until there's spawners to help assault, there's no point lone wolfing into a base. Stay on over watch to help secure a beachhead for your teammates to spawn into.

• Do try to avoid deploying in spots where your weapons will have no line of fire. While this means no one will have LoF on your Sundy, it also means you won't see trouble coming till its too late.

• If your AMS comes under fire more than once you should consider moving it. Even a hundred meters up the wall can make a huge difference, as the base defenders will be popping in at the wrong spot to attack it.

• Do NOT Lock your AMS when deployed. It makes it impossible for friendlies to jump in the turrets to defend it.

• If there are AV Turrets facing your AMS you should clear them out once people start spawning in. Leaving the turrets there makes it too easy for the defenders to take out your AMS.

• At Biolabs, DO deploy near the gravchutes at the edges of the landing pads. Leave room for another Sundy to deploy near the gravchutes on the opposite side of the biolab.

• At Biolabs, DO NOT deploy directly under the biolab. This denies another Sundy from deploying near the gravchutes. If the elevator inside the bay hasn't flipped, players will have to run for the gravchutes. If the elevator has flipped, players using it are prone to being bottled in the elevator spawn room. Also, the bay itself has vehicle spawn pads.

Some thoughts for folks helping crew a deployed Sundy

• Check to see if the AMS is damaged when you spawn. If it is damaged take a moment to repair it - you'll get XP and be able to spawn in later.

• If the AMS is under fire you should defend it. Either get in Engy gear and repair, get in HA or AA Max and attack, or man one of the two turrets. Remember to check both turrets - F2 and F3 allow you to switch between them, and many Sundy's have two different turrets good for two different kinds of targets.

• Avoid drawing attention to your deployed Sundy by shooting at anything not directly threatening your vehicle. While it may be possible to assist taking down an enemy vehicle, it's better to 'not be seen'. Do lay into any enemy infantry in close proximity - don't let them camp your spawners.

[Daliahita]

Top notch. Could use some screenshots.

[Hamma]

Good thread!

[Electrofreak]

I wish there was a way to get spawners to realize the reason you've placed in a specific location. So many spawn and ignore the grav chute or take an unneccesarily long path to an objective. I think many just don't know how to read a map.

I deployed a Sundy next to the wall at an Amp station, around the corner from one of the small entrances vehicles can't enter. It has decent infantry cover and isn't far from the generators and enemy spawn. My Sundy quickly became the focal spawn point of the attack but to my dismay, instead of taking the short walk around the base of the tower I was deployed under, the majority of my spawners ran the other direction down the entire length of wall (as defenders fired on and grenaded them) to enter at the main vehicle entrance (where the survivors got mowed down due to lack of cover.)

I tried deploying an Engineer MANA turret pointing the right way which actually worked reasonably well. Some (more intelligent) spawners saw the turret pointed in a direction and followed it assuming someone had been firing it at something, finding themselves in the back of the enemy base after a short farm-free walk.

Unfortunately a short while later an enemy Light Assault dropped C4 on the Sundy. When I came back in its replacement, I simply rammed the roadblocks at that rear infantry entrance and popped through, deploying inside the base near the enemy spawn. So much for subtlety...

[OCNSethy]

Great thread... I hope ppl take this info on-board. I know I will. Thanks

[NoMoreFaith]

Great read, and just what I've been looking for. S-AMS cert was the first thing I went for, because it seems like one of the most tactically useful ones to have in your bag to start with.

My main role and goal in PS2 is "be almost competant and not irritate my own teammates by doing stupid things".
It's a lofty goal and one day I'll get there.

Last night my squad needed air support, and actually cheered when I flew on over... until I managed to fly it directly into a tower 3 seconds later. I actually shame-quit for 10 minutes.

[ShadetheDruid]

Originally Posted by Electrofreak

Unfortunately a short while later an enemy Light Assault dropped C4 on the Sundy.

I think this is a very interesting point Sundie drivers should keep in mind too. Beneath a wall or tower can, sometimes, be a good idea just to hide it, for cover, and keep yourself out of turret range (and there are some really nifty places to stick your vehicle behind buildings)...

...But you have to bear in mind that LAs can easily get above it, often where no one bothers to watch (which is the important part), and then you'll have little presents dropped on you.

[rookBishop]

Don't forget that you can plant it beside a wall and then climb up the back of the sundy to access the wall as any class.

[Misato]

also those that deploy from a sunderer stop acting like ants Nothing makes sundy hunting eaiser than following the ant trail.

also becareful when deploying against walls and stuff. SUnderers sometimes get a mind of their own and like to climb, look like a party bus (sometimes this will cause damage which causes friendly fire for you), or just slowly spin. I had one sundy decide slowly spin and it started to go into the wall taking damage.