AMS- It's all about where you place it

[gonnagetyou]

Since Beta, I've always used the AMS cert for my primary character. I love having my own mobile equipment terminal. It's the most important and useful vehicle in the game IMO. Over time I've realized that where you place it is the single most important desicion you can make. The balance between keeping it safe and useful for your team can be tricky.

The number one reason an AMS is found is because your fellow team mates travel in a straight line from the AMS and the battle. Cloakers can easily back track this trail and once found either jack the AMS or call in friendlies to take it out.

When placing an AMS out in the field I look for spots that will just as easily funnel freindly troops away and to the side as well as advancing enemy troops. Placing it between two hills that are too steep for anyone to climb is one ideal spot. This usually limits the direction friendlies can travel and will funnel enemy troops through the same area. You can then use your defensive deployables more effectively by concentrating them in one or two locations instead of having to spread them out too thinly.

I've been able to drive the AMS into some terrain that at first glance looks unaccessible. Some of the really high mountains are some of my favorite positions and in some cases I've never seen anyone else get an AMS up there. When running around, I'm always scouting out new and potential routes or hiding places for
my AMS. The mountains on the eastern coast of Amerish are accessible by finding your way around to the coast first and then climbing up toward the west. The western side of these mountains overlook the two NE bases and offer a great advantage to any attacking force who can get up there. There are many similar conditions on Hossin and others that can be taken advantage of if you know the way to the top.

My decision to participate in the assault or stay and defend the AMS is dependent on the situation. If I feel that maintaining the position is critical and there is high probability of the enemy counterattacking then of course I stay and defend the spawn point. If not I support the assault in any way I see fit. By defending the AMS I sometimes lose out on racking up BEP and getting kills, but it significantly improves the chances of my teammates getting back into the fight and getting the capture.

These are just some thoughts off the top of my head and I wanted to see if others have any other observations to share.

[Eliaas_Demens]

Placing it between two hills that are too steep for anyone to climb is one ideal spot.

This just pisses me off. Half the time someone places an AMS on a hill I end up spawning on the side you can't climb.

But you're right, position is all. Trees is one of the best locations imo... Reavers and Liberators have a hard time finding you.

[gonnagetyou]

Originally posted by Eliaas_Demens
This just pisses me off. Half the time someone places an AMS on a hill I end up spawning on the side you can't climb.

But you're right, position is all. Trees is one of the best locations imo... Reavers and Liberators have a hard time finding you.

I hear ya. I get mad at this myself, that's why I always check the AMS to make sure everyone can spawn properly and get their gear. Sometimes people don't do this and if the AMS is setting just so, nobody can access the equipment terminal. Real stupid to leave an AMS like that and nobody can use it.

Thanks for reminding me about this problem. This deffinantly goes along with what I was saying about it being all about position.

[NightWalker XI]

Some twat once parked the AMS between two walls and activated it, I spawned and couldn't move cause of the walls, couldn't deconstuct either so I had to recall from a great battle, I hae noob drivers

[JLeeAZN]

Yea that really piss's me off when i spawn at the wrong side of an AMS... and I cant get up the wall. And then theres so many people there beind me that cant get out... that instead of giving me the message ==> Press G to Decontruct your Avatar
it gives me ======> Press G to Interact with This Avatar
and I'm like ======> Stoopid n00b

[Searo]

Once, me and two other guys spawned at an AMS that was stuck in a hole. There was no way out. One guy pulls out a rocket launcher or something and blows his brains out. Me and the other guy look at each other and then I blast us with a grenade. He throws a plasma and we both die. It was hilarious, yet retarded.

[Kuraltai]

Excellent thread gonnagetyou.

A couple nights ago, I spawned at an AMS parkd in the water. Rather strange spot, but it worked for a while, made you think/work quick because of the oxygen issue, 'til an enemy Reaver found it.

Last night on Amerish, spawned at an AMS in the mountains. Not exactly near anything, but doubt anyone would find it easily either.

Just took this cert myself a few days ago and am still working on placement difficulties. Thanks for the ideas!

[Tryndamere]

Great post. As a commander and AMS driver myself, I agree with you completely.

[SweetTater]

Originally posted by gonnagetyou
The number one reason an AMS is found is because your fellow team mates travel in a straight line from the AMS and the battle. Cloakers can easily back track this trail and once found either jack the AMS or call in friendlies to take it out.

This is the most frustrating thing. You spend a bunch of time driving in an AMS, you find a nice spot to hide it, and then every noob makes a beeline straight from the AMS to the base. Enemy reaver pilots just sit up high, track the tiny ant people below, and then rocket where they appear from.

Unless the fight is completely under control, whenever you leave an AMS, circle away before you head in. Don't make it easy on the enemy.

[Happy lil Elf]

And if you see a Mosq fly over slow followed by a Liberator, start running

[Setari]

i saw some guy earlier today who was stuck in a hole under the ams. No idea how he got there..Then I figured out he was a squadmate :P But anyway i've seen some people park ams's in truly weird places but it turns out they work quite well.

[gonnagetyou]

Another thing that frustrates me is when a friendly engineer tries to be helpful and starts deploying spitefires and motion sensors around my nicely hidden AMS. Never do this. Every enemy reaver flying over head will see them and know something is there.

Last night on Hossin/Markov the Vanu were down to one base and so I grabbed an AMS in hopes of stashing it away so we would have a last spawn point if we lost the base. I managed to get it up into the hills and left it there. After we lost the base, I spawned at the AMS just in time to find a freindly putting up spitefires around it. Before I could say anything, a reaver flies over head and sure enough spots everything. He didn't destroy the AMS himself, instead he told his buddies where it was and a Prowler came up and blew everyone away. Had no choice but to spawn back in the sanctuary after that.

Plus if you hear aircraft noises overhead while you're under the cloaking field, don't run out and get spotted. Wait for the aircraft to leave. You'll only get yourself and everyone else around the AMS killed. Plus lose the AMS.

[TheRegurgitator]

once someone put an ams in a large canyon on ishunder i told everyone to follow me and i lead about 15 people out of the canyon. guess falling into canyons with my buddy had a purpose

[Revolver]

Putting it in water is one of my fav strategies

Half-submerged, it kills those people who spawn block, and it's the last place enemies look.

Ever fly over a lake in a big battle for that base you're losing grip on? Take a closer look. You'll find me, and my AMS there. Also, I like to stay in the AMS so it can't be jacked. It's better to lose an AMS than to lose an AMS and let the enemy gain one IMO. And I'm not an XP Whore...I get most of it thru kills. I'd rather miss out on a 5k cap by guarding the AMS outside of the SOI if it helps my Empire.