Making the bang bus more popular

[FIREk]

I would prefer it if the Sunderer wasn't added to PS2 in anything resembling its current form. A huge truck on the battlefield? That just looks wrong.

Instead, it should be a large, proper-looking, amphibious (because why not?) IFV. Preferably on tracks. Ideally much like the US Marines AAV transport:

[CutterJohn]

Originally Posted by exLupo

A customized transport with 11 trained mixed small arms troops with little to no air or tank training who arrive safely will do more for the indoor fight than 11 poorly trained mixed small arms troops who get there with their own highly trained vehicle or 11 poorly trained air/tank troops who don't make it there at all.

Assuming they can arrive. Pushing a front door on ground is not a very reliable delivery method.

Unless, of course, the base isn't very contested, but then whats the point anyway?


@Firek: I'm more of a Bradley man. Has a nice turret and a couple of missiles.

[Grimster]

Hmm bang bus. That sounds like something one would use to bang chicks in.

[Sovereign]

Originally Posted by FIREk

Instead, it should be a large, proper-looking, amphibious (because why not?) IFV. Preferably on tracks. Ideally much like the US Marines AAV transport:

Ha, I'd prefer an AAAV bus in the next game call it the 'magic school bus of death'

I could see this designs potential in game..

[FIREk]

Originally Posted by Sovereign

Ha, I'd prefer an AAAV bus in the next game call it the 'magic school bus of death'

I could see this designs potential in game..

Wow, that's a lot of badassery behind just one more 'A' in the name. Yeah, this would work nicely, although I like the old AAV's looks better. Also, the AAV has similar dimensions to the Sunderer (relatively narrow and tall).

[TerminatorUK]

The Sunderer was a pretty awesome vehicle pre-balance pass. The rof and accuracy were like lightning 75mm cannons. In PS2 i'd love to see the return of the Sunderer but with better weapons, armour (in the form of damage degradation galaxy gunship style), a strong shield bubble when stationary to protect disembarking troops and pod launchers ala BF2142 apc style to get on titans

[ShowNoMercy]

I'm hearing a lot of great suggestions, but many of them pervert the role of the bang bus (or at least what I thought it was) - a transport. Anyone who said it was a gate crasher seems to have the right idea, so comments along the lines of "better weapons" dont make sense for a gate crasher unless they are designed to clear a path. I'm thinking a main gun that can move objects with its concussive force, since they are adding physx to vehicles it would be possible to do so i think.

Also, what does everyone think of the open cabin idea for the bang bus along with a ramp for exit and entry of all passengers as opposed to doors. I mean this thing should feel like an APC and not a minivan (which is how it currently feels).
O also, maybe small cannons that fire jammer nades for disabling vehicles and CE. This thing should now be destroying vehicles in my opinion, so why give it the ability? if it can just disable them that is totally sufficient to make it a badass gate crasher. Thoughts and concerns?

[EASyEightyEight]

I really liked the deployable shield idea actually. Where the Galaxy can drop people on top of anything, the Sunderer can quickly, if most likely temporarily, offer a secure area for troops to deploy from, so we don't have guys jumping out and getting gunned down instantaneously. Park it in front of the front door and charge on in. No one drops a Galaxy load of troops on top of the front door, it's practically suicide.

I still like the idea of making it a rearming station for infantry and vehicles though. It needs some reason to stick around. If all it's (capable of) doing is shuffling troops from point A to point B, I might as well board a Galaxy. Gets the job done faster and much more reliably.

[Soothsayer]

Yeah I like deployable shield as a new feature of the bang bus.

Entrenches its role as getting a squad into a contested area.

Don't think it should be an offensive weapon on its own, its the troops inside that should make it dangerous to attack.

Needs to be quicker (not fast) and with high (or even highest) surviveability.

Should be the most effective land based troop transport for breaching CY's or their equivalent in PS2.

[Raymac]

Originally Posted by Grimster

Hmm bang bus. That sounds like something one would use to bang chicks in.

LOL I was just wondering how many people actually knew the orgins of the name "bang bus" since it is a little dated. Pr0n doesn't hold up well over time, just look at any made in the 70's.

[Rbstr]

Originally Posted by TerminatorUK

pod launchers ala BF2142 apc style to get on titans

That'd be really cool, you could use the thing to get on top of towers and shit.

[Bags]

1.) Give it a loud horn
2.) Give no other vehicle a horn
3.) ???
4.) Bangbus is now the most popular vehicle

[Sentrosi]

You all are forgetting one thing, Orbital Strikes. It just takes one OS to stop your front door/back door assault. You can say the same thing about a Galaxy drop, but at least the Galaxy can get away.

I like the idea of a shock troop carrier though. Fight to the door, clear the area of CE (EMP blast from the front of the vehicle for example), drop off, and leave to quickly get back to the lines.

[CutterJohn]

Pretty sure most drivers would bail with the rest. Getting in would be impressive enough. Getting out safe again? Don't ask for miracles. It'd take a ton more hitpoints to pull off, which would make it a lot easier for people who will just bail with the rest of the infantry anyway.

[exLupo]

Originally Posted by CutterJohn

Assuming they can arrive. Pushing a front door on ground is not a very reliable delivery method.

It's up to the devs to make sure that ground transports have a point. Getting people to the front door is fine if you've got the courtyard. Simply getting RExos and MAXes to the fight has its own merit. Dev needs to make sure gal drops and mossies don't 100% invalidate ground transports in PS2.