MAX AA still viable?

Muro · 2012-11-18, 08:53 AM

havent experienced the nerf myself

is the MAX AA still considered the best AA option or is the HA AA Rocket making name?

SkilletSoup · 2012-11-18, 09:27 AM

AA Max is only viable for kills if they are grouped up, or the pilot is terrible and has a death wish. Otherwise, they are primarily only good for forcing away approaching/hovering craft. Probably not worth buying or certing for a dual burster unless something changes. You shouldn't have to squad up bursters to take down a single ESF.

Buggsy · 2012-11-18, 09:28 AM

Last patch before beta shut down increased the COF so high you couldn't hit anything unless it was 100 meters or closer.

The Heavy · 2012-11-18, 09:32 AM

If you need AA just go with HA rocket launcher for now. Not everyone has counter measures and it's usually a 2 hit kill if they are dumb enough to hang around long enough.

ChipMHazard · 2012-11-18, 10:49 AM

The problem with the HA's AA is that it's only really effective en mass and mostly just function as an area denial weapon. It's easy to get away from the missiles before being shot down, especially if you have flares.
The situation, before they shut down the beta, was that pretty much the only way to effectively counter air was with air.
Ground based AA more or less became just an annoyance. The only times I've been shot down by ground AA was when I was dumb/cocky enough to hover while more than one AA MAX gave me a warm welcome.
I also got rather tired of having ESFs actually be able tank AA turrets, destroying them before being taken down themselves.

Nasher · 2012-11-18, 11:43 AM

2-3 people using the HA launcher is more effective. They can use flares, but you can fire the rockets much faster than they can use flares (esp. if you stagger the shots between you). If you can get 2 rockets to hit at the same time, it's an instant kill.

Sifer2 · 2012-11-18, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by Nasher

2-3 people using the HA launcher is more effective. They can use flares, but you can fire the rockets much faster than they can use flares (esp. if you stagger the shots between you). If you can get 2 rockets to hit at the same time, it's an instant kill.

Against bad pilots. Those with a sense of timing will have plenty of time to kill what they want to kill on one pass. Flare as soon as they know the rockets are coming. Then move out of range. One Flare counters an infinite number of AA rockets.

If it's true they did a last minute nerf to MAX AA then I would suggest to anyone who wants easy kills to just spend certs on flares, and rocket pods at launch. Nothing will be able to kill you but another ESF or Lib with upgraded nose cannon.

Minor · 2012-11-18, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by ChipMHazard

The problem with the HA's AA is that it's only really effective en mass and mostly just function as an area denial weapon. It's easy to get away from the missiles before being shot down, especially if you have flares.
The situation, before they shut down the beta, was that pretty much the only way to effectively counter air was with air.
Ground based AA more or less became just an annoyance. The only times I've been shot down by ground AA was when I was dumb/cocky enough to hover while more than one AA MAX gave me a warm welcome.
I also got rather tired of having ESFs actually be able tank AA turrets, destroying them before being taken down themselves.

Very accturate post. Air to air is the superiority force right now. It is intended to promote combined arms as well as more aircraft use.

Any other AA variant is meant as a defensive denial tactic. Real RPG AA rockets such as the US Stinger missile have limited range which I believe to be 5 miles or so. Mobile launchers go up to 20-100 miles (guess).

I can confirm the AA TR grounder rpg to be effective against stock aircraft. AA maxes do hurt a stock liberator slowly and are very hard to see from the air. The Zepher cannon can blind spam an AA max to death however. The tower turrets when grouped are deadly if you stray too close in a liberator, and any kind of fighter is way more maneuverable and quick than a liberator.

For true air superiority, you need aircraft.

Adventis · 2012-11-18, 05:53 PM

They should make AA more interesting and potent, not in pure damage but in side effects, make TR AA penetrate and damage the pilot himself, NC can have radioactive rounds that cause various kinds of problems.

For VS allow the AA to disable systems on aircraft, Ion cannons really (obviously it should technically just blot them out the sky, but that is rather unfair.)

Rumblepit · 2012-11-18, 06:50 PM

i know they already have 1 set of upgraded busters in game, i assume from the cost,think it was 750 or 1000 ,they will be very effective.they will more then likely have a A2G launcher for the AA max as well.

Rbstr · 2012-11-18, 07:09 PM

Personally I prefer ground-AA to be more of an area-denial weapon.

Air should be able to dive in and launch some rockets and get out against a few flak cannons. They should be able to abort the run and get out of there before simply exploding. They just shouldn't be able to loiter and they should need to have to figure something out with the damage before they come back for another round.

Infantry with an AA rocket or Burster shouldn't be taking down fighters easily.

Helwyr · 2012-11-18, 07:22 PM

If we're to go by the last build of beta AA will not be a good option. At least on Day one I don't expect ESFs to be farming ground units, because the smart ones will have purchased A2A missiles and shooting down all the others before they can purchase flares.

Originally Posted by Rbstr

Personally I prefer ground-AA to be more of an area-denial weapon.

So, are you saying this as someone who will be playing frequently as ground based AA? Or are you another Air player that thinks they should be able to kill anything while their hard counter should only be able to scare you a little and kill nothing?

Dkamanus · 2012-11-18, 07:24 PM

The BIG problem with AA is that you see an enemy ESF taking 30 Flak shots and not being shot down. As said, ESF should be hit-and-run, not hover-and-blow-shit-up. Its kinda messed up. Good AA should be able to destroy ESF, but they mostly serve only as Area denial.

There are no plains in real life that can take THAT kind of beating and survive. Shouldn't happen here as well.

Dreamcast · 2012-11-18, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by Rbstr

Personally I prefer ground-AA to be more of an area-denial weapon.

Air should be able to dive in and launch some rockets and get out against a few flak cannons. They should be able to abort the run and get out of there before simply exploding. They just shouldn't be able to loiter and they should need to have to figure something out with the damage before they come back for another round.

Infantry with an AA rocket or Burster shouldn't be taking down fighters easily.

Why the Air entitlement to not be taken down by Infantry?

I can destroy a tank by myself if I am in the right position.

I think AA missiles should destroy a ESF if we hit them super close.....A lot of these ESF have no respect for AA missiles because all they need to do is push a button to become immune to missiles via flares.

If Infantry can't blow up aircraft, at least Vehicles designed as AA should like Skyguard.

Sifer2 · 2012-11-18, 07:51 PM

Originally Posted by Rbstr

Personally I prefer ground-AA to be more of an area-denial weapon.

Air should be able to dive in and launch some rockets and get out against a few flak cannons. They should be able to abort the run and get out of there before simply exploding. They just shouldn't be able to loiter and they should need to have to figure something out with the damage before they come back for another round.

Infantry with an AA rocket or Burster shouldn't be taking down fighters easily.

Yes they should since Air can take out Infantry easily. Especially with Rocket Pod spam. So either remove their ability to attack ground or make ground AA effective so it's a fair fight. Otherwise this game will not do well in the long run since a lot of people prefer to play on the ground, and will not enjoy be mindlessly farmed by air with no way to fight back.

And as far as aria denial being AA's only role. You think people will really want to play AA if they are designed to never get kills thus never get xp? I like to fly aircraft too but they are overpowered, and I know it when i'm flying, and nothing can kill me but other ESF's. And i've also tried to play AA an realized how broken it is. Tons of effort just to scare off bad pilots who deserved to be taken down for their hover spam.