Still loving the Lightning

[gonnagetyou]

I'm still carrying the Lightning Cert and loving it more with the 360 degree turret. The only downside is they reduced the angle at which you can lower the muzzles on your 12mm and cannon. I can't get as close to people as I used to, but I've learned to compensate and stay further away or slightly up on an incline so I
can drop my reticule further.

I see a lot more Lightnings now which is great. Before the improved version came out, I often found myself the only one running around. Now you can often see packs of two or three at a time. I probably spend about 80% of my time in the Lightning. The rest of my time is performing Combat Eng. duties or making ANT runs.

I haven't changed many of my tactics. I still primarily use it as a fast hunter killer, to catch infantry and MAX units moving between towers and bases. It is a great AMS hunter, also. Against other vehicles (other than Harassers and ATVs) I like to keep my distance. Mosquitoes and Reavers I don't have much of a problem with. I've killed plenty of them with the 12mm.

Unless there's lot's of enemy around or they're all packing AV weapons, I can usually keep a small squad pinned inside a tower until help arrives.

Patrolling friendly bases is another great use for the Lightning. I sometimes look to see which bases are next on the enemies list to take and get there ahead of the zerg. You'll often find small squads in advance of the zerg setting up the next cap and you can usually take them by surprise. I like to keep them out by running a patrol circuit around the base, constantly checking the entrances and hopefully catching them outside the walls where they're easy to take down. If you have Combat Engineering and can set up deployables before they get there then that's even better. One Lightning with a good driver can keep a small squad busy and be a real pain in their ass.

Here are a few rules I try and stick to:
1. Repair often and every chance you get.

2. Use the 12mm against infantry and air vehicles within close to medium range.

3. Use the 75mm cannon on vehicles and MAX at any range. Use it on infantry at ranges where the 12mm COF is too great. The splash damage from the 75mm is also good for hitting infantry next to a wall/tree or if they are behind cover. If a guy goes behind a tree or rock then aim just to the side and behind the tree. The splash will eventually kill them or force them to move.

4. Don't mix with the herd. What I mean by this is stay on the fringes of the battle and pick off the weak and strays. This way you don't have to contend with all the AV weapons you'll find in the middle of a zerg. I'm sure you've seen enough nature documentaries to know what I'm getting at.

5. Keep moving and practice shooting while on the go. If you can keep pace with a MAX on autorun and land direct hits with the 75mm while moving parallel to him, then you're on your way to being a kick ass Lightning driver.