All this talk of MBTs...

[Jamini]

... and I have yet to see anyone say anything about assault buggies.

Yeah, yeah, I know that most of you are all up in arms about driver-gunners, and trying to give the lightning a unique role as a light tank. But I seriously do hope that the Dev team (hopefully before the beta ends) puts some thought into other forms of light armor. I will be sorely saddened if my enforcer is no more. (and likewise for any chance I would to drive a thresher or maurauder.)

Anyway, some reasons why Planetside 2 needs assault buggies and ways that buggies can fit a unique niche in PS2s model.

1. Buggies fill the role of a "fast assault vehicle".
-Face it, tanks are slow. MBTs and Lightnings are tanks. ATVs, as much as we all love them, are almost always designed with too little armor to be worthwhile beyond a light skirmish with infantry. Buggies help bridge the gap between the ultra-heavy tanks and the much lighter ATVs. Nobody chases a fleeting tank better than a buggy!

2. Buggies make excellent specialist vehicles
-One of the defining features of buggies in PS1 was that their weapons were equivilant to the main gun on any MBT if used correctly, but ineffective against other targets. This encouraged teamwork both within buggy crews as well as between buggy crews and other vehicles. Teamwork is something that I dearly hope EVERYONE on this forum wants to encourage.

3. Buggies encourage more tactical play.
-When a buggy is forced against a heavier vehicle, they often cannot attack head-on. Instead, many buggy drivers would use specific tactics. Bait and switch, running enemies into minefields, harassment tactics, wolfpack tactics, and coordinated bailing (one guy with a jammer/thumper, one guy with AV.) All of these and more were developed or adapted by buggy drivers. Feigning an escape to lead an enemy into a minefield? That is something I WANT in planetside 2!

4. Buggies are cheap.
-Even in the original PS, buggies were the easiest vehicles to pull. With half the timer of a MBT, and multiple varieties for each cert. (oh, and the empire specific ones did not require Tech either!) it was rare that a buggy user couldn't afford to have his vehicle. Having buggies return as a cheaper alternative to MBTs (equivilent to a lightning in cost. Slightlhy more firepower, speed, agility, and armor, but requiers two players to operate.) would give them a unique and likely very useful role in PS2.

5. Buggies are FUN.
-Speeding around the battlefield by the seat of your pants. Dodging missiles rather than just trying to tank them long enough to get to cover. RAMPING over a hill that has a Galaxy deployed just on the other side (and escaping by the skin of your teeth with half a dozen kills to your gunner.). Panicking as you slip by the edge of a minefield with a sliver of health left. Killing an enemy MBT by circle-strafing him to death. Tell me you don't want to experiance this at least once?

Say YES to assault buggies in PS2!