Lightning

[Sandman]

what would be a good implant to get to go along with the lightning?

[Zentenk VA]

My brother uses audio implant and likes that with his lightning, i usually gun tanks and i use Advanced Targeting. I remember when lightning was 4 POINTS in beta... i got it and was like this is so CRAPPY!!!! then i got the vanguard... oh the vanguard...

[Sandman]

ok cool, thats the implant im using ATM

[Vick]

I use advanced targeting, and I just dropped audio amp, those are probably the two best.

[MilitantB0B]

Originally posted by 12tontuna
I haven't been snuck up on by lightnings yet, but let me tell you, those stealthy Prowlers get my goat!

I almost never see those things, til I'm examining the tread marks over my skull.

I think they base the point cost on the weapon loadout of the vehicle. All of the 75, 100 and 150mm pieces are 3 points.

Gay, yet true.

I wouldn't give the lightning more armor. It IS called a "Lightning". Lets make it move faster, and turn more quickly. It isn't supposed to head to head main battle tanks.

Yeah, it mainly just needs a boost in some way. Faster and higher acceleration would work good too, if they where to worried about the lighting becoming a thick of the battle kinda tank.

[Sandman]

Yeah, the lightning could use a bit more armor and maybe some more speed/accleration, atleast put the cert cost down to 2 unless they do make some changes for the better on it.

[MilitantB0B]

Originally posted by Sandman
Yeah, the lightning could use a bit more armor and maybe some more speed/accleration, atleast put the cert cost down to 2 unless they do make some changes for the better on it.

Over in the OF, They keep saying that, "Its meant to be used in packs! Not in an individual basis!"
The funny thing is, that if they did the same thing to, oh say special assault, nobody would stand for it. Spend 3 points on a weapon that is only good if you outnumber the enemy. I think not.

[Sandman]

people barely use lightnings as it is, i only have seen TR use it when i think about it.........

[MilitantB0B]

Originally posted by Sandman
people barely use lightnings as it is, i only have seen TR use it when i think about it.........

I know. I played a little bit this morning and I think I figured out what it needs.
Adding more armor to the existing speedy vehicle will mean that people will just use it to run people over with. So, instead, they should up the speed a bit, and increase turret rotation.
Think about it, the draw of the lightning is that it is a speedy vehicle. But the limited turret rotation means that you have to go headlong into whatever you want to kill, no drive by shootings or circling the slower guy. It completley negate the vehicles strong point. If they increase the rotation to180 degrees, that would allow you to circle someone while shooting them, something that would make this vehicle alot more prominent.

[MilitantB0B]

By the by, I started a thred in the Official Forums, please give your support there.

Link to the thread in the OF.

[Nitsch]

I used to be in agreement that lightnings sucked... till i read this thread http://www.planetside-universe.com/f...ight=lightning and decided to take some of their advice... and bygod it worked!

It has it's flaws... and it takes some getting used to. You have to play it for a few days... don't judge it after an hour of fighting. After a while you will find that killing 20 badguys to your 1 death is not unusual.

I find the 2 things that it really excells at:

1) AMS hunting
2) Open field infantry hunting (when badguys are running from one base or tower to attack another base).

But i must emphasize... if you want to seriously drive a lightning, you must have engineering.

[Cyber]

While there always seems to be that one guy who swears by it and does great with it. The fact is the lightning as a tank design is flawed.

It's got light armor and high speed making it seemingly idea for hit and run strikes.

But it can't do them effectively because of the way it's weapons are setup. With the forward firing only weapons your left stuck facing down the enemy anytime you want to shoot. Yet you don't really have the armor to suvive many of these standoffs.

It's silly.

If the tank had a turret and control scheme like a BF1942 tank (not that hard to use once you get the hang of it) it would be a fun vehicle, worth 3 certs and effective enough that it could use it's strengths to survive since you could keep running at full speed and fire to the side/rear. Of course this introduces the additional problem of knowing were your going so you don't crash into trees/cliffs/roads but hey, that's the drivers problem.

[MilitantB0B]

I don't doubt that good things can be done with the lightning, I just think it is so hard to do good things with it that it either ought to be made better to justify the 3 point cost, or dropped to 2 points. Hopefuller the former will be what happens.

[Vick]

Just up the speed and allow the turret to rotate 180 degrees, so you can fire to the side while moving forwards. Then you could even circle your enemy, I think it fits with the theme it has pretty well.

Nitsch, hell yeah, you got it down. It is one of the AMS hunters, if it is deserted I hack it or destroy it, but when they are pooring out Vanu with Lancers I usualy have to run. Hunting infantry is my favorite thing, I just cruise around hotspots look for people, if you get behind them you can kill 2-3 before they even turn around.

[Nitsch]

The trick to blowing up a deployed AMS with lots of people spawning there is to shoot the AMS at the eq term. This will drop anyone trying to get equipment, while blowing up the damn thing... also stand back a bit so you can get the first shot on the people who got lucky and got their stuff. People are usually disoriented a few seconds after leaving the cloak bubble and don't know exactly where you are firing from, use this to your advantage.

But lightnings really shine in AMS hunting when chasing the bastages down. A good AMS driver can outrun "big tank", because tanks don't have the top end speed of an AMS. AMS's can also lose reavers and skeeters through trees. Lightinings don't have these problems.

It seems everyone and their dog has an AMS cert now, and every big battle seems to have 2 or 3 badguy AMS's. I usually try to hack them...but sometimes it's great just to pull out the ole lightning and blow the crap outa them.