Mowing in Aircraft

[Veteran]

People have been pressing a big flaw in PlanetSide (I'll refrain from saying 'exploit') and have been mowing people down in their Reavers and Mosquitos.

It turns out that even at high speeds, contacting the ground doesn't lead to the destruction of the aircraft. In aviation circles we call that, "crashing and burning" but in PlanetSide, it's called "mowing".

Now I understand that soon a vehicle will lose a lot of inertia when you hit an infantry, but doesn't it stand to logic that you should also lose a lot of momentum (aka crash) by hitting the ground?

Yes, I know mines will blow them up, but can you really respect the argument that you should put down landmines to stop aircraft from riding the surface, hitting people with their hulls? It doesn't sound quite right.

Just venting.

[ZjinPS]

I've often thought about that too. I guess since they are all VTOL aircraft airspeed isn't a deciding factor in flight. It seems scrubing the deck at 105 KPH in a reaver isnt either.

[MuNsTeR]

Thats what i only do in my mosquito lol. thats why i made the outfit called the kamikaze mosquitos the only problem is you die if you kill a max....

[Doppler]

This has been around a while, and yes its irritating, but since this game really has no flight model to speak of theres not a lot that can be done about it. Since momentum is not required for flight in this game momentum killer whouldnt have a whole lot of affect.

[Duffman]

i dont know if it was in beta where you could hit someone and take almost the same dmg a tank does. Atleast now you take quite a bit of damage from hitting someone

[Madcow]

I find myself mowing people in my mossy without really even trying to sometimes. Because of the way the gun is built, you have to fly in the direction you are shooting. Your only other option is to hover and follow somebody with your gun, usually a really good way of getting blown out of the air. So you start shooting at somebody and flying in their direction. Assuming they are running away, you will eventually level out and be skimming the ground, flying towards the soldier and firing. As the mossy flies faster than the soldier runs, I'll often run them down before enough bullets get into them to kill them. I don't really know of a way to prevent it from happening without totally revamping the targetting system for the gun.

[BDMJ]

I do this in my liberator sometimes. It is usually when I see a softy on a hilltop and I don't want to waste ammo on him. Also its a really good way to kill an AA max, as you might not have enough time to kill him with the gun before he does fatal damage to you.

[Mordith]

lol. I only mow with my skeeter if it's a MAX because let's face it. A mosquito cannot take on a MAX without mowing it. heh. Oh well. I get some great tells because of it.

[STEALTHKILLER]

Hitting the ground with a airplane wont kill it, hitting a tree will.

[Tegadil]

Originally Posted by Madcow

I find myself mowing people in my mossy without really even trying to sometimes. Because of the way the gun is built, you have to fly in the direction you are shooting. Your only other option is to hover and follow somebody with your gun, usually a really good way of getting blown out of the air. So you start shooting at somebody and flying in their direction. Assuming they are running away, you will eventually level out and be skimming the ground, flying towards the soldier and firing. As the mossy flies faster than the soldier runs, I'll often run them down before enough bullets get into them to kill them. I don't really know of a way to prevent it from happening without totally revamping the targetting system for the gun.

If your keyboard allows it (mine hates 3 buttons being pressed at once), you can do a strafing run of sorts. Really simple, too. Just hold the increase elevation, look down (at 45 degrees or something) and hold forward. With any luck, the increase elevation will offset the downward path. Kinda like flying at an angle to offset winds IRL.

[JetRaiden]

I know its annoying, but you dont see it often enough to rant about it on a regular basis. Btw, liberator is the BEST for this.

[Hamma]

It doesent bother me, it was so easy in T2 but in PS its a bit harder, you actually take damage usually.

[NNY]

when i mow with my skeeter i never get more then one kill b4 i get shot down or crash on the guy im trying to kill

[Rayder]

I once mowed down a guy on a hill with my skeeter, I had about less than a quarter of my health left... so I decided to run into a tree and, much to my surprise, killed a guy that was coming out of the ams that happend to be under it.

[MuNsTeR]

once i got a 2 in 1 kill.. 1 max and 1 engi healing max :P