Improvement: Top Turret for the Liberator

[The Degenatron]

Originally Posted by Neurotoxin

I'm against this implementation. A tailgun is sufficient, and if the pilot can't maneuver in such a way that the tailgunner can fire on pursuing enemy aircraft, then the crew needs to roll with reinforcements or practice dealing with aerial threats. If it isn't a substantial top-mounted turret, then it won't be enough to ward off fighters from ripping it apart regardless of the incoming fire. If it is a substantial turret, it would need to come with a reduction of the rest of the Lib's armaments, for it is no longer a defensive turret and instead becomes another offensive tool.

Overhead vulnerability is a balance and design element of the Liberator. Its a plane (that means it is immune to terrain hindrances) with heavy firepower forward, downward, and to the rear, but not to the sides or above. It has to have SOME vulnerability, SOME drawback, and being vulnerable to flak isn't enough. Liberators appear to be designed to be vulnerable on top, specifically because of the hell it can rain down on targets below it. Maybe put one on and let the rear gunner alternate between the low gun and the high gun, or have them function as two turrets sharing the same reticule, but I would not give the middle gunner more than one weapon system.


The more I read the discussions, the more I like the idea of the wing-mounted alternative. Using two wing-mounted machine guns as an AA/AI platform that can fire in all directions is the only way I'd want to see the middle gunner able to fire backwards. If you get in the middle seat, and you don't get to fire a single shot as the lib you are in gets shot up and shot down, that kinda sucks but its not like you spent the alloys to pull out that Liberator. But for aircraft to play it smart and flank Liberators from above, that player should be rewarded for being in the right place at the right time by getting free shots at the Liberator.

I think the thing that gets missed most is the idea that just because there's a gun up there doesn't mean it's invulnerable.

Listening to the way you talk about it makes it sound as if the ONLY way the liberator would be vulnerable is if there is NO defense on top. That simply isn't the case.

There have been plenty of times when an interceptor has been within the firing arc of the ball turret and the gunner just couldn't put the bullets on the target. The same thing applies for a top turret.

On the other hand, I know that when the gunner CAN put a stream of bullets on interceptors, it definately WILL ward off the attacker. Now, if there's more than one, it won't do much good, but that is entirely the point. Against a lone interceptor the liberator should have an advantage when fleeing, but against a team it should be dog-meat.

Watching the "Loverator" video, TB says the thing handles like a BF3 helicopter, which definately means it's not going to out-fly even a reaver, let alone a scythe. It definately looks like the liberator is going to have AA capabilities but it will still be forced to flight ceiling to protect its completely undefended top-side. And that's a shame, because it'd be nice to see liberators down in the action mixing it up with everyone else.