Sunderer vs Galaxy?

[Conq]

Watched that webcast earlier and I'm wondering how the Sunderer will compete with the Galaxy as a troop transport.

Both carry 12 passengers, both (I assume) are heavily armored, both (I assume) are equally vulnerable to air and land forces but the Galaxy can fly over terrain obstructions, over minefields, allows for hot dropping on bases, has 4 manned guns and can deploy as a respawn base.

The Sunderer looks and sounds so damn awesome and I'd love to build part of my outfits assault strategy around it but cool factor is all it seems to be packing.

[Vash02]

I think they upped the armour and gave it the ability to ram tanks out of its way for a reason.

[FastAndFree]

The Sunderer is also (nigh) invulnerable to AA

[Raymac]

It's a good question. The Galaxy seemed far more common than the bang bus in PS1, and I was wondering what they would try to do, if anything, to compensate for that. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I don't think there is much they could do. Both of them are going to be more badass than they were in PS1 so that should be fun.

[VioletZero]

I think what they're doing to make up for it is making the Sunderer tough enough to run through a blockade while a Galaxy is more vulnerable.

[sylphaen]

PS1: both transport vehicles with tons of HP, one can fly and is just faster.
PS2: Gal will be transport able to act as an AMS, sunderer will just be transport but with adaptable traits, now.

I'd say their logic for merging Gal+AMS was decent.

Edit: I completely forgot that the Sundy is now an ammo/resupply machine. Kind of like a moving upgraded aegis which will also resupply vehicles. Maybe allow to change vehicle gun config on the field too ?

Gal is our new flying AMS.
Sundy is our new wallbreaker Lodie.

[Figment]

Galaxy summary (what we know so far):

Occupants: 12
Weapon locations: (one per side/top/tail)
Weapon slot options: AA / anti-ground specific (considered option - Gal Gunship?) / General purpose (as it now has no anti-ground specific stuff) / ES variants (most likely)

Features upon deployed: Spawn room / Equipment Terminals

Approximate size: ~8 meters (height) x ~20m (wingspan) x ~20 (length)

Defensive slot: Armour density / (missile) impact mitigation (on certain areas?) / flares
Performance slot: Speed / handling / Afterburner
Utility slot: EMP blast? (is on Sunderer)

Cosmetic options: Decals / Camouflage / Stripes / bobbleheads (?) / ES specific options

Does not feature (at this time): Cloaking field (considered too large)


Design rationale: "Battlefield objective" / " No hide & seek gameplay" / Defended with onboard systems akin to field turrets

Sunderer summary:
Occupants: 12 (passengers can be all MAX units)
Weapon locations: Two top weapons
Weapon slot options: AA / AI / AV
Additional weaponry: passengers can fire out of sides
Armour: 4x tank
Speed: Faster than MBT
Weight vs performance: Enough to ram tanks out of the way

Features upon deployed: Equipment Terminals / Vehicle resupply / Vehicle repair (?)

Approximate size: ~4 meters (height) x ~4m (width) x ~12m (length)

Defensive slot: Armour density / (missile) impact mitigation (on certain areas) / Mine guard (anti mines)
Performance slot: Speed / tires / amphibious?
Utility slot: EMP blast / smoke screen

Cosmetic options: Decals / Camouflage / Racing stripes / bobbleheads (?) / ES specific options



Design rationale: Transport into frontlines / Disable (base) shields / Breaking into bases

Probably forgot a couple things though, feel free to correct where necessary.

[Figment]

They do have distinct roles, but it pretty much confirms why I think the Galaxy won't do. They have the idea of a spawnpoint only taken from the perspective of a zerg. There simply won't be enough manpower to defend it for use in special ops.

Another 'problem' I perceive is that since it's going to have to be hard to take out as a deployed base, you cannot have it have the same amount of hitpoints while flying. If it's going to be able to sustain a crapload of weapons fire and little vulnerabilities, it's going to be a camping vehicle. Especially when it gets air to ground weaponry added as options on top of AA capacity.

Given the amount of players there will be a lot of these, despite of the fewer sites to obtain it. That means that you potentially have a multi-Gal Gunship situation or multi-BFR situation again: if they have a lot of endurance, they'd cover each other to the point you have a lot (read: too much) of trouble taking a couple or even one out of the skies, especially if you're not in a full zerg fight for support.

Hence I expect a recharging shield on the deployed Galaxy.


As a consequence, I'm convinced there'll have to be a lot of hard point, on site locations to spawn, because if you have to get a Gal every time one gets destroyed from either a tech plant or warpgate, it's not very handy and you'd not be able to sustain an assault if the distance becomes too great to walk.

Or we simply need an AMS equivalent to complement it. Alone it's just not going to be sufficient.

[Coreldan]

Sundy with mine armor! BWWAHAHH!

I'm starting to feel Sunderer will be OP

Lol, looking at the ATV and Sunderer, it looks as if the ATV could almost drive under a Sunderer without being hurt

[arclegger]

Originally Posted by Conq

Watched that webcast earlier and I'm wondering how the Sunderer will compete with the Galaxy as a troop transport.

location, location, location You might not be at one of these places to pull your massive galaxy.

https://twitter.com/#!/mhigby/status/160514552998539266

[ringring]

Originally Posted by arclegger

location, location, location You might not be at one of these places to pull your massive galaxy.

https://twitter.com/#!/mhigby/status/160514552998539266

Nah, you can manage those situations.

Primarily it will depend on what your squad has available at any given moment in terms of certs. In other words you will use what you have.

Next it will depend on how you want to make your attack, shock and awe or deliberate assault.

Shock and awe means appearing over the horizon in gals and dropping on a door before the enemy can react.
Deliberate assault means a siege assault and you want to get your platoon through the a breach and fighting in the CY.

It all depends on the state of the battle.

In PS1 we used to first attack with Gal drops, then if the defence was too strong to go back with prowlers. I am starting to think that in PS2 it may be gal drops+mossies as the first wave then sundy's if that fails.

It will be good working out new tactics

[CutterJohn]

Wonder how bang bus will unload. One of the huge differences between that and the gal is the gal put your peeps on top of the base, where they will be out of the line of fire of ground vehicles, and the majority of troops up there will be AA/av/sniper oriented.

I was thinking the driver should have something like a 10s duration temporary shield that blocks most or all incoming damage, on a very long cooldown. This would let the troops be able to make it into the door despite some vehicles heavy AI weapon splashing it.

[Figment]

@Cutter: they mentioned smokefields.

[psychosiszz]

Sunderer sounds damn cool now. Definitely going to spec for it. Though I feel 2 ATV's should be transportable on either side. Would look sweet to see them bail and chase off other land vehicles attacking the Sunderer

[Graywolves]

Put a Minesweeper on your sunderer and just drive past a door and have everyone bail out.