Let's discuss: The tactical value of the Harasser

[Rolfski]

Having played a bit with it on the test server, I was wondering what the unique role of this vehicle could be on the battlefield.

Harassing:

• Anti Infantry: Flanking to quickly deliver a couple of AI Maxes behind enemy infantry lines, while doing some road killing sounds good in theory but cloaked Flashes seem to be more effective for that. Two fully manned Harassers or six cloaked Flashes with Furies, I'm not sure what plays out better but I probably would go for the Flashes.
• Anti Vehicle: The ability to mount AV guns like the Vulcan as well as AV Maxes/Heavies could be interesting but only if you can easily outmaneuver armor and use that fire power effectively. Not sure how this one will play out on the battlefield.
• Anti Air: The combo of a Walker AA gun and Burster Max combined with the speed/agility of the Harasser sounds interesting on paper but I'm not sure how much more effective it is against three Skyguards you can pull as well.

Base attack:

• Quickly driving through the shields into the vehicle bay of an Amp station with a diffuser Harasser to take out the enemy defensive Sundy, hack the terminals and spawn an AMS Sundy of your own looks like a viable tactic. However, a diffuser Sundy with two manned AI guns can deliver more troops and fire power to do the same at a slight cost of speed. I would probably use a Sundy for this, even with small teams.
• As for harassing around and in bases, Flashes might be a better alternative. Cloaking/agility vs Firepower/bulletproof, we'll have to see what's more effective. For Amp stations a diffuser Harasser seems the way to go.

Transport:

• For long distance travel in open space, the speed of this vehicle combined with an AA configuration seems a solid choice as long as you can spawn it at every outpost. Otherwise you're probably better of recalling to Warp gate and go in a Galaxy.
• For shorter distances and more covered terrain cloak Flashes or Sundies seems the more survivable choice to me.

Assuming this vehicle can spawn at every outpost it has to compete mostly with the Flash and the Sundy as a vehicle. Only if it can easily out-maneuver tanks and can bring its mobile firepower to good use, the Harasser seems a good choice. Otherwise I have hard time figuring out a role for this vehicle others can't do better. Especially the fact that it needs a dedicated driver and has a small transport capability might hamper its utility.

Let's discuss, how do you see the tactical value of this vehicle?

[Bags]

As of right now it flies like 3000000 m per every foot of hill it jumps over.

[Dodgy Commando]

Perhaps more to do with playstyles. You make a good point of its roles, and how other vehicles can perform them too.

So what if the choice relies on what the player wants to do. If he wants a bit more surivivability compared to a Flash for the same role for example, or if he has 2 more teamates instead of one. Of course you could pull more Flashes and carry on, but its just to illustrate my point.

[maradine]

Saron on top. Dual Bursters in the trunk. An engie with mines, and an infil with a rifle. It's the ultimate three man backfield Fuck You platform. For as long as there such a thing as a backfield, anyway.

[Assist]

I'm picturing a Vulcan Harasser coming directly towards my Magrider. I get one shot off, it gets one volley off, we're both in trouble. It flies by me, the AV dual rocketlauncher MAX in the back drills my Magrider in the back, I go boom.

[Assist]

Originally Posted by maradine

Saron on top. Dual Bursters in the trunk. An engie with mines, and an infil with a rifle. It's the ultimate three man backfield Fuck You platform. For as long as there such a thing as a backfield, anyway.

Yeah, I'm thinking Engie with mines driving, Heavy with Lancer secondary OR Medic maybe on the Saron, and then I'd put the dual Starfire MAX in the back(assuming it's nearly as accurate as the HA Lancer)

[Ghoest9]

Given what we know about the current Flash and the Current Heavy tanks I have a hard time seeing a use for the Harasser other than looking cool.

The Flash isnt really fast enough to use its sped and small size to avoid ESF fire(which is really an issue of how easy it is aim an ESF rather than a problem with the Flash.)

And MBTs are alsready pretty easy to kill with an ESF.

The new bugys will be easier to hit than a flash and weaker than a MBT - they are going to die quickly.

[bpostal]

Fill it full of LA and use it to flank just about anything you can think of.

[Sledgecrushr]

Have four or more of these bad boys as an assault group. Av secondaries and dual bursters in the back will make these a teamplay necessity.

[maradine]

Read my mind. Perfect since our op night is usually exactly 12 people.

[Mustakrakish]

The name is pretty indicative of its capabilities.

• Approach from a flanking position, emerging from cover at the last possible second. The gunner unloads the Bulldog/Fury/Marauder/Halberd/Whatever into the cluster of infantry or the rear of the MBT you've just surprised, and then you Turbo the hell outta there before they can retaliate.
• Put some distance between yourself and the fight while your gunner reloads, and trust whoever's in the jump seat (I'd go with an AV MAX or HA with lockons) to cover you while you make your getaway.
• Wash, rinse, repeat. Stop and hide for repairs as necessary.

The Gate Shield Diffuser gives rise to some interesting possibilities. I'm really hoping it sees more use on the Harasser than it does on the Sunderer, since the driver no longer has to resist the temptation to equip AMS instead.

The one thing that seems strange is that they only seem capable of being spawned from Vehicle Terminals where Lightnings and MBTs are available, and not from Vehicle Terminals that offer only Flashes and Sunderers.

Also, put a Ranger or Walker on that thing and a Burster MAX in the jump seat and you've got one MEAN AA unit. It just might make the Skyguard obsolete.

[Sardus]

The harasser's job has always been to get you from point A to point B and have a hell of a lot of fun doing it.

Now you can stick a vulcan minigun on it (if TR for example) and truly harass others LOL

[Malorn]

I remember referring to them as coffins in PS1.

[Eggy]

Im working under the assumption that the harraser only has acess to all those utilties and weapon systems because its on test. It doesnt make sense to allow all those weapons systems on a common pool vehicle and then release ES Buggys later on.

Ive tried out the buggy a fair amount on test and at max speed and max bounce your going to have difficulity hitting with anything other than a grenade/rocket launcher turret.
If you stop/slow down for your turret to stabilize then you will die pretty fast.

Its strenght its a speed and firepower. Get in super fast, unload your volleys and then get out and repair. Its strong enough to get hit by a tank volley and 1-2 dumbfires before it needs to retreat.

The chances of HA hitting it with a lockon launcher or ESRL will be pretty slim due to its speed.

I think the most potent flavours will be AA turret with dual burster and AV turret with AV max. The turret has 360 view and the buggy turns so quickly that getting the angles for the MAX will be easy.

[Lonehunter]

Until turret stabilization is added I doubt any lock on, flak, or lazer guided missiles will be very much use.

I do think the harasser should only have access to Sunderer weapons, and the ESBuggies should get the MBT secondary turrets.