Phorgetting the Phalanx

Veteran · 2004-01-21, 05:26 AM

People are constantly saying how bases need some magical new defense bonus, and yet more than half the time I survey a sieged base, the turrets are destroyed and nobody is repairing them.

The Phalanx turrets recently got a huge buff. They are absolutely sick now. So how come so few people will dedicate themselves to keeping them repaired?

Sprog · 2004-01-21, 05:41 AM

You seem to be forgetting a few things.

1) As soon as the phalanx is repaired, an ground or air vehicle within range is automatically fired upon. This will alert enemies, causing them to fire upon the turret, and the poor solider repairign it. The engineer is most likely to either get a tank shell in the face, sniped, or killed from the collateral damaged caused from the turret exploding.

2) If the generator is down, then turrets wont work

3) If the base has been ninja hacked, then the turrets wont work

4) If you are usign a turret to shoot at tanks and other enemies, you telling everybody "HEY LOOK AT ME!! IM IN A MASSIVE TARGET THAT CANT DODGE YOUR SHOTS!!! PLEASE COME KILL ME!!!

Veteran · 2004-01-21, 05:48 AM

You raise valid points. Perhaps the turrets need more advanced blast-shielding for repair personnel.

Aurorapro · 2004-01-21, 07:48 AM

Why dont people do the multiple engineer trick like they do with Max units? it may work. as the phalanx turret can easily damage a vehicle.

JakeLogan · 2004-01-21, 07:57 AM

Yeah this is true 3 phalanx turrets can takedown multiple vanguards quite easily

Majik · 2004-01-21, 08:38 AM

Originally Posted by JakeLogan

Yeah this is true 3 phalanx turrets can takedown multiple vanguards quite easily

What base has 3 turrets with enough overlapping LOS to all target the same tank?

I have been one of many engineers in massive defenses trying to keep turrets alive. While we stand there with our glue guns, motionless, snipers and AC pick us off and tanks pound the hell out of the turret. We can usually keep a turret alive for 30 seconds before we are respawning, during which the gunner is lucky to take out 1 tank and maybe chase away some air units.
In a massive infantry assault engineers can usually keep the turret up against the onslaught of rockets from troops, but once you throw calvalry and air into the assault we don't have a chance.

Jagd · 2004-01-21, 08:48 AM

What is it, 4 or 5 Liberator bombs to squash a turret? And only a few more tank shells than that.

Mudflap · 2004-01-21, 09:13 AM

Keeping turrets up is a big part of base defense. The turrets, mines, and vehicles are the only thing that stops enemy vehicles from taking the courtyard. And we all know that once the courtyard is taken, it's just about over(no, not always).

I repair turrets when I can, but the real problem is that automatic base defense turrets give xp to nobody. The carrot is completely absent there. People tend to think along these lines: "Hey, I can repair the turret, and maybe hold off teh zerg a bit, or I can go kill a few people and get a few thousand xp."

If they made the turrets a little more fun, maybe a little more armored, then they would be something worthwhile. As it is, if you mount a turret during defensive operations, you're almost certainly going to die....quickly.

Doubling current turret armor might actually be justified. Keep in mind, this is not mobile artillery, this is a base hardpoint. Why is its armor half that of a tank?

JakeLogan · 2004-01-21, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by Majik

What base has 3 turrets with enough overlapping LOS to all target the same tank?

Dropship center bud

Peacemaker · 2004-01-21, 10:01 AM

God not phalnaxs. Those things are the worst defensive measure in the game. The devs didnt really think about the idea of Zones of fire. Most bases have trees and crap in their way. Need fields of fire ppl then phalnaxs would be effective.

Black · 2004-01-21, 10:03 AM

I think that there should be 3 turrets 2 on the main enterence wall and one on the ground thats covered from the Metal boxes witch is in the middle of the enterence

(remember its jus an idea)

dscytherulez · 2004-01-21, 10:05 AM

Turrets are almost always the target when they are alive. Once reavers or tanks or libs, or basically anything powerful enough hear a turret, its out in seconds. It's just too hard to keep them alive and pretty much not even worth it for engineers. It's just too easy to take them out. A steady stream of reaver rockets, combined with one or two tank shells kills em pretty fast. I used my lightning and took out 3 manned turrets on my own. All you have to do is get behind a hill, use 3rd person, and start barraging them with shells...they cant even hit you...or you could get under them and hit them, which is way too easy with fast vehs like lightnings.

A shield or armor buff I think would be good. Maybe give it a personal shield with a shield mod?

Black · 2004-01-21, 10:08 AM

a personnel shield with a shield mod would be good of course it would drain power when it shoots the shield should come down

martyr · 2004-01-21, 10:40 AM

Originally Posted by Sprog

You seem to be forgetting a few things.

1) As soon as the phalanx is repaired, an ground or air vehicle within range is automatically fired upon. This will alert enemies, causing them to fire upon the turret, and the poor solider repairign it. The engineer is most likely to either get a tank shell in the face, sniped, or killed from the collateral damaged caused from the turret exploding.

2) If the generator is down, then turrets wont work

3) If the base has been ninja hacked, then the turrets wont work

4) If you are usign a turret to shoot at tanks and other enemies, you telling everybody "HEY LOOK AT ME!! IM IN A MASSIVE TARGET THAT CANT DODGE YOUR SHOTS!!! PLEASE COME KILL ME!!!

_-Gunslinger-_ · 2004-01-21, 10:50 AM

Double the armor and make it so that they have shields. Not needing the shield mod but a linked AMP station. Double the engies? HA. I tried this you need around 4 on one turret to keep it at 50-60%. Then a reaver comes by and kills 5 people in ONE sweep. Not to mention now the turret is down.