Tanks

[Sputty]

A couple tank based questions.
Firstly, how many let's say decimator rockets or other AT rockets would it take to destroy a heavy tank? Also, how many prowler shots would need to take down a Vanguard and vice versa? And is it viable to consider fighting a tank with AP rounds in an assault rifle? No one probably really knows these but maybe Hamma or someone else who has played. That's a ram on the VS tank too, right? The big long thing on the lower half of it.

[Hamma]

Who knows hehe. I did shoot at some tanks in my day, however that was almost 2 months ago now, balance is ever-changing in internal beta.

[Madprofessor9]

I'm not really sure if thats a ram or not. but your asking a question I was fixing to ask . I also wanna know about the reavers there seems to be so little info and really hardly any screenies on it. I come from a long list of flightsims ranging from il2 to Helicopter simulators and as well as alot of fps games.
but what I'm trying to find out is. can the reavers use the terrain to there advantage (I.E have a lower radar sig by hiding behind a mountain or tree or another structure type til the times right to come out and pounce) Is its rotary chaingun more powerful then the mosquitos light rotary chaingun or is that just a typo and there all the same gun. The way the gun is set up on the reaver
it looks like the same set up like on the apachi gun ship and can swivel. and was wanting to know is the gun controlable (via mouse or pov hat?) this is the issue I would like to know a little more on cause really its the reavers that makes me want this game so much well thanks for your time

[Hamma]

The gun is not controlable as far as I know. And I am not sure on radar signature - i dont know exactly how the in game radar works. BTW This is the best pic of the reaver yet, came out early this week:
http://planetside-universe.com/media...id=39&img_id=4
Both ships in the back are reavers.

[Sputty]

I hope we find some info on how much it'll take to destroy a tank..If it'll be easy sa in one or two rocktes or really hard sometimes like the Tiger in BF1942

[Madprofessor9]

Thanks Hamma for the info appreciate it I'm going to use that pic for my win background
maybe one of these days we will get a little more info on the reaver hopfully. so us dedicated pilots will have some extra info to drool over. til the games released
I salute you for your help .

[Tobias]

I hope it will be 2-5 rockets from phenix/decimater. 4-8 for TR rocket/laner and 8-14 from punisher/rocklet rockets. The NC tank should proably take one or two more shots as it is heavy, and the Vanu maybe one or two less. I should hope for no one shot kills though. The lighting might get 1 hit killed by the decimater though.

My question is this: the TR tank has two big cannos, those will be great against enemy tanks, but it could be killer if you could arm its two chainguns with AP rounds, then it would have devastating anti air and anti tank/apc/ and buggy firepower. expesially againsts buggys and reaver/skeeters that it might have trouble shooting with the big guns.

[Warborn]

It's difficult to really give a reasonable answer for this. How many shots will the average person with an anti-tank weapon have? How fast to the weapons reload? How fast do the projectiles travel? How quickly could the tank operator swivel the guns and blast his aggressor to pieces? However, that being said, given the size of the tank, the fact that it has a radar signature, and the fact that it'll be a sitting duck against Reavers, I'd hope they are extremely durable, otherwise you might as well change the pant job of all tanks to a big bullseye, as that's all they're going to be.

[Madprofessor9]

I agree with that. But I think the dev team is going with the theory on if we give vehical a big advantage in on category then we have to give you a big disadvantage in another category. so you would require teamwork with other vehical types. and the tr tank I'll say this I believe its a awesome AV type tank it would be awesome againest most ground targets. But the reaver is a gunship. Gunships have most the time big advantages over armored colums and infantry but a serious weakness againest AA vehicals and maxes. those flak and aa missle maxes would tear a unsuspecting reaver a new one. And even give chaos to the reavers that where already aware
it all falls into the line of balance really
and will require reavers/tanks/infatry/maxs/mosquitos/and good commanders get the job done effectively

[Zatrais]

I was under the impression that the Prowler has the most armor..

Vanguard is described whit solid armor and Prowler is described as heavily armored here http://users.rcn.com/hughes42/PSad2.jpg

now "scientific" and acurate that is i dunno but i've always tought of the Prowler as the most heavily armored.

[Unknown]

The devs havent really released any specific numbers yet besides the amount of bases/gun towers. And even the gun tower numbers changed right before our eyes. So we really don't know any specifics like damage amounts, cert costs, etc. because they are in constant flux due to game balancing. Tobias' reply sounds feasable, but is still a guess.

As for AP rounds, I'd say using AP rounds from your rifle would do some damage and could be a major annoyance to the tank, but I seriously doubt you'd be able to destroy the tank single-handedly, unless it was already pretty damaged to start with. So if you were by yourself then I'd suggest hiding and not charging the tank. But if you are with a group or the tank is already going after you, then better AP rounds from your rifle than nothing.

In responce to Tobias, I doubt there are different ammo types for tanks (Anti-armor, anti-infantry, etc.). Air units will probably be the tank's weakness.

[Madprofessor9]

I agree with unknown 100%
I personally wouldn't wanna charge a heavy armor tank with out Some Sort of AV assistance unless I was cornered and had no other choice. I'm not sure but I don't think Grenades will do much damage to a tank as some think (not sure but if there is a small change of realistic physics involved) then nades shouldn't poss to much of a threat to a tank hence the need for AV support some thing that has APHE (armor piercing high explosive rounds.) If there is a small chance of mechanical and projectile physics involved all a grenade could do at the max is maybe throw a track off of a tank.
funny how in most other games grenades are made with such force to blow up tanks and heavy armor with single explosion.
a grenade was in rl was designed to take out small infantry colums. The fragmentation of a standard frag grenade fragmentation looses over 75% kinetic energy within 15 feet of its explosive radius. Due to the fragmentation not being aerodynamic as its propelled through the air Creates a serious drag force on the pieces as they tumble through the air. A standard rifle FMJ rounds have more kinetic energy from 250 meters then a frag grenades fragmentation after about 3-5 meters. So in therory a standard issue assault rifle would have a better chance at puncturing a heavy tanks armor then a frag grenade. but I'm really going on physics based on real world physics. I also don't know anything about this game as no one really does yet. I'm just saying in real life physics you have a better chace of puncturing a tanks armor with your assault rifle then you do with a frag grenade. hence the need for AV type weapons certs. .

[SandTrout]

They have stated that frag-grenades are not for use against tanks. Thats why they included plasma-grenades. They do damage to a tank over time because they are just so damn hot.

A good way to kill a tank my be to have an engeineer set a boomer at a choakpoint on the map and detonate when the Tank roles over/by it.

I immageine the boomers will be more effective than most other AV weapons because you have to set it in advance and detonate it remotely.

[Madprofessor9]

Roger that

[Warborn]

Setting it in advance and remotely detonating it seems like an easier way to kill them. By detonating it remotely, you can conceal yourself and just camp the place you have rigged, destroying the tank without it even having the slightest clue where you are.