Tips on How to be Good AA, from a BF3 player

[Goldeh]

*This thread is for the Lightning AA Tank*

Firepower

Never use your missles, ever.

To explain why, read the numbered comparisons below. numbered comparisons are to show a perfect scenario, Target doesn't move or retaliate.

For Missles.

1. See Target.
2. Cursor Over Target.
3. Locking on.
4. Locked on.
5. Fired.
6. Missle Travel Time before reaching target.
7. Hit.

For Guns.

1. See Target.
2. Cursor Over Target.
3. Fired.
4. Bullet Travel Time.
5. Hit.

The above is assuming the perfect scenario and doesn't include possible scenarios where the target might move, retalite, pop flares, dodge missles, reacting to lock on warning etc etc.

The Good and Bad of AA guns

The Good

1. Bullets don't show lock on warning.
2. Bullet travel time is substansially faster than missle travel time.
3. Bullets are relatively invisible, unlike missles which are easily spotted, showing your position *Note when Night fighting, it appears to be reversed due to missle trails matching with the dark background and bullets lighting up the night sky. In day time, tracer fire is a lot more tame, bullet wise. .
4. Generally, Bullets have more ammo than missles.
5. No need to wait for lock on.

The Bad

1. Shake cam, perhaps recoil it's not known if using AA guns will have recoil or shake cam at this time
2. have to lead the target, judge distance of target, speed of bullet travel etc.

The Zoom Function

Up for discussion but picking the Zoom Function(There will be Zoom cert in PS2) on your AA should be heavily considered. Why? Two reasons.

1. Makes the target appear bigger as the target is now taking up the whole screen, allowing you to keep redicule on target a lot easier and leading.
2. Shows bullet drop a lot more clearer, due to making the bullet itself appear bigger, allowing you to compenstate respectivly. *Note: The Bullet drop in PS2 as shown in Commentary with TB and Matt Higby seems to be very small, so may be no need to compensate for bullet drop that much*

Survivalbility

Keep moving!

The longer you stay in one spot increases your chance to be killed. If anything, have a sniper's mentality of shooting then moving. If you keep moving it lessens the chance of getting bommer'd/ C4'd, carbombed and tanks and aircraft zeroing in on your position.

Find open spaces!

Usually, depending on the situation, an open space is benefical to the AA, it allows the AA to move around, gain speed wihout winding in and out and attempt to dodge attacks, also makes it harder for infantry or tanks to sneak up on you and carbomb, c4 etc plus, you get clear skies, no mountains, wires, pilers etc to get in your path of fire. The down falls is that there is usually minimal cover and your pretty exposed.

When cover is good

It really depends, think of it like infantry crouching behind cover. Cover is good when you can just poke your head out and be able to shoot, covering 90% of your body, but still able to shoot. How this applies to AA however is that, aircraft usually, attack at a perferred incline, and their rockets are not pinpoint accurate, saturating an area usually, so if you can get even two of their rockets to hit cover and not you then, its a plus. But as always, don't sit in one spot for to long. The percentage of death goes up the longer you sit in one spot.

Last Notes on Cover versus No Cover

It's really based on the situation, it might be better to be even within a base with all the buildings and crates, or it might be better to be wide open with no cover. Whatever the situation calls for.

Be an Engineer always

Why? Cos' when an aircraft goes on the attack run, attacking you; unleashing a full barrage, he'll either have to wait for reload or, he'll fly past you to come for another attack run. During this time. Get out and repair as much as you can, this is a lull in the battle and should be used for repairs. It is something you can do, and he can't cos' he's in the air obviously. Though, do note for PS2 its not known if the aircrafts(Reaver, Scythe, Mosquito) gun can do damage to tanks. If the gun can't do damage to tanks, ignore the bullets, hide behind your tank and repair as much as you can before the pilot can switch back to rockets. If the aircrafts gun can damage tanks though, it will require the the aircraft to hover so he can keep his gun on target and not strafe. During this time, it might be more wiser to damage then to repair.

You are not a Tank!

When picking the role as dedicated AA you're making a promise, a promise not to go to the front line and be the little engine that could..n't, leave the front line alone. Use your guns range to your benefit, stay back, and provide support, you're support. So stay back and support.

Patience is Virtuous

I know I'm going to contradict myself here but, sometimes again, depending on the situation. It might be better to stay at a secluded area, for instance if there's a battle raging on you could find a nice quite spot somewhere away from the battle and wait for aircraft to come to you. Why is this good? First Strike, they don't know your there and thus the element of surprise is in your hands. It depends on the situation. Battle Sense.

Always reload!

When their is an oppurtunity, reload your weapon, there will be times when all it will take is just 1 more shot to kill. and you won't have that shot, don't be in that situation, reload at all times.

Spacial and Situational Awareness is Key

Try to know where enemy aircraft is at all times, scan the skies. Make mental notes, for instance if you saw a aircraft duck behind a mountain, make a note of where that aircraft is and where he might be going. If the aircraft spotted you, and you have a feeling your in for a brawl and he ducks behind, do not be afraid to reposition yourself, which watching the general direction of where the aircraft was.

Picking and choosing targets.

You want to pick targets that are going to be a threat to you, for instance if your being attacked by an aircraft, concentrate on that aircraft, if there are other aircraft and they're ignoring you, then ignore them until you dealt with the threat.

THE SUN IS YOUR ENEMY

If possible, position yourself so aircraft can't attack from the path of the sun, it's your enemy. The Sun acts as a smokescreen covering aircraft's approach, blinding you and giving the aircraft a hayday. Avoid this situation if you can help it.

Closing thoughts

The reason for this thread is that while playing BattleField or any game really that features AA in it, I've noticed that people generally suck at it or are dumb or just generally frustrating. Some of the advice given here might not genereally apply to Planetside 2 and Some of the things like how to properly lead a target is something that's self-taught and not really teachable, the advice I give here is just my experiences from BF3, what I've noticed, how I've improved, and general events that repeated themselves in BF3 that are probably going to happen in this game as well (carbombing for example). You've probably noticed that I use "depending on the situation" a lot because that's what AA is. Is being reactive to situations and responding appropriatly, AA requires a sort of "sense", a feeling, a notion of something that will happen, going to happen and responding to that feeling. When man and virtual-tank-aa become one. It's a beautiful thing.

One final thing. How do you know when you're imporving as an AA?

Hate tells. Lots and lots of hate tells, when the other team sends out their whole airforce to take you out. Walk with pride, cos you've become.

The Anti-Air Elite

[Bags]

Missles don't seem to be able to be shaken now, tho.

[SKYeXile]

I played AA once, i felt way more homo than usual, like i was shooting rainbows.

[Brusi]

I went to AA, once...

[PhoenixDog]

Originally Posted by Brusi

I went to AA, once...

Only once? Quitter.

[Razicator]

Originally Posted by SKYeXile

I played AA once, i felt way more homo than usual, like i was shooting rainbows.

Funny coming from RD, not sure if intentional...

[Vagabond]

Your "perfect scenario" is so rare that it simply is not a good arguing point against using guns over missiles. It is all situational anyway. In BF3, missiles are literally useless against any decent jet unless there is more than one AA (Engi).

[zomg]

I'm not sure how any of this is relevant in any way considering nobody really knows how AA is going to work in PS2...

Some of the general ideas here is probably relevant to some part of the game though.

[GreatMazinkaise]

The Skyguard turret is flak... I'm not sure that a lot of this even applies.

[Azren]

Originally Posted by zomg

I'm not sure how any of this is relevant in any way considering nobody really knows how AA is going to work in PS2...

Some of the general ideas here is probably relevant to some part of the game though.

Exactly. Before posting guides, play the game first...

[Meecrob]

A BF3 player teaching PS1 vets how to AA bwahahaha... but seriously. OP just wait till the game is there its way different than BF3 AA wise.

[Sabot]

Principles behind being good at some things never change though... maybe the argument against missiles vs. bullets are a bit too early to make. But from where to take a shot and the fact that you sohuld move a lot are probably still true in the same way I'd recommend a sniper to take out infantry that is a threat to vehicles, or for squad members to always aim for the medic first....

[ChipMHazard]

Originally Posted by zomg

I'm not sure how any of this is relevant in any way considering nobody really knows how AA is going to work in PS2...

Some of the general ideas here is probably relevant to some part of the game though.

Indeed. The only thing I see being really relevant is that aircraft won't get lock on warnings when being shot by flak, of course that's no different from PS1.

[oosik]

Some decent ideas I'd like to add to. First, my bonafides. In PS1 currently I am playing as zu2, TR only. I resubbed about 2.5 months ago and have played 5-12 hours a day, every day, (except for a couple of days on a trip). In that time I have shot down, according to my stats page, 1900 aircraft, the vast majority with burster, skyguard, and upgraded base flak turrets.

Lead is critical for a flak gunner. Fortunately, you can tell in PS1 (and hopefully in PS2) when you are actually damaging the enemy because a damage circle lights up. So learning the correct lead based on the damage circles is very important, because everyone's lead will vary depending on ping to the server, speed of opponent, etc.

In PS1 (and again, hopefully in PS2) you have access to the enhanced targeting implant. This implant allows you to see the health and armor of enemy soldiers and vehicles. It is vital for a flak gunner because depending on the situation, you may want to fire on the cripple rather than the full health air vehicle.

Flak has a much greater range than you might think. So don't be afraid to spam a bit, especially from a base turret with unlimited ammo. The flak will detonate at max range as long as it doesn't hit an object or come close to an enemy air vehicle.

Flak also is more forgiving in terms of friendly fire than, say, a grenade. You actually have to hit a friendly to get grief points, or the friendly has to be very close to an enemy vehicle you are firing on.

Flak can damage enemy air vehicles even if they don't strike it directly because it has a proximity fuze. Very useful.

Flak does squat against non-air vehicles and infantry. In PS1 the skyguard is also armed with an mg. If that option is allowed for the aa lightning in PS2, remember to use it for ground vehicles and infantry and not the flak cannon.

You are both predator and prey in an AA situation. Think like a hunter, but anticipate becoming a target. One tactic that may be used against you is to bail out on top of you and shoot at you with an av weapon. If you camp an air terminal or outpost, you will quickly become an important target to take out, so perhaps work with a buddy or two to set up a nest to cover more portions of the terrain.

[Goldeh]

I'm planning on re-bumping once beta pops, just wanted it all jolted down now.

I have a funny feeling that it's gonna be relevant. Soon..very soon.