Questions about Lightning tanks

Shadowsword8 · 2003-04-20, 01:06 PM

Hello everyone.

I'm considering using mainy 2 vehicles at the beginning of the game, the Lightning and the Reaver. I already have a good idea of what a Reaver can do (thanks to Miir's videos), but I have several questions concerning the light tank.

1/The AI and AA weapon of the Lightning is a 12mm rotatry chaingun, like the Basilisk. Is this weapon effective? Can a Lightning hold his own against, for example, a grunt in reinforced armor with AV weapon?

2/ Against a MAX, what is the more effective weapon, the chiangun or the canon?

3/ I know a lone Lighning would be dead meat for a Vanguard or a Prowler, but I hope a Lighning is at least able to hunt effectively an heavy buggy... Am I wrong?

4/ Can a Lightning be transported by a Galaxy?

5/ a vehicle seems to be a good idea in the beginning of the game, because it bring you where the enemy is in a short time, and give you a good resistance and firepower. So it should be good to gain experience in a short time. Is it a good idea to use the lv 1 et 2 certifications points (3+1) to take a Lightning/Reaver license? (Note that I plan to be later pilot or gunner of a main battle tank, or member of a squad)

Thanks for the answers...

Synergy · 2003-04-20, 01:08 PM

i dunno if i would get both of those for your beginning certs since those would eat up every single cert you have for a while

drsomewhere · 2003-04-20, 01:51 PM

choose the reaver by a long shot. I know from experience with the lightning that it sacrifices speed for armor and it is dead meat for an agile with grenades or an assault rifle. The cannon is worthless and is the same as used on top of the sunder, so it isnt even unique. The cannon takes 5 shots to take down a reinforce armor, dont even get me started on MAX armors, the only chane you have is to run, it doesnt even fit on a agalaxy. The reaver is the better choice of the two, but if you really want my advice, i would take heavy assault over the lightning, they cost the same so it shoulnt be a problem, or go striaght to reaver

xuur · 2003-04-20, 01:54 PM

yup...that about says it IMHO

gah...I gotta change this sig.

drsomewhere · 2003-04-20, 01:59 PM

i guess i didnt word that as well as i could have, what i meant by the whole post is that, reaver is much better that lightning

Matuse · 2003-04-20, 02:11 PM

Sounds like the lightning needs to be upgraded.

Vis Armata · 2003-04-20, 02:34 PM

I thought the Lightning's absorption was changed post-patch. Oh, and I got to use the Sunderer cannon (the standard fare 75mm) and it seems powerful enough. It's slow to aim, though, and not real good for fast troops that get to the vehicle fast. Still, I think the Lightning isn't that bad - it's not a mini-Prowler for sure, but I bet it has its uses.

ObnoxiousFrog · 2003-04-20, 02:51 PM

The Lightning is actually supposed to be a pack hunter. I imagine that in larger groups, the lightning will be a devastating force.

Silo5 · 2003-04-20, 02:53 PM

i think the idea of the lightning is that you control the whole thing as one person so you can fee up others to do the same or something eles

Vimp · 2003-04-20, 03:14 PM

Its always been well known that the Lightning is one of the few that can go on a galaxey so if it can't now then that must have been a change during beta and if thas true does anyone know if they'll change it back so that the lightning can go in the galaxey again?

xuur · 2003-04-20, 04:52 PM

the one thing on the lightning I do find myself really wishing for is at least the slightest right/left targeting of the gun without having the turn the entire tank.

not a rotating turret like a std tank, but right now the only thing you can do with either gun is change the elevation. makes it a bit more than difficult to target anything in a moving battle.

at the very least, allow the chaingun to rotate a bit. lightnings fall like dominoes from air attacks riight now and rarely even get a shot off in return. that in many ways renders them undesireable

Warborn · 2003-04-20, 04:55 PM

not a rotating turret like a std tank, but right now the only thing you can do with either gun is change the elevation. makes it a bit more than difficult to target anything in a moving battle.

My biggest gripe with it now that damage from braking is gone. Even the Basilisk has a better fire arc than the Lightning.

Shark · 2003-04-21, 11:30 AM

I'm still quite new to the beta, but I thought the same thing you did...that is, get the lightning and go exploring. That's pretty much what I've done. I haven't bothered with squads or group play yet, as I'm still just getting the feel of the game. But I went out for the first time last night to try and find some action.

I ended up on Esamir (just took the first warp I could find). I play NC, and we had some bases there, along with the VS. I traveled south looking for someone to attack. Then I came across my first enemy...an infantry in an ANT and another infantry on foot. Both were quickly dispatched. After that it was an infantry and a MAX of some sort. I'm assuming AV because he started kicking my ass...had to run away like a little girl.

Went to our station and got a new lightning (I don't have repair yet) and went back, this time it was 2 reavers and a skeeter. I don't think the reavers saw me, or they must have been newbs like me, because they never attacked. But that skeeter did...he didn't like me shooting him with my chaingun. We dueled with each other for about 30 seconds...I was down to about 1/3 health, but I think I got him pretty good when I went link dead. Was late by that time, so I went to bed.

All in all, it's a lot of fun so far...I wish the effects were a little better, but my graphics detail is down pretty low. I would really like to find a couple more lightnings to do some hunting with...maybe tonight...

-shark