Better AA: Skyguard, or Sundie with Walkers?

[BustedHipGaming]

Just wondering what is more effective at being an AA platform - a Skyguard Lightning, or a Sundie with two AA guns?

[Murgen]

The Sundy would do more damage, but that assumes you have two gunners. The Skyguard would also be able to use its superior mobility to get into better firing positions faster.

You don't generally see Sundies used in the AA role because large concentrations of enemy air units are rare, and when they do appear the Skyguard presents a more immediate solution to the problem (don't have to rendezvous with gunners and slowly get your sundy into position).

[BustedHipGaming]

You're right, it is not that common to see them in the AA role. I happen to think they should do that more often. Even with me needing to park and switch seats to a gunnery chair I find that it's a very effective way to handle enemy air - especially since that deployment shield can make it VERY hard for them to effectively return fire at me. It also discourages enemy air from farming friendlies spawning at my Sundie and robbing me of that sweet, sweet passive EXP :)

The Lightning is absolutely the more maneuverable pick, though. I'm just wondering, pound for pound, what puts out more AA damage, the Skyguard or the Walker.

[Mexiguy]

Apples and oranges, Walkers are more of a point defense weapon, while the Skyguard is more of an area of denial.

[BustedHipGaming]

How so?

[DROPbear]

best AA
gal with walker/ bulldog for esf
tankbuster/dalton for anti-lib duties

combine arms my ass

[Mexiguy]

Publicado originalmente por Hinsonator:

Depends, do you mean the Skyguard flak gun for the PS2 lightning? Or the Skyguard buggy?

plz no derail kthx

[Mexiguy]

Publicado originalmente por Hinsonator:

Publicado originalmente por Mexiguy:

plz no derail kthx

I'm not, i'm asking a question.

Both of us know exactly what you are doing, stop trying to play dumb.

[Mexiguy]

Publicado originalmente por Hinsonator:

Publicado originalmente por Mexiguy:

Both of us know exactly what you are doing, stop trying to play dumb.

I know it's illegal to take this game seriously, but it was a serious question.
If you don't think so here is the skyguard buggy.
http://wiki.planetsidesyndicate.com/index.php?title=Skyguard

You know he's talking about the PS2 Skyguard Lightning (he even says so in the OP)

Stop playing dumb and stop your usual PS1 derailing shenanigans.

[Mexiguy]

Publicado originalmente por drewbicus:

Just wondering what is more effective at being an AA platform - a Skyguard Lightning, or a Sundie with two AA guns?

a Skyguard Lightning, or a Sundie with two AA guns?

Skyguard Lightning

herpa derpa

And stop trying to play dumb already.

[Kent Standit]

The fear factor of flak/skyguard has its perks but i usually run with walkers nowadays, the sundie isn't as expensive, can take a punch and the walkers are way more accurate over long distance. Plus you can put some logistics stuff on it to help out your allies while no air is around.

[Mashtooth]

MaXX AA does da dmg.

[Sunflash]

I've not finished it, but I've been (slowly) working on a chart that compares the near-perfect kill-times for a Skyguard vs Walker vs Ranger vs Dual-Burster. (Walker and Ranger are Sundie mounted since I didn't see a difference beteween those versions and the other vehicle-mounted versions)

I'm still missing half my Burster timings(decided to add it halfway through), and most of my ESF timings; but I CAN go ahead and point out something interesting.

The Skyguard is extremely effective against EVERYTHING, -=/IF YOU CAN HIT IT\=-.
Sounds easy enough, but between the kick and the cone-of-fire for the skyguard(Why does a dedicated weapons platform like the lighting HAVE a kick for the skyguard, I mean really ./whine) it's widly inaccurate against even perfectly still targets(VR targets). At least half my Skyguard shots were missing even when my sight was deadcenter at the 400m~ range, but of course you're not really supposed to USe it at 400m, right? :|

However, while is one-three seconds slower(on average) against the same targets, it is FAR more user friendly. No kick, faster projectile speed so less leading required(against moving targets), and FAR less CoF. At 400m against a Valk, you MIGHT miss 1/5(probably less) of shots on a stationary target due to CoF, versus the almost half+ when using the Skyguard.



The Ranger on the other hand? Completly useless. Slowest at everything, insane kick, disgusting cone of fire. I couldn't even kill a Valkyrie with /FULL AMMO/(including all the extra ammo certs) from the Ranger at 400m, simply because 90% of the shots were missing. I'm sure I'll hafta toss out the 400m ESF test as well, but anyway.





TO SUMMERIZE THUS FAR:

Do you have a buddy running with you? Grab a dual-walker Sundie and wipe the slate clean.

Running solo? Skyguard is probably best. (I think I still perfer walker-sundie myself, but I'm terribad at using a Skyguard so).

[BustedHipGaming]

Just something to consider: the "balance" reason for the Ranger's low accuracy and projectile speed is that it fires explosive rounds that detonate (if memory serves) even if the round slightly misses the target. That means they don't have to directly hit, and that they get the extra damage from the explosion as well.

Personally I hate using them, but I am told those are the advantages to the ranger.

[Sunflash]

Publicado originalmente por drewbicus:

Just something to consider: the "balance" reason for the Ranger's low accuracy and projectile speed is that it fires explosive rounds that detonate (if memory serves) even if the round slightly misses the target. That means they don't have to directly hit, and that they get the extra damage from the explosion as well.

Personally I hate using them, but I am told those are the advantages to the ranger.

Right, but the problem is even in a BEST CASE secanrio, the Ranger is 100% worthless at range. Lets say an ESF manages to fly perfectly such that ALL of your ranger shots hit it. In the same amount of time it takes for you to kill that ESF, the Walker will have killed 1.75-2 ESFs, depending on the actual range.

[BustedHipGaming]

I'd have to check the damage per shot x shots per minute to see which has higher damage output over time. That said, even if the Ranger is higher, the walker can engage targets a LOT further away due to high ROF, accuracy, and bullet velocity. As Sunflash pointed out, by the time an enemy is even close to being in the effective range of a Ranger turret the Walker will have been blasting it to bits for quite some time.