Whats the point of Lancers now?

[Paragon]

The only upside I can think of is how tanky they can be.

Grenadiers can stop tanks with overwatch fire, Hit the radiator from the front, Have long arse range so movement dosen't matter, AND still do well against entrenched infantry.

I remember in valkyria chronicles 1 they had mortar lances that made them good versus infantry, but we literally have a mortar class now, so...

[Bruxinth]

Mortars can be sitting ducks, and cannot fire after moving. They also have no blast protection, which makes them in danger of explosives themselves, Lancers can counter both Tanks and Grenadiers, be able to charge towards Grenadiers without fear. But without those mortar lances, they would need to get pretty close to their target to ensure a hit. And still they have a piss poor AP pool though; I wish there was a way to compensate, like a wellshielded APC.

[[TG] LouffeVC]

Lancers can do things that Grenadiers can't do, such as team attacks with allied Lancers and tanks versus other tanks. Mortar Lances basically don't have any reliance on accuracy. In a Lancer vs. Grenadier match-up, the Lancer wins.

In quite a few circumstances, Lancer team attacks are way more devastating than what a Grenadier can do to a tank. Their usage viability is dropped quite significantly due to AT Grenadiers and the questionable amount of targets that have top-loaded radiators. Even against targets like that, group fire Lancers are more devastating than a Grenadier rad hit.

[busards]

Grenadiers can hit radiators from the front but their accuracy is not perfect (except for one grenadier in post game) and a miss can mean low damage to the enemy tank and a wasted CP (unless you reload every single time you miss).
On the other hand, carrying a lancer (or an anti-tank sniper) in the APC is an easy way to get to the radiator with less chance to miss and waste a CP.

Lancers can also now team attack between themselves and with your tanks. A few lancers have good enough potentials to be able to blow enemy tanks from the front by team-attacking with the Hafen only (and the Hafen is almost always deployed). So they can also one-shot tanks from front, only not really on their own (they need the Hafen within range too).

Lancers also have access to the mortar at elite (like in VC1) and can now equip range accessories to increase the range of those mortars to outrange enemy troopers and even gatlings. While enemy tanks radiators got buffed so that lancers can't one-shot tanks with the mortar anymore, they can still do high damage to infantry with it.
Grenadier mortars have range and firepower, lancer mortars have accuracy, mobility and AoE damage. Each has their own strengths and each have their uses.

Also, lancers still have blast armor and while it doesn't work as well against mines as in VC1, it works well against enemy grenadiers interception.

[SenMithrarin85]

grenadiers cannot hit heavy tank radiators (or I've never been able to at least) due to their armour. Plus lancers can punch through armoured target like bunkers and the armaments on the final boss tank much faster

[=CAW=aldarions-lament]

once you unlock squad leader commands just have them follow the leader around behind the tank

[wboson]

I was at the same opinion till chapter x, where I was so happy with my choise to push Lancer from the first round. Took down a tank at 2nd round and was very useful later on. Whilst Grenadier was equipped with anti personnel rounds and was pretty useless the whole round.

Lancer got pummeled by nades the whole chapter long, still kicking. Grenadier dropped down pretty easily.

Though in my eyes Lancers importance have reduced by the way tank(s) are deployed now.
In last VC tank needed 2AP to command and you really had to think through the tank moves. Now tank needs only 1 AP and can replace Lancers roll more easily. In last PC version of VC Lancers were only ones to go against tanks, now tank vs tank gets used more often.

[Lanzagranadas]

I used Lancers in plenty of missions (even Mortar Lancers in a few), including high level missions such as Expert Skirmishes.

So why? Why not? They have their advantages under certain situations just like any other class. Depending on your playstyle you'll find more use to certain classes than others.

[SenMithrarin85]

Originally posted by Lanzagranadas:

I used Lancers in plenty of missions (even Mortar Lancers in a few), including high level missions such as Expert Skirmishes.

So why? Why not? They have their advantages under certain situations just like any other class. Depending on your playstyle you'll find more use to certain classes than others.

they are useful for defending camps lol. its only really ST flamethrowers that bother them

[gigamelon1981]

Other than what other people said, pretty much they can do what any other infantry can when compared to tank.
1. Medic under heavy crossfire
2. Can climb stairs.
3. Can board APC
4. They can... evade a shot.

When compared to Grenadier, their grenade launcher has lower arc which would hamper or render Grenadier not useful for stages with low ceiling.
Grenadier cant hit enemy under a top shelter.

https://youtu.be/5aysXZ1g1QM

Note the two first turns at that map, it can't be done by any other class IMO. Maybe sniper with AT rifle? Not sure.

[Ponyeater]

Gallian crossfire mod for this game when?

[Rei]

Lancer is still your best tank killer. Pair them up with a scout leader and watch them just shred enemy tanks.

[BloodyPork]

Grenadiers are very vulnerable, they can't use sandbag (if you want interception fire), can't dodge, low hp and defense. If you don't save scum, later on it is easy for your grenadiers to be downed even in base from snipers and such. Lancers are much much harder to kill especially since AI isn't aiming for headshot. They can actually waste enemy command point better than shock troopers, because you put them guarding a base, and let enemy scout/shocktrooper keep attacking the lancer who does not counterattack so every turn the AI waste a command point shooting lancers for no damage.

[Mistfox]

Maybe I shouldn't say that my most successful tank killers are either the APC or scouts lol. One demo order and the APC can walk right through tank machine gun fire and backshot their radiators. Even isolated heavy AT guns can't hold a boosted APC off for long, it's tough enough to take some hits and get through the firing.

[BloodyPork]

Originally posted by Mistfox:

Maybe I shouldn't say that my most successful tank killers are either the APC or scouts lol. One demo order and the APC can walk right through tank machine gun fire and backshot their radiators. Even isolated heavy AT guns can't hold a boosted APC off for long, it's tough enough to take some hits and get through the firing.

Imo demolition boost is easy mode that I would avoid if you want some sort of realistic challenge.

You aren't supposed to destroy tanks with machine guns..

The defense boost is also overpowered and makes non-lancers too good at going through suppression fire.

[gigamelon1981]

Originally posted by BloodyPork:

Originally posted by Mistfox:

Maybe I shouldn't say that my most successful tank killers are either the APC or scouts lol. One demo order and the APC can walk right through tank machine gun fire and backshot their radiators. Even isolated heavy AT guns can't hold a boosted APC off for long, it's tough enough to take some hits and get through the firing.

Imo demolition boost is easy mode that I would avoid if you want some sort of realistic challenge.

You aren't supposed to destroy tanks with machine guns..

The defense boost is also overpowered and makes non-lancers too good at going through suppression fire.

Haha, i agree on this. But at least 2CP demolition is a loss sometimes, unlike before. Like if you want do destroy a tank with APC, why not just carry a lancer. It will cost 1CP to unload.