importance of tank HMG gunner

[009783232]

As an absolute addict to the bomb car (not the bomb truck as it is too easy to detect), I'd say that a 50 cal gunner on a tank makes it far more difficult to destroy or disable it (Basrah). A 2 manned tank can be flanked incredibly easily if the insurgent team is sharing intel with each other effectively

However against any conventional force, the 50 cal gunner doesn't really provide much.

[Meza82]

it seems like many people say the HMG gunner is important on Al Basrah but not on Kashan. As the OP i say the HMG gunner is important always on Kashan because the heavy machine gun on the tank is very good against enemy helicopters.

i, or my HMG gunner, have killed many enemy helicopters or at least forced the pilots to RTB (return to base). so at least for enemy helicopters there should always be an HMG gunner on every tank -fully crewed- on Kashan.

[ViktorMk]

HMG gunner is extremely important. They could pick off close infantry, turn faster then the main turret and have a wider view. Aswell as hear the enemy tanks, infantry, etc.

[wookimonsta]

i agree with quite a few here, on maps like kashan, they aren't really that useful since due to their lack of zoom, they can't really spot distant tanks or enemy ATs at long distances.

they do however get extremely useful on close combat and especially in Insurgency maps like basrah where you always have half a dozen insurgents trying to stick mines under you.

i regulary use the hmg on the tank on that map, and i usually get nearly as many kills as the gunner, but sometimes I will get shot out.

when I play insurgent and I see a tank with a gunner, I always try to kill him as it makes the tank an easier target.

edit:
let the hmg gunner pull out a set of binocs and stop him from firing at the same time, and he can be an efficient spotter without sniping infantry.

[Masterbake]

The HMG is often rejected not because the SL doesn't want one, but because no one wants to fill that role. As in vBF2 in that kind of position it's pretty easy to be shot dead or killed by any incoming missile. However if the gunner is alert and actually ducks occasionally when there are no targets to engage you can survive a bit longer. Certainly on Kashan, as good as having a HMgunner is, when you've already got 5/6 people in aircraft and 8-14 in armour you need some room left for infantry to actually take the control points.

[sparks50]

Its also fun to surprise the enemy with. I was ducked down in the commanding seat in Insurgency, the turret was facing forward(slightly to the left side) and I heard a car revving its engine. Popped up and blew the chasing bomb car up with the 50 cal.

[Johntheripper723]

The Top M-gunner is very important, Because when i lead a tank squad in al basrah, i was the top gunner, and i managed to save the tank from multiple bomb cars, as well as give extra machine fire on a location. but when not in a situation like that the gunner position can be a waste, if the map is kashan or another large open map, that doesn't have an enemy using car bombs. But the gunner also can give a little protection from aircraft such as choppers, also the third guy can be used to scout ahead or look of a hill or ridge, to see whats on the other side.
Personially if i can get a m-gunner for my tank then i'm having a m-gunner.