Suggestion for AA Weapons

[DeePsix]

I’ve heard rumors about changes to AA guns, but I haven’t heard anything from a DEV specifically concerning it. Right now AA guns placed around firebases are heavily used in a non-anti aircraft role. Often commanders or squad leaders will place then in a key location and use their incredible rate of fire and accuracy to decimate enemy infantry, transport vehicles, trucks and even APCs. I think that the AA weapon’s damage and rate of fire is adequate and useful for fighting airborne targets. While in reality an AA gun can be used against ground targets if needed, they really aren’t employed as much as conventional weaponry. I think it would be worth sacrificing a slight amount of realism to add to game play.

So, to adjust the AA guns to prevent abuse and add more to conventional game play, I feel that the AA guns could simply be restricted slightly in their downward depression to approximately above ten degrees above horizontal. See the picture below for what I mean.




By restricting the lowest level the weapon can depress will allow AA weapons to focus on aircraft – its intended role. In the picture above the weapon will not be able to depress below the hill line on Kashan. While there will be situations where the AA gun will be able to engage infantry if the weapon platform is in a valley and the target is on a hill. These changes would focus the weapon system for its intended use, and require squads to actually concentrate on defending an area.

This came up in discussion while playing earlier today and I wanted to get some broader feedback. I feel that the same could also be applied to Anti-Air Vehicles like the Linebacker.

If this has been suggested before or is in the works, please feel free to sick the mods on me.

~DeePsix

PS- Here is a funny picture of some fellas from the TF21 fellas hilariously covering a landing site on Zatar with massive amounts of bullets:

[ReaperMAC]

Rico11b suggested something like these during our TS discussion, something like minimum of 20 degrees (like your picture) so that you cant traverse your gun down to attack the enemy.

I like this idea, it stops people from putting these on top of buildings and the like and rack up a lot of ground kills rather than for the AA. Very arcadey considering you can place them almost anywhere. I think you stated in that round, "Anti-Personal AA Guns" which is very true .

Yeah... about that, that's me in the middle Though we set it up there mainly to get the Blackhawks that never came .

[DeePsix]

Currently AA weapons can be depressed down to almost -50 Degrees which turns them into an infantry horror. I'd also like to see changes to AA Vehicles as they end up doing the same thing.

And about the picture, I'm not accusing you of spam, just hilarity.

[ReaperMAC]

Currently AA weapons can be depressed down to almost -50 Degrees which turns them into an infantry horror. I'd also like to see changes to AA Vehicles as they end up doing the same thing.

Agreed

And about the picture, I'm not accusing you of spam, just hilarity.

Yeah I know

[RCMoonPie]

By restricting the lowest level the weapon can depress will allow AA weapons to focus on aircraft – its intended role.

These changes would focus the weapon system for its intended use, and require squads to actually concentrate on defending an area.

Please tell this to the insurgents in this video about AA's intended role:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9JANxFOP2Q[/youtube]

The advantage is proved in the video too, that If AA is not scanning the skies....AA is vulnerable to the skies!
Not that they would have seen "Spooky" anyway, but still.

[DeePsix]

It's not that AA guns can't shoot ground targets, it's the fact that in this game they are solely used to engage ground targets. By limiting them slightly in this manner we would see less abuse of this asset.

Cool video too!

[gclark03]

It's the closest thing we have to artillery. If there were dedicated anti-personnel Commander assets (*cough* 50-cal sandbags *cough*), there would be no need for anti-infantry AA, and the max depression limit would have a less negative impact.

[RCMoonPie]

I dont think it has a negative impact...and I dont think it is abused.
I wish I could get into servers more regularly, where the Commander at hand, had scruples enough to use all of his assets for whatever purpose.

[Ragni<RangersPL>]

Something similiar Back in PR 0.6



Tanks had no chance at USMC main base

[Sabre_tooth_tigger]

Someone else suggested their ammo should be limited. Fire on whatever you like but dont complain when you've wasted all the bases resources

No ticket cost kinda says the oppisite unfortunately hence the pics above