Flares, UAV, lack of AT, asset rolling

[40mmrain]

All CAS vehicles have been given more flares, and the effectiveness has been buffed significantly as stated in the patch notes. It's quite obvious in game. Anti air missiles short of the most powerful and numerous ones never have an effect on the target when flares are in the air. This compounds with the lack of AT available and the super buffed UAV.

Because the UAV is uncounterable, moves position nearly instantly and never has to refuel, CAS has already received a massive buff because they only benefit from it, and they benefit the most overall. Because air interdiction, and CAS is the greatest counter to armour, decreased anti tank availability means that if your CAS is dominating, so is your armour, which leads to massive steamrolls. Ground attackers also spawn earlier, meaning that there is less time to set up air defense, another buff. Finally, the asset counts overall haven't really increased, therefore, the number of infantry per side has increased, and because AA and heavy anti tank have not increased in availability, or just decreased overall, more infantry are simply helpless.

The overall effect is helpless infantry and games won in the sky too often. Ive been on the giving end of these rolls and it's a bit boring when the enemy can barely put up a fight, and it feels cheap being able to bomb the **** out of the enemy without any fear.

CAS helicopters were slowed down and their missiles were reduced in effectiveness quite a bit, however jets are just as good as they ever were, just now with much better flares, and they certainly were never ineffective. Now they are too strong. pls nerf flares at least somewhat. Pls nerf UAv.

[Prevtzer]

Agreed, flares are too effective and there are way too many of them. That + infinite UAV gives CAS huge advantage.

[Felix]

UAV can easily be countered with another UAV either by lasing for their own jets or by counter lasing...

[40mmrain]

UAV can easily be countered with another UAV either by lasing for their own jets or by counter lasing...

not really, counter lazing is a last resort that wont fool the best gunners. Even a skilled fighter pilot can understand precisely where his target is and attempt to attack the correct laze. Against fighter bombers, gunships and ground attack jets, counter lazing wont help that much. Only against the strike fighters can it help, but even then youre rolling the dice because all he'll do is go in on a run, see a laze, wait for lock, then bombs away, and certainly it might go on target. Further still, not all CAS vehicles need lazes anyways, simply the intel provided by the uav is invaluable for a gunship.

Another tactic ive noticed that I find cheap is putting the uav right next to the enemy's base. This allows the commander to laze vehicles just as they leave the main base, and lets him tell the pilots exactly when the enemy CAS is taking off, and what direction theyre going allowing pilots to easily get behind the enemy as they take off.

UAVs shouldnt really be allowed to be so close to the enemy base. I just don't find it realistic or fun for teams when entire games are won in the sky, and you can't get out of base without being seen or bombed.

[PLODDITHANLEY]

Haven't seen that but if possible DOD should apply to UAV too.

[40mmrain]

Irrespective of DoDs, the UAv can still see the main bases, or at least close to them on larger draw distance maps. Of course silent eagle's bases have no dome of death, so the problem would persist there.

[Tarranauha200]

The UAV is not realistic at all. AA should be able to take it down easily.

[Mora]

I don't really see what the problem is. Ive yet to see CAS dominate. I think the buff was good.

[Stemplus]

It's all about the skill. I personally didn't have any problem taking enemy CAS out, helis are now slow so it's as easy to shoot one down as it is to hit a moving tank. Jets are even easier to kill especially with the new flares, they get killed almost every time.

[JimmyKid1996]

It's all about the skill. I personally didn't have any problem taking enemy CAS out, helis are now slow so it's as easy to shoot one down as it is to hit a moving tank. Jets are even easier to kill especially with the new flares, they get killed almost every time.

Before 1.0, I had only gotten 5-6 kills with AA, and that was when the pilot used all the flares, was on the ground, or was extremely un-aware.

Now, within a week, I've gotten at least 8-9 AA kills, due to the way the flares are.

[40mmrain]

It's all about the skill. I personally didn't have any problem taking enemy CAS out, helis are now slow so it's as easy to shoot one down as it is to hit a moving tank. Jets are even easier to kill especially with the new flares, they get killed almost every time.

I dont understand how this could make any sense, flares are better, more numerous and the maneuverability and speed of jets is as good as it was in 0.98. How could AA be better? I've yet to be hit with anti air missiles as a jet pilot.

[K4on]

Practise a bit with your AA skills 40mm -
I've seen numerous times manpad AAs taking out jets on khamisayah while they were diving for a bombrun.

but still: If the pilot has a good angle, turns away from the AA and pops flares while dropping bombs, his chances to dodge the AAs are increased.

[rodrigoma]

I have absolutely no skill whatsoever with AA and in 0.98 I had practically never effectively destroyed anything with it.
in 1.0 I have destroyed jets and helicopters with it so I'm presuming it still is effective?

[Tarranauha200]

Well, at least hueys are still flying tanks.

[40mmrain]

Practise a bit with your AA skills 40mm -
I've seen numerous times manpad AAs taking out jets on khamisayah while they were diving for a bombrun.
.

skill with a mandpads? You mean abusing the missile mechanic and firing unlocked because they explode when close enough to a jet regardless. Flares dont effect that firing mechanic at all anyways. There's no possible way to be skilled with a manpads if youre firing with a lock, because it's up to how evasive the enemy is and the RNG if they pop flares.

Anyways, regardless of firing AA weapons unlocked (the only way to kill the kiowas on kokan now), the UAV is still mega cheap, observing bases and being uncounterable.

[Murphy]

skill with a mandpads? You mean abusing the missile mechanic and firing unlocked because they explode when close enough to a jet regardless.

The manpads seem to have been changed in 1.0. First off the time to lock is very little if any, and secondly I believe even if you are not looking down the weapon you still give pilots a lock warning by simply looking in their direction. I may be wrong on the second point but the way pilots react to a manpad seems to indicate that are aware of threat and 90% of the time drop flares and disappear into the distance.

The same trick from .98 still works to fool AA missles, just make sure you are popping flares between you and the shooter. I have noticed smart pilots survive just as long, probably longer then previous versions where the manpad is concerned. At the same time I have seen bad pilots having more difficulty maintaining their advantages over ground threats, and what happens is you get the impression that AA is better then ever but I can say the hipfire trick doesn't work anymore (trust me I am fairly good with AA).

[40mmrain]

the unsighted locks always existed, and now that the MANPADS has a zoom it's a bit wonky to sight in, so often targets are lost like that.

[viirusiiseli]

The amount of planes that've been shot down by AA through flares is bigger than in 0.98, I don't understand what you're talking about? And without flares it's 99% chance you're getting shot down. If you know how to evade AAs with flares you can escape them most of the time, which is fine. I don't understand why planes should be nerfed after good pilots do well in them?

[40mmrain]

that's impossible, read the feature list for 1.0, flares have been made much better, and more numerous.

[Tarranauha200]

AA more accurate when "hipfiring". I guess that explains it.