Devs - do Isidas still earn points/score for healing self-damage like Vulcan's over-heating? Or has that been changed recently?

LOL... no wonder I was finishing near bottom of score-boared even though I healed until I was empty. That's just brutal. And yes - bad for Vulcans.

I agree with the rock-paper-scissors concept. Unfortunately I feel that they introduced a 4th element here with buffed firebird. We'll have to agree to disagree.

Sure everyone at higher ranks has lots of supplies - unless there's massive mis-management. However, not everyone has multiple m4s, all modules at 50%, all the powerful alterations and... upgraded drones with enough batteries to use them regularly. But the real issue I'd say is not at upper levels. It's more at low to mid-rank where $100 makes a much greater impact. Having full m2 kit at W01 backed up by drones and 35% protection modules can make a big difference... no?

Lower ranks? I see Legend teams - half of them firebird (4 of 8). On small to medium maps and even maps like Serpuhov have at least a couple per team. I used firebird at m1 and it was potent. it's even more potent now. Isida might have highest DPS but it can't kill a heavy hull that has a module. Runs out before the target is dead. Have you ever tried to cap a flag? A firebird does not have to make it's way across the map to get lots of kills. Or stay on Sandal when it loads for you - they are on you in 3-4 seconds - most of the time under cover. Not every MM battle is a campers paradise like Highways.

From a Shaft perspective? Well, the fire or Isida have to make their way to you without getting killed. In either case they would have cover, or not do it at all. A fire that has cover will burn and run - doing damage as it runs and recharges energy. Isida must duke it out until one is dead. This is how a proper firebird acts - not a charge in the open where it gets picked off. Our issue is - the firebird does not have to drain it's energy pool to kill targets. 2 seconds exposure can do it. Afterburn from compact tanks is ridiculously OP. More-so than Isida (which has only useless alterations).

Your post at #413 is exactly why Diesel & I dislike these "star events" - regardless of how long they last or what is offered. I play mostly to have a good time and I won't be "no-lifing" it ever. So the players like you that just come into CP & CTF and end up playing TDM kind of makes a mockery of the mode. It explains why I start a CTF battle and 4-5 of my team are campers that don't leave the base. 0-0 is final score. <_< How many containers have you acquired from all the Tiers? Getting that paint from the # of containers you garnered is pure luck. Someone doing exact same thing you did could easily have a useless Soccer paint or another 125 SB to add onto the 12,500 already acquired.

It's either single-shots with a very good reload or two of the 4 missiles hit an obstruction. There are no double-shot strikers.

Have to disagree with you on this. Sometimes - especially at mid to low-high ranks - players have to make tough choices. You can fully MU your turret+hull all the way to next m-level, or buy some discounted modules that immediately give you 25+% protection - more than offsetting a players fully-MU-ed turret. I can go into battle with an m2.5 and a bunch of modules at 25% or so. I'm willing to bet I do better than the player with m2.9 - if I even meet that player. My GS score might be low enough to give me easier opponents, even though I might have spent same amount of crystals as the player with m2.9. Not including protection modules would be a grave error.

Don't forget to incorporate protection modules... their m-level and MUs...

Hold on... you get to use RK and Fire does not? And is it 1 or 2 or 3 (or more) vs the firebird? You might be comparing base damage only. At m3, 882 vs 669 is only 32% better - way lower than 100% (2x). Now add burn damage - how many seconds for m3? It's not easier for you if fire runs after burning you. That's one important strategy for fire. At worst for fire, you have used up RK. Next burn and you don't survive.

Firebird can burn and run - and you may still die You can destroy firebird and you can still die from the afterburn. It has "2x damage" compared to... what?

And you can do this at extreme range - no loss of critical damage regardless of map-size. It's enabled on my smoky now by default.

Que the "you are not forced to do the mission" responses... Wait till you get the triplet of daily missions that says "Finish 7 battles in ___ mode" ...3x. Yes, 3 different "finish 7 battles" for a total of 21 'daily' missions on same day. Use your free switch to get "Finish top-3 3x". And weep.

I hope there is a break between challenges. Players trying for stars actually ruins battles like CP and CTF.

coughkeeperkitcough

Yup... when you look at scores and half your team is close to 0 - time to bail. (I like Magistral - has a bit of everything)

You would be completely dependent on your team. Don't think I'd ever buy that. But I agree that Isida pretty much has the worst alterations. I have tons of hours on Isida, and would not buy any of the alts introduced so far. They should introduce an alt that reduces DPS but extends energy pool so it does more overall damage before energy depleted.

Distance nerf on... Arcade? I bet Shaft is way more viable now in DM with triple-shot alteration. If you are far enough away and driving backward, and fire still follows you - that is a noob. Fire that know what they are doing don't fall into that trap. They will use cover and speed to maneuver into attack position. Have been in battles where half the enemy team is Fire. Does not happen as often on larger maps like highways sure. But on medium to smaller-sized maps there are tons, where they can burn and run, or take out 2-3 tanks at once. Even with 46% protection my medium hull does not last long. And if you are trying to grab a flag in CTF, it's difficult to avoid them - if they are good they don't sit in open as they wait for you. CP for big hulls? I don't see many actually. Depends on map-size I guess. Medium to larger map you want more speed - so medium or even light hulls let you cap much faster.

Stock hammer - probably have not seen many. Did see a lot of the 5-shot alt when that came out. One issue is the ability to see if target has supplies active. Wonder if Duplet would be as popular if they had no idea if target was protected by DA. Not knowing if they can one-shot many targets might make them more leary of using that alt.

Saw what in a battle?

A few ways you can try... - DM Firebird M1 and Viking M2 - hope you are at least middle of pack in terms of rank - CTF with hornet - try to cap flags - CP with Viking or hornet - capture points and heal as needed It will be difficult top-3 just by healing. So you will need to kill lots or capture flags

Isida has draw with firebird - at best. Good chance the afterburn can kill isida while firebird hides. Does not take much exposure to kill even a medium hull. And Firebird can damage multiple targets at same time. Isida it's one target at a time.

4 shots + decreasing reload time to 1.2 would be too much of a buff. Devs will fix Duplet once enough players have invested crystals in A) The alteration and B) Hammer modules + MUs.

Don't need velocity to pierce armor. Look up "Shaped Charge" and HEAT rounds.