[SD]BongoBoy
06-28-2007, 01:59 PM
(this started off as a reply to the Icarus (http://community.enemyterritory.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2949)thread, but it's a general point and probably worth its own thread)
Particularly at this early point of the Beta, it's not completely unknown for players to use vehicles as one-use taxis, just to commute to an objective, and abandon them there, littering choke points and objective areas. One could argue that this is perhaps not the best possible use of a vehicle, but it's worth considering what then happens to these abandoned vehicles, and what tactical use you can make of them. Just because their original driver has forgotten about them, you shouldn't ignore them too.
When vehicles die, they explode and do splash damage to players around them. If they've already taken some damage, it only takes a few AR/Lacerator shots to blow them up. Obviously, this could be a hazard for the defenders - I've seen more than a few important Strogg doorways and chokepoints inadvertently blocked off with burning Icari by impatient players - but it can also be used. Maybe leaving a damaged-to-burning Icarus parked next to the EMP Disruptor construction site is a good move for the Strogg defenders. If all it takes is a few blaster shots to make it explode and take a few toiling GDF Engineers with it, that's a pretty impressive firepower multiplier.
You could argue that you can defend an objective with abandoned "bomb" vehicles (go on, you know you want to call them Abombdoned's) or mines but probably not both because that makes it too easy for attackers to clear them all out by just dinging the vehicle a few times. It depends if your enemy consistently ignores potentially dangerous Abombdoneds. Maybe you can hide them just around the corner from a well hidden proximity mine, resulting in a really serious combined explosion. Un-armed mines will add to the fun, and they don't declare their presence, unlike their armed beeping prox or laser tripwire brethren. The Icarus and Husky are going to work best for this sort of thing because they're small and manouevrable and can be placed exactly where you need them, but be prepared to improvise, especially with huge great things like the Cyclops - how many times have you seen a Titan or Cyclops abandonded near an objective because the Driver bailed out and/or couldn't get it repaired? If it's going to blow up, make sure it does so when you want it to, and to your advantage.
Lots of players use the Icarus to get up to high rooftops or ledges and snipe, but they often don't move very far from where they left the still highly visible and explosive Icarus. If they're lazy enough to leave it in view, just shoot the Icarus, and maybe you'll catch them in the explosion.
Particularly at this early point of the Beta, it's not completely unknown for players to use vehicles as one-use taxis, just to commute to an objective, and abandon them there, littering choke points and objective areas. One could argue that this is perhaps not the best possible use of a vehicle, but it's worth considering what then happens to these abandoned vehicles, and what tactical use you can make of them. Just because their original driver has forgotten about them, you shouldn't ignore them too.
When vehicles die, they explode and do splash damage to players around them. If they've already taken some damage, it only takes a few AR/Lacerator shots to blow them up. Obviously, this could be a hazard for the defenders - I've seen more than a few important Strogg doorways and chokepoints inadvertently blocked off with burning Icari by impatient players - but it can also be used. Maybe leaving a damaged-to-burning Icarus parked next to the EMP Disruptor construction site is a good move for the Strogg defenders. If all it takes is a few blaster shots to make it explode and take a few toiling GDF Engineers with it, that's a pretty impressive firepower multiplier.
You could argue that you can defend an objective with abandoned "bomb" vehicles (go on, you know you want to call them Abombdoned's) or mines but probably not both because that makes it too easy for attackers to clear them all out by just dinging the vehicle a few times. It depends if your enemy consistently ignores potentially dangerous Abombdoneds. Maybe you can hide them just around the corner from a well hidden proximity mine, resulting in a really serious combined explosion. Un-armed mines will add to the fun, and they don't declare their presence, unlike their armed beeping prox or laser tripwire brethren. The Icarus and Husky are going to work best for this sort of thing because they're small and manouevrable and can be placed exactly where you need them, but be prepared to improvise, especially with huge great things like the Cyclops - how many times have you seen a Titan or Cyclops abandonded near an objective because the Driver bailed out and/or couldn't get it repaired? If it's going to blow up, make sure it does so when you want it to, and to your advantage.
Lots of players use the Icarus to get up to high rooftops or ledges and snipe, but they often don't move very far from where they left the still highly visible and explosive Icarus. If they're lazy enough to leave it in view, just shoot the Icarus, and maybe you'll catch them in the explosion.