ASFs for Dummies?

[mrtspence]

Hi all. Extremely new to the game. Decided I want to mainly be an ASF pilot, yet am struggling a lot with the learning curve (I can now safely land most of the time). I am sure there are many here who would be able to give sound advice, and many more that would benefit from it. What are some general pointers when playing as an ASF? What map-specific advice is there? What fighter-specific advice is there?

I am a massive fan of this mod, and my enjoyment could only be enhanced through garnering a better understanding of my favoured class. Thanks!



As a related aside, I tend to play the Sulla B (with the Thunderbolts) as I love the idea of being able to do some damage to mechs and the like, but the thing is really tricky! The only way I can  hit anything faster than a longtom is to fly really low (or divebomb and pray to pull up in time) and shoot 'em point blank, which exposes me to all sorts of gunfire. Why is there a NARC on the thing anyways?! Due to my propensity for lag and awfulness--which translates directly into slamming into things at breakneck speeds--I tend to run a negative kd (I mean actually negative, as in like -2:9 by the end of a round). Am I using this thing wrong? I have literally no problems doing well as anything but an ASF, so hopefully I can gain some aptitude for them, and hopefully your advice will not be wasted on me!

[=KoS= Tripod]

If you're not in an LBX Shiva, stay away from enemy LBX Shivas

Landing Sullas is weird (ComeAndSee can explain better)

If you're in a Hawkmoth, balloon (stay directly above your target at a high altitude). Anything else will get you killed

If there's a Huit nearby, stay away. If it's a Partisan, meh. Blow it up with Tbolts from max range and weird attack directions

Always attack from above unless they have something that counters you from attacking from above (rare) then attack from behind

Always use passive

Never get into the firing arc of something with LBX 20

Attack things that aren't moving first, until you get the feel of how to lead each weapon

FBombs can blow you up, too

The cake is a lie

[~SJ~Azov]

The tbolts will home in on narcs, but do so poorly. The best thing to do with the tbolts is to shoot slow or not moving targets. Always attack from the front or rear so you get the best shot possible. It will take shit of skill to hit a moving target with tbolts.  I find tbolts gave a better hit percentage when fired at a low angle with your target about 300 or more meters away.

When tbolting always look for damaged targets that you think you can finish off quickly. That will bump up your ktd ratio.

[mrtspence]

Thank you! That is helpful (+karma for you).

Do TBolts get effected by NARC beacons? If so, that could make using the Sulla B a LOT easier. Could I tag them with NARC from 700 meters, then shoot them with Tbolts from 500 meters (as opposed to from 50 meters)? This would likely improve my survivability by 75% (cause 75% of my deaths are me slamming into things after shooting Tbolts).

Is the reason Tbolts NARC poorly because they don't track well or because it is otherwise better to just blindfire them?

[=KoS= Tripod]

I usually fire TBolts from 800 meters at non moving targets and 200 meters at anything else

Going down to 50 is a bit extreme and dangerous

Using TBolts with narcs will improve your aim as long as your aim would still be good enough for a probable hit, with the narc just helping out a little

[mrtspence]

I usually fire TBolts from 800 meters at non moving targets and 200 meters at anything else

Going down to 50 is a bit extreme and dangerous

Using TBolts with narcs will improve your aim as long as your aim would still be good enough for a probable hit, with the narc just helping out a little

Wow! That is really, really far! So is it really impractical to shoot at lights then, or do you just pray they stay still? Maybe I just never understood the role of the Sulla B properly then. I always assumed it was good for blasting lights over heavier things. Will two Tbolts do significant enough damage to a medium to make hunting them and heavier worth while?

[=KoS= Tripod]

I just annoy the crap out of things I know aren't going to move (LT, AA tanks, Morrigus 90% of the time, Crouched mechs) from really long range and go to moderate range and shoot in a way that makes the missiles "chase the target" (shoot from behind going in same direction)

They usually don't know the missiles are behind them and it makes shooting much easier because the enemy can only dodge in 3 directions (left, right and up) instead of just going anywhere

Hitting Harassers actually gets most of my kills because they look HUGE from above, have no armor and usually get stuck on stuff or flip

[SquareSphere }12thVR{]

I'd go for the bigger slower targets, remember its not so much about K/D in this last patch, it's all about damage done.

[=KoS= Tripod]

yeah, but at the same time, blowing up a harassers BT is worth far more than doing the same amount of damage to an assault mech's CT, because you get credit for killing the entire Harasser
Kills are still the best way to do the most damage and should be prioritized over just wounding (unless you're going after BA which don't give you extra points for killing them)

[mrtspence]

Just played a really rough round. Was on a map with tons of cliffs, the enemy used lots of AA, and my FPS was under 10. I couldn't hit anything as a Sulla B (landed a total of 1 hit in 20 minutes of playing) and crashed like 6 times (including once when pivoting around after repairing in the Hanger bay and once when landing at low speed and evenly).

Ugh.

[=KoS= Tripod]

yeah, my FPS has been around there since the 0.4 upgrade too

Hopefully I can upgrade soon, because my performance turns to shit fast if there's ANY action around

EDIT: Where the hell are LordHack and ComeAndSee?

I'd expect them to be in an aero tips thread by now
(or at least be here before I am)

[Xesle]

I use thunderbolts alot, and my tactic is usually to float around the top of the map, cut my throttle and dive where I think some enemies are.  Having my throttle cut means I don't fall that fast, so I have plenty of time to find a target.  All of this so far being done while passive, if I find a slow or stationary target, I will dumbfire my narc and if it hits I ping my radar long enough to fire my missiles so will home in on the narc, this way I minimize my exposure as much as possible.  If i'm lucky, i'll find a target quickly and narc and fire before I hit 900 meters, and if it or no other enemies start shooting at, I can pull up and make a second pass before my narc wears off.  If baddies do start firing at me, i'll keep diving and use the terrain for cover.

I can even attack AA tanks this way if they're not already scanning the skies looking for me.  Longtom tanks are usually an easy kill too, as they usually die in 2 salvos of thunderbolts. 

To be honest i'm pretty terrible with firebombs.  I just can't seem to ever hit consistently with them, so whenever I decide to play aero on a map, I usually end up playing the thunderbolt Sulla the whole game.

EDIT: grammar.

[Deathbane]

3 tips.

1: Never try to land.

2:REALLY never try to land.

3:Did i mention NEVER to land?


Its safer to 'sell' your aerospace in the hangar, moment before it asplodes everywhere, than it is to land properly, which takes not only skill, but a degree of luck.

[Xesle]

It took me quite some time to learn the art of landing, but now that i've learned I can usually make the landing everytime.  I discovered one major factor in landing is speed, and that if you try and land going any slower than 150 kph you'll explode every time.  It is also worth memorizing the elevation of the runway so you can come in as close as possible to the ground.

[Deathbane]

It took me quite some time to learn the art of landing, but now that i've learned I can usually make the landing everytime.  I discovered one major factor in landing is speed, and that if you try and land going any slower than 150 kph you'll explode every time.  It is also worth memorizing the elevation of the runway so you can come in as close as possible to the ground.

If you can do this consistently, then thats pretty pro. I always come in too hot, and our runways are not all that long!