Before watching the video, ask the following questions:Is vehicle part damage consistent in doing anything?Do Jets have enough time to use their guns before flying past their target?Is the balance good enough for the average pilot?Now after watching the video, you will have seen just how easily Jets are destroyed as an Attack Heli equipped with Anti-Vehicle Rockets. All it takes is 2 rockets. JUST 2. They're also insanely accurate and seem to have a kind of airburst when used against air vehicles but there's no such visual effect to indicate this.The Jet Pilot exclusively relies on the Passive Radar missiles. This is because 8 times out of 10, Passive Rader missiles will destroy unsuspecting Pilots because using flares when you see the warning is too late, you have to use it before the missile actually locks on. I don't know why they work this way but that's how it is. Using flares after it locks on and is launched is just a waste of flares because the missile will always hit its target, if timed right which is incredibly easy to do for the average Pilot. The Pilot I am versing is more than competent and frequently flies vehicles on this server, so they know what they're doing.You will have also seen, that the damaged Rotors had almost no effect on the maneuverability of the Helicopter. I was still able to turn the Helicopter with ease and simply "Pitch Up" and launch missiles to kill the Jet, it's way too easy. It should not be this easy to kill a JET.Likewise, passive radar missiles should not be the sole useful weapon on a Jet, prior to this patch, the Jet's guns were in a good place, then they were nerfed?Jets are just terrible and these new missiles on the Attack Heli are insanely good vs all types of Air Vehicles and can even 1 v 1 an Anti-Air tank.On top of this, I didn't even talk about the extra damage from the Gunner.

Those are active radar missiles. Passive radar missiles aren't in the game. Those were in BF4 and required the pilot to maintain a lock-on before impact. Those do not exist in BF2042. Active radar missiles are fire and forget which are in both BF4 and BF2042.But yes, I agree. This could be fixed by decreasing the flight ceiling of helicopters and decreasing the spread of the cannons and increasing the projectile velocity of cannons. The amount that you have to lead with the cannons on something right in front of you is ridiculous. They probably won't do anything about it. Honestly I'm 95% sure all the devs only play using the transport helicopters and refuse to buff anything that could danger them.

@CPT_GASLIGHT It's weird. 50% of the time these missile behave like Passive missiles for me, guess that's why I call them Passive Missiles, it won't lock on unless I'm switched to the missiles, either way my point still stands. Jet cannons are terrible and pilots should not be relying solely on these missiles to bag kills. Not only is it too easy but it's also terribly boring.Who ever playtests vehicles needs to actually test vehicles in 1v1 situations and situations when team play is involved such as SOFLAMS and so fourth, BECAUSE they very clearly aren't doing a good job. Imagine paying AAA price for a game only to realize that the game is multiplayer only and it's not balanced...The flight ceiling is ok... I mean it's a helicopter and the recent AA buffs would make the helicopters fodder in sight of that.It becomes a problem when game mechanics like damaged parts don't do ANYTHING, how is the Jet meant to achieve anything when the Heli can just "Pitch up" with damaged Rotors like it's nothing.Furthermore, there's like no reason to take the Anti-Infantry rockets over the Anti-Vehicle rockets because the Anti-Vehicle rockets are just so much better and still do a good amount of damage to infantry.We can only hope that when the Vehicle Update comes in Season 3 that make Jets actually useful, because right now, they're just a wasted vehicle on the Battlefield.

@S3SSioN_SoL Jets brrrbrrr cannons need a buff. But, not getting shot like that guy is again skill related tho. I would never pull above or below heli like like that, you are flat leaf which makes ez target. I think 2 hits is okay.By the way, if I see jet incoming and has radar missiles, flares do help if you flare like a lot earlier.

@SpudBug wrote:@S3SSioN_SoLIf both sides had minimum 2 attack aircraft per side you wouldnt be able to just float around in the air like that and his buddy in a bird or stealth could come and wreck you for dangling your aircraft around like thatI'm not in any way knowledgeable enough to talk about air vs air balance, it's simply not something I've ever been interested in and I don't think I have the necessary smarts to learn how to fly well.However the answer to 1 vs 1 vehicle balance should NEVER rely on another vehicle to create the balance. This is an issue with a development team who are out of touch with how their game plays or out of their depth when it comes to creating good vehicle balance or just don't care.But they are in good company with past Dice teams who gave us BC2 and BF3 which were just an abomination when it came to air vs ground.In fact it was Dice LA who stepped in and sorted out BF4 and gave us fair vehicle vs vehicle balance.Some vehicles are naturally higher up the hierarchy but Dice LA made it work so you felt you still had a chance against the vehicle higher up in the hierarchy.2042 just creates vehicles and pretty much calls it a day and hopes for the best!

@Tank2042ManWell right now,Apache Vs Stealth Heli, Apache will always win.Apache Vs Jet, Apache will always win.Apache vs Little Bird, Apache will always win.Apache vs Anti-Air Tank, Apache will always win.Take in mind, this is for an above average pilot. A newbie pilot won't live long enough in the air to properly avoid stinger positions and rao hacks to prove this. So it's safe to say, something is definitely not balanced here.The issues with vehicles in 2042 is the sum of lackluster game mechanics that don't work properly. Issues like damaged rotor blades having literally no effect on the vehicle, where as a damaged turret on a tank has a huge effect on aiming, and damaged engines on Jets greatly affect turn rate. I am aware that critical damage on an aircraft makes it difficult to ascend, but what part damage does to it I wonder.

This video shows everything that's currently wrong with Air Vehicles.

12 Replies

CPT_GASLIGHT
3 years ago
Those are active radar missiles. Passive radar missiles aren't in the game. Those were in BF4 and required the pilot to maintain a lock-on before impact. Those do not exist in BF2042. Active radar missiles are fire and forget which are in both BF4 and BF2042.
But yes, I agree. This could be fixed by decreasing the flight ceiling of helicopters and decreasing the spread of the cannons and increasing the projectile velocity of cannons. The amount that you have to lead with the cannons on something right in front of you is ridiculous. They probably won't do anything about it. Honestly I'm 95% sure all the devs only play using the transport helicopters and refuse to buff anything that could danger them.
S3SSioN_SoL
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
@CPT_GASLIGHT It's weird. 50% of the time these missile behave like Passive missiles for me, guess that's why I call them Passive Missiles, it won't lock on unless I'm switched to the missiles, either way my point still stands. Jet cannons are terrible and pilots should not be relying solely on these missiles to bag kills. Not only is it too easy but it's also terribly boring.

Who ever playtests vehicles needs to actually test vehicles in 1v1 situations and situations when team play is involved such as SOFLAMS and so fourth, BECAUSE they very clearly aren't doing a good job. Imagine paying AAA price for a game only to realize that the game is multiplayer only and it's not balanced...

The flight ceiling is ok... I mean it's a helicopter and the recent AA buffs would make the helicopters fodder in sight of that.
It becomes a problem when game mechanics like damaged parts don't do ANYTHING, how is the Jet meant to achieve anything when the Heli can just "Pitch up" with damaged Rotors like it's nothing.

Furthermore, there's like no reason to take the Anti-Infantry rockets over the Anti-Vehicle rockets because the Anti-Vehicle rockets are just so much better and still do a good amount of damage to infantry.

We can only hope that when the Vehicle Update comes in Season 3 that make Jets actually useful, because right now, they're just a wasted vehicle on the Battlefield.
Man_iLoveFishing
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
@S3SSioN_SoL Jets brrrbrrr cannons need a buff. But, not getting shot like that guy is again skill related tho. I would never pull above or below heli like like that, you are flat leaf which makes ez target. I think 2 hits is okay.

By the way, if I see jet incoming and has radar missiles, flares do help if you flare like a lot earlier.
SpudBug
3 years ago
@S3SSioN_SoL If both sides had minimum 2 attack aircraft per side you wouldnt be able to just float around in the air like that and his buddy in a bird or stealth could come and wreck you for dangling your aircraft around like that
UP_Hawxxeye
Legend
3 years ago
@S3SSioN_SoL when it comes to the jets using their guns on anything smaller than a transport helicopter, the jets have issues both seeing the small aircraft in time to aim a shot (if the target has the ground behind them instead of the sky ) and generally in hitting the target due how small the hitboxes of the helicopters can be.

It is even worse vs nightbirds that are often both too small to hit and the active radar missiles often manage to detonate without damaging them.

As about the anti vehicle missiles...They they are literally called anti vehicle missiles so it makes sense they are good at that job. Otherwise all people would not use the attack helis.
Someone could argue that they have a large splash vs infantry though.

As it has been said by others. Jets need a higher flight ceiling than the other aircraft. They also need better control while they are flying slowlly
Tank2042Man
3 years ago
@SpudBug wrote:
@S3SSioN_SoLIf both sides had minimum 2 attack aircraft per side you wouldnt be able to just float around in the air like that and his buddy in a bird or stealth could come and wreck you for dangling your aircraft around like that
I'm not in any way knowledgeable enough to talk about air vs air balance, it's simply not something I've ever been interested in and I don't think I have the necessary smarts to learn how to fly well.
However the answer to 1 vs 1 vehicle balance should NEVER rely on another vehicle to create the balance.
This is an issue with a development team who are out of touch with how their game plays or out of their depth when it comes to creating good vehicle balance or just don't care.
But they are in good company with past Dice teams who gave us BC2 and BF3 which were just an abomination when it came to air vs ground.
In fact it was Dice LA who stepped in and sorted out BF4 and gave us fair vehicle vs vehicle balance.
Some vehicles are naturally higher up the hierarchy but Dice LA made it work so you felt you still had a chance against the vehicle higher up in the hierarchy.
2042 just creates vehicles and pretty much calls it a day and hopes for the best!
S3SSioN_SoL
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
@Man_iLoveFishingEither way, the Heli should not be able to "Pitch Up" like that with damaged Rotors, further more those missiles need a visual effect if they're gonna airburst.

You must also consider that the gunner could also do damage, those missiles should 4 shot not 2 shot, they should increase the firing speed a little to compensate for the reduced damage per rocket and make it so actual skill is required to aim the rockets and not spray and airburst.
S3SSioN_SoL
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
@SpudBug If nothing changes to these missiles, a bird or stealth heli is a non factor. I have another video recorded where these missiles absolutely shred other helicopters like a hot knife on butter.

You should consider that in such a scenario, this attack heli would also have support so it wouldn't be a 2 v 1. The future update will probably add Jets but I doubt that they'll increase the air attack count further.
S3SSioN_SoL
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
@UP_Hawxxeye wrote:
@S3SSioN_SoLwhen it comes to the jets using their guns on anything smaller than a transport helicopter, the jets have issues both seeing the small aircraft in time to aim a shot (if the target has the ground behind them instead of the sky ) and generally in hitting the target due how small the hitboxes of the helicopters can be.

It is even worse vs nightbirds that are often both too small to hit and the active radar missiles often manage to detonate without damaging them.

As about the anti vehicle missiles...They they are literally called anti vehicle missiles so it makes sense they are good at that job. Otherwise all people would not use the attack helis.
Someone could argue that they have a large splash vs infantry though.

As it has been said by others. Jets need a higher flight ceiling than the other aircraft. They also need better control while they are flying slowlly
This is because Jet maneuverability is terrible and disparities exist between the Faction Jets. An average pilot will either over estimate or under estimate time to engage and thus miss their target or crash into the ground.
Jet's need a proper radar that shows air vehicles.
Again, these anti-vehicle missiles are too good, they're far superior to anti-infantry missiles. They two shot infantry! They should do far less damage to infantry and should be purely anti-vehicle with necessary visual effects to highlight if it's airbursting or not because right now, your missile can whoosh past and still deal damage. Also I doubt people would stop using Attack Helis just because their missiles got balanced, you must not forget that the main point of the Apache and Super Hokum is the area control provided by the gunner. Everything else is just bonus.
A higher flight ceiling will just make it so Jets fly directly above their targets the entire time... And lowering the flight ceiling for other aircraft will make it so the Anti Air Tank can reach those aircraft with ease due to their recent buffs. The Jet's gun needs to actually be useful. If they can't fix the maneuverability of the Jets, then they must just dumb down the guns on the Jets and give the guns the ability to lock on within a certain distance, I'd prefer if they fixed the maneuverability instead.
S3SSioN_SoL
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
@Tank2042ManWell right now,
Apache Vs Stealth Heli, Apache will always win.
Apache Vs Jet, Apache will always win.
Apache vs Little Bird, Apache will always win.
Apache vs Anti-Air Tank, Apache will always win.
Take in mind, this is for an above average pilot. A newbie pilot won't live long enough in the air to properly avoid stinger positions and rao hacks to prove this. So it's safe to say, something is definitely not balanced here.

The issues with vehicles in 2042 is the sum of lackluster game mechanics that don't work properly. Issues like damaged rotor blades having literally no effect on the vehicle, where as a damaged turret on a tank has a huge effect on aiming, and damaged engines on Jets greatly affect turn rate. I am aware that critical damage on an aircraft makes it difficult to ascend, but what part damage does to it I wonder.