S2 Launch vs. Now: Scout Heli should be removed from some maps
I'm not posting because I am a massive Scout Heli hater, I am decent enough at flying to where I can fly-swat if a strong pilot starts rolling my team. But that being said I don't think its initial addition to certain maps was at all healthy. Maybe necessary during S2 launch due to the very low map pool, but as the list of Helicopter map candidates grows I think some of these older additions should be reconsidered.
The most heavily impacted Vehicle without a doubt is the Transport Chopper. To be its most effective it needs room in the sky to maneuver and break its passengers into the back-line, but the Scout being added interferes with this three fold:
- Some infantry (i.e. most) hate dying to the Scout Helicopter. M136AT4 spam in retaliation to a strong Scout Pilot is common. Although the Transport is super tanky now, its size and speed makes it vulnerable to this constant TOW spam. Spam that is now worse than it ever was imo (looking at you MAA + rearm), even in S1 when the MBT / IFV / Stationary TOW was beyond easy.
- The Scout itself can nearly kill the Transport at a distance with a single volley of dumbfire rockets. And if it misses it can just quickly close the gap and tear the Transport to shreds with its miniguns. It is really hard to break away from the Battle to try to sneak soldiers in when the enemy Scout can break away just as easily to deal with you in a completely lopsided MU.
- Air space is just more congested. S2 just added the Scout to some maps without removing anything, leaving less space for the Transport to maneuver without interference
Like the IFV, the Transport's strongest gimmick is the ability to control where your teammates can pressure the map, and the Scout's addition to certain maps, in my opinion, punishes the Transport so hard to the point of identity erasure:
- Operation Firestorm CQ - I don't think this map ever needed a third Helicopter and the Attack Heli fits so much better as an anti-vehicle option while the transport was perfectly fine at clearing the mountains and rooftops.
- Mirak Valley CQ - I'd take them replacing the second Attack Chopper spawn at Charlie with a Scout Heli, but Air is way to congested on this map as is so Transport is just such a trap.
- Manhattan Bridge Escalation - Maybe you just had to be there, but the Transport on S1 Manhattan Bridge was some of the most fun BF6 ever has been in my opinion. Scout is so boring in comparison. Also bring back rooftops and building fights, absolute cowards.
It might not be the right time as that would leave like a total of 4 maps you could use the Scout Heli in, but as Naval Maps start releasing and providing more candidates please remove it from others. S2's gimmick has gone on long enough now.