3 wight classes of Spirals why not other weapons too

There really don't need to be any more homing weapons in this game.

Having multiple types of the same weapon-style reduces the uniqueness and diversity of weapons, and hence diversity of play styles and strategies. I feel the energy weapons being tested are already a mistake. They hydras should also not be buffed!

Having unique weapon styles for each hardpoint type acts to limit the "power" of that weapon, forcing players to use existing bots, with all their existing limitations, which helps to maintain balance! If there's something of everything then everything will become the same thing! Eventually, there will no longer be effective counters to any bot+weapon combo because no matter what bot you're on, you'll be able to effectively play it the same way. Then what's the point of having different bot types? Everybody will just gravitate toward the bots that can mount the most powerful weapons, and deal the most damage while minimising exposure to enemy fire. Imagine Furies that don't need line of sight to obliterate you. Seriously. Or 4xmini-thunder griffins!? As if the current DB setups aren't fatal enough, fast enough. Ridiculousness, I say!

Furthermore, once you introduce weapons, you can't take them away.

More diversity, less multiplicity! *all together now* "More diversity, less multiplicity!"

To draw upon an example I used previously, in the discord channel. Take a page out of Counter-strike's book. They haven't really added new weapons in what, almost 20 years!? They just introduce new maps which require different strategies. And CS is still wildly successful. If Pixonic really wants to implement new stuff from which they can benefit from the sale thereof, they should introduce new maps, instead of new weapons. I'm sure players will be much more willing to shell out for different maps, as opposed to having "new" weapons that ruin the balance of the game.

Hm...you raise a valid point. However, don't you think they're already quite powerful with their current roles though? It's generally near impossible to take out a Treb Raijin camped deep into enemy spawn, or when they're perched up on the catwalks above the bridges spanning either side of Yamantau. Unless the rest of his/her team are floozing away in their bots, or are all camping as well... Also, don't you think there are already enough close-up DB, and missile setups? I think it might be even more impossible to take out a bastioned Raijin behind good cover.


Regardless, a Thunder Raijin pilot who is skilled with his bot generally knows how and when, and is able to make his way to good choke-point locations as it is.

P.S. I know impossible can't be even more impossible than impossible - it's to emphasise the absurdity of the situation =P

True, I can identify with that. The Trident is defintely OP at the moment (I used to think otherwise, but have revised my opinion after considering all the arguments).

I'm used to feeling that the effectiveness of different bots at different levels is part of the character of the game though. Aspiring towards a "better", more powerful hangar was a strong motivating factor for getting more gold by capping the most beacons or dealing the most damage, and thus becoming a better player, which let me deal more damage and cap more beacons, and so become a better player, and so on and so on and...yadda yadda yadda...

Many of the bots you mention are silver bots. At the moment, it takes an exceptional player using silver equipment to beat out another using player using equivalent Au/WSP bot and weapon levels due to the multiple advantages of the premium weapons in general. So players can either pay, or develop skill within the game to advance.

Isn't that the point of the "premium" weapons? If you start levelling the playing field between both silver and gold/workshop point currency equipment, it kind of negates the motivation to get a premium hangar, doesn't it? Additionally, isn't the uniqueness of each weapon+bot combo the main driving factor for obtaining it? If you can achieve more or less the same option with two or more different bots, then what's the point of having different bots?

I do see that you have a valid point, and do agree with you to some extent. I just feel that the argument for more unique setups is stronger than the argument for buffing more bots or weapons to have "equal" options. This might be in no small part due to how I might feel if I can achieve the same effect with silver bots and weapons that I can with the "premium" ones. It might leave me feeling a little like I've wasted what's probably hundreds of hours, if not more than a thousand, over the last 18 months learning to out-perform other players in my tier to consistently get a top place. So that I can earn gold more quickly than just the daily tasks allow, in order to afford more of the "premium" stuff. I'm no top player but I'm decent enough to earn gold at a reasonable rate, probably about 150-200 a day. Now that I've joined a clan, squadding with my fantabulous clanmates has earned me on average 300 gold every 1 to 1.5 days.

Additionally, I still feel that it will detract from the "character" of each bot. I'm sure many other players have come to love the unique niches each of these bots fill, or hate their weaknesses and try out new bot+weapon combos as a result. e.g. The Golem and Boa are the classic bronze mainstays, allowing you to learn how to corner shoot effectively, and to learn good timing and technique to best close the distance to your opponent to apply the full effect of the Thunder. There was a recent flurry of postings with affectionate name-calling of the "Toaster" Boa. Another lower level example is the Shultz - "Ostrich", and the Cossack. I started out with 3 Cossacks in 3 slots, all equipped with Tarans, and regularly took out Rhinos and Griffins with them, doing the most damage, capping the most beacons. That combo allowed me to afford my 4th slot, and taught me how to effectively "dance" around your opponent. The skills of which later transferred to my first Gepard (before they gained a reputation as a clubber's bot), then Stalker, then Gareth and Galahad, I still love the stalker but it doesn't have the capacity to do as much damage as one of the brit bots, while surviving and beating a full-on plasma DB griffin. Having been forced to use a cheaper bot to learn those skills, I can now take out up to two (9/9 and above, sometimes maxxed) DB plasma griffins one on one with my 9/10 Gareth before dying. Here's an example:

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This was the hangar I used (yes, there's a Fury in there. I worked hard to get it, okay!)
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The low damage rating is because I spend most of my time squadding with my clan, using my silver" hangar below, or something similar; which has lower damage potential than my "gold" hangar.
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Each new bot was an upgrade from the last, and was like a mini-graduation to the next level, requiring all the skill  and experience I learnt from piloting the cheaper bot, to get higher damage and cap more beacons than I could before, by upgrading to the "better", more expensive bot.

We're all still entitled to our own opinions, I not only respect your's and the original poster's, but agree with where you're coming from to some extent. However, I hope to have at least swayed some of those who are reading to understand or even agree with where I'm coming from with these opinions and responses. These sentiments don't just apply to this topic but many of the recent and expected changes that are being discussed at this time. I'm just doing my best to "speak out" as many have advocated we do, otherwise we can't reasonably be unhappy with changes that we didn't oppose when we were given the chance to.

Yep, all true and valid. I agree on every point except:

"heavy slot as a whole has almost no options for close combat other than the thunder."

Isn't that the point - A trade-off between firepower and mobility?