by Ooooh you all are in for a treat! This is my first post that is like this so this might get cringy. I’m about to go full fan girl on a video game that has held a special place in my heart for a very long time. It’s come to the forefront recently with all the COVID and quarantine going around, i’ve had time to gather my thoughts are share them about Planetside 2.
After spending 300+ hours playing Battlefield 2142 through 8th grade and most of high school, I spent time on other games during college. However, I really needed to itch a Sci-fi first person shooter that 2142 satisfied. I mean at the time there was Mass Effect and Halo, but they were too story or arena based. I needed something tactical, where team was more important than K/D. After googling 2143, hoping EA was making a sequel, a lot of people were talking about this game Planetside 2. Made by the fellas at Sony SOE, this game was not released yet, but if you got lucky on twitter they would give you a beta key. After harassing them for weeks, I finally got in the beta 2 months before release and was instantly in love. This is what I experienced….
Welcome to Auraxis!
*Big inhale* Planetside 2 is a Sci-fi class based first person shooter free to play MMO where thousands of players fight on the planet Auraxis where factions struggle for territory indefinitely due to nanite technology giving them imortality. You fight across multiple continents with different biomes. Indar, an ancient ocean now a massive expansive desert. Esamir, a snow tundra with massive purple crystal towers scattered across the landscape. Hossin, a swampy jungle, with more than enough trees. Last, Amerish, a rocky mountainous terrain, great place to get your cardio on.
There are three main factions to fight for, the Terran Republic, the New Conglomerate, and the Vanu Sovereignty. Each faction has their own style of weapons and vehicles. Terrans are fast shooters, NC are heavy hitters, and Vanu are all lasers.
Per faction, there are soldier classes to play. Each can be changed at a infantry terminal and are fully customizable to the players weapon, attachments, camouflage, and armor style.
Troop Classes
First, there is the Infiltrator. They have the ability to cloak, access to sniper rifles, and use recon darts to ping enemies on the map. Infiltrators also have access to AP mines, to protect points and generators and are allowed to hack terminals to be flipped to their faction use.
Light assault, you get a jetpack to out maneuver your enemy. A really useful class when you have a squad, it allows you to pull of tactical plays to gain the upper hand, even when you are out numbered. Other than jetpacks, light assaults also have a mini rocket pod, giving them some AT ability.
Engineers get access to repair kits for vehicles, deployable turrets to hold choke points, and tank mines. Amazing for defense, a good class to setup perimeters and firing lines. Engineers also have the ability to disarm enemy tank mines, as well as access shield walls and sentry turrets.
Medics of course, get healing equipment, the ability to revive downed troops, and regenerate shields. It’s always smart to have at least 2 medics in your squad. It lets you keep fighting longer, making you a really annoying thorn in the enemies side. Especially if you are behind enemy lines.
Heavy Assaults get an over shield to help them withstand heavy fire and get access to AA/AT rocket launchers. Again, with the right team put together, several rocket teams and coordinated attacks can turn an armor column into a scrap heap. They also get to use LMGs.
MAX suits are a mix between a class and a vehicle since they cost nanites to use. Power armor that can take a beating and dish out a lot of damage. MAXs can be fitted for AA/AT/AP or a mix of each, making them a dynamic role on the battlefield. However, because it is an exo-skeleton, MAX suits need engineers to heal them instead of medics.
Ways to get around Auraxis
All of the continents of Auraxis are very large. Large enough to setup armor columns, pick a hill side and rain hell on the enemy in their base. Wide enough to setup a wing of VTOLs and setup strafing runs on that armor column. Long enough to call in your gunships to mop up the stragglers. Players get nanites overtime while playing and can use them to spawn vehicles or MAX suits. Each vehicle has a different nanites cost and each vehicle is fully customizable. Weapons, counter-measures, camouflage, decals, even horns, customizable. Vehicles in Planetside 2 are split up into two groups, Ground and Air, simple!
Movement on the Ground
While ground might not be the fastest way to move from base to base, it is the safest. Well… again depending on the ground vehicle you take 🙂
The Flash, basically an ATV, provides almost no protection to is driver or passenger but it excels in speed and agility. Flashes can be customized to have a mounted weapon to give it some teeth, have passive modules hooked up like radar or more armor. If you are running infiltrator, you can even hook up a cloaking module and make your flash disappear.
The Harasser, my god does it deserve its name… It’s the most dynamic vehicle in the game. It’s an off road truck with a top mounted turret that can be rigged for AP/AA/AT. It also has a spot for a passenger in the bed of the truck, most likely an engineer that can repair the Harasser on the move. Harassers can be fitted with booster modules, making them a perfect vehicle for circling wagons or just hit and run tactics. While the drivers and gunners are not directly damaged by incoming fire, the Harasser is prone to light arms, so don’t stick around enemy infantry for too long.
Lightnings are the defacto Planetside 2 light armored tank. It’s a single user vehicle, no passengers or gunners. The stock lightning is great for AP suppression, given it can fire off 7 high explosive rounds. It has counter measures, smoke screens, anti-lock on shielding and engine upgrades to make it more agile. The lightnings main gun can refitted for AA known as the sky guard or fitted more towards AT using the Python cannon.
Sunderers are the backbone of ground support in Planetside 2. They act as troop transports, a troop spawner when deployed, and fitted with the right modules can provide ammo and repairs to other vehicles on the battle field. Fitted for AT/AP/AA, Sunders can provide a wide array of support. Modules like Gate Shield Defusers, allow Sunderers to pass right through hostile shield gates and deploy troops. When deployed that can setup a cloak bubble to hide the Sunderer and any troops near it. Additionally, Sunderers can be upgraded with extra armor, anti-lock on capabilities, and countermeasures.
Main Battle Tanks
As I mentioned earlier in this article, factions have their own styles of weapons and main battle tanks fall right into that category as well. All MBTs come with a secondary gunner that can be fitted for AP/AA/AT.
The NC have the Vanguard, reminds me of a USA Abrams. Heavy hitter with equally impressive armor, but it is a slow tank. It has the ability to coat itself in an over shield for a short period of time, blocking all incoming fire.
The TR Prowler, arguably one of the faster tanks, it comes with dual cannons making its rapid fire very deadly. It has the ability to deploy itself, making it immobile but increasing its fire rate, making it great for supporting sieges at a distance.
The VS Magrider is a very interesting tank. It hovers, making it very agile and a very hard target to hit. However, the Magrider’s main cannon is fixed, meaning it has to face it’s target when moving. It has an ability to use boosters to dodge incoming shots.
Moving through the Air
While not as safe as moving on the ground, obviously moving through the air is way faster. Air vehicles have roles, all of them being VTOLs, so they are fairly easy to fly.
The Galaxy, is the airbus of the front lines. They can hold a whole squad, can take a ton of damage before going down, and have 4 turrets built for AA/AT/AP. However, their size does make them an easy targets for tanks and other AA platforms, so if you have a bad pilot you’re flight will be short. Troops can drop out of the Galaxy from high altitude and land safety on the ground. Well, given that the LZ is safe, they most likely will get shot up 🙂
Liberators, or as I call them Libber-gators, are the ground pounders of the air. They are less armored than a Galaxy, but have way more teeth. They have a forward facing tank shredder, an underbelly AT cannon, and a tail gun for anyone in pursuit. With the right team, a small fleet of Liberators can completely change the outcome of a battle.
Valkyries are the hot droppers of Planetside 2. Think of them as slimmer, nimbler versions of Galaxies. Less armor, not as much teeth as a Liberator, but enough for you to get a 6 man team in a very active AO. Has room for a pilot, gunner, and 4 seats where passengers can shoot off the side.
Empire Specific Fighters
ESFs much like MBTs are faction specific and slightly vary. Not varied as severely as MBTs, but enough to warrant their own sections.
The NC Reaver, quite the bullet sponge but also the heaviest hitter. Doesn’t have the best fire rate and certainly not the fastest ESF on Auraxis. However, given its extra armor, it can stay in the fight just a bit longer, giving your troops the air support they need.
The TR Mosquito, or Mozzy, his very fast and very agile. Has the fastest fire rate, making it very dangerous in a dog fight. However, it does not have the greatest of armor, its always a good idea to have ground troops nearby to assist when needed.
The VS Scythe, right in the middle between a Reaver and a Mosquito, not to fast not to slow. It is impressive with its hovering and quick turning, making them harder to track during dog fights. With their sleek profile, their hit box while not as small as a Mosquito, it still makes them a difficult target to hit.
The Wrap
Well, thats enough nerding out for now. In my next post I’ll go over different base types, how to take over and approach, armor columns and wings, and most important how to be TactiCOOL. Anyway, thanks for swinging by and see you on the next post! 🙂