Vehicles in Halo 4's BTB

Games Other Halo
#1

This is my insight on Big Team Slayer, a game mode where, in my opinion, vehicles should play a larger role in the outcome of the match.

Let me start off by saying that most of the maps are far too small for vehicle play. The Warthog’s turret and Ghost’s plasma cannon are not precision weapons… In order to get kills, you need to drive within the range of the enemy. Unfortunately, when the other team has 6+ players, each with Plasma Pistols and Plasma Grenades, this is nearly impossible. The only way to survive and earn kills is to sneak up on lone wolves—an odd tactic for A VEHICLE. Unless I am mistaken, the whole purpose of a vehicle, especially those featured in Halo, is to provide superior firepower and occasionally transportation (the Mongoose is clearly an exception).

I will state, however, that it is the maps’ fault. These maps weren’t designed with vehicle combat in mind. The majority of Halo 4’s BTB maps are dwarfed in comparison to those featured in Halo 3 and Halo: Reach. Sure, some of the newer additions have been better, but having fair and balanced vehicles shouldn’t be limited to a couple of maps, let alone a small fraction of the community. There is a problem present and it needs to be fixed… soon.

On these small maps, even the most dominant vehicles (Gauss Hogs, Tanks, Wraiths, Banshees) are easily taken out. There is simply not enough room for the driver to move far enough away from their enemies.

I suggest that players only get ONE plasma grenade and the EMP disable time is reduced by a minute amount. This not only helps out vehicles, but will also encourage players to use the Frag Grenade and maybe even the Pulse Grenade. For the most part, both are currently forgotten and underused.

This works out nicely, because ordnance still exists. There are still power weapons that will and SHOULD BE the ones destroying vehicles.

I am not proposing for vehicles to become the ultimate death machine, nor am I proposing that we return to our previous Halo: Reach, Halo 3, or Halo 2 ways. All of these games had their own balancing problems, and the community needs to realize that. Halo 4 is Halo 4. It is, whether you like it or not, a true Halo game. Fortunately for us, some of these problems can still be fixed. Vehicles need to play a larger role in controlling and dominating parts of the map. In order to assure your team’s success, they should be one of the major deciding factors. With the game’s current settings, they are, to put it bluntly, an easy Triple Kill.

Please note that I do not claim to be a balancing genius, nor do I have the solution for all of Halo’s problems. But, I feel this topic is important to discuss, mostly because Big Team Battle is Halo’s most popular playlist. And whether you agree with me or not, your opinion matters and will work towards creating a better game. Complaining actually does something, surprisingly :slight_smile:

I encourage you to leave your own take on the matter.

#2

I do not like using them in H4. Actually I played for the first time H3’s BTB and had a lot of fun with vehicles, even got a mongoose kill! Also I got to drive a tank and at least could defend myself from the plasma pistols as I could still fire the cannon normally.

#3

343 wanted to make Halo more accesible, that necessarily meant eliminating vehicle gameplay. IMO, the the best and only way to solve this problem is a classic BTB, without anti-vehicle loadouts, and without power weapons everywhere.
That is to say, making Halo the arena shooter it has always been.

#4

I think they need to add a Slayer variant to Big Team with no Plasma weapons in the starting loadouts just like the fallback hopper. Put Plasma pistols and grenades as starting weapons on the map. It makes the the vehicles a lot more fun to use.

#5

> I will state, however, that it is the maps’ fault. These maps weren’t designed with vehicle combat in mind. The majority of Halo 4’s BTB maps are dwarfed in comparison to those featured in Halo 3 and Halo: Reach.

True the maps in H4 are all too small, linear but it’s the weapons loadouts, the weapons added from H4 that made getting in vehicles less fun, more of a chore.
The golden rule they should listen to is sniper rifles/dmr/br shouldn’t be destroying vehicles so easily. Ok here’s an example the way H4 is set up they expect me to believe a sniper rifle can take out a tank, that tanks are so sluggish that they are pretty much useless and with the current OP weapons I wouldn’t be suprised if they decided for some BS reason they made it possible to take out a jet with a sniper rifle and yes I said a Jet. The reason I say a Jet because it’s pretty fast, so are the covenent but they make out like the covenant are completly useless.

#6

I agree with the plasma grenade thing. 343 has said that they’re increasing the weapon strength of vehicles and honestly I think that is a viable option as well. Make it so the Warthog turret obliterates people so they don’t get a chance to throw those pesky grenades.

#7

> 343 wanted to make Halo more accesible, that necessarily meant eliminating vehicle gameplay. IMO, the the best and only way to solve this problem is a classic BTB, without anti-vehicle loadouts, and without power weapons everywhere.
> That is to say, making Halo the arena shooter it has always been.

Part of me wishes that was true, but Halo has moved on. Turning back, it seems, would create an even bigger mess for the series. The best 343i can do is provide the old school Halo fans with more classic gametypes and playlists. I don’t necessarily have a problem with loadouts as long as the weapons are balanced as much as possible. But, it will be interesting to see what Halo 5 has in store for us. Personally, I don’t like ordnance, especially in its current form. Maybe it could be completely random, providing either grenades, a powerup, or a power weapon? Only time will tell, I suppose.

#8

What would help also is some objective gametypes so people are more focused on the objective than killing people. Vehicle play seems to work fine in Team Objective and Castle DLC. Some maps also don’t work with certain vehicles.

Take the Gauss hog on Exile or the Mantises on Meltdown. They simply aren’t good for the map and destroy other vehicles.

#9

> > I will state, however, that it is the maps’ fault. These maps weren’t designed with vehicle combat in mind. The majority of Halo 4’s BTB maps are dwarfed in comparison to those featured in Halo 3 and Halo: Reach.
>
> True the maps in H4 are all too small, linear but it’s the weapons loadouts, the weapons added from H4 that made getting in vehicles less fun, more of a chore.
> The golden rule they should listen to is sniper rifles/dmr/br shouldn’t be destroying vehicles so easily. Ok here’s an example the way H4 is set up they expect me to believe a sniper rifle can take out a tank, that tanks are so sluggish that they are pretty much useless and with the current OP weapons I wouldn’t be suprised if they decided for some BS reason they made it possible to take out a jet with a sniper rifle and yes I said a Jet. The reason I say a Jet because it’s pretty fast, so are the covenent but they make out like the covenant are completly useless.

I definitely agree, but for me, the Plasma Pistol + Grenade combination should be of 343i’s highest concern (when regarding vehicles). It’s possible that a boost to the vehicles’ health can fix this, but it’s up to 343. I don’t want vehicles to become too overpowered and completely obliterate anything in their way. I just want to see some sort of change. It’s better to try than to not try at all.

#10

I think the only time i used a single vehicle in BTB was on Outcast. Was destroying throughout the match with the Mantis, nailing a Running Riot. However, i’m more of a Sniper kind of guy, so i rather sit back and wave at opposing team as they pass by me.

#11

> What would help also is some objective gametypes so people are more focused on the objective than killing people. Vehicle play seems to work fine in Team Objective and Castle DLC. Some maps also don’t work with certain vehicles.
>
> <mark>Take the Gauss hog on Exile or the Mantises on Meltdown. They simply aren’t good for the map and destroy other vehicles.</mark>

Gauss does not belong on Exile, no questions asked. Mantis on Meltdown as well, b/c there is just no space to walk. I rather see a Mantis on Longbow, and the Gauss hog on Vortex. The Rocket Hog so go on Settler, and the Machingun Hog should be the only one on Exile.

#12

> It’s possible that a boost to the vehicles’ health can fix this, but it’s up to 343. I don’t want vehicles to become too overpowered and completely obliterate anything in their way. I just want to see some sort of change. It’s better to try than to not try at all.

Adding a bit of health does not solve the problem. People will still destroy them instantly because the weapons are OP, should not be shredding banshee’s on spawn. If anything they need to sort out which weapons do the most damage to vehicles so dmrs/sniper rifles need to be toned down severly…

We already have enough heavy weapons so having over-powered dmrs/sniper rifles is going too far.