Tank Hunter TNT attack, Useful or not? Options

[RocketMan]

I want to ask you guys for your opinion on this particular ability. Is it useful, do you have any good uses for it? Because besides the rare occasion to plant it on a enemy vehicle, which doesn't occur too often, it's quite redundant currently IMO, and could use some lifting. Vs. buildings it's just too weak to cause any significant damage, it's quite micro intensive, and very risky too use, not to mention that if THs are used in groups then they can dispatch enemy tanks much more effectively with their guns + I would call it a micro intense suicide attack, similar to the GLA tunnel defender explosion upon death ability.

I was thinking, if the TNT could be changed into a selectable thrown projectile, with a lot smaller range than the gun, but dealing quite a lot of damage vs. vehicles, with reduced AoE and without the countdown, generally speaking a thrown AT grenade. Or maybe to boost its damage vs. structures and give it another use.

[GDIZOCOM]

I find it COMPLETELY useless, but that's just my opinion. I don't drive Tank Hunters right into the enemy and I've actually almost never used the ability even in ZH. I think this might fit with some other unit in ROTR may it be China or not. I build more red guards, hopper tanks and volunteer squads

[wargame10]

well yea TNT attack its so pretty useless

[Nemanja]

Well I can't remember what was originally meant to do in old Generals.
Personally it looks cool to have those,but I didn't find some practical use for it.
I think that it would be very useful as thing you can place anywhere on map like ECA SAS commando,
but since THs are just basic conscripts,their version of TNT charges should be timed and probably weaker.
Just some of my thoughts . . .

[GDIZOCOM]

Well I can't remember what was originally meant to do in old Generals.
Personally it looks cool to have those,but I didn't find some practical use for it.
I think that it would be very useful as thing you can place anywhere on map like ECA SAS commando,
but since THs are just basic conscripts,their version of TNT charges should be timed and probably weaker.
Just some of my thoughts . . .

They're trained in hordes so they probably don't get high grade explosives, can be a good explanation

[Joe Kidd]

I generally only use tank hunters in bunkers or on overlord bunkers, so yeah not so much, i do like the idea of switching to a close range high damage attack though, kinda like the RA3 flak trooper.

[Casojin]

TNT attack is kinda last resort weapon when your Tank Hunter is almost being run over by a tank.
Your Tank Hunter may die but the tank is also killed along with you.

[katmoda12]

My 2 cents:

In ten years of gaming with ZH and various mod, I never used it one time.

Naturally take it away would mean useless waste of time for the team: so if it's not broken don't fix it.

[(USA)Bruce]

I generally only use tank hunters in bunkers or on overlord bunkers, so yeah not so much, i do like the idea of switching to a close range high damage attack though, kinda like the RA3 flak trooper.

theres so many things like the nastasha=Boris+jarmen idea stolen from generals....

[Casojin]

I sometimes use the ability but not much. It can annoy the rushing player a bit when seeing their last remaining rushing tank got a TNT on it.

[RocketMan]

Well, if saying that it's a last resort weapon, it's quite similar to the tunnel defender's self destruction ability, but much, much worse, practically useless since you have to micro it, and the TNT charge vanishes when the TH gets killed before detonation, so it generally even doesn't work as a so called last resort weapon since it's almost impossible for him to survive unless the vehicle is disabled. So I would dare to say that it's broken actually.

This post has been edited by RocketMan: 4 Jan 2013, 19:06

[Genmotty]

Well, if saying that it's a last resort weapon, it's quite similar to the tunnel defender's self destruction ability, but much, much worse, practically useless since you have to micro it, and the TNT charge vanishes when the TH gets killed before detonation, so it generally even doesn't work as a so called last resort weapon since it's almost impossible for him to survive unless the vehicle is disabled. So I would dare to say that it's broken actually.

Could be changed to a 5s fuse?

The fluff-lore could be that the Chinese TNT manufacturers took a while to get the lenght of the fuse wire correct, so that it would detonate before a tank crew could clear it off the tank.

[RocketMan]

It wouldn't change anything, because the moment the TH gets run over, it stops the countdown, and the charge vanishes. It must detonate before he gets killed, otherwise it's a waste.

[Guest_Vintorez_*]

well yea TNT attack its so pretty useless

It's not useless no, it's a great way to get a 'parting shot' if your tank hunter is about to get run over by a vehicle. Also in groups you can use TNT to level structures quicker.

But it's definitely not meant to be used as a stand-alone attack, it's something you might occasionally make use of in special circumstances.

[Guest_Vintorez_*]

It wouldn't change anything, because the moment the TH gets run over, it stops the countdown, and the charge vanishes. It must detonate before he gets killed, otherwise it's a waste.

It doesn't do that in vanilla ZH or Shockwave, so if you're saying it does this now then it's a ROTR bug. Normally the charge stays on and detonates even if the tank hunter is killed, just like Burton's timed demo charge.

[TheCeLL]

I guess if China got is helix back, the tank hunter could turn into an infiltration unit, but I never saw it used that way in ZH.

[Alias]

It was much more useful when the Listening Outpost came with Tank Hunters.

[X1Destroy]

The only thing that made the TNT useless is that we have to manually click on the target to use it. I agree that it should be changed to be like RA 3 Flak Trooper AT mines ability.

This post has been edited by X1Destroy: 5 Jan 2013, 2:54

[RocketMan]

It doesn't do that in vanilla ZH or Shockwave, so if you're saying it does this now then it's a ROTR bug. Normally the charge stays on and detonates even if the tank hunter is killed, just like Burton's timed demo charge.

Yes I agree with that. However, that's just one of the aspects of it being useless, the other is that it needs to be manually, that makes it difficult if you use infantry in a bunch, because it's much easier just to pwn them with the cannons rather than to use the TNT, even in short range, because there's always a chance that some of them survive, however if you use this ability it's much less probable. In a situation where, your THs get pwned emasse, it's much less probable that it would be successful, because if a group doesn't stand a chance at range, then single units have even lesser chances to get in close.

[Guest_Vintorez_*]

I guess if China got is helix back, the tank hunter could turn into an infiltration unit, but I never saw it used that way in ZH.

I'm pretty sure that the Helix will be a General Chen-exclusive unit when the Generals are released.

[z741]

I'm pretty sure that the Helix will be a General Chen-exclusive unit when the Generals are released.

im assuming this as well but the han will be mau's gunship.

So what CAS will jin have?

[Serialkillerwhal...]

If we're lucky, none.

[z741]

well its not going to be like that. that would create unbalance in the mod and that's exactly what the devs are trying to avoid

[Guest_Vintorez_*]

im assuming this as well but the han will be mau's gunship.

So what CAS will jin have?

The propaganda airship will replace his helicopters I believe.