Anti-air turrets (Abreviated: AA) are one of the deployables used by USIF forces. They are stationary, unmanned emplacements, and are used to prevent soldiers and other deployables from burning in to an area, as well as preventing dropships from dropping off vehicles and other supplies. Anti-air turrets are very dangerous, and targets that Burn In to their active area would most likely be killed.
Operation[]
Anti-air turrets have an internal computers which control them. The computer is linked to scanners, as well as the Tactical Network, which allows them to pick out targets. The turret's armaments, which are two tri-barreled rotary flak cannons that fire rail-propelled shells, are attached to the base of the turret by a network of servos which aim it. The cannons are belt fed from two drums located beneath each cannon.
Strategies[]
At the start[]
There is a good reason why neutral CPs come with an AA turret that shoots everyone out of the sky - it prevents most players from burning right onto the CP, instead forcing everyone to land outside - usually on the edge of the turret's range - and then fight their way in.
The alternate tactic is the use of the Deceptor Plates perk, with each level cutting down AA damage by 20%. With out any special-purpose perks, an average trooper's shields survive half a dozen shots, and the armor lasts for just two. With Deceptor and two-three shield boosters, a charecter's shields last long enough for an early brake and maneuvering despite the flak. However, such an infiltrator might get caught in the act once other players rush in, especially if they had destroyed the AA gun, allowing for the first wave of re-spawns burn in on top of them.
Holding down the Fort[]
No one wants enemy troopers falling out of the sky right on top of them. Once captured, the AA turret keeps enemy infantry and deployables at bay, but a massed attack or a properly geared class can successfully deploy an enemy saboteur that can bring an end to the turret - or the whole base. The AA turret can only attack a single target within a limited range. But two guns are definitely better than one; a second turret will likely be sufficient to outgun all but the most specialised enemies, and a third will stop literally everything.
Branching out[]
An AA turret is vital to keeping areas away from CPs under your control. Of course, miniguns, rockets and sensors are important, but still, it will prevent chaotic combat as the enemies drop in to force you out of your beachhead. Other roles can be taken on by a squad of infantry, but AA can not.
It is heavily advised to maintain overlaps to ensure an intruder's destruction. Also, turrets are sitting ducks themselves, so pick spots that are hard to access for rocket-wielding hostiles. A minigun turret is merely a partial solution.
Trivia[]
- You need to get 10 kills with an Anti-Air Turret to earn the Duck Hunt Achievement.
- Unfortunately, the turret only fires at targets burning-in. It does not target jetpacking infantrymen, who are, in theory, an aerial target. That could have discouraged jetpacking inside an enemy base. This could be to keep gameplay balance and a canonical explanation could be because it takes time to lock-on to a jetpacking target and by the time it would have a lock-on, it wouldn't have the vertical clearance.