M56D vs sentries

[Simo94]

I think they should increase comrade sentry's scatter/stray bullets and completely remove the miss chance in return.

[solidfury7]

Sentries are really not viable due to the fact the AI is really dumb. Only way I could ever see myself using it is if they gave it triple the ammo preloaded.

An M56D team is better in nearly every situation except an overmanned fob defence.

[caleeb101]

M56D literally eats health bars. One second they're there, the next they're gone. Ancient runners explode. Ancient empresses scurry to get away. Even Ancient Crushers would moonwalk backwards from the M56D's might!

Meanwhile, another sentry fails to kill Young Runner 567.

[Telegnats]

I'd rather we just remove sentries entirely and go back to the pre-alpha version of the machineguns. Every time I think about having TWO sentries in an FOB I go "HELL YEA!" And then I remember they're a fucking joke so I only set them up if I feel like being useless.

[Water Bird]

Just gonna leave a png and two videos here.

Holy shit, you just totally won the argument man.

/thread

[Vispain]

I love the MG to death, however getting a good position for it is hard. Even worse still is how xenos don't push a point if a MG is holding it. Example, they'll flank Big Red LZ1 FoBs that have MGs facing south, etcetra.
Offensively, even if you are the fastest engineer with a load out dedicated to the MG (Tool pouch, MG Drum in Belt, Bipod and MG in a hand each) you still won't be able to set it up faster than marines will push...or a boiler will meme you. Yeah, I've had a good round or couple with it but usually they aren't good offensively. Only static emplacements facing a chokepoint or just covering a wide area.

Also...setting it to burst is a godsend, but will mess up anybody that so much as gets winged by it.

[Surrealistik]

The M65D is currently superior in every single way. Devs nerfed the sentry into the ground HARD. It'll hit one shot every ten and do minimal damage at that. As evidenced by the above video, one secure marine in a chokepoint can slam xenos all day with a M65D as long as his flanks are covered.

This. Sentry gun was once upon a time hands down, without question superior; then everything changed when the fire nation attacked/it got nerfed into oblivion.

That said, they're both trash, but the M56D is trash that can actually kill, and situationally can do work in ideal set ups. If the gunner has a gas mask, it can even lay down suppressive/warding fire through boiler attacks (especially if the user is flanked with gas blockers like reinforced glass).

People need to understand that it's strictly a defensive tool, and simply cannot keep up with the dynamics of the frontline, nevermind the meatwall of PFCs that tend to be in front of anything worth shooting there.

[solidfury7]

This. Sentry gun was once upon a time hands down, without question superior; then everything changed when the fire nation attacked/it got nerfed into oblivion.

That said, they're both trash, but the M56D is trash that can actually kill, and situationally can do work in ideal set ups. If the gunner has a gas mask, it can even lay down suppressive/warding fire through boiler attacks (especially if the user is flanked with gas blockers like reinforced glass).

People need to understand that it's strictly a defensive tool, and simply cannot keep up with the dynamics of the frontline, nevermind the meatwall of PFCs that tend to be in front of anything worth shooting there.

I don't know man, it's pretty good used with assaults to cover flanks which otherwise would need a few men.

[Surrealistik]

I don't know man, it's pretty good used with assaults to cover flanks which otherwise would need a few men.

You're better off using it to secure a push base.

[Imperator_Titan]

At the moment, I'd say the M56D is better. Thing just deals tons of damage unlike the sentry. Just feels like a real machinegun when you're firing it.

[HKO20006]

On using M56D as a pushing weapon, it's really good at clearing resin walls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lXUYydJ12k

[Surrealistik]

Yeah, it can clean out resin walls pretty nicely (albeit not as quickly as Hivelords can put them up); the biggest problem is not having a meat screen of PFCs in front of you.

[Printer16]

The M56D is vastly superior currently. I've seen it do more work alone than two sentries. Though, a big part of that was the operator.

[Nickvr628]

The M56D is a fantastic suppression weapon. Fire a round every two seconds in the general direction of the xenos, and they do not want to poke their heads out. And if they do get in close, the high damage does short work of them!

I agree 100% that it should have the affect of binoculars when using it, the dropship variant does, why can't the engineer's?

[Rohesie]

Probably because it would become way too powerful. An armor-piercing machinegun sniper? The salt it'd generate...

[Someonewithapen]

This raises a few questions, like "How does one carry an M56D in the field?" Does it fit in backpacks? Do we sacrifice having an Armor mounted weapon? Do we have to lug around the box wherever we go?

[HKO20006]

How not to be FF'd

[HKO20006]

wiki/Squad_Engineer#Sentry_and_M56D
Click on the mount once it's in your hand,
Wrench it,
Mount the Gun,
Screwdriver it
done

[Someonewithapen]

I mean, I can dig that, but how does one lug it to the location they set it up? Specifically; What do I have to sacrifice if I want to be able to carry the M56D while with my squad?

[HKO20006]

You keep your gun at suit storage, two hands occupied by M56D parts.

[Someonewithapen]

Okay. While on the move, I have to keep the box around/carry the gun in my hands. There's no way I can stow the tripod and gun anywhere in case of an emergency?

[Vampmare]

On using M56D as a pushing weapon, it's really good at clearing resin walls
...

Well would you look at that, it's me. At that time I didn't even know you could put it on burst by CTRL clicking.

This was a one of kind round. I always take the M56D, but the task of dragging it around just gets too troublesome. So I often end up throwing it if we get momentum into the xeno hive or settle down with it and wait for the retreat.
It would be a nice QOL to replace a webbing with some kind of M56D holder or buffing the Sentry again so it actually becomes viable.

[Dolth]

Also : Sentries actually are shit since they are blinded by gas/smoke. Which doesn't follow any logic neither any balancing reason. Just a commonly known bug that remains unfixed because DUH.

[caleeb101]

sentries are more braindead than that marine who loses sight of everything else in front of them between their rifle and a downed runner

[WinterClould]

They really were just nerfed to shit. Completely inrelevent. Only reason dropships are safe now in days is the fact they can lock doors. The turrets do nothing at all. Complete and utter garbage.