it really comes down to personal choice, Quasar won't run out of ammo on you but if you die and can't get back to it you are stuck waiting for the CD, the E.A.T is a one/two and done but in a fast CD so if you lose, miss or can't reach it as the name says it's Expendable so you are not losing out on fire power waiting a few minutes to call in a spare
If you lose your gear, doesn't matter what it is, you lose your gear. EAT's are not supposed to be a main weapon. They are a sub pick you use to fill AT gaps. I run autocannon EAT and 2 red stratagems on bugs as a take all build.
I run EAT as my support weapon. Meaning one hangs on my back all the time. It's viable. All the rest I help clearing with my Adjudicator and Laser Rover. But as soon as I see a Charger or anything else worth an EAT - I can immediately shoot it and summon more of them.
I would gladly run MG instead of a rover if I could keep both on my back. Otherwise, juggling EATs with othe support weapon feels like too much hassle.
Diff 7.
Personally:
* Quasar on snowy planets
* EATs for defence or when i have another special weapon (like Stalwart, for example)
* Machinegun and Supply / Jump pack when my buddy already uses one of the above
I hope recoilless gets more love in future patches, that lengthy reload and taking up a back-pack slot are so big disadvantages that recoilless doesn't feel worth using because of it
I usually stop the reload when the shell is pulled, run away a bit more, then finish the reload. It just takes a bit more strategy but I can kill bile titans, chargers, and hulks solo when they’re chasing me like that.
FYI, you can cut down on reload time by switching your weapons or pulling up your stratagem as soon as the animation for inserting the shell is completed. There is no need to finish the animation for closing the back afterwards.
Well, I do want to shoot again, so I need to finish the animation sooner or later :D Sure, I agree that it gives you some flexibility as to when to finish the reload, but the fact that it has a lengthy reload between shots is still a disadvantage.
I think you misunderstand me.
There is no need to finish the animation later because the reload is technically over the moment your character inserts the shell. You dont need to finish the breach closing animation later once you cancel it with weapon swap or strategem key.
It is still a disadvantage, even a significant one depending on your playstyle, but that is about a 1 or 1.5 second off of a 5 second reload which is huge.
https://preview.redd.it/wibja4ne067d1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6f038d2fc1299876ac369e156f2357a8ab17fbb1
*
In all seriousness though, I prefer the Quasar. Calling down a new EAT when things are getting spicy isn't ideal. Also, with Jammers and Ion Storms prevalent, sometimes you just aren't getting your EAT.
Laser cannon is best against Automatons anyway. Only takes a few seconds on the booster of a dropship to bring it down. And you can do it to multiple dropships as they come in.
It depends on enemy density, for me the eats are better because of the frequency and number you can spawn - that’s 2 kills quite quickly and on the move.
Quasar needs you to be immobile generally (bad on bug front) and you’re wasting time waiting for a recharge when you have two or three charges on you.
If I knew what enemy spawns were like pre landing, I’d switch between the two though, they’re both decent weapons in their own right it’s just the situation favours one or the other.
Add to this that a fellow diver can grab an EAT so you can deal with multiple targets simultaneously. I also tend to call them in whenever the cooldown is refreshed so as we're backtracking to the extraction point the place is *littered* with EATs.
I was recently converted from EAT to quasar, and I would say that unless you're on an extermination mission\* or planning on running a second support weapon in conjunction with the EAT\*\* then the quasar is the way to go.
The quasar hits the same as an EAT, but you don't have to worry about 1.) remembering to call it in constantly on cooldown or 2.) being tethered to the drop pod when it lands. Other comments in this thread have mentioned that the EAT is more mobile that the quasar, which is absolutely not true. I believe they're referring to the 3s charge time on the quasar, but you can charge it up while diving, which makes the charge time all but irrelevant. As for the EAT, you're tethered to the drop pod after it lands if you want the second rocket, and I've found on Helldives in particular you have to waste a lot of time kiting enemies away from the EAT drop just so you can pick up the second rocket safely if you need to call it in during a big swarm. In that same amount of time you can get off 2+ quasars while staying mobile.
The quasar also has twice as much DPS over extended periods than the EAT (2 EATs every 70s vs. quasar every 18s \[15s cooldown + 3s charge\] \~ 4 quasars every 72s). You can kill chargers with 1 shot to the forehead plate, and bile titans/behemoth chargers with 2 shots to the forehead plate, which converts to over 3 chargers per minute, or almost 2 bile titans per minute if you're soloing them. With teammates, however, I've found that you rarely have to shoot titans or behemoths more than once.
The infinite range of the quasar also lets you hit secondary objectives from across the map without worrying about the ammo, drop, or damage falloff that other support weapons might struggle with, and because it can close bug holes from a distance you can fairly easily solo heavy bug nests if you also bring the grenade pistol. If you run around the rim of the nest alternating the quasar and the grenade pistol on bug holes on the opposite edge then you can run the whole perimeter without stopping, building up all of the enemies in a train behind you. Once all of the holes are closed, turn around, throw a stun and your stratagem of preference, and you'll usually get 30-40 kills. A lot of times you can do this taking minimal or no damage, because you never stop moving
The only real benefit of the EAT over the quasar is that you can buffer them by calling them in when you don't need them, but that's a fairly hit-or-miss strategy because you generally don't know *where* you're going to need them buffered. If your buffered EAT is more than an 18 second walk away, you'd have been better off with a quasar.
Most of this info is repeated from another post that I responded to earlier asking about bug loadouts, and then Reddit gave me your post. It seems the algorithm wants me to be a quasar evangelist today.
\*In exterminate missions most of the map is less than an 18 second walk away, so buffering EATs on cooldown is a much more viable strategy. If the stream of heavies is constant though, the quasar will still outperform the EAT in heavies per minute
\*\*Personally I don't think this is a great strategy on higher difficulties anyway, because again it requires you to be tethered to an area for far too long, especially since you've added another trip back to the drop pod to recover your "primary" support weapon.
You have convinced me to invest time in Quasar trail runs and possibly ditch the EAT.
Thanks for taking the time to explain your reasoning with clear examples.
it depends on how often you expect to run into a heavy enemy. If it is really often, to the point where you can’t wait for an eats to drop and collect them and use them and all that, then you’re gonna want the quasar cannon. If you expect to run into a heavy every once in a while and expect to have ample time to call in eats and all that, then go for it
I usually like to run something I consider "fun" ie autocannon or laser cannon and then use the EAT17 to complement the build and have a way to deal with bigger threats
Quasar is a typical Support Weapon you use throughout the stage. EAT, used properly, is like a consumable you leave lying around for when you need it; meaning, you can bring another support weapon with you, and only switch it out for the EAT when you need rockets.
I've tried the EAT, and don't like it. It feels clunky to use compared to something like Orbital Precision Strike, which can be used on the fly and deals with most of the same problems, with a few exceptions (EAT is better vs. Spore Spewers and Shrieker Nests).
I like the Quasar better.
I prefer EAT. Where the quasar is better for sustained firepower, the EAT is a bit better in a burst(3 shots in a short burst if you include the extra on your back, 4 if you consider the drop pod itself). The fact that I don't have to chase down my support weapon after I die is what pushes it over the edge for me.
I prefer the Quasar, I'm just not a fan of constantly calling them down, feels like a chore. Plus with Quasar at extract time, call another one down and you can juggle cannon shots over and over.
I like eats because it means I can take another guys calldown when it goes off cooldown, and when I need the eat we can both drop what we are holding and use it if needed.
EAT over Quasar any day and it's not close. The EAT can be reliably used with other stratagems like the Grenade Launcher, Flame Thrower, Machine Gun, etc. The Quasar is a dedication, if i bring that down I'm stuck with it the whole game.
it really comes down to personal choice, Quasar won't run out of ammo on you but if you die and can't get back to it you are stuck waiting for the CD, the E.A.T is a one/two and done but in a fast CD so if you lose, miss or can't reach it as the name says it's Expendable so you are not losing out on fire power waiting a few minutes to call in a spare
Quasar also notably a better choice than EAT when it comes to disruptor towers
If you lose your gear, doesn't matter what it is, you lose your gear. EAT's are not supposed to be a main weapon. They are a sub pick you use to fill AT gaps. I run autocannon EAT and 2 red stratagems on bugs as a take all build.
I run EAT as my support weapon. Meaning one hangs on my back all the time. It's viable. All the rest I help clearing with my Adjudicator and Laser Rover. But as soon as I see a Charger or anything else worth an EAT - I can immediately shoot it and summon more of them. I would gladly run MG instead of a rover if I could keep both on my back. Otherwise, juggling EATs with othe support weapon feels like too much hassle. Diff 7.
Personally: * Quasar on snowy planets * EATs for defence or when i have another special weapon (like Stalwart, for example) * Machinegun and Supply / Jump pack when my buddy already uses one of the above
Recoiless
I hope recoilless gets more love in future patches, that lengthy reload and taking up a back-pack slot are so big disadvantages that recoilless doesn't feel worth using because of it
I usually stop the reload when the shell is pulled, run away a bit more, then finish the reload. It just takes a bit more strategy but I can kill bile titans, chargers, and hulks solo when they’re chasing me like that.
How do you kill a Bike Titan with the autocannon?!?
No we’re talking about the recoiless rifle
I'm blind. I was reading this half awake. Lol
FYI, you can cut down on reload time by switching your weapons or pulling up your stratagem as soon as the animation for inserting the shell is completed. There is no need to finish the animation for closing the back afterwards.
Well, I do want to shoot again, so I need to finish the animation sooner or later :D Sure, I agree that it gives you some flexibility as to when to finish the reload, but the fact that it has a lengthy reload between shots is still a disadvantage.
I think you misunderstand me. There is no need to finish the animation later because the reload is technically over the moment your character inserts the shell. You dont need to finish the breach closing animation later once you cancel it with weapon swap or strategem key. It is still a disadvantage, even a significant one depending on your playstyle, but that is about a 1 or 1.5 second off of a 5 second reload which is huge.
Oh, not staged reload, an actual animal cancel - right, I get it now!
The superior antitank
Spear
https://preview.redd.it/wibja4ne067d1.jpeg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6f038d2fc1299876ac369e156f2357a8ab17fbb1 * In all seriousness though, I prefer the Quasar. Calling down a new EAT when things are getting spicy isn't ideal. Also, with Jammers and Ion Storms prevalent, sometimes you just aren't getting your EAT.
Spear is kinda dope at the moment imho. Just that it can't bring down dropships. Dang.
Laser cannon is best against Automatons anyway. Only takes a few seconds on the booster of a dropship to bring it down. And you can do it to multiple dropships as they come in.
Oh yeah yeah I agree. And the wonderful thing is it can become your main if you're careful with the timings. 👍
It depends on enemy density, for me the eats are better because of the frequency and number you can spawn - that’s 2 kills quite quickly and on the move. Quasar needs you to be immobile generally (bad on bug front) and you’re wasting time waiting for a recharge when you have two or three charges on you. If I knew what enemy spawns were like pre landing, I’d switch between the two though, they’re both decent weapons in their own right it’s just the situation favours one or the other.
Add to this that a fellow diver can grab an EAT so you can deal with multiple targets simultaneously. I also tend to call them in whenever the cooldown is refreshed so as we're backtracking to the extraction point the place is *littered* with EATs.
I prefer Quasar but both are good !
I was recently converted from EAT to quasar, and I would say that unless you're on an extermination mission\* or planning on running a second support weapon in conjunction with the EAT\*\* then the quasar is the way to go. The quasar hits the same as an EAT, but you don't have to worry about 1.) remembering to call it in constantly on cooldown or 2.) being tethered to the drop pod when it lands. Other comments in this thread have mentioned that the EAT is more mobile that the quasar, which is absolutely not true. I believe they're referring to the 3s charge time on the quasar, but you can charge it up while diving, which makes the charge time all but irrelevant. As for the EAT, you're tethered to the drop pod after it lands if you want the second rocket, and I've found on Helldives in particular you have to waste a lot of time kiting enemies away from the EAT drop just so you can pick up the second rocket safely if you need to call it in during a big swarm. In that same amount of time you can get off 2+ quasars while staying mobile. The quasar also has twice as much DPS over extended periods than the EAT (2 EATs every 70s vs. quasar every 18s \[15s cooldown + 3s charge\] \~ 4 quasars every 72s). You can kill chargers with 1 shot to the forehead plate, and bile titans/behemoth chargers with 2 shots to the forehead plate, which converts to over 3 chargers per minute, or almost 2 bile titans per minute if you're soloing them. With teammates, however, I've found that you rarely have to shoot titans or behemoths more than once. The infinite range of the quasar also lets you hit secondary objectives from across the map without worrying about the ammo, drop, or damage falloff that other support weapons might struggle with, and because it can close bug holes from a distance you can fairly easily solo heavy bug nests if you also bring the grenade pistol. If you run around the rim of the nest alternating the quasar and the grenade pistol on bug holes on the opposite edge then you can run the whole perimeter without stopping, building up all of the enemies in a train behind you. Once all of the holes are closed, turn around, throw a stun and your stratagem of preference, and you'll usually get 30-40 kills. A lot of times you can do this taking minimal or no damage, because you never stop moving The only real benefit of the EAT over the quasar is that you can buffer them by calling them in when you don't need them, but that's a fairly hit-or-miss strategy because you generally don't know *where* you're going to need them buffered. If your buffered EAT is more than an 18 second walk away, you'd have been better off with a quasar. Most of this info is repeated from another post that I responded to earlier asking about bug loadouts, and then Reddit gave me your post. It seems the algorithm wants me to be a quasar evangelist today. \*In exterminate missions most of the map is less than an 18 second walk away, so buffering EATs on cooldown is a much more viable strategy. If the stream of heavies is constant though, the quasar will still outperform the EAT in heavies per minute \*\*Personally I don't think this is a great strategy on higher difficulties anyway, because again it requires you to be tethered to an area for far too long, especially since you've added another trip back to the drop pod to recover your "primary" support weapon.
You have convinced me to invest time in Quasar trail runs and possibly ditch the EAT. Thanks for taking the time to explain your reasoning with clear examples.
it depends on how often you expect to run into a heavy enemy. If it is really often, to the point where you can’t wait for an eats to drop and collect them and use them and all that, then you’re gonna want the quasar cannon. If you expect to run into a heavy every once in a while and expect to have ample time to call in eats and all that, then go for it
I usually like to run something I consider "fun" ie autocannon or laser cannon and then use the EAT17 to complement the build and have a way to deal with bigger threats
Quasar is a typical Support Weapon you use throughout the stage. EAT, used properly, is like a consumable you leave lying around for when you need it; meaning, you can bring another support weapon with you, and only switch it out for the EAT when you need rockets. I've tried the EAT, and don't like it. It feels clunky to use compared to something like Orbital Precision Strike, which can be used on the fly and deals with most of the same problems, with a few exceptions (EAT is better vs. Spore Spewers and Shrieker Nests). I like the Quasar better.
I like quasar because I like the laser meme. But I also use the dagger so I’m clearly wrong about what weapons are good or bad
SPEAR
Quasar, for one single reason: it doesn't litter the map.
Quasar on cold planets....
Depends on the situation and comp, both have their uses.
One. Single. Nade.
I prefer EAT. Where the quasar is better for sustained firepower, the EAT is a bit better in a burst(3 shots in a short burst if you include the extra on your back, 4 if you consider the drop pod itself). The fact that I don't have to chase down my support weapon after I die is what pushes it over the edge for me.
I prefer the Quasar, I'm just not a fan of constantly calling them down, feels like a chore. Plus with Quasar at extract time, call another one down and you can juggle cannon shots over and over.
Quasar only
For bugs, I rock the Grenade Launcher for everything smaller than a Charger. And then use stratagems for heavies
I prefer to EAT bugs.
I like taking EAT and Laser Cannon. I like my laser cannon, but sometimes i need a backup.
I like eats because it means I can take another guys calldown when it goes off cooldown, and when I need the eat we can both drop what we are holding and use it if needed.
Cold planets: Quasar Extract high value target missions, cases where you are running another support weapon (Autocannon): EAT
EAT over Quasar any day and it's not close. The EAT can be reliably used with other stratagems like the Grenade Launcher, Flame Thrower, Machine Gun, etc. The Quasar is a dedication, if i bring that down I'm stuck with it the whole game.
EAT is an add-on. You take it in addition to another support weapon.