Monday, March 5, 2012

Juggernaut Arrives - but with a twist

I know guys, I know - its hard to get too excited about the Juggernaut

Well, Maverick and Goose are not going to be singing Great Balls of Fire tonight.  It looks like the stats on the Juggernaut has been tweaked from the leaked version (aka, watered down).  See picts below

Released Juggernaut

LEAKED Juggernaut

 The "New" Juggernaut ( still a reskinned Bobcat modeled after the F-14 Tomcat of Top Gun lore) is no longer the crowned official "STEALTH" plane - it now shares this title with the Arbiter at +12%.  A step in the direction of boring, in my opinion, with 2 of the performance levels downgraded.  Not sure why Z2 doesn't want to provide a true stealth plane, but the released Juggernaut dropped 2% from the leaked version.  Still, being tied for most stealthy, they should have chosen an F-22 or F-35 skin or crank out a F-117 skin and really make it interesting.

The Juggernaut still has the best agility of any defense class plane, but only slightly better than the Dragon (although still not very agile compared to agility class, but closer to weapons class levels).

Juggernaut maintains BEST IN FLEET and BEST EVER RELEASED for Armor - but with no extra regeneration, that isn't too much of a thrill.   Lock speed has been bumped up a bit from the leaked version.  It was hard for me to get too excited about the leaked version of this plane.  It is even HARDER for me to get excited about this watered down version.  Maybe the armor would be worth while if there is a new, incredibly hard campaign (doubtful).   As said before, my preference would be to jack the stealth up even higher and make a REAL stealth plane.  Overall Juggernaut is decent, but not ground breaking and definitely not worth 205 coins.



SEE PLANE COMPARISON GUIDE TO COMPARE THE NEW JUGGERNAUT TO CURRENT PLANES!!!

62 comments:

  1. This is actually a f14 tomcat according to metalStorm

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  2. don't be so quick to give up on this plane ... i am a hawken fan ... but i was 60/40 against them ... i initially got this plane just because it looked sweet and i don't have a defense class plane plus am desperate to reach level 20 on survival mode supposedly defense class with a great partner will do it ... BUT for a laugh i played versus mode and i beat 4 straight hawkens with over 2000 ratings ?!?! coincidence ... the added agility w stealth makes it really hard for a missle to lock on ... the armor along w energy allows it to be really durable ... waiting to take on a reaper or other agility monsters BUT this plane is not a lame as you think.

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    1. Give me ur game center I'll get u to 20

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    2. StarCaller- what is ur skill rating?

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    3. How Much I wish Metalstorm allowed Auctioning of your used planes !!! in exchange of coins or credits!if Not your money Juggernaut would be first on My TO auction list. i am willing to donate Nightwing to charity as well.. Both No Good for Battles atall.. I am 5K Plus SR guy and own several planes and have played games with all kind of budget and Coin Weapons.. But looks like Metalstorm doesnt allow Win Rate > 40% !

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    4. ^ my win rate is about 75%.XD. if you want to increase your win ratio and get credits fast, heres a big tip: go to versus, click on invite friend instead of automatch, then instead of pressing the invite button, just click play now on top right hand corner of the small screen popup. you will enter someplace called the noob room where 90% of your opponents have sr below 1k. i raked up sr and credits very fast always getting at least 5 kills per game. enjoy owning and when you feel like owning noobs is no kick then go back to the automatching thingy or pro room

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    5. StarCaller you should have said your SR was "OVER 9000!!!"

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  3. Wow that was fast (the blog I mean).

    I just fought my first battle against the Juggernault piloted by a skilled player (15,000+ pts) using my Dragon. Both of us were using Valkyrie cannons but he had Lancers whilst I was using RAMs. I think I was a little complacent in the first round and in my attempt to cause some damage he managed to cripple my dragon and finish me off despite my best attempts to stay alive. In round 2 I was much more evasive and managed to hold him to a 0-0 draw. He couldn't cause enough damage to prevent my regeneration and I really struggled to score many hits with my missiles (I guess stealth is quite useful for that) whilst trying to take pot shots at him.

    Overall I suppose it is a good defensive plane, and it does look quite striking as well, but I reckon the Dragon is still superior thanks to regeneration.

    Heindrich1988

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  4. Me and many others complained about the astronomical agility and armor on this plane, so many of us lettered to them to cut it down. Looks like they finally listened to us. Also, I believe they did the same to Sentinel also.

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    1. Are you against improvement? You are selfish. Definitely

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    2. I don't think being against 'improvement' is selfish. A lot of people have invested a lot of time/effort/money on their planes, slowly upgrading them, improving their skill and technique, and even developing a certain attachment to their planes. Z2 would annoy a lot of people if they kept bring out better planes that would make peoples' previous efforts obselete.

      For instance I don't have enough time (and money) to buy and develop every kick-ass plane released, so almost all my efforts have been focused on my Dragon, which is now fully upgraded and with which I feel pretty confident. I would be mightily pissed off if they released something which is simply better than the Dragon in every way. That kinda 'power creep' was what put me off Magic the Gathering, incidentally.

      In other words, it's okay for them to release planes which are as good as existing ones, or perhaps better in some ways, but penalised by some other weaknesses, to keep the game balanced. Players should buy new planes cos they look cool, or to practise a new playing style etc... not simply to keep up with the competition.

      Having said all that, I didn't think the leaked Juggernault was overpowered in the first place, and given they've weakened it further, they probably should've released it as a 2nd tier plane for 145 coins or a 'near-top-of-the-range' 185 coins. The game's balance is really good at the moment, where the same matchups can result in different results depending on player performance and skill.

      I really love close battles where my opponent and I constantly try to probe the other's weaknesses, react to the other's tactics, and then react to their reaction! I sincerely hope they keep it that way! So even though I was looking forward to buying the Sentinel so I can start playing with a top-class Weapons class, I really hope they tone that beast down a bit too, cos 17% damage and 16% range bonus was a bit ridiculous.

      Heindrich1988

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    3. You bring up a very good point. Are better performing planes better for the game or does it degrade the game? Stay tuned - I will post my thoughts on this soon. :-)

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    4. In my opinion, the fact that the sentinel, for instance, has +17 on damage isn't a big deal since it is only +2 compared to the Eagle (which is not an unbeatable plane). Furthermore, I believe better planes increase competitivity against high-end missiles, such has bisnovats. Which is a great asset to the game.

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    5. Confirmed new stats for Sentinel:

      Dmg unchanged
      Range decreased
      Agility decreased
      Armor decreased

      Finally, it's not that ridiculous anymore...

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    6. @ MetalStorm Forever:

      For players with SAME "true skills" flying different planes, the game will become a hardware one.
      If one player is better than the other, then the match will become a software one, i.e.: better player play with worst plane can still win or at least draw.

      That's the conclusion of many of us :) But I'd still like to read your thoughts.

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    7. @The person who call me selfish.

      I can take down a 20SR RW loaded with bisnovats and hades using nothing but wraith and standard. Remaining armor = 0%

      Giving out a plane with astronomical range and dmg? I don't think I can even beat them anymore. Am I not skilled enough? It's the hardware problem. It's just too OP

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    8. Dude (I think? lol), how do u find out about stuff like this? How do you know the Sentinel is gonna be 230 coins for example? You know somebody on the inside? Just curious.

      Heindrich1988

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    9. No. It's Female here... =.=

      We have lots and lots of player on the MetalStorm fan club on Facebook, and there's got to be someone who have bought the leaked planes. So we asked them and saw the changes and asked them what was the cost.

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  5. I got it and upgraded it fully, not worth $20.00 bucks, it's slow, missle lock on is BS, BISNOVATS DIDN'T TRACK AFTER LOCK ON. After 20 versus only 30% kill rate, my Dragon averages 70% kill rate. Need better planes not worse. Should have upped the dynamics not water down. I got 20 plus planes and this one pissed me off the worst for the price and upgrades. STEPSGAME

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  6. I'll say it again--for getting past Wave 20 in survival, nothing tops an M-11 Raven (I joined too late to buy a Dragon) with Bisnovats. For all its vanilla other features, the regenerating armor of the M-11 can't be beat. I've gotten so blase that I don't even worry about dodging one or even two missiles shot at me. In Versus, I can beat any other airplane in a 1-0, 2-0 contest, or at least hold them to a 0-0 draw. The only time I got creamed with a Raven was when an Eagle was set up right behind me and he pounded me with missiles before I could turn away from him. Since my last posts, I've gotten past Wave 20 four times with a good partner and an M-11--and that was after ZERO times with Hawkens/Red Widows/Eagles the previous three weeks of playing.

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    1. Dragon is much better. i made it past wave 20 multipule times on my own with standard missiles

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  7. Ok. How many of you would like z2 to come out with the blue angel. But what class would it most likely be.

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  8. I have been running a one man clan for a month planning some things and have finally opened the doors to those wanting to join. As of now I need two leaders wiling to advertise and help administrate my clan: [A.A.F.]™ Advanced Airborne Fighters. These individuals must have a SR of 8000 or above and must stay loyal to the AAFs. I am also looking for general members for the clan 4000 SR or above. Send me a friend message at: [A.A.F.]™SkyReaper or list ur game center. I will then test ur skill and give u tips and pointers if needed. Please not if u are a leader u must contact me before recruiting a member after giving his skill test. Thank you

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    1. Any initial questions list below

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    2. ...and silly of me to forget if u send my a game center request make sure u tell me u want to be in the clan-:)

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    3. StarCaller, I play MSW for a while (SR 4000+) and I have noticed so far, that there are clans. However, I could not figure out what's the purpose of a clan?

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    4. Its simple, clans are away to cOme together and helP each other in the game. It's much like a blOg except for its in the game and instantly interactive. We would always help others in need giving them critical hints and tips and furthering their skill and knoalage. Many clans have grown rather large and are well know and feared. COnsider it.

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    5. @StarCaller

      I'd potentially be up for this (as an ordinary member), my Game Centre is 'Heindrich1988'. I don't understand how this would work in practise though, how do you add Alliance tags to your name? How do alliance members communicate or coordinate activities?

      Heindrich1988

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    6. One, to tag or make sure a person is with the AAFs the trademark [A.A.F.]™ would be added in front of the name
      2, much of our communications would be through the mics in the game+ over the spring break I will most likely make a Facebook group page for this clan.

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    7. StarCaller
      I have a SR of 3206 and have the reaper which only took me 2 days from 900 can I join or does it have to be 4000? Btw how do you add clan tags?

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    8. I typed above message.

      But now I am having trouble because I'm only against 10000 and above for the past 15 or so matches.

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    9. Don't worry I'll make the exception and infancy I will help you reach the goal to add a tag just put a [A.A.F.]™ in front of ur Game center user name. List ur game center below and we can start!

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    10. Just to try I dont want to join I just want to fight you once

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    11. Um.... Ok but I'll still need a game center to play ya

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    12. @StarCaller: can you add me on Game Center? It's 'Heindrich1988'.

      Heindrich1988

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    13. Yes sorry I was busy this week but I'll get u all organized in the clan today if your still up for it.

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    14. Cool, got it, I'm quite busy too, I'll try invite ya sometime, but I guess we gotta get quite lucky cos we're not in the same time-zones (I'm in the UK)

      Heindrich1988

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    15. Makes since so ya anytime always invite my twice cause sometimes I have problems connecting

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    16. Please friend me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm DominationDude5. Sorry, I don't have a lot of skill rating. P.s. what plane should I get? 400 coins and really need a good weapon class plane.

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    17. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    18. @Starcaller
      Is your GameCenter SkyReaper? I think I've played you in a versus match. I'm already part of a 3-man clan but don't have enough skill level to join yours. I restarted MetalStorm after my old GameCenter was bugged. Only +2000 skill level now, but +9000 skill level for my old GameCenter. Do you still think I can join? The week after next I should be wide open.

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    19. I just beat a A.A.F. member with 14 k skill. Does that count as automatic admission???

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  9. Nice! Way to be proactive and start your own clan! Best of luck and see you in the skies!

    hatcherooney [USAF]

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    1. Is your clan named [AF] [USA]? I just battled someone with an Iron Fang with clan designation [AF] I forgot the username [USA]. could that be your clan?

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  10. agility has been lowered down too

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    1. Does anyone know what are the sentinel's current stats?

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  11. Hi everybody. At first i'd like to thank the creator of this blog. Awsome job done here, serious database, and nice pleasure to read each new posts.

    i have a question: i plan to buy a defense plane (i have few weapons and agility bastards in the garage). what is the weapon of choice? Arbiter? Raven? Juggernaut? future Odyssey? i have few coins and credits in stock but i'd like to choose the better one between price and performances. i probably wouldn't use it in versus game, only in survival mode or farming missions. Thanks a lot and keep up the good job!

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    1. Hey man, I consider myself a bit of a defense specialist as I've fought about 90% of my battles with the pride of my fleet, the Dragon. Hope the following is useful...

      The answer is that unfortunately, the two best defense planes in the game are no longer available- Green Eagle and Dragon. The best currently available defense plane is the Raven, thanks to its regeneration, which is on par with the Dragon. However, it is clearly not a 'top-of-the-range' plane, and is inferior to both the Dragon and Green Eagle. That said, regeneration is so useful that the Raven is still superior to supposed top tier planes like the Juggernault. I have now come across the Juggernault quite a few times in versus mode. After getting used to them, I can now defeat them quite easily with my Dragon even when out-classed in terms of missiles and cannons.

      So your decision depends on what you'd like to achieve... if you just want a AI basher for campaign and survival mode, then the Raven will do the job. If you want a top of the range defense plane which can be competitive in versus mode, then I suggest you hold off the purchase and wait for the next regeneration beast Z2 releases... I'm sure they will, lots of people seem to be waiting for the next Dragon/Green Eagle.

      Heindrich1988

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  12. Does anyone know how much they decreased sentinel stats by

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  13. Z2 understands that armor regen. basically breaks the game. They made a good choice not introducing another green eagle.

    [SV Cadet] sangonchuangnu

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    1. [SV Cadet] sangonchuangnu:

      I gotta say I disagree with this. 2 out of the 3 classes can potentially regenerate to some extent, so planes with some regeneration capability in their base stats don't have some particularly exclusive advantage... so really it's an issue of balance, which so far I think Z2 has managed quite well.

      As I said I fly a Dragon most of the time, and I think regeneration adds quite a nice tactical dimension to the game. It is not uncommon for me to come across opponents would can destroy me in an open firefight. I've lost count of the number of times I've been owned by the Hawken+Bisno combo, and my worst nightmare of an opponent is a skilled pilot with the Eagle+Meteor combo, which can easily destroy my Dragon in a single 'fly-by'. The only thing that gives me a chance against these opponents is to try to outsmart them and drag the fight out. I try to negate their reload advantage by sticking close to them and limit them to one salvo of missiles per 'fly-by exchange', and when my armour is nearly gone, I try to evade for a while, knowing that my armour will recover whilst my enemy's won't. Then of course it's a test of my opponent's skill to see if he can hunt me down and finish me off.

      Thus regeneration is no more unbalanced than the speed and agility of the Agility class (there have been battles where a skilled Reaper pilot can avoid all my shots all match long cos defense class simply doesn't have the agility, speed or missile tracking to cope) or the incredible firepower of the Weapons class (which can deliver punishing victories with impunity against unskilled/weak opponents). In fact the best evidence that regeneration is not broken as a principle is the fact that by far the most popular planes on versus mode for fairly advanced players are the Hawken, Eagle, Red Widow, Thresher and Reaper... none of which are defense class.

      Heindrich1988

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  14. hi, maybe interrupt some discussion... related to this topics ...
    for people bought the plan at leaked time, and now with revised release... will his old plan statistics still be downgraded? or remain differently?
    I heard Dragon had higher stats at first launch but modified down on regeneration at second show up...
    Does that mean in the future there's chance Z2live will downgrade out bought plan arbitrarily?

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  15. no. All changes are applied to all planes, including old ones

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  16. Should I get a hawken, arbiter or thresher?

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    1. Hawken if you want to kill brutally and simply. Thresher if you want to kill elegantly and complexly.

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  17. At the moment I have the black eagle

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  18. If you pilot an eagle the transition to a hawken is much easier and it's no coincidence that the hawken is the most popular plane in the game. Simply it is a flat out BEAST!!!! Agile, quick lock and reload with sick damage...when in the mood strikes me i will take out my reaper but when I am simply in the mood to put boots to @$$e$...I take out the hawken.

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    1. Are there 2 juggernaut in the game? Also 1 with 12% agiility

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  19. juggernaut isnt featured for me its on my fucking list

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    1. Is it then. I didn't know that it was at all common to have an aircraft on your fucking list.

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