Attacking while flying.

[Chaos Marine]

I can see why shooting would be hard or disorientating (considering I don't know the except level of recoil from energy weapons). But why can't you throw grenades? I don't really see you can't at least throw grenades.

[Gauddlike]

As a lore based reason the armour is supposed to take both hands to control your flight so taking your hands off the controls to grab a grenade, pull the pin and then throw it would likely end with two explosions, one from the grenade and one from the crashing Xenonaut.

That is the same reason you cannot fire a weapon while flying.

As a balance reason the flight suits allow you increased mobility and complete immunity to Reapers.

Adding the ability to drop grenades on the enemy from a great height is too far from what the devs want the flying suits used for.

Originally they were not going to be able to end their turn in the air at all to prevent them being exploited as hovering gun platforms.

[Chaos Marine]

Ah, I don't think I noticed the lore reason. That would actually be acceptable for that alone.

[Gauddlike]

It is not explicitly stated but the Buzzard armour description says:

[TABLE=width: 1423]

[TR]

[TD]The Buzzard Jumpsuit is a variant of the Wolf Battle Armour designed for mobility over protective ability.

It is fitted with an integrated jump unit, a device that allows the wearer to make vertical "leaps" through the air (onto the roof of a building, for example).

Refinement of the armour plate has decreased weight, slightly reducing protection but letting the soldier carry more into battle.

The jump unit is a rather substantial device worn in a back harness.

It consists of a miniaturised Alenium reactor connected to a pair of thrusters that sit above the wearer's shoulders, paired with various gyroscopic flight control systems and sensors.

Though the jump unit is not powerful enough for hovering or other sustained flight, it does allow the user to move vertically.

Even those who are not trained as pilots should find it easy enough to use in combat - input from the wearer is recorded via touchpads in the gloves, allowing them to steer their intended flight path.

A complex array of vectored thrust ports copied from the alien directional thruster design provide fine control and auto-stabilisation when in flight.

Clearly, the ability to "jump" atop buildings or leap impassable terrain has utility on the battlefield - particularly for your scouts and marksmen.

Soldiers regularly exposed to enemy fire will likely still need the added protection of the Wolf, however.[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

It could be taken that auto stabilisation of the suit would allow the wearer to hover and shoot but the lore just backs up the balance rather than the other way round for me.

Edited April 27, 2014 by Gauddlike