[Malorn]

I have a hard time finding a niche that a buggy fills which the Lightning does not.

The Lightning has basically become the combat role of the buggy - it's fast, and it has a customizable turret, including a skyguard turret. The lightning is the Skyguard of PS2.

So as far as light vehicle support goes, that's the lightning and it's various versions. So buggies aren't light vehicle support. As far as transportation goes there is the sunderer and the flash. So it isn't purely transportation.

Maybe there's a gap between sunderer & flash for transportation of 3-5 players, like a Deliverer that could basically be a light buggy. But then its more of a transportation thing not a light vehicle support, in which case you're still probably better off just using a sunderer.

I just don't see a role for buggies anymore. The customizable lightning frame has made buggies obsolete. The light-fast-attack-vehicle niche they had in PS1 is filled by a better animal, and transport is better suited with the sunderer. So there's no good place for them.