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NEW MECHS
The first time you play with a new mech, play a game in the testing grounds with it. This is a good place to get acquianted with your mech. You get to the testing grounds by clicking the mech icon next to "LAUNCH".
When you are in the testing grounds, take some time to set up your weapon groups. Kill the stationery mechs on the map in order to get a gauge on where your weapons fire from, and how much damage they do.
Experiment with firing all your weapons to see how long it takes your mech to overheat, and which combinations of weapons you can still fire when near the heat limit. One way to help with heat problems is to put your weapons into alternating fire mode (backspace by default).
See how long it takes to accelerate, brake and back-peddle. See how fast your mech can turn it's arms and torso. Fire your different weapons from behind cover to see where you have to be to avoid having your weapons collide with your cover.
POSITIONING
When a match starts, your team should try to get to a good piece of ground, preferably a central location with cover and good lines of sight. It is important that you get good control of the map so that you can easily re-position if need be. Be careful not to extend past the battle line if you are in a slower mech, and don't be afraid of retreating if you get into a bad spot.
If you aren't in an assault (or tough heavy), you probably shouldn't be the one who goes out in front of the push. Let the big mechs take the hits, and get into a position where you can support them, or flank the enemy.
Put pressure on the enemy team. A retreating team is at a disadvantage due to the turning speed of mechs. Make sure the enemy team cannot easily walk forward without taking heavy fire. Make sure that if the enemy line has a hole in it, or if they are too bunched up, that you exploit it by either moving forward and taking a better firing position, split the enemy team up, or flank them from multiple sides.
Think of positioning as a game of push and pull. You are trying to push the enemy backwards, not just get kills. Until you can route your enemy, your goal should be to do damage while minimizing incoming damage, and keep the enemy occupied. An occupied enemy can more easily be flanked or outmaneuvered than an enemy without pressure.
You can only make a number of moves in a match. A slow assault mech can only make a small number of moves, so move to the location that will most quickly put you in a good firing position (i.e. you have coverage of the middle of the map).
WEAPONS
Be aware of the effective range of your weapons, as this will dictate your playstyle. Try to get to the distance where you will have the maximum advantage against the enemy.
Also, don't fire your weapons at spawn. You may hit a friendly (perhaps because of lag). Also, don't fire your weapons when moving forward during the beginning of a match, because the enemy might see the shots and know your position.
That's all for now. Have a nice day
Edited by PeenyPoke, 11 July 2013 - 03:14 AM.
