One other thing I have noticed is that the more skilled players are very quick to make the decision to shield themselves when they step around the wrong corner. I still have this problem where my instinct is to shoot first, and then shield afterwards, but the problem with doing that is if the enemy is looking right at where I'm popping out, it's a lousy trade cuz I'll catch the Heavy/Assault's alpha in my chest.
For example I've spectated Helmstif's HBK play, and he has good instincts so he often pops out when the enemy isn't looking, probably 75+% of the time. But occasionally the enemy is looking exactly at where he pops out, and rather than trying to line up a shot and shoot he'll twist first and block the shot, then use footwork and speed to get an angle and make a shot, so he still retaliates against the slower Heavy/Assault mech before it can pull behind cover, and then Helmstif will pull away and reposition to try from another angle. It also helps that the HBK's *incredible* torso twist range lets you wheel away and be running backward at an oblique angle back into cover, without ever exposing your back to the enemy, because of the ~130 degree twist.... you're basically sleeting back toward cover at a 45 degree angle moving away from the enemy. Most other mechs would expose their backside doing this, so they have to do the forward/reverse shuffle, but the HBK doesn't have to.
By doing this, even when he steps out at the wrong place, he preserves his all-important right shoulder Hunch, and continues to contribute to the fight.
Most mediocre pilots, like myself, tend to step around a corner and line up a shot and shoot, and even if it's just a fraction of a second that we spend on making that shot, it's often long enough for the enemy to drill us where it hurts.
I have to admit I don't quite have the ability to execute that kind of stuff, I'll end up tripping over things or ramming buildings. Or, as I've often done lately, I'll twist *too far*, and catch a shot in the back shoulder, and die instantly, which has happened more than I'd like to admit in my CN9-AL (which I recently threw an XL into... makes it exciting! But sometimes I get one-shotted).
Edited by YueFei, 23 April 2014 - 12:07 AM.