21 replies to this topic

[Foxfire kadrpg]

Here is my standard approach to surviving Long Range Missiles.

Step 1: Assume that you will face LRMs.

Don't kid yourself, even those that think LRMs are beneath them will still turn to them for tournaments, thinking they are some how a "Broken Auto-win Device".

Step 2: TAKE A MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT WHERE THE ENEMY IS early in the match.

Probably the biggest difference between the average (not Noob.. AVERAGE) player and a veteran is that the veteran spends some time thinking about his opponents' perspectives, and acts in the absence of them being visible infront of them.

Step 2B: Travel where you are not going to be seen.

The first and foremost defense against Long Range Missiles is their prevention. Only ONE opponent needs to see you in order for EVERY opponent to fire on you. When approaching the enemy at the start of the match, you should have a general idea where to look because you took the time to remember the spawn locations the last time you played from their side. Pause a moment before going over cliffs, move up to tall cover and look out across the rest of the map before leaving it.

Step 3: Know where your cover is, and how to use it.

Proper cover from missiles is anything that stands between you and the missile. It does not have to loom overhead, it needs only be tall enough to intercept the missile arc. If you are a long distance away, or a very short distance, this arc is going to be fairly low altitude. As the battle approaches 600-400 meters or so, you will want things taller than you.

Do not be eager to leave cover. Even if the missiles stop, there is still a period of time when the enemy still has a lock. Longer still is the period at which your average opponent will STARE at the place where you ducked aside, waiting for you to step out again. And ALWAYS consider that there might be an enemy who CAN see you but does not have missiles.. look for lightweights and UAVs before stepping in range of enemy missiles.

Step 3B: Leave cover PROPERLY.

So often when -I- am the one launching LRMs, I see someone step behind a rock to avoid them. Then, a moment later, when I've stopped launching missiles, they step out again, and move in the open to the next rock. I fire more missiles at them. Sometimes I laugh at them.

To properly leave cover, move away from it in a direct line AWAY from where the Missiles were coming from. Hopefully, the missile launcher was the only one who saw you, and moving while this cover is still between you will prevent him from knowing you've left. (As a side note, a lot of high scores in any sort of scenario hinges on knowing when to leave a bad situation and come back to the battle later)

Step 4: Prioritize LRM boats.

As long as you are not being attacked at the moment, take a LITTLE time to cycle through available targets, or to peak over a ridge in the direction of incoming missiles. When safe, you should always try to hit missile boats or sources of ECM first, followed by whatever is heaviest in tons.

Step 5: Do NOT expect miracles.

Sometimes the enemy just focuses on you. Get your head back in the game for the next match.

AMS and ECM:

Not a "step" per se. AMS does not stop every missile. It is padding. Bring it when you can afford the space and tonnage, and never expect it to keep you alive. ECM is a greater benefit for all purposes and is a reasonable counter for Missiles in that it can stop the enemy from locking on at the range they could without it. If you have ECM equipped, pay attention to the Eye icon at the right of your screen; if it ever becomes a crossed out "ECM", start looking for good cover, even if you are not being shot at right now, until such a time as it becomes active again.

Radar Deprivation Module.

Probably the best thing you could equip to try and defeat missiles from the mech bay. Radar Deprivation breaks lock-ons the very moment you move out of sight from anyone. As one who gleefully tells you I use LRMs, I can tell you there are a lot of moments when I am tracking a target but cannot fire at it right this moment. Radar deprivation not only kills a lock on sooner, it can allow you to change position (Step 3B) a lot easier.

[TygerLily]

Agreed:

Approach under cover and brawl them. The more LRMs, the less they can brawl. And after moving in I'd even say prioritize their Medium thru Assault non-LRMs first, then start knocking down the LRMs (although, I'd send Lights after the biggest LRM boats first).

[luxebo]

Big thumbs up to this post, hopefully less people will go suiciding out of cover in their Founder's/Phoenix/Invasion mechs and more people would realize exactly how to counter them.

Edit: I would like to say though that LRMs have been quite overused and it's an iffy subject. I'll leave balancing to the more experienced, but it needs some revision and overlook whether it's buffed/nerfed.

Edited by luxebo, 16 November 2014 - 06:34 PM.

[Ertur]

IS LRMs are useless inside of 180m. Clan LRMs still do noticible damage at 100m or farther. Close in with LRM boats, using cover when you can.

[GARhenus]

Not sure if this applies to all 'mechs but on flat terrain with no cover you tend to get hit less if you jumpjet a bit towards the side + forward. Say if the missile is coming from 12 o clock you can jump jet to 10 or 2 o 'clock. Seems that jumping away just gives the missiles more room to turn and adjust their flight path. It's not enough to clear larger missile salvos but every bit of damage mitigation helps.

[Pocket_Aces]

I would like to add that, sometimes, just sometimes you get prioritized and no matter what you do you will die from the LURMS in the first few minutes of the match, rest assured that in the next game it will be someone else's turn.

the good thing about dropping in a group................ it gives the enemy someone else to shoot at.

[Sky Hawk]

How?.. Hope, that your teammates can spot.. If you have luck, and they do it properly.. then.. all you need to do, is just bring more LRMs Ammo and faster lanchers in the field, then the enemy ...

Edited by Sky Hawk, 16 November 2014 - 07:30 PM.

[mailin]

I agree with the OP, in particular the part about prioritizing ECM and lrm mechs. When you have lrms and a friendly launches a UAV, notice if the enemy has an ECM. If they do, target him first.

Note that the opposite is true as well. If lrms start pouring down on you and your buddies even with an ECM mech close by, look up for a UAV and take it out immediately. If a friendly starts firing into the air, look up. He's probably firing at a UAV.

[Egomane]

Please keep this up with advice on how to survive against LRMs.

The moment this thread turns into another pro or contra LRM thread, I'll either move it to General Discussion or close it outright.

[Apocryph0n]

Easiest way:

Use Radar Deprivation -> laugh as all their Missiles hit the dirt next to you. Rush LRM Boats and give them sweet close quarters hell.

And really, Radar Dep is a must have for every mech (except some ECM ones maybe, but safer with Radar Dep since the BAP changes)


Edit:

I know that Mech Modules are expensive, but at least one of those should be on top of any new players "must have" list, RD makes things so much easier.

Edited by Camper101, 17 November 2014 - 02:04 AM.

[Revorn]

Try to Figth in the Cover filled Areas, even at Caustic and Alpine are places, where LRMs dont hitt very well.


If you are in an Medium Mech with some Long Range Weapons and able to move lets say 100 k/ph, try to get a close to Cover Postition, from wich you are then take some shots at the Boat.
Convince the Boat to shot at you and start to dance with the Missles. Let the Boat waste his Missles. For this Tactic, you dont want to have Radar Derp equiped.

Be Patient, in most LRM heavy Games, patience is the Key to sucess, because no one have endless Ammo.


And the well known one, Take AMS and enough Ammo, if you are slower than 80 k/ph,

Edited by Revorn, 17 November 2014 - 03:23 AM.

[Senor Cataclysmo]

This guide is excellent. I couldn't agree more.

Particularly the point about observing the position of enemies & travelling where you aren't going to be seen. I noticed a *dramatic* improvement in how much heat I took from LRMs when I learned how to do these. To the point where I see people moan about them on here & wonder if we're playing the same game.

[Satan n stuff]

Foxfire kadrpg, on 16 November 2014 - 06:08 PM, said:

OP

And this is why I almost never get lurmed to death. Well except for the ECM and AMS part, I usually don't have either of them.

[Black Orchid X]

Thanks for posting this. Your tip on how to move in the opposite direction keeping cover between me and the lrm boats is a tactic I learned from watching deer. When being hunted they will walk away and keep a tree between their backside and the hunter. Good post. Good tips.

[CptJehuty]

Another good this is to know the direction the LRMs are coming from. Look up and see where they are. Just running to cover may not work if the missiles are coming from behind you.

[McHoshi]

run

[FIRESTORM91]

An interesting strategy that I've used (which is risky since it leaves you wide open to direct fire and some people are smart enough to stop firing after a few salvos) is using a locust with an XL 190 and speed tweak. Just run between two pieces of cover and watch the missiles hit the ground or the piece of cover you're using. Doing this a few times will have their LRM boats wasting a lot of ammunition. I've run people completely out of ammo or have made them become ultra-conservitive with what they have left. Also note that if you're struck by a NARC missile beacon that radar deprivation becomes useless untill the beacon wears off. You yourself can't tell if you've been hit, so ask teammates if you think you've been hit. Also, keep an eye on the skies for UAV's.

[Foxfire kadrpg]

I know it is poor form to bump one's own thread, but there has been a lot of complaints about LRM use in the tournaments.

Maybe when someone complains, we could direct them to these steps? I can't remember the last time I died to LRMs.

[Revorn]

I know my last time, well, because it happens not often.

Last Weekend, i stepped over an Hill, to look where the enemy is. Frozen City. I saw them, relative close to my Position. Then the Missle warning started, 2 Seconds later i was Dead. At minute 2 of the Game. Unfortunaly i got hit by 3 Massive Missleboats and 2 SRM Boats. Wow. My Wolverine melted instant.

But such Situations are very Rare for me, because i use all the Tricks needed. That Way LRMs arent realy a Problem. So bumping the Thread, seems to be a good idea to help other Pilots to survive as well.

[William Slayer]

Love to use LRM mechs, and have to agree with the OP. That being said, I have "Walked in another mans shoes" and use many of these techniques against LRM mechs too.

The one I would like to point out in particular is the "LRM Bait" move mentioned where you either move between two pieces of cover, or move in and out from behind the same cover, drawing LRM fire. This works especially well in the opening minutes of a match when many LRM mechs are trailing behind the speedy Lights who are looking for that Scouting bonus money. You show up on an LRM Mechs radar, but they have no real idea what your position is. To them it's a free shot and they hardly ever turn that down. Present yourself as a juicy target for the first minute (staying close to cover mind you), and the LRM boats will waste ammo as they maneuver into positions.

As an LRM Mech, the key for me is to look to see my crosshairs flash RED during impact. If that isn't happening, then my missiles are hitting a something besides an enemy mech, BUT, during those opening minutes many pilots are more focused on driving than looking for that confirmation of a hit... and you can get them to waste ammo.

Now, how much will this be lowering my scores during the game? Let's find out! Happy hunting all.