146 replies to this topic

[Father Tork]

So having played for well over a year now, and invested a fair chunk of money into a game I enjoy thoroughly, I have a surplus of mechs.

Like most players, I got mechs of all sorts. Brawlers, snipers, harassers, and LRM boats.

Sometime I play to the Metta (e.g. ThunderWub, StreakCrow), sometimes I don't (All my Commandos and Trebs)

That being said, sometimes I just want to LRM things, and get to experience a horde of vile aggression in the game chat. Now I have the option to turn open chat off and ignore it completely, but I don't. Knowing the level of concentration it takes to exceed in a LRM boat, I revel in it.

LRM boats are not noob friendly, unless you happen to drop in a group with a lot of LRM boats and some VERY good spotters. It's not just sitting in the back and pressing a button. It's learning to pick targets, paying attention to damage registration to adjust cycle/alpha fire, getting your own targets, and most importantly navigating around the map to avoid terrain and enemies.

If your ELO is decent (and I'm not suggesting I'm an MWO god, just barely above average on my good days), using LRMs gets more and more difficult when your enemy knows how to deal with them.

And most importantly, the majority of my friends I've gotten to start playing the game, can't wrap their head around using LRMs to good effect. They've learned how to brawl, and snipe, and possibly even run a great light, but mastering LRM boats, it's a tougher learning curve then most think.

Noob Friendly? not likely.

[That Dawg]

pro tip: if WHATEVER becomes "op" (god i hate that term, it implies a win button regardless of skill set) then use it, and learn to defend from it.
I dont run AMS and rarely get tore to hell by LRM's. Maybe 1 or 2 times a night. However, I do get LOTS of kills using LRM's.
why is that?
lucky? maybe
overpowered? well...then I should die as often as I kill, no?
noob? pfft, once dead I've ridden in noob trucks- no locks, dumb firing into hill, ripping into friendlies, bitching that "no one is getting locks" blaring away at targets past TWELVE hundred meters, or my personal favorite bitching in chat the targets are..wait...."out of range"......I guess they're stuck?
Lately, I think the BEST builds do in fact engage at all ranges. Last 14-16 months I'd always recommend building for long range, OR medium, OR brawl..now? better do it all or git 'et up as they say in the swamp

[627]

shht, how dare you telling true words about noskillz lurm autoaim weapon!

but you are right, once out of the kiddie pool, lurming need some skill. Not aiming, that is true. but positioning and map/match awareness.

In pugland it is still a gamble, though. it is a team weapon, if you dont get the right mates or enemies you are screwed as lrm boat.

[CH103]

Having used lrm mechs infrequently such as my founders catapault I get at least one kill a match with it, but then again I do use lrms as support weapons to aid my team in a battle so I don't aim for kills with lrms.

[Lord Ikka]

I think that the problem with "LURM NOOBS" is the perception of LRM-boats in general. They are viewed as a no-skill weapon, just lock and fire constantly. In reality, it takes both good timing, good teammates, and a good loadout to get the most from a LRM-boat, especially IS. LRM-boating requires a constant knowledge of surrounding terrain and enemies, because the last thing you want is to launch your missiles into the side of a canyon or have a couple of Lights swarm and pick you apart.

That being said, I rarely use my boats nowadays, I'm more focused on competitive builds with direct fire. I'll still pull one out if I'm messing around though- nothing more fun than streams of destruction raining down.

[Mogney]

Firing lrms is easy, surviving in an lrm boat that is slow, fragile, and has little to no close range weapons does take skill. Having said that I generally only run lrms when I am too tired and just want to play easy mode.

[Mudhutwarrior]

Lrm boats especially in solo need some real tactical skill to play well. I rely on them when my vision gets bad as my aim skill goes out the window. It still took a long time to learn how to play them. I spend a lot of time with my new player friends expressing leaning your role in support or attack/scout. Lrms are basically a tactical support weapon and should be played as such.
In solo better to bring tag before anything else as you can generate your own targets. You will find it helps quite a lot.

[Joseph Mallan]

Lord Ikka, on 22 December 2014 - 06:27 AM, said:

I think that the problem with "LURM NOOBS" is the perception of LRM-boats in general. They are viewed as a no-skill weapon, just lock and fire constantly. In reality, it takes both good timing, good teammates, and a good loadout to get the most from a LRM-boat, especially IS. LRM-boating requires a constant knowledge of surrounding terrain and enemies, because the last thing you want is to launch your missiles into the side of a canyon or have a couple of Lights swarm and pick you apart.

That being said, I rarely use my boats nowadays, I'm more focused on competitive builds with direct fire. I'll still pull one out if I'm messing around though- nothing more fun than streams of destruction raining down.

This right here is why LRMs need to have some more love. If the whole LRM system is not viable in competitive play then the system is UP not OP.

As a combat weapon it needs to have a place ON THE FIELD at ALL levels of play.

[Mogney]

It wont get used much in comp play because you cannot target specific body parts with it.

[Mercules]

Mogney, on 22 December 2014 - 06:36 AM, said:

It wont get used much in comp play because you cannot target specific body parts with it.

But SRMs are used in Comp Play.... Hmmmmm...

[Rhaythe]

As a NARC'ing Raven 3L, I approve heartily of this post. That mech makes me feel like a cop directing traffic.

[Mogney]

I can shoot you in the legs with SRMs just fine

[Lord Ikka]

Mercules, on 22 December 2014 - 06:39 AM, said:

But SRMs are used in Comp Play.... Hmmmmm...

SRMs are easily able to target either torsos or legs, while LRMs are not. Thats not really why I don't play them in comp though- I've seen comp teams run them, but they have to be almost entirely dedicated to the strategy. 3-4 boats, 3-4 scout/taggers, 3-4 defensive brawlers. It makes for a decent team, but if you lose one of the lances the strategy starts to collapse.

[Logan Hawke]

My favorite LRM build involves a total of 30 A+LRM tubes, a pair of Large Lazors, and a handful of mediums. It's in a mech that Russians tell to get out of here.

I've found combined direct/indirect damage builds like that to be very very excellent in group matches as well as pugging. Definitely takes skill to use properly though.

[Mercules]

Mogney, on 22 December 2014 - 06:45 AM, said:

I can shoot you in the legs with SRMs just fine

Only if I was dumb enough to get that close or you are in an Oxide.

[Father Tork]

My Battlemaster 1S has 4 medium Lasers as it's close range defense. I find a match incomplete if I don't kill at least 1 enemy with them

[Mogney]

Mercules, on 22 December 2014 - 06:52 AM, said:

Only if I was dumb enough to get that close or you are in an Oxide.

I am guessing you havent played competitivly much, when in a coordinated team, its pretty easy to force a brawl.

[Rush Maguin]

LRMs are perfectly fine as competitive weapons, but as someone pointed out, there's definitely a team aspect to getting them to work their absolute best. PUGs are a luck of the draw situation, but if you're part of a unit that works well together, LRM support fire is not only a fact of life - it's a vital battlefield tactic. I love missile boating.

[Mercules]

Mogney, on 22 December 2014 - 07:00 AM, said:

I am guessing you havent played competitivly much, when in a coordinated team, its pretty easy to force a brawl.

I am guessing you don't realize I play a ton of lights including 169+ kph Locusts/Commandos. It's pretty hard for you to force a brawl with me. I've ducked 6+ mechs for multiple minutes at the end of match while taking pot shots as the last mech alive.

[Father Tork]

Mercules, on 22 December 2014 - 07:10 AM, said:

I am guessing you don't realize I play a ton of lights including 169+ kph Locusts/Commandos. It's pretty hard for you to force a brawl with me. I've ducked 6+ mechs for multiple minutes at the end of match while taking pot shots as the last mech alive.

Commandos may not have the hitreg issues of Firestarters/Spiders. But turning the corner and suddenly appearing behind everyone due to your 171kph speed is always hilarious