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My qualifications... I have been a solo queue player since beta. I know the struggle. I get top damage on my team over 75% of the time. I know when to tank damage as well. My win/loss ratio is over 1.5
Assumed Knowledge: This is not a beginners guide. This is more of a intermediate/advanced level tips and tricks. But beginners can find some information useful here. Some things might be a bit too hard for beginners to incorporate however.
Pug V.S. CW: Most of the information will be able to cross over well between game modes. However, I will specify if a tactic is only good on one VS the other.
One again, I'm just saying what works FOR ME. This may not be the best way, and it may not work for you, but if this can help some of you, that's good enough for me. I pilot Mediums and heavies almost exclusively, as I don't need to rely on my team to do well in them or carry.
As a preface to this, Never ever rely on your pug teammates to be anything other then fodder. This guide is for YOU to maximize your influence on the match.
Information dump:
MECH
First off, before you even drop, what does your mech look like? What role does it fit into? What is your effective range? You need to know your mech, so you can know how to use it. This comes from time and experience. I STRONGLY recommend taking mechs that fit a skirmisher/sniper role, but that can also 'brawl' in a pinch. And by that, I mean you won't be completely useless at close range. I could run off a list of builds for you, which takes a long time, or I could just throw in a few links and be lazy.
http://metamechs.com/ https://www.mechspecs.com/
Weapon groups: Whatever floats your boat guys. I recommend you stick to a layout like this.
1) Left side mech
2) Right side mech
3) Range weapons (preferably on one side, but at range, meh, does not matter)
If you can use more groups effectively,
4) Arms
5) Chainfire
I usually use 3 groups on my mechs, 4 sometimes, never 5. Customize your mech, and weapon location with these in mind. Try to make your weapons fit multiple requirements (All ranged weapons on one side of mech, easier to poke at range that way)
Asymmetrical builds. Learn it, live it, love it. Learn to torso twist and tank the damage. If you are going to carry, you will need to spread the damage you will be taking.
ROLE:
Make sure you use your mech for its role! DO NOT be brawling with a sniper build, and do not be trying to poke your head out with 2-3 medium lasers vs a guy with PPC's.
I strongly recommend using skirmishers or a long ranged build. You need to be fast enough to keep up with the horrible hive mind that is the pugs on your team. You need to have some speed to peek around different angles, 'chase' (not far) damaged mechs, or regroup with your team, ect ect. Your weapons need to be effective most at medium range (300-700 meters). You need to be able to be decent in a brawl, and at least poke for small damage at range. But these will not be the areas we will focus on.
So many games I see people with PPC's brawling, and people with AC20's trying to snipe at 500 meters. USE YOUR MECH IN YOUR EFFECTIVE RANGE!.
Nuff said.
I never take brawlers to pugs because I need to rely on my team too much to use them. You will only be in range for 10% of the match if you are lucky. You have the choice to either run in solo without support, or hide behind a building and wait for the peeking to stop. By then one team has pretty much won, regardless of your help. Thats how I feel, I'm sure there are guides on how to brawl successfully.
I use Skirmisher mechs because I can be effective at any range, no matter where the pug hive mind has decided we will set up camp for the fight. Engage with your team.
Weapons for this role. Ditch the LRMS and SRM's. Take lasers and ballistics. Mostly lasers. You need to carry, and to carry, you need to not rely on ammo. Guass is fantastic, Its good at any range, and its super low heat. Pair this with lasers and you are having a good day. Just make sure you shield and protect the guass. If it gets damaged, it goes boom. Not good.
Positioning:
With your pug team running around like a chicken with its head cut off, you need to be in the right place at the right time to be effective. This is the skill that takes the longest to develop. There is not much I can say about it, besides you need to go out and learn. Always pay attention to the position of your enemy and your team. Find where you can fit in. You can fake good positioning by sticking with the main ball of friendlies on your mini map. Once you get better, you will be able to know where you are, and where your enemy is. Poke your head around corners and throw damage at the enemy. Just make sure you have friendlies nearby to run to in case you get chased. Please, for gods sake LOOK at your mini map every 15 (No, I'm not kidding, LITERALLY EVERY 15 SECONDS if not shorter) seconds. You can be in a great spot pouring damage on the enemy, when your whole team up and rounds the corner, and suddenly, you are alone and get rushed by three mechs. gg no re. There is not much more I can say on this besides stick with your team, escort your assault mechs if they are getting harassed, and look at the damn mini map.
Damage application and trading damage
Trading damage will be a quick section. You need to carry your team. Don't trade damage, give out free damage. Shoot from an angle, rack up damage, once they turn to face you, flip them the bird and shift positions. Only trade damage for damage if you have them out ranged, or completely outmatched. Sure, you can throw fire back and forth vs another mech and win, but if you are crippled with red internals and half your weapons gone, you effectively died as well.
Damage application. Hit them where it hurts. Focus the mechs that are already crippled. Don't think you are being an ******* by 'stealing' a kill. (Kill secured, not kill steal) By focusing damaged mechs, you are able to remove enemy mechs that can go pew pew at you much faster.
Focus fire. This is hard as hell with pugs. However if you see a few fresh enemy rounding the corner, shoot at the enemy that looks like he is tanking the most damage.
Focus damaged components: This should be a no brainer. If you see a mech with internal armor on a component? That goes first. If I have an empty heat scale, I will always dump my first alpha into an enemy CT then the second one after I get the info and enemy readout. If I am almost overheating, and an enemy rounds the corner. I will torso twist a bit while I wait for the info to pop up on my enemy, then hit him where it hurts.
Shutting down: Don't do it. Nuff said.
Teammates:
Pretty much worthless. Use them as meat shields when you need to. Use them to retreat to. The only time you should be leading the pack is if it is end game, and you still have decent armor and they are cored out. Don't expect friendlies to save you if you are out of position. Make sure you are always close to the main body. The only time you should risk your neck to save a friendly is if they are an assault or a heavy that is trying to catch up with the main body. Don't let them get eaten alive by lights. Sometimes this is a hard call to make. If people are playing the circle jerk racing game around river city/caustic valley, it can be hard to know if you are in fact, saving an assault from death, or dying with him for no reason. Look at the map, make a snap judgement call. Sometimes you are wrong, it happens. I only save people if know I can do so without dying. I know I can out damage any assault on my team. I know that there is no reason for both of us to die instead of just him. I also know that if I just leave him to die, our team is that much more ******. Look at the map, make the call.
CW
Pretty much the same, just take builds that are a little higher damage/range. Stick with the main group and pour it on them.
In brief summary
Take a well rounded mech, with a well rounded build and speed. Have all your weapon ranges be in the same range bracket. Maximize your damage and kills on the enemy by sticking with your pack of friendlies. Venture off from time to time, but never that far. Find the angles to fire on your enemy. Make sure you are trading damage effectively, and applying damage where its most needed. Know what range is the best for you to fight at.
There is a lot I did not cover, a lot I skimmed over. But like I said, this is not a full guide. Just some random info I feel might be able to help some people. If you have any specific questions, let me have them, I will edit them into the main post.
Edited by Cer6erus, 14 January 2015 - 08:13 PM.
