29 replies to this topic

[The Red Priest]

Seriously, time and time again I go up to the front line in an assault to help out and do my job, kick butt and soak up damage for my teammates. However, every single time I get there, 30 seconds in, I look at my map and everyone is leaving, me by myself, or with another assault, are surrounded by 10 guys and we just get incinerated. Then my teammates complain about us losing the match. How about this: follow and stay with your freaking assaults. I am sick and tired of being abandoned. You want me to do my job as an assault? Then follow through with your end of the plan, instead of running away at the slightest sight of an enemy.

Edited by mrripley9, 12 October 2015 - 07:05 AM.

[Torezu]

mrripley9, on 12 October 2015 - 07:04 AM, said:

Seriously, time and time again I go up to the front line in an assault to help out and do my job, kick butt and soak up damage for my teammates. However, every single time I get there, 30 seconds in, I look at my map and everyone is leaving, me by myself, or with another assault, are surrounded by 10 guys and we just get incinerated. Then my teammates complain about us losing the match. How about this: follow and stay with your freaking assaults. I am sick and tired of being abandoned. You want me to do my job as an assault? Then follow through with your end of the plan, instead of running away at the slightest sight of an enemy.

Almost this exact thing happened to me in a Bog match the other night. 4 or 5 of our mechs (I never found out which ones) were sitting on top of a hill a grid and a half over from the battle, "sniping". I did 1150 or so damage in my BNC-3M and got 3 kills (another BNC-3M, a Warhawk, and an Ebon Jaguar) and 6 assists, then died. We won 12-10 only because my teammates had fresh mechs and were able to down the last 3 (heavily damaged) enemies. I wasn't happy about the death, since it could have easily been avoided if they'd moved off their platform and distracted (or even better, helped shoot) the enemy assaults. The game could easily have gone the other way.

[Not A Real RAbbi]

VFT, guys. One little tiny caveat: Scouts go scout, typically ONE per team per drop, and typically a LIGHT or fast MEDIUM. The other mechs on the team either ARE assaults, or they should stick TO the assaults (within reason). SUPER IMPORTANT QUALIFIER TO THAT, unless one of the assaults is also an AS7-D-DC w/ECM, there had BETTER be some ECM-carrying mech within range to help keep the Lurmpocalypse off of the big guys, who usually return the favor by placing ridiculously high volumes of fire on any enemies they can find.

It's a symbiotic relationship. A kind of life-or-death back scratching thing.

I try to keep this in mind whenever I'm not scouting (which is admittedly not that often), and once I've abandoned recon. The big guys need support, and they repay it with lots of firepower. I'm cool with that.

[Void Angel]

mrripley9, on 12 October 2015 - 07:04 AM, said:

Seriously, time and time again I go up to the front line in an assault to help out and do my job, kick butt and soak up damage for my teammates. However, every single time I get there, 30 seconds in, I look at my map and everyone is leaving, me by myself, or with another assault, are surrounded by 10 guys and we just get incinerated. Then my teammates complain about us losing the match. How about this: follow and stay with your freaking assaults. I am sick and tired of being abandoned. You want me to do my job as an assault? Then follow through with your end of the plan, instead of running away at the slightest sight of an enemy.

Edited by Void Angel, 12 October 2015 - 11:51 AM.

[Void Angel]

PS: If only someone had written a guide about this sort of thing.

[Not A Real RAbbi]

I know, right?

[purplewasabi]

I think due to the injection of 3 new medium mechs, each game has gotten much quicker. As in a lot more manoeuvring and the assaults just couldn't keep up. Once it settled down, hopefully it will get better.

[Not A Real RAbbi]

Frankly, I'm not seeing THAT much of the new mediums out there. Kind of a bummer, since I have some heavies that I need to skill up. Occasionally see the new Cicada, a Crab or two most drops. The new Wolverine? Nowhere to be seen. The new Nova? Maybe one or two drops yesterday. We're already back to HEAVY being 40-ish percent of the queue, and I suspect we'll be back to 50% heavy before the Wolfhound releases.

I'd LIKE to have that for a scapegoat, but we just don't. One more reason I just don't fly assault class. I feel chubby in a 81.0 km/h Timberwolf with jump jets (admittedly, just getting started on the BASICs on the TBRs).

Something that HURTS, is when some new dudes get to following the scout(s) in their mediums and heavies, rather than group up with the other bigger mechs. It's a weird squirrel chase that ensues, that lacks red doritos but is nonetheless very Laurel & Hardy...

Edited by TheRAbbi, 12 October 2015 - 02:09 PM.

[The Red Priest]

TheRAbbi, on 12 October 2015 - 02:09 PM, said:

Something that HURTS, is when some new dudes get to following the scout(s) in their mediums and heavies, rather than group up with the other bigger mechs. It's a weird squirrel chase that ensues, that lacks red doritos but is nonetheless very Laurel & Hardy...

I was in my recently bought Executioner-Prime, and we were holding the line pretty well... until the team saw a scout, and I told them NOT TO CHASE THE DANG THING. Guess what happened? Not only did all the lights chase it, which they're allowed to, but one had ecm and should've stayed, but all the mediums AND a heavy chased it, and it was me and two other heavies that got rushed and crushed.

The next time I see a heavy doing that, I'm shooting him in the back.

[Tsar Bomba]

mrripley9, on 12 October 2015 - 02:37 PM, said:

I was in my recently bought Executioner-Prime, and we were holding the line pretty well... until the team saw a scout, and I told them NOT TO CHASE THE DANG THING. Guess what happened? Not only did all the lights chase it, which they're allowed to, but one had ecm and should've stayed, but all the mediums AND a heavy chased it, and it was me and two other heavies that got rushed and crushed.

The next time I see a heavy doing that, I'm shooting him in the back.

http://mwomercs.com/...post__p__764221

More things change, the more they stay the same.

Edited by Tsar Bomba, 12 October 2015 - 05:37 PM.

[InspectorG]

mrripley9, on 12 October 2015 - 07:04 AM, said:

Seriously, time and time again I go up to the front line in an assault to help out and do my job, kick butt and soak up damage for my teammates. However, every single time I get there, 30 seconds in, I look at my map and everyone is leaving, me by myself, or with another assault, are surrounded by 10 guys and we just get incinerated. Then my teammates complain about us losing the match. How about this: follow and stay with your freaking assaults. I am sick and tired of being abandoned. You want me to do my job as an assault? Then follow through with your end of the plan, instead of running away at the slightest sight of an enemy.

As a Light and Assault pilot, i know dem feels.

But in a Solo drop...you are expecting too much. Unless you want to take Command.

This is why i switched to Warhawks from Dire/Stalker. That 75kph makes a huge difference in Puglandia.

XL400 Wubshee is also good if you can handle the extra fragility.

[Torezu]

InspectorG, on 12 October 2015 - 05:46 PM, said:

This is why i switched to Warhawks from Dire/Stalker. That 75kph makes a huge difference in Puglandia.

XL400 Wubshee is also good if you can handle the extra fragility.

Meh, even a STD 325 Banshee or Highlander is pretty good as long as you know where not to commit. And I don't even have Speed Tweak on the Highlander. Either of those two mechs is quite tough, and can put out a decent amount of firepower. Go charging into the caldera on Caustic, though, and...you did that to yourself.

[Ragnahawk]

Next match your in don't let go of that w key, lead the team whenever possible and cut the straightest line possible. Use your allies to scan the area, because chances are the only scouting you can do effectively without putting yourself in a bad situation is keeping your head on a swivel.

[Tsar Bomba]

F8Sealed, on 13 October 2015 - 02:01 PM, said:

Next match your in don't let go of that w key, lead the team whenever possible and cut the straightest line possible. Use your allies to scan the area, because chances are the only scouting you can do effectively without putting yourself in a bad situation is keeping your head on a swivel.

When you drop make sure you hold that W key down because if your mech only goes ~60 KPH you need to mash it hard so the program will recognize you want to go as fast at the 80-100 KPH mechs. It will go faster if you mash it really hard.

You need to stay out front because there is an overriding myth that assaults can last longer up front than other mechs, So go show everyone how stupid you are by being up front in a mech that is too slow to get out of the line of fire in time.

If needed make a beeline for the battle even if that means going a route that leaves you alone because everyone knows the assault can last forever all by itself. I mean its an assault! The biggest baddest mech out there!

So pay attention to advice from people that don't pilot assaults because that can only be helpful.


Seriously folks, if you're running an assault you're playing hard mode. Try to stay with the pack and don't lead the way. At best you are a fire support mech. Let the lights scout, then let the mediums probe the front. Once a battle line is established see what everyone else is shooting at and combine fire. Maybe after buying the best engine and max armor the weapons you have left will be enough to tip the kill. Don't go out front you won't get back in time if half the other team is waiting for you. Don't hold back because your own team WILL leave you to die alone. Get with the biggest non-light group you can find and shoot at what they are shooting at.

There. That's how you make the best out of a bad situation. Don't listen to the folks that want you to die so they can grab your kill after you fall over.

[Torezu]

Tsar Bomba, on 13 October 2015 - 02:45 PM, said:

When you drop make sure you hold that W key down...It will go faster if you mash it really hard.

You need to stay out front because there is an overriding myth that assaults can last longer up front than other mechs...

If needed make a beeline for the battle even if that means going a route that leaves you alone...

So pay attention to advice from people that don't pilot assaults because that can only be helpful.

Seriously folks, if you're running an assault you're playing hard mode. Try to stay with the pack and don't lead the way. At best you are a fire support mech. Let the lights scout, then let the mediums probe the front. Once a battle line is established see what everyone else is shooting at and combine fire. Maybe after buying the best engine and max armor the weapons you have left will be enough to tip the kill. Don't go out front you won't get back in time if half the other team is waiting for you. Don't hold back because your own team WILL leave you to die alone. Get with the biggest non-light group you can find and shoot at what they are shooting at.

There. That's how you make the best out of a bad situation. Don't listen to the folks that want you to die so they can grab your kill after you fall over.

Please ignore the cynic. While the first 4 statements are clearly sarcasm and should be listened to and the opposite done, assault-types are not "hard mode" any more than any other class. They just require a different play style, like every other class. Note I don't say "weight class" because the arbitrary lines separating weight classes are quite blurred.

Assault-type mechs (which includes slower heavies like Cataphracts and Orions) play best when they're not the sole target of more than one enemy mech at any given time. Pay attention to the advice of people that do play that class and run with it. Yes, that does mean you shouldn't be on the front lines unless you would be useful there. In an assault-type mech, your armor allows trading and pushing that lighter mechs simply couldn't get away with. The last time a Firestarter attempted to face-tank my Banshee, he got off a second alpha spread across all 3 sections of my front (because he was at least trying to dodge), barely, before I finished blowing his torso off.

The reason you don't want to lead the way into a fresh battle line is the same reason no single mech should be leading the way into a fresh battle line. Focus fire pretty much ignores the tiny difference between a light mech's and an assault mech's armor relative to the incoming fire. Grouped-up movement and fire should be the norm. If anything, though, Tsar Bomba is correct that mediums (and fast heavies) should be in the relative front, since they have the speed to remove themselves from a sticky spot. My XL 400 BNC-3M probably also qualifies for that role...

[jss78]

purplewasabi, on 12 October 2015 - 01:38 PM, said:

I think due to the injection of 3 new medium mechs, each game has gotten much quicker. As in a lot more manoeuvring and the assaults just couldn't keep up. Once it settled down, hopefully it will get better.

In the perfect world, all the new mediums would mean more willing escorts for the assaults. But I guess not.

I don't get it though ... I'm a medium pilot through and through, and I recall that in my FIRST EVER game, the first thing I did was head for the big guys. That's simply where you live the longest, piloting a medium. So even if you look at things purely selfishly, that's where you want to be. And you help your assaults live longer. Put the two together and it equals a much improved chance of victory. A symbiotic, mutual back-scratching deal, as the Rabbi well put it.

It works so well, that even though I pilot non-meta IS mediums -- generally reckoned pretty much the worst mechs in the game -- I look to be steadily heading towards Tier 2.

TheRAbbi, on 12 October 2015 - 02:09 PM, said:

Frankly, I'm not seeing THAT much of the new mediums out there. Kind of a bummer, since I have some heavies that I need to skill up. Occasionally see the new Cicada, a Crab or two most drops. The new Wolverine? Nowhere to be seen.

My Wolverine ... I sold the XL engine (mmm...c-bills), have the hulk somewhere in the back of the hangar. I forget where exactly, possibly behind that stash of Canopian brandy.

Edited by jss78, 14 October 2015 - 08:36 AM.

[Torezu]

jss78, on 14 October 2015 - 08:35 AM, said:

My Wolverine ... I sold the XL engine (mmm...c-bills), have the hulk somewhere in the back of the hangar. I forget where exactly, possibly behind that stash of Canopian brandy.

Why would you sell a 275 XL? I mean, unless you have an excess of c-bills to buy XL 280s, and even then it has uses in at least Hunchies, among other things.

[jss78]

Torezu, on 14 October 2015 - 08:57 AM, said:

Why would you sell a 275 XL? I mean, unless you have an excess of c-bills to buy XL 280s, and even then it has uses in at least Hunchies, among other things.

Yeah, that's it exactly, I have a few 280's, and not being a very active "PokeMek" player but instead playing hundreds and hundreds of games in my favourite mechs, I prefer to just put the optimal engine in all mechs.

[Fulgar]

This very thing happened to me the other night piloting my Warhawk on the New Caustic valley. Myself and another Warhawk we slowly moving along the valley from left to right, with support and rounded a corner with a lance in front of us. That lance consisted of an Awesome and 3 lights....we ignore the lights and focus down the Awesome, start harassing the lights while continuing to move and rounding the corner are a Victor and Mad Dog.

We focus the Victor to point where we blow off the AC/20 and switch to the Mad Dog....and I am wondering why there are not more dead mechs around us....I look down at the mini-map and we are alone now surrounded by 5 mechs with another Mad Dog joining the fray....

We did the damage we could before succumbing to the focused fire, we did take the Victor and 1 of the Mad Dogs with us...but still....

As a poster above said, when I Pilot my mediums (Stormcrows) I stick with the fatties. Like Top Gun, I will not leave my wingman ( or in this case The Assault lance). This is a team game and we get more C-bills winning as a team instead of losing as a team.

Thanks,
Fulgar

[Chill Bill]

"For The Love Of God, Stop Abandoning Your Assaults."

Yep....and a std 350 does not help. Larger maps, better comm,...assaults are fresh meat for groups, snipers, pirhana lights in most pugs... the "Bold Fearsome Atlas" of legend now has to hang back and peek around corners too often in free for all pugs,,,,Was never meant to be that way.

Edited by Chillbill, 23 October 2015 - 06:39 AM.