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Tactics 101 Comics

Guide Tactics

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#1 fat4eyes

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Posted 27 October 2015 - 05:51 AM

Hello everyone!

A lot has been written about multi-mech tactics in MWO, but they tend to be rather dense walls of text. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I present to you:


THE MWO TACTICS 101 COMICS

(Now also in French! Thanks to Coryphee.)
(Note: for the latest version of this guide, see the Steam version)

I've gathered up some of what I've learned over the past year and a half of playing MWO and put it in (I hope) an entertaining yet informative format. So without further ado, here's our cast of characters:

Posted Image

Spoiler


And now on to the main event!


The Basics
Spoiler


Flanking
Spoiler


NASCAR!
Spoiler


Chokepoints
Spoiler


Deception
Spoiler


UAVs
Spoiler


Lights
Spoiler


The Final Lesson
Spoiler


Links to more information
Spoiler

Edited by fat4eyes, 30 December 2016 - 12:54 AM.


#2 fat4eyes

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Posted 27 October 2015 - 05:59 AM

Hi guys. I'm finding it hard to keep two versions of the guide updated (this one and the one on Steam), so I'm leaving the mwo forums version of the guide as is while I put the latest updates on the Steam guide:

I've just added a section on VIP escort (Dec 30 2016) so you guys may want to check that out.

Edited by fat4eyes, 30 December 2016 - 12:36 AM.


#3 Starbadger

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Posted 27 October 2015 - 07:51 AM

Haha, pretty cute! And educational, too. :D I think we're all guilty of being 'red' once in awhile.

#4 Leone

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Posted 27 October 2015 - 08:33 AM

Ha! Well made.

As for screen space, you could just spoiler the comics.

~Leone.

#5 Voivode

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Posted 27 October 2015 - 08:51 AM

These are great! Should see if you can get in touch with PGI with these, make them part of new player tutorial. Maybe even have these on the match loading screen instead of those crappy quick tips.

EDIT: Fixed my awful spelling....

Edited by Voivode, 27 October 2015 - 08:52 AM.


#6 stealthraccoon

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Posted 27 October 2015 - 08:53 AM

I like!
Your efforts are highly appreciated, keep up the great work.

#7 Greyhart

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Posted 27 October 2015 - 09:07 AM

yes this is good. please continue

#8 Voras

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Posted 27 October 2015 - 10:52 AM

Nice one! Spot on.

#9 Mr Hunter

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Posted 27 October 2015 - 11:14 AM

I will be sharing this well done.

#10 The Bill

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Posted 27 October 2015 - 11:19 AM

Yay for pictures! Pictures OP ;)

Next time someone says "ELI5" a mock-up like this is just what the Dr. ordered.

Thanks for including the how-to info as well.

10/10, would slack again. GG.

#11 Sereglach

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Posted 27 October 2015 - 11:24 AM

This is phenomenal, despite the simplicity of it. You manage to outline some very solid, yet simple, tactics that people should be paying attention to in both PUG and Group Queues. Excellent work; and I look forward to seeing it continue to grow.

Some others to consider making comics for:
-The Pincer Attack: Moving around multiple forces when the enemy entrenches itself.
-Fatal Funnel Fail: Trying to move too many units into tight areas to engage the enemy. Should utilize Pincer attacks or Flanks to break the entrenchments.
-Basic Ambushing: Setting up firing positions and hitting the enemy when they're surrounded. Also proper baiting.
-Ambushing Fail: Firing as soon as you see the enemy, giving yourself away early and allowing the enemy to back out.
-Firing Lines: Setting up defensive firing lines that do not block friendly fire and also force the enemy into choke points; while forcing the enemy to spread damage via target saturation, as well.
-Firing Lanes: Properly spreading out to allow all units to fire at enemies; and moving behind shooting friendlies to prevent friendly fire when repositioning.


#12 Void Angel

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Posted 27 October 2015 - 04:44 PM

Very good - I approve!

#13 Void Angel

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Posted 27 October 2015 - 04:50 PM

(reported for stickie)

#14 ET Penang

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Posted 27 October 2015 - 06:31 PM

Great job! Your work is well appreciated. Gonna get some friends to read it ;)!

#15 Not A Real RAbbi

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Posted 27 October 2015 - 09:37 PM

EXCELLENT! I look forward to future installments!

#16 Levi Porphyrogenitus

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Posted 27 October 2015 - 09:59 PM

Add a failed Nascar. Most players who hate Nascar hate it because their team (generally PUGs or multiple small groups) did it wrong, not because the other team did it right and their team just stood there and took it.

#17 Nightshade24

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Posted 27 October 2015 - 10:29 PM

View Postfat4eyes, on 27 October 2015 - 05:51 AM, said:


12.
Posted Image

What people call NASCAR is just a flanking maneuver where the entire team goes to flank. A good NASCAR involves the team moving together as a group, engaging small portions of the enemy with full force, and having some mechs act as the rear guard to make sure the team's heavy hitters aren't shot in the back.

NASCAR usually happens in maps that have a central feature that has lots of cover, and paths going around it. The classic NASCAR map is Caustic Valley (around the central caldera). It also happens often in River City (around the 'Citadel', the large tall building near the center) and Frozen City (around the central crashed dropship).



P.P.P.S. If you have suggestions on a tactic to put in a comic, just post a description of it in the thread. I'll try to make more comics as time permits. If you make your own comic and post it in the thread that's great! I'll try to get them in the top posts as often as I can.


I would consider this still a 'flank'.

What I call NASCAR and what I am pretty sure everyone else calls a NASCAR is when you got a central feature and all the mechs are spiralling around. Meaning the lights of both teams bolt right ahead, mediums and some heavies following, and some of the heavies and assaults are left behind. This resaults both heavies and assaults getting left alone with the enemy mediums nad lights and both ends assaults die while the 'arrow head' or the other end where hte people are pushing are in the false illusion they are winning the match as they just smashed the 4 biggest threats for the enemy team even though there team suffered the same losses or even worse... and the 'rear guards' or some of the guys who stayed behind often get overwhealemed by the pooling enemy forces meeting them while people are still running in circles...

In short I guess this is what you would call "Common [fail] NASCAR" while what you have is the "Smart [successful] NASCAR"
In short it's much more complicated than what you said for standard Flanking and I think it should be mentioned that NASCAR at least the 'common' one is when both teams 'fail' at flanking so to say.

(PS: this is an idea for a new comic btw)




I should mention though I do love these comics, they poke me in the anti-meta side a bit but most of this is perfectly logical and applicable at all tiers and game modes. On the topic of Echelon formation I would like to see some more 'real life tactics' that are used in MW: O... also this is more of a question rather than idea... how effective is the "Diamond" formation of previous games in MW: O?

1 mech in front, 2 behind them (say "2 units" behind the first mech) on the left and right of the first mech and 1 more mech behind the first one directly and still behind the other 2. This is kind of like a V formation but with 1 guy behind in the central area. May be good if an LRM boat. May be good if the diamond is slightly tilted so everyone can shoot forwards and to the sides but not in specific angles (double short row of echelons?)

#18 WrathOfDeadguy

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Posted 28 October 2015 - 08:13 AM

Peeking would be a good thing to cover. Specifically, how to know when you're getting the worse end of a trade and need to stop peeking- or at the very least find a new place to shoot from. I see way too many people popping up over a hill, getting shot by 4-5 enemies, and then doing the same thing, in the same place, only a few seconds later... with predictable results. Change position between shots if you're taking return fire- especially if you don't have the armor to tank the damage you're taking!

Heavies and backing against hard cover to prevent lights from getting backshots would be good too. I drive lights and mediums, and many if not most of the kills I get on heavies I get because they kept trying to turn in place out in the open, didn't unlock their arms if they had arm weapons, or any of a dozen other things they could have done to force me to break off. If there's a building or a rock or a wall or something nearby, run over to it while twisting and back up against it!

#19 Halvar Freysson

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Posted 28 October 2015 - 08:24 AM

View PostSereglach, on 27 October 2015 - 11:24 AM, said:

This is phenomenal, despite the simplicity of it. You manage to outline some very solid, yet simple, tactics that people should be paying attention to in both PUG and Group Queues. Excellent work; and I look forward to seeing it continue to grow.

Some others to consider making comics for:

-Fatal Funnel Fail: Trying to move too many units into tight areas to engage the enemy. Should utilize Pincer attacks or Flanks to break the entrenchments.



-Fatal Tunnel Fail: Moving more than two or three units through tight areas and then the leaders stopping at the exit to the tight area, stranding the rest of the team behind with either no exit at all, or no exit except through the firing lane of the first couple of mechs.

Probably not different enough from the Funnel Fail to warrant a whole new comic.

Edited by Thankful Knight, 28 October 2015 - 08:32 AM.


#20 Void Angel

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Posted 28 October 2015 - 09:36 AM

I'd recommend using the /spoiler code to organize the comics themselves into groups - it will make the post much more readable, especially if people are trying to get to the comments.





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