Jump to content

Right Way To Lrm -- 9 Tips


91 replies to this topic

#1 Apnu

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Elite Founder
  • Elite Founder
  • 2,083 posts
  • LocationMidWest

Posted 31 May 2016 - 10:22 AM

LRMs aren't optimal from a min-maxing solo play perspective, and they're the least competitve weapon in the game. Despite that there are players who like to run LRMs.

I've been here since the earliest days of CB. And I like to run LRM builds from time to time. I do very well in them, most of the time and I like to observe LRM players using them to see how they're doing it. Generally I see what I call "the wrong way" to use LRMs.

The wrong way is sitting back 600+ meters away lobbing LRMs, from cover, praying for solid locks from the SOBs at the front line, and holding armor back that the team sorely needs. I still see a lot of LRM builds with little to no backup weapons. Also LRM players tend to cement their feet in one spot and get ditched by the team as the fight moves around the map. Clan players can spit LRMs under 190m, but the damage return diminishes greatly the closer the target is.

The right way to play LRMs is this:

1) Trail the back end for the death ball. Stay with your team. Never stop moving.

2) Look for your own locks as much as possible.

3) Bring and use TAG and UAVs. BAP too. Artemis is optional and dependent on LOS.

4) Use LRMs at < 500m for best travel time.

5) Have backup weapons to defend yourself and/or not be useless when the LRMs are out. 3-
4 medium lasers late in the game when everybody's beat up is killer.

6) Have a speedy engine and re-position often. Be ready to move fast for a better target in optimal range (again < 500m), or dive into the middle of the death ball for cover from a harassing light mech.

7) Watch the reticle go red for hits. If lobbing LRMs, and you don't see red, the target has cover and you're firing into it.

8) Let the quirks define your build. LRM5 and LRM10 have the lowest spread. Only take LRM15 or LRM20 if the mech has quirks for them specifically.

9) Optimize your tubes. Don't put a LRM15 in a 6 tube launcher, the cooldown doesn't start until after the last missile leaves, so DPS takes a hit.

If anybody else has suggestions, let's hear them.

#2 The Amazing Atomic Spaniel

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 932 posts
  • LocationBath, UK

Posted 31 May 2016 - 10:30 AM

Neat summary. I'd only add to be ready to toggle back and forward between salvo and chain fire. Salvo if there's a lot of AMS around or you don't want to draw too much attention to yourself, chain fire if you want to suppress the target or avoid ghost heat.


#3 Mister Blastman

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Survivor
  • Survivor
  • 8,444 posts
  • LocationIn my Mech (Atlanta, GA)

Posted 31 May 2016 - 10:31 AM

So... what happens when...

Quote

Trail the back end for the death ball. Stay with your team. Never stop moving.


... there is no deathball?

What if your team is a bunch of scared plebs cowering behind rocks in some narrow valley shaking and quivering and awaiting their doom?

I guess you're screwed?

#4 Apnu

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Elite Founder
  • Elite Founder
  • 2,083 posts
  • LocationMidWest

Posted 31 May 2016 - 10:32 AM

View PostThe Amazing Atomic Spaniel, on 31 May 2016 - 10:30 AM, said:

Neat summary. I'd only add to be ready to toggle back and forward between salvo and chain fire. Salvo if there's a lot of AMS around or you don't want to draw too much attention to yourself, chain fire if you want to suppress the target or avoid ghost heat.


Good point! I'm often found LRM'ing in my HBK-4J, no chain fire necessary there, but for the LRM5 boats (Kintaros), that's important.

#5 FrontGuard

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 475 posts
  • LocationNew Jersey

Posted 31 May 2016 - 10:33 AM

I would make this #1:

5) Have backup weapons to defend yourself and/or not be useless when the LRMs are out. 3-
4 medium lasers late in the game when everybody's beat up is killer.

LRM Players who do not do this are a very real detriment to their team.

#6 Apnu

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Elite Founder
  • Elite Founder
  • 2,083 posts
  • LocationMidWest

Posted 31 May 2016 - 10:33 AM

View PostMister Blastman, on 31 May 2016 - 10:31 AM, said:

So... what happens when...



... there is no deathball?

What if your team is a bunch of scared plebs cowering behind rocks in some narrow valley shaking and quivering and awaiting their doom?

I guess you're screwed?


When that happens I try to find a big brother to hang with. If there's no death ball, there's often clumps of 2-3 mechs, so find one and trail it. Look for what they're shooting at, lock on and open some armor for your brawlers to exploit.

#7 Apnu

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Elite Founder
  • Elite Founder
  • 2,083 posts
  • LocationMidWest

Posted 31 May 2016 - 10:36 AM

View PostFrontGuard, on 31 May 2016 - 10:33 AM, said:

I would make this #1:

5) Have backup weapons to defend yourself and/or not be useless when the LRMs are out. 3-
4 medium lasers late in the game when everybody's beat up is killer.

LRM Players who do not do this are a very real detriment to their team.


They are in no particular order. LRMs are the one weapon system in the game where purely boating them is not going to work. Especially IS mechs. When I see a CPLT-A1 with only LRMs, I eat them for lunch.

#8 2fast2stompy

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • Ace Of Spades
  • 158 posts

Posted 31 May 2016 - 10:41 AM

Having JJs and a narc on your LRM boat can result in you soloing half the enemy team if your team can hold the line.

HBK-IIC, Griffin are probably the best candidates, and Mediums in general are better to boat LRMs (2 medium lasers on the side is still boating) than heavier mechs because you're not gimping the team and can actually move.
Skip Artemis since it actually negates NARC IIRC.
Narcing is also useful for tagging enemy positions for pug teams, and even laser vomits a class heavier than you often get scared when they see they're narced and run for cover instead of finishing you off.

Edited by 2fast2stompy, 31 May 2016 - 10:42 AM.


#9 Davis Carlyle

    Member

  • PipPipPip
  • Bad Company
  • Bad Company
  • 67 posts
  • LocationGlengarry

Posted 31 May 2016 - 10:42 AM

View PostMister Blastman, on 31 May 2016 - 10:31 AM, said:

So... what happens when...



... there is no deathball?

What if your team is a bunch of scared plebs cowering behind rocks in some narrow valley shaking and quivering and awaiting their doom?

I guess you're screwed?


Run the hell around the enemy and take a few from behind while they gloat over the unaware decoys sitting in the rocks. Try and bring a few folk with if possible, and focus on whichever currently has the most hate from the forward line. KEEP MOVING.

Edited by Davis Carlyle, 31 May 2016 - 10:46 AM.


#10 FrontGuard

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 475 posts
  • LocationNew Jersey

Posted 31 May 2016 - 10:44 AM

View PostApnu, on 31 May 2016 - 10:36 AM, said:

They are in no particular order. LRMs are the one weapon system in the game where purely boating them is not going to work. Especially IS mechs. When I see a CPLT-A1 with only LRMs, I eat them for lunch.

Thanks for mentioning that.
however...
mmwwwaahhaahhahh....
I have a Cat A1... I have 2x SRM 6 packs and 4x SRM 4 packs in it. I like to hang back in the beginning of the game like I am an LRM boat and slaughter the lights who come to get me.
Then if I have any SRMs left I charge in for the end game. Works very well more often than not. ;-)

#11 Apnu

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Elite Founder
  • Elite Founder
  • 2,083 posts
  • LocationMidWest

Posted 31 May 2016 - 11:50 AM

View PostFrontGuard, on 31 May 2016 - 10:44 AM, said:

Thanks for mentioning that.
however...
mmwwwaahhaahhahh....
I have a Cat A1... I have 2x SRM 6 packs and 4x SRM 4 packs in it. I like to hang back in the beginning of the game like I am an LRM boat and slaughter the lights who come to get me.
Then if I have any SRMs left I charge in for the end game. Works very well more often than not. ;-)


Oh damn that's evil. Well done.

#12 wanderer

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Civil Servant
  • Civil Servant
  • 11,152 posts
  • LocationStomping around in a giant robot, of course.

Posted 31 May 2016 - 12:13 PM

Having secondary weapons on a LRM boat is like having turrets on a B-17 bomber.

It may not kill off all the things buzzing you while you drop your ordinance, but without them you're a sitting duck for whatever comes by. Clantech LRM boats can get away with a bit less tonnage devoted that way thanks to not having a full dead zone and lighter weapons, but even a pair of ML/MPLs can make the difference between getting wrecked by that 'Mech you shot up (but couldn't finish) getting in your LRM dead zone and you coming out of it scarred but with another kill marker yourself.

An all-LRM 'Mech makes me want to kick puppies if it's on my team- or screams "KILL ME" if it's on the other. I'm an LRM fan, and take a special pleasure in marching up to these abominations and finishing them off by dissecting them with laser fire as they harmlessly spew missiles across my ride.

#13 Tordin

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • The Wolf
  • The Wolf
  • 2,936 posts
  • LocationNordic Union

Posted 31 May 2016 - 12:15 PM

Always run XL engine to get the most out of the lurms, extra ammo and equipment? You arent meant for front line combat anyway.

#14 Jman5

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Littlest Helper
  • Littlest Helper
  • 4,914 posts

Posted 31 May 2016 - 12:15 PM

You can't discuss LRMs without mentioning Advanced Target Decay module. I would even say that without it, LRMs are non-viable beyond tier 3. Once people discover how to use cover effectively and the number of radar deprivation equipped mechs increase, you really need those extra couple seconds of lock on time the module gives you. If you're the kind of person who is too cheap/lazy to equip modules, don't waste your time with LRMs.

#15 wanderer

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Civil Servant
  • Civil Servant
  • 11,152 posts
  • LocationStomping around in a giant robot, of course.

Posted 31 May 2016 - 12:21 PM

This is true. ATD modules basically save your bacon (and your missiles) more often than not on chancy shots, and give you the ability to pop-and-drop a salvo at shorter ranges without remaining totally exposed against opponents without radar dep modules.

Spend the C-bills and exp on these if you want to seriously lob rockets.

#16 Kubernetes

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • The Blazing
  • The Blazing
  • 2,369 posts

Posted 31 May 2016 - 12:50 PM

Also, don't whine about your teammates not holding target locks. If you've spent any time in this game at all you know perfectly well why it's hard to hold locks.

#17 Revis Volek

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • The 1 Percent
  • The 1 Percent
  • 7,247 posts
  • Google+: Link
  • Facebook: Link
  • LocationBack in the Pilots chair

Posted 31 May 2016 - 12:53 PM

Right way to LRM....



DON'T!

#18 Templar Dane

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Overlord
  • Overlord
  • 1,057 posts

Posted 31 May 2016 - 12:53 PM

Right Way To Lrm IN CW-- 1 Tip

1. Don't bring them.

View PostRevis Volek, on 31 May 2016 - 12:53 PM, said:

Right way to LRM....



DON'T!



Jinx

#19 wanderer

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Civil Servant
  • Civil Servant
  • 11,152 posts
  • LocationStomping around in a giant robot, of course.

Posted 31 May 2016 - 12:56 PM

Best rule of CW:

Ignore the above and play as little CW as possible, enjoy quickplay and kill as many people who tell you "don't" as possible.

Be sure to rub it in when you get a missile kill, too.

#20 dervishx5

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • The Workhorse
  • The Workhorse
  • 3,473 posts

Posted 31 May 2016 - 12:58 PM

9 right ways to bring LRMs:

SYNTAX ERROR: DIVISION BY ZERO.







1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users