Jump to content

Recon pilots sound off for what you want in a recon mech


53 replies to this topic

#41 mockingfox

    Member

  • PipPipPip
  • 62 posts
  • LocationLong island, NY

Posted 19 March 2012 - 12:13 PM

View PostKensaisama, on 18 March 2012 - 10:51 AM, said:

stealth is a priority. Anything else is a pile of burning mech parts. I would rather be slow and stealthy than fast and lighting up the radar.


I would rather be fast ans stealthy than fast and lighting up the radar!
being slow and stealthy is heavy mech territory as I see it

#42 Nik Van Rhijn

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 2,905 posts
  • LocationLost

Posted 19 March 2012 - 12:14 PM

Unfortunately the 3 best mediums for scouting/light killimg are all unseens - the Shadow Hawk, Griffin and Wolverine.I just hope we have a few more mediums to chose from at launch.

#43 mockingfox

    Member

  • PipPipPip
  • 62 posts
  • LocationLong island, NY

Posted 19 March 2012 - 12:14 PM

also I dont know why everyone is dead set on scouting in light mech's

I'm gonna go with something a little bigger probably a medium mech
or heck give me a vulture and I will double size that engine!

#44 Alicorn

    Member

  • PipPipPip
  • Moderate Giver
  • 79 posts

Posted 19 March 2012 - 12:24 PM

What I would want in a good scout mech:
At least 90km/h in speed.
Powerful passive sensors.
On/off active probe.
ECM.
At least three medium lasers.
At least two cup holders.

Skirmishers, snipers, and harassers are all well and good, but if I'm actually scouting properly, I don't need to fore a single shot myself, or even be seen as long as I can direct an entire lance of firepower behind me. I still want some medium lasers though, as they are my weapon of choice, and I'd rather not be completely defenseless if an enemy scout does manage to sniff me out.

#45 trycksh0t

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Elite Founder
  • 1,176 posts
  • LocationUmm...in a building..on a road. I think.

Posted 19 March 2012 - 01:24 PM

Well, they've already announced the Commando...that's all I need.

#46 Hangfire

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • The Death Wish
  • The Death Wish
  • 204 posts
  • LocationToon of honest men and bonnie lassies

Posted 19 March 2012 - 01:29 PM

I'll reserve judgement till I see what's available at launch

#47 Sprouticus

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Bridesmaid
  • 2,781 posts
  • LocationChicago, Il, USA

Posted 19 March 2012 - 03:03 PM

View PostLongsword, on 19 March 2012 - 01:22 AM, said:

I personally would build recon lances out of 3 lights and a medium- Two of the lights would be locusts or ravens or jenners or something similar, with as much speed and stealth as possible (along with narc beacons). They have one job- find the enemy and report his position, and preferably do so without getting spotted. Find a good hidey hole and spy on the enemy for as much as possible.
The other two mechs, likely a wolfhound and commando or a wolfhound/commando and a medium, would have the job of being anti-scouts- they are well armed but fast so can kill the enemy locusts/ravens/jenners and deny the enemy intel, as well as stopping the enemy scouts from scouting your scouts.

Now the people who want scouts with firepower- thats not scouting, thats called wolfpacking, where you use a fast harrassing force to outflank, outmaneuvre and destroy the enemy. That is perfectly viable but not a replacement for recon.


BINGO

Lets look at ome things real quick to help us make the decisions we need to make:

Roles- In MWO, role warefare is pretty clearly defined and fairly simple, Scout, Attack/defend, and Command. Each of these 4 will customize a mech slightly differently and use different modules. The important note is that any weight class mech can perform any role. Some may be better suited than others (better speed, armor, # of modules, but weight class alone will not determine the role. This is critical, and frankly something most people dont get yet.

Scouting game mechanics- Scouting in MWO is not like scouting in MW4, or probably any other game you have played. Yes ECM and BAP will be important. Yes TAG will be important. But that is not the be all end of of MWO. Why? Because you will need EYES ON TARGET to get more than location, and you will need repeated/continuous eyes on target to keep that info. Don't get me wrong, location is vital, the most important thing a scout can provide. But a good scout will give you more than just location. Things like chassis, damage, etc. That will require you to target the mech. Perhaps some electronics or modules will allow you to get around that and gather intel from behind a hill, but we have not seen anything like that yet.

With those is mind, here are some basics (paraphrased form the role warfare post)

NOTE: These sub-roles are very basic and there are exceptions to the desired attributes (a fast bralwer or a Fire suppoort mech without electronics)

NOTE: The attributes are up for discussion, but include Weapons, speed, armor, manuverability (various kinds), Electronics (various kinds), Command functions,

Scout
Primary attributes: speed, armor, maneuverability (JJ, good turn radius and torso twist), electronics (TAG, C3 slave)
Secondary attributes: Weapons (self defense), command functionality

Attack/Defense(Brawler):
Primary attributes: Weapons, Armor, maneuverability (Torso Twist)
Secondary Attributes: electronics (ability to avoid detection & assist in weapons fire), speed,

Attack/Defense (Ranged Direct Fire)
Primary attributes: Weapons, speed, limited electronics (avoid detection from range)
Secondary Attributes: electronics, maneuverability, Armor
Attack/Defense (Fire Support)
Primary attributes: Weapons, electronics (ability to quickly lock on and provide IDF)
Secondary Attributes: speed, maneuverability, Armor

Command
Primary attributes: Electronics(all), Armor
Secondary Attributes: weapons, speed, maneuverability


A scout lance should consist of 2 Scout role mechs and 2 attack role mechs.
The scout mechs are pretty self explanatory. They should avoid combat until the end of the engagement, and then should support the attack mechs (up to and including sacrificing their mechs by acting as a distraction./screen). NARC is a bad idea for scouts, you have to get way too close.
The attack mechs would consist of at least one harasser mech and one mech to act as an anti scout picket. These two mechs will eliminate enemy scouts and/or take pot shots at the enemy attack and command mechs. One light and one fast medium would probably be best, outfitted with long range weapons. Narc or TAG might be userful to allow the mech to act in a support role.

#48 Thorgar Wulfson

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 436 posts
  • LocationConcordia, KS

Posted 19 March 2012 - 03:32 PM

LOCUSTS!!! lots and lots of LOCUSTS!!

you know what they say about locust pilots? they are all mad as march hares :)

heh my first mechwarior RPG character was a locust pilot hehehe

#49 Watchit

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Veteran Founder
  • Veteran Founder
  • 2,235 posts
  • LocationOrlando

Posted 19 March 2012 - 04:15 PM

ATLAS IS BEST RECON HANDS DOWN!

View Postmockingfox, on 19 March 2012 - 12:14 PM, said:

also I dont know why everyone is dead set on scouting in light mech's

I'm gonna go with something a little bigger probably a medium mech
or heck give me a vulture and I will double size that engine!

^^This

I'll take my Phenix Hawk (non LAM) or Assassin any day!

Though if I had to pick a light it would be a Spector, gotta have those jump jets!
And of course the Raven, everyone loves Raven

#50 GDL Irishwarrior

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 222 posts
  • LocationMinnesota

Posted 19 March 2012 - 04:21 PM

View PostWatchit, on 19 March 2012 - 04:15 PM, said:

And of course the Raven, everyone loves Raven


I'm actually not a huge fan... Sure, it mounts a bunch of electronics, but there are other 'Mechs that carry the same gear but do the rest of "scouting" better - more speed, jump jets, some actual long range weaponry (so it can defend itself without having to wait for the enemy to close), etc.

#51 karish

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • Wrath
  • Wrath
  • 184 posts
  • LocationKansas

Posted 19 March 2012 - 05:44 PM

With rethinking the LL on a scout mech might br the worst weapon to have since it will be more like a DoT and you have to stay on target for 4 or 5 sec's. It might be better to just use that time to target LRMs a 5 shot shouldn't give away your position to much or just load up an Alfa strike of small or med lasers enough so whom ever finds you takes a sec to think what's this and that's your time to get the heck out of dodge you won't really need heat sinks for sustaind fire because if your trying to exchange 3 or 4 volleys with some one your going to lose. People are putting out a lot of great thoughts on recon mechs. The problem with going larger then a light mech is the bigger you are the harder it is to hide and the bigger target you have on your head and you become dead real faster and dead recon is failed recon

#52 Jake Valeck

    Member

  • PipPipPip
  • 82 posts
  • LocationNV

Posted 19 March 2012 - 06:43 PM

speed, speed and more speed.

#53 Rayge

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 123 posts
  • LocationIowa

Posted 19 March 2012 - 07:07 PM

View PostXinaoen, on 19 March 2012 - 12:29 AM, said:

Wolfhound all the way - for urban combat, at any rate. The conventional wisdom seems to be that speed is king; call me crazy, but I prefer a little firepower. Mobility is great, but it's hard to get much scouting done when you're too busy running from the fellow with the bigger gun. The reliance on energy weapons makes it ill-suited to longer encounters, but one Alpha Strike ought to be enough to make anything in the Light range think twice about being anywhere near you. It's not as speedy as the little devils, but it's fast enough to outrun anything it can't overpower.


Xin, you and I are like twins

#54 guardian wolf

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • The Merciless
  • The Merciless
  • 1,965 posts
  • LocationOn Barcelona where the crap is about to hit the fan.

Posted 19 March 2012 - 07:31 PM

Damn forgot the Wolfhound, love for it's stamina, ability to fight on past when other mechs run dry of ammo, was a favorite of my deep recon lance.





1 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users