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Game Modes, Roles And You.


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#1 Rejarial Galatan

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Posted 19 November 2012 - 10:46 PM

Games can be broken into any number of modes, and they all have merits and flaws. They also have roles within the game that also merit some discussion. This will be a primer for some and a review for others. Please, take the time to read this, as it may be a long post, but, it honestly will be worth it.

Okay, firstly, a list of game modes. They include, but are not limited to: Capture the Flag, Death Match, Team Death Match, Squad Death Match, Conquest and Assault.

First we see in the list, Capture the Flag. I trust everyone here has a firm grasp of Capture the Flag, from playing it in elementary/grade school and understands this Match Mode.

Next we see Death Match, Team Death Match, Squad Death Match. All are similar, and thus will be lumped into just plain Death Match for sake of brevity. Two Teams, equal in dignity <usually> face off, and kill each other until the entire team has either been killed off <as in Mechwarrior Online, one spawn, one death> or in some games, until you run the opposing team out of Spawn Tickets, such as in Battlefield 3.

Next is Conquest. This is similar to Assault Mode, but, instead of just having ONE capture point like Assault Mode, it can have as few as 2 per team to up to 5. You PRIMARILY take and hold said objectives until either that act in and of itself is a victory condition, or, if it is like in Battlefield 3, you run your enemy out of tickets, as each objective held by the team runs down the Spawn Tickets of the enemy. SECONDARILY, you can kill the enemy until they all die or run out of tickets, which ever meets a win condition set forth by developers.

Finally in Assault Mode, the mode we currently run in MechWarrior: Online. Each Team has a base from which they initially spawn or drop into, and the PRIMARY Goal is not to remove the other team from existing, but, to take and remove the BASE from the enemies control. This also can apply to resources, manufacturing facilities or any other things that requires protection. The SECONDARY Objective of this mode, is to remove the enemy from existing, and should not be considered a PRIMARY Objective.

What is most aggravating is that, no matter the mode listed, players tend to default into a Death Match mindset, which is not healthy for any game unless Death Match is the primary mode in which you are fighting. This is most acutely true when THIS game implements Community Warfare when, we will be fighting for our Houses as House Warriors or as Mercenary Units, or, when Clan Factions become an option, as a member of one of the Canon Clans such as Ghost Bear, Wolf or Jade Falcon for control of territory and planets. It is of vital importance that one becomes acutely aware of what game mode he or she is fighting in, as it will become very important, and just going into a match with the intent of killing the enemy only may not be a win condition. It is also important to remember, with a mode such as Assault, your base can be captured as well, and making sure you and your team have a plan in place to defend it no matter the time of the match is important, as getting tunnel vision on a kill may not be healthy for your team.

Next up, I will discuss roles and the ideal use there in, but first, as with Game Modes, a list. In order of weight: Light Scouts, Medium Scouts/Brawlers, Heavy Support/Brawlers, Assault Support/Brawlers.

Light Scouts are meant for just what the name implies. Scouting enemy positions, strengths and potential weaknesses. And if needed a light harassing pass of gun fire to draw attention away from the main forces. Also, they are to relay any relevant targeting information by means of electronic packages designed for this use, such as C3, TAG, NARC and BAP. It is not suggested or recommended that a Light Scout take on a Brawling mode as they are not technically designed for this.

A Medium Scout/Brawler carries the responsibilities as listed above, but are in a better position to enter into a sustained fire fight, and can brawl while still relaying relevant information to friendly forces. Medium Scouts/Brawlers are not recommended or suggested to take on Heavy Support duties as they are not ideally suited for such a role, but Medium Support Duties can be achieved with proper planning.

Heavy Support/Brawlers as their names imply are in place to bring heavier firepower to a direct fire fight as well as provide long range fire support from proper Long Range Weapons, be them energy, missile or ballistic. It is not recommended that they take on lighter duties such as Scouting as they lack the speed and tactically relevant technologies to relay more than basic locations and strengths as well they lack the speed needed to get in and out undetected.

Assault Support/Brawlers as their names imply are in place to bring the HEAVIEST fire power to bear on enemy forces as well as the heaviest in Fire Support via the Heaviest long range weapons. They also are in place to bring about the capture of enemy bases and resources and any other objective that requires a Unit capable of taking heavy oppression fire/damage while dealing out just as much if not more fire power. It is not recommended or suggested that an Assault Support/Brawler take on Scouting duties, as again, they are not technologically equipped to provide more than basic locations and strengths, nor do they posses the speeds needed to get in and out undetected.

This is just a basic primer and review, and as such, only contains basic information.

edit: typo correction

Edited by Rejarial Galatan, 19 November 2012 - 10:50 PM.


#2 Rejarial Galatan

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Posted 20 November 2012 - 12:32 AM

<pokes the door open> anyone?

#3 Rejarial Galatan

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Posted 20 November 2012 - 10:20 PM

the utter lack in people reading this, says alot.

#4 Ryvucz

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Posted 20 November 2012 - 10:22 PM

Yeah, sorry. Think I'll sum it up as-

TL;DR

#5 Rejarial Galatan

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Posted 20 November 2012 - 10:32 PM

Ryv, I will break it down like this: Assault Mode: take the base is primary, kill them all is 2nd. Know your role. If you are a light, scout, report stuff back, if your a medium, scout and fire support, if heavy, fire support and brawl, if your an assault: brawl and take bases. that simple.

#6 Mercules

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Posted 21 November 2012 - 10:10 AM

Too bad you don't understand the roles of mechs in Mechwarrior...

First thing to keep in mind, your "weight class" only vaguely suggests your role. The systems on the mech have more to do with it than anything else.

Second thing to know is that the cry, "Know your Role" translates roughly into, "Just do X,Y,Z.... anything else is too complex for me to grasp and will just confuse me. I've got my mind made up of how things work and I refuse to consider any alternative."

#7 PapaKilo

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Posted 21 November 2012 - 12:02 PM

View PostMercules, on 21 November 2012 - 10:10 AM, said:

your "weight class" only vaguely suggests your role. The systems on the mech have more to do with it than anything else.

This I agree with.

I run a Jenner, but I don't scout. I take the first couple of minutes of the match to locate the enemy force. Once that information is relayed and my team's main force maneuvers to engage, I switch to damage-dealing mode. Sometimes, I just rush the first enemy 'Mech I encounter, firing the whole time. Other times, I flank the enemy and hit them from unexpected angles. "Death From Above" doesn't always mean landing on an enemy's head...

I don't tend to run super-optimized builds either. I can almost see the puzzled expression on peoples' faces when I tell them some of the builds I use. The JR7-K variant is actually my favorite. Remove one missile hardpoint in trade for an extra module slot? Hell yes! Especially now that we're seeing more useful modules.

#8 AHZeruel

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Posted 21 November 2012 - 12:04 PM

I think your post is a great start for a Guide, if you want to expand on this why dont you add tips and considerations for each role, as well as chassis suggestions. ;)

#9 Rejarial Galatan

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Posted 21 November 2012 - 05:54 PM

View PostMercules, on 21 November 2012 - 10:10 AM, said:

Too bad you don't understand the roles of mechs in Mechwarrior...

First thing to keep in mind, your "weight class" only vaguely suggests your role. The systems on the mech have more to do with it than anything else.



this is arguably the most laughable thing I have read in ages. Your weight class out right declares your bloody role. No light mech is built for assaulting a base, and it is why it is built as lightly as possible with as many electronics packages wedged into the mech as possible. To give it the speed and maneuverability required to, SCOUT, not take on a mech up to 5 TIMES its weight. Same thing is said of say the Atlas, 100 tons, slow as slow gets, built with 30 TONS + armor and the heaviest weapons a mech can carry. Gee, does it scout? NOPE, it ASSAULTS. Obviously you live in denial about this, else you would not have made such a laughable statement. Do you honestly think a light mech is made for assault tactics or an assault for scouting? Why then, is a Raven for example designed, in CANON as a scout, and not a base buster? 20+ years in the franchise tells me who is correct, and it is not you.

#10 Ryvucz

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Posted 21 November 2012 - 05:59 PM

I was just mentioning the most probable reason for people passing to comment, that's all. =)
Whether or not it is actually the case, I cannot say.

But trying to argue the roles of mechs is like telling people to stick with the objectives in certain game modes versus killing everyone repeatedly in a match. (Blacklight: Retribution, is a good example of this, and so is Global Agenda).

Albeit you cannot respawn, yet.

#11 PapaKilo

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Posted 21 November 2012 - 08:39 PM

The weight class only suggests a role. A 'Mech doesn't actually have to fit that role.

You can fit a medium 'Mech to hunt light 'Mechs, in which case it is usually suboptimal for fighting against medium and heavier 'Mechs.

An RVN-3L Raven is designed specifically as an electronics platform. It reserves a lot of tonnage to fulfill that role. However, the -2X and -4X versions of the Raven were more generalized combat 'Mechs which carried no electronics and more weaponry. They were not specifically scouts.





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