Sadly, this thread is still relevant after 3 years. And with a new wave of new players from steam, we can expect to see a lot of timidity. I agree with everything the OP has to say on this topic and I commend him in his valiant defense of his viewpoint. And now for some input from me: I think one of the main reasons that people hide upon taking fire(in a n00bs case. There is no reason for a seasoned player to do this) is that they're coming from games where you die easier than in MWO. In a game like Battlefield, you can be dead in a second if you come under fire. In MWO, you are much more tanky and can usually take several seconds worth of non-crippling damage. More if you're spreading damage. I actually have a hard time switching between games like BF and MWO. The play-styles are so radically different that it usually takes a few matches to get back in stride.
Also, I think that hiding behind cover can be perfectly acceptable in certain cases although these don't really count as the timidity the OP was talking about:
1) incoming lrms. If you're taking fire from a lrm boat it's almost always a good idea to take cover until the rain has stopped.
2)Ambush. If your scouts(who are hopefully doing their jobs
) have spotted an enemy force in-coming, then hiding and waiting for them to get closer before exposing yourself to their fire can be a good idea. especially in maps like river city. If enemies are coming through the water and you're in a short range build, it's a good idea to wait in the buildings till they get closer instead of revealing yourself to fire.
3) Near the beginning of a match, revealing yourself to enemy forces can cause a lot of problems. Keeping your head down and staying out of sight is very important when getting into position for a push or counter-push.
Good job Mr Void Angel. I commend you in your efforts.
Edited by GLaDOSauR, 29 November 2015 - 04:44 PM.