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Guide: How To Spot


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#21 Darth Futuza

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Posted 17 July 2014 - 07:08 PM

Just want to add that: If you're the LRM boat, try not to get mad if the lights keep losing their locks at the beginning of the match (assuming they are decent players), just remember that they are risking their necks usually in enemy territory. We try our best, but sometimes Gauss Rifles to the face just isn't worth getting a lock for a few more seconds.

#22 Sparks Murphey

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Posted 17 July 2014 - 08:10 PM

An addition of my own:

A target that you're aware of and that isn't aware of you is much easier to spot than one that is aware of you. Therefore, it's important to remember two things:

1) Standing in front of your enemy draws their attention to you.
It may seem obvious, but I've seen a lot of spotters attempt to spot from right where their enemy is looking. If they see a bright red TAG beam coming from your 'Mech, they're going to put two and two together and get out of sight quickly. Even if they don't, the return fire is probably going to require you to get out of sight yourself or die a horrific death. Neither helps the LRM boat sending artillery on your brief target.

Solution: Stand behind or, failing that, to the side of your target.
If they can't see you, they can't shoot you. Better yet, if they aren't even aware they're being spotted, they won't know that bad things are happening until the sky starts raining explosives. Then they panic, try to work out what's happening. If they do find you, they need to turn their backs on your team in order to deal with you, giving your team yet another advantage (which you should definitely type up on the team chat).

2) Shooting people draws their attention to you.
Again, it seems obvious, but a lot of scouts forget this. You see a nice juicy assault squatting behind a ridge, back turned to you. You think, "Hmm, my lasers could burn through his back nice and quickly". You advance, drop an alpha strike into his back... and he turns around, probably drawing the attention of his team. Yeah, you've got a nice enough trade off: some nasty damage in his back, plus drawing his attention (and possibly that of others) from your main line. What you didn't get was to do this while spotting.

Solution: Add your fire to the LRM barrage.
If you're in a battle line and your damage indicator starts flashing behind you, there are three possibilities: A flanking enemy is trying to core you from behind; a teammate is accidentally/on purpose delivering a nice helping of friendly fire; or LRMs/artillery is raining on your head and the entire rest of your 'Mech. The first two situations prompt a quick check behind, and are bad if you are trying to spot. However, the third is exactly what you want if you are trying to spot. They know, or at least believe they know, exactly where that flashing red damage light is coming from: the rain of LRMs. If you time your alpha strike to coincide with your teammates showering them with missiles, they will often not notice that they are being shot in the back until it is far, far too late. Resist the urge to back stab your opponent until the time when you don't lose your advantage of surprise, or at least until you know it's a killing blow.

Edited by Sparks Murphey, 17 July 2014 - 08:11 PM.


#23 Tesunie

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Posted 17 July 2014 - 08:13 PM

View PostDarth Futuza, on 17 July 2014 - 07:08 PM, said:

Just want to add that: If you're the LRM boat, try not to get mad if the lights keep losing their locks at the beginning of the match (assuming they are decent players), just remember that they are risking their necks usually in enemy territory. We try our best, but sometimes Gauss Rifles to the face just isn't worth getting a lock for a few more seconds.


Your point is dually noted... and already been highly stressed.

LRM users should realize that the people who are spotting for them (if they are not spotting for themselves, which I feel they should be spotting for themselves when possible) are risking themselves for those locks. I always recommend survival over "keeping a lock for me to deal a little more damage". A held lock at the cost of an ally is not going to turn most games (very rarely may). However, a surviving ally very well could change the entire game in your favor, and they may even be able to provide a lock later on for you.

Heck, I've even been known to charge into a hopeless situation to try and distract enough to help the team. I've hugged PPC boating mechs to nullify them, at the cost/risk of the PPC mech's friend's shooting me to death. Why? Because I shut down an entire mech from shooting an ally, and if it's a heavy hitting mech... maybe my ally can even kill the rest of the team before I die... (Basically, I have no problem dieing if it means a possible better chance for my team to win.)

#24 Tesunie

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Posted 17 July 2014 - 08:24 PM

View PostSparks Murphey, on 17 July 2014 - 08:10 PM, said:

An addition of my own:


I've done this very practice myself. However, the rewards are low, but it is extremely effective!

I've run a Spider with an ERPPC and a TAG. I would jump behind enemy lines (carefully), someplace up high and unobserved. Then, I would TAG the closest enemy, and watch the LRMs do their thing. I would only shoot my PPC if I was spotted and needed to end up running/engaging.
However, the rewards (back then, no TAG bonus at that time) were really bad, so I ended up gearing for combat instead to deal damage as normal... with the occasional spotting position like before, just without the TAG... (read as, not as effective of a spotter, due to poor reward system.)
I named said Spider "Cry Wolf". Why? Because I went "WOLF! WOLF! OVER HERE! WOLF!" basically... like in the fable. Except, my wolves were really wolves. (Not Clan wolf... oh you know what I mean!)





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