35 replies to this topic

[Oppresor]

Which Mech would make the best pure Reconnaissance type. I have thought hard about this and concluded that especially with the new large maps like Tourmaline, we need a dedicated Observer Post (OP) Mech, that would primarily sent back target description, strengths and grids to the remainder of their lance. Its secondary role's should be 1. Call in Artillery fire / Air strikes 2. Possibly to CAP (only where it doesn't interfere with the primary role).

I am currently using a Spider for this role; but, think the Flea may be a better bet if PGI give it it's true top speed.

[Vassago Rain]

Why? It's better to make a mobile command center out of an atlas with 285852 modules and all the current command gear.

[strygalldwir]

If we are to have a recon mech worth running, it needs to have better speed than the 3L and heaps of module slots. A hero spider variant might be good fun. Need more large size maps though.

[Felicitatem Parco]

This section of the forums (Suggestions) is actually meant for Users to offer suggestions tot he Game staff...

I'll move this thread to General Discussion for now, as I don't think it's a New Player Help or Guide-type of thread.

So, ideal Mechs for reconnoitering; Discuss.

[Oppresor]

Vassago Rain, on 13 April 2013 - 02:49 PM, said:

Why? It's better to make a mobile command center out of an atlas with 285852 modules and all the current command gear.

I like this idea a lot; it fits in with one of the other threads that ran a few weeks back to cover dual cockpit designs intended to house two MechWarrior teams. The idea is to have the Mech Commander in the back and a Pilot in front; The Commander works from a purpose designed Tactical Map and commands the remainder of the lance; He or She would also issue logistic orders for Ammunition Replen vehicles (If we get them later).

strygalldwir, on 13 April 2013 - 02:55 PM, said:

If we are to have a recon mech worth running, it needs to have better speed than the 3L and heaps of module slots. A hero spider variant might be good fun. Need more large size maps though.

I actually use a Spider for the role now; it's almost totally defensive, just one Medium laser & an AMS for self defence. It is fitted with a BAP, but I would have liked to carry a TAG as well. So far the results are looking good for this type of unit; once they know that you are going to be their Recon unit, other members of your lance listen to you and act on Recon information sent to them. They have also given me loads of encouragement once they are dead.

[Deathlike]

I'm biased towards the Jenner. However, Spider is sufficient for this role (ECM+JJs).. and the Raven just as well... but I think the Flea wouldn't be that great for it unless it had JJs.

Edited by Deathlike, 13 April 2013 - 03:15 PM.

[Oppresor]

Deathlike, on 13 April 2013 - 03:15 PM, said:

I'm biased towards the Jenner. However, Spider is sufficient for this role (ECM+JJs).. and the Raven just as well... but I think the Flea wouldn't be that great for it unless it had JJs.

I like the idea of the flea if it gets the top speed that it should have. In theory it could be the quickest unit on the battlefield; if this was used for Recon only, it's survival time should be a lot greater than all of the other lights. But I do agree that it would benefit from JJ's.

[Rotaugen]

You still need players to actually SCOUT. When I run a light, I type a lot of info to my team. I had one guy say "Thanks, you're the first actual scout I've seen in a light mech in a long time". I jump into the action where needed, but try to arm my team with info first.

[FrostCollar]

None of the above. All mechs have to put damage on the enemy sometime. Perhaps if the games were balanced by tonnage or BV only that would work, but in a game with only eight players on each side a team can't afford to sacrifice the combat capability of one mech to have it scout and do nothing else.

[Strucker]

Spider, jump jets, enough said.

[Deathlike]

FrostCollar, on 13 April 2013 - 04:33 PM, said:

None of the above. All mechs have to put damage on the enemy sometime. Perhaps if the games were balanced by tonnage or BV only that would work, but in a game with only eight players on each side a team can't afford to sacrifice the combat capability of one mech to have it scout and do nothing else.

What.. useless lights?

/adds Flea to list

[Team Leader]

Deathlike, on 13 April 2013 - 07:28 PM, said:

What.. useless lights?

/adds Flea to list

You could get 5 medium lasers on one of the variants. Not quite so useless, eh? Well, by that point its not really a scout... nevermind

[Oppresor]

Rotaugen, on 13 April 2013 - 04:27 PM, said:

You still need players to actually SCOUT. When I run a light, I type a lot of info to my team. I had one guy say "Thanks, you're the first actual scout I've seen in a light mech in a long time". I jump into the action where needed, but try to arm my team with info first.

Rotaugen, you have totally embraced the concept for the Recon light; this is exactly how it should be used, putting the Lance first, but also protecting yourself in order to carry out your primary Recon function. You should find that you will gain a lot more respect as other lance members realise that you are going to give them accurate Intel.

Team Leader, on 13 April 2013 - 07:31 PM, said:

You could get 5 medium lasers on one of the variants. Not quite so useless, eh? Well, by that point its not really a scout... nevermind

I know, it was never really intended to be a scout; the Flea is really a Light unit hunter, theoretically capable of out running and out manoeuvring anything else on the battlefield. The great thing about these attributes are that they would also make it an awesome Recon unit. Give it a BAP and a TAG for Recon and some sort of basic defence (Not the MG array, at least until they increase its damage output) maybe a Medium Laser and then run with the wind.

[FunkyFritter]

ECM is mandatory to prevent detection, which narrows things down quite a bit. I give the advantage to the raven because it fares better against opposing lights that will inevitably try to hunt you down.

[Trauglodyte]

I said it in the other thread, Recon/Scouting is of no use if you can't/won't use it to your advantage. As it is, maps are built so that there is a common point for both sides to meet and engage. You could have a map 10x the size of Tourmaline or Alpine and people would still mindlessly go to the same spot every game cause that is what is comfortable and because we want to shoot mechs and not pass each other quietly in the night for a lame base cap. Unfortunately, there is no in-game benefit for the Scout (you get points for NARCing/TAGing and you get points for Spotting) and, if everyone already knows where they're going, telling the team what mechs are coming is almost irrelevant. Plus, add to that the fact that variant information is too slow to come to relay it properly, you can't even tell your team the best target to focus.

[Oppresor]

I would agree that this is probably true on Tourmaline where most vector towards Theta to start with, but what about Alpine? There doesn't seem to be a specific point where all go to first. Alpine is also one of the biggest maps which really does lend itself to Recon. I carried out Recon for a team last week on this scenario using my Spider; it's the first time I can honestly say that I fulfilled the role properly. The shear speed of the spider let me climb the hills and get into a fantastic OP position where I could see the enemy forces three grids away. I was able to feed back strength and type info which ultimately lead to my Lance forming a pincer assault, trapping the enemy team in a valley where many of them died.

[wolf74]

For in game right now my pure recon mech is "COM-2D" nick named "C-P3O"
Armor: Full
Engine: 195xl
Heat sinks: standard
TAG,ECM,BAP,AMS &NARC
1ton of ammo each for ammo based items
Module: Advance sensors, 360 target, Target decay.
Paint style: Everything bright bright yellow.

Edited by wolf74, 14 April 2013 - 10:25 AM.

[Merky Merc]

An Owens with MRM-10 and 3 CERMLs.

Idk that I would recon with it, but I want it.

[Willie Sauerland]

Oppresor, on 14 April 2013 - 10:08 AM, said:

I would agree that this is probably true on Tourmaline where most vector towards Theta to start with, but what about Alpine? There doesn't seem to be a specific point where all go to first. Alpine is also one of the biggest maps which really does lend itself to Recon. I carried out Recon for a team last week on this scenario using my Spider; it's the first time I can honestly say that I fulfilled the role properly. The shear speed of the spider let me climb the hills and get into a fantastic OP position where I could see the enemy forces three grids away. I was able to feed back strength and type info which ultimately lead to my Lance forming a pincer assault, trapping the enemy team in a valley where many of them died.

No,

it is also true

of Alpine

where everybody

meets and fights

around the

D5-E5 area

where the hills are.

[Oppresor]

then yet again MWO is flawed. The only type of mission that should have a common point where both sides will be funnelled to engage is Siege. In this type of scenario the battle would be absolutely brutal, in the same way that Rorke's Drift was and by definition there would be no role for Recon beyond initial report of turret count etc.