20 replies to this topic

[Doug_Norm]

Noob here. I was wondering if there is a way to make an artillery mech. I like the idea of a scout mech running in and calling out enemy mech to me and I try to inderectly hit it in an arch from across the map.

Does this seem like it could happen in MWO? Or is it just a dream?

[Hans Von Lohman]

Yes, there is good news.

The developers at Piranha say they want to go towards a more class based gameplay, so you will see mechs that have roles and abilities that are not just different combinations of speed, firepower, and armor.

Spotting for Long Range Missiles is actually part of the hexagon game with little miniatures. So, I expect we'll see the same thing in MWO, probably for Light mechs as spotters and heavies and assault mechs who can fire LRM-20's at the tagged guy.

[Mercurial]

Aegis Kleais™, on 07 November 2011 - 05:32 PM, said:

Well, the usual con to the pro of artillery (it's power) is that it's very very slow moving.

There was word that commander's were going to be able to call in off-map artillery, and that's nice, but hopefully down the line we'll see things like Long Tom artillery on Mechs and beacons which allow you to fire/forget to help promote teamwork between artillery Mech and spotter.

Only problem is that can very quickly end up being a very boring kind of 'Artillery mech waits around for spotters, aims vaguely in direction of cursor and fires. Oh, and if he gets caught by enemy mechs, he tends to die horribly as he's undergunned for real fights. ' Maybe he moves around a bit to get around intervening terrain, but it could end up being a lot of 'hurry up and wait' (and if he's up close and personal well, is he really artillery?)

Although a Longbow with an Arrow IV hitting a mech from the absurd range (wasn't it like three actual maps in the TT?) is kind of giggle-inducing.

Missle heavy mechs though? Totally other matter. Yeah, there will be long-ranged mechs that rely on lock-on missles and maybe even have some teammate support (indirect LRM fire. Mmmmm. That's the good stuff).

Edited by Mercurial, 07 November 2011 - 05:36 PM.

[Everett]

Long Tom and Sniper artillery, along with Arrow IV and Thunder/Swarm missiles, plus TAG and C3 are all established battletech systems that give the potential for standoff engagement mechanics.

Hopefully we'll see some of them implemented.

[fakey]

That'll be nice to see, I always thought that LRMs were overpowered (particularly in Mech2) and it'll be nice to see them treated as more of an artillery weapon than something you can unload on someone effectively at close range.

[Sporkosophy]

They made a few mechs like that: http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Helepolis.
Another one is a Victor variant, but that used tech not available until post-jihad iirc.

Edit: oooo, I also forgot the Arrow IV Catapult; might be a few others that use it as well, just search around sarna and you might find them.

Edited by sporkosophy, 07 November 2011 - 05:39 PM.

[Stinger]

There are a few artillery mechs, but not like traditional artillery. There are several mechs that fire Arrow IV missiles, which are essentially artillery. Here are the links to a few of them:
http://www.sarna.net...28BattleMech%29 - Naga, an 80 ton Clan artillery mech

http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Catapult - the CPLT-C5 Varient fires Arrow IV artillery

So it is definitely in universe.

[Lyme Disease]

Sure there is a way to make an Artillery Mech. It's called a 3050 Catapult refit with an Arrow IV Artillery System. What remains to be seen is whether a) the Catapult makes it into the Mech designs for the game (very likely) and whether the designers are willing to build the Arrow IV System into the game just yet. It was tourney legal for the board game, oh, say 15 years ago or so.

I've played this game way too long.....

[Mercurial]

fakey, on 07 November 2011 - 05:37 PM, said:

That'll be nice to see, I always thought that LRMs were overpowered (particularly in Mech2) and it'll be nice to see them treated as more of an artillery weapon than something you can unload on someone effectively at close range.

HOPEFULLY, they'll address this right, but the devs are aware of the problem, and are going to make it so some LRM missles don't 'lock on' properly and vary the damage a little.

Edited by Mercurial, 07 November 2011 - 05:40 PM.

[Lyme Disease]

Stinger, on 07 November 2011 - 05:38 PM, said:

There are a few artillery mechs, but not like traditional artillery. There are several mechs that fire Arrow IV missiles, which are essentially artillery. Here are the links to a few of them:
http://www.sarna.net...28BattleMech%29 - Naga, an 80 ton Clan artillery mech

http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Catapult - the CPLT-C5 Varient fires Arrow IV artillery

So it is definitely in universe.

That is a later comer. The Catapult I'm talking about is the C3 out of Record Sheets: 3050

[Stinger]

Lyme Disease, on 07 November 2011 - 05:41 PM, said:

That is a later comer. The Catapult I'm talking about is the C3 out of Record Sheets: 3050

Sorry, I meant to say CPLT-C3, which is the 3050 model

[Lyme Disease]

Stinger, on 07 November 2011 - 05:43 PM, said:

Sorry, I meant to say CPLT-C3, which is the 3050 model

All good. Just enjoying the company of those who know what i'm talking about.

[Stinger]

Lyme Disease, on 07 November 2011 - 05:46 PM, said:

All good. Just enjoying the company of those who know what i'm talking about.

Agreed!

[rollermint]

Firstly, the impression one gets from the Dev statements is that missiles generally are not fire and forget. I'm beginning to believe that not only you need to maintain a lock on the enemy but you also may need to keep him relatively within visual sights. Well I'll guess we'll see.

Second, you cannot simply cut and paste the artillery system in WoT onto MWO. Its not that straight forward. The most obvious flaw is that Artillery Tanks in WoT are lightly armoured and move relatively slow, particularly the higher tiers. They are generally sitting ducks. Mechs, otoh, are pretty well armoured and that includes the Catapult, Yeoman etc etc. And they usually have medium range armaments to deal with targets at closer ranges. Most missle mechboats can torso twist and can dogfight pretty well whereas WOT artillery tanks are pratically turretless and cannot dogfight.

Thirdly, can we all stop trying to turn this game into World of Mechs, please? I know WoT have many good things going for it but there are alot of terrible flaws as well. Its getting as bad as WoW fanbois clamouring for all the other upcoming fantasy MMOs into a WoW clone.

[Captain Nice HD]

sporkosophy, on 07 November 2011 - 05:37 PM, said:

They made a few mechs like that: http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Helepolis.
Another one is a Victor variant, but that used tech not available until post-jihad iirc.

The Victor variant uses the sub-nosed, direct-fire version of the Long Tom Artillery Tube: the Long Tom Cannon. It's really more of a BattleMech-sized grenade launcher than anything else (who knew that BattleTech had a 'n00b tube'?). Also, the Lyrans have had them since 3012; they just didn't start mass producing them until after the Jihad.

The Helepolis though? Yeah, that's a full-sized Sniper Tube. Fun 'Mech to play with; pity it's extinct.

[Zakatak]

Do any mechs, by canon, carry a Longtom?

[Cake Bandit]

rollermint, on 07 November 2011 - 05:55 PM, said:

Thirdly, can we all stop trying to turn this game into World of Mechs, please? I know WoT have many good things going for it but there are alot of terrible flaws as well. Its getting as bad as WoW fanbois clamouring for all the other upcoming fantasy MMOs into a WoW clone.

It's probably one of the only three games people have really experienced Free to play with. There's a thread or two around with more information on the whole free to play thing lying around. If I were to give my personal Free to Play thoughts a name it would probably be World of Mech Fortress 2.

anyway, you're going to want to run something like a raven


Spotting for something like this catapult.

[theginganinja]

Zakatak, on 07 November 2011 - 06:03 PM, said:

Do any mechs, by canon, carry a Longtom?

No standard variants, from the looks of it - just a custom Victor

[Lyme Disease]

Zakatak, on 07 November 2011 - 06:03 PM, said:

Do any mechs, by canon, carry a Longtom?

As far as I remember, not in level 2 (tourney legal) rules. IIRC a vehicle (aptly named the Mobile Long Tom) and a Dropship (I wanna say Overlord) were the only ones that carried it in canon. Stinger, can you verify?

[Captain Nice HD]

Long Tom Artillery is 30 tons and 30 crits. You ain't fitting that in a a 'Mech. The Long Tom Cannon is 20 tons and 15 crits, which is doable.

According to Sarna, the only 'Mechs to mount Long Tom Cannons are the Victor VTR-9K2 and the Pillager PLG-4X.