11 replies to this topic

[Rabid Dutchman]

(Please don't confuse Bunching Up with Staying Together. Staying Together is one of the best things you can do. Bunching Up gets your teammates killed.)

I can't tell you how many times I've been moving with a group and come to the corner of a cliff face/crashed ship/building/glacier and peeked around to see several Heavy and Assault Mechs waiting to ambush whoever stepped around the corner (Not knocking Ambush tactics, go with what works). Were I able to back up behind cover, the damage dealt to me would be negligible. However, there is consistently a friendly Mech standing right behind me and preventing me from backing into cover. This means that I end up getting severely damaged to the point of uselessness or cored. All because a teammate felt that they needed to be in optimal hugging range.

In short: Give your teammates room to maneuver without tripping over you. It will increase their longevity, and yours by extension.

[Wildstreak]

I have found that not being in front tends to help avoid such things. There seems to be enough people that want to wade in blindly, my days of that are almost over.

[Rabid Dutchman]

Somebody has to go first. Not rushing in, but the first to check a corner, etc. The point I'm making is that Mechs don't turn on a dime, and there are some players that need to learn to give their teammates maneuvering space

[Wildstreak]

True but if you find YOU are going first, always pick a spot that gives room to maneuver.

Going between the crashed dropship sections on Frozen City is asking for trouble early, better to wait until later when the fight breaks out.

[Dawnstealer]

hahahaha - yeah, this is the exact reason I not only don't want to be first, but usually travel 10-20m to the side of the main herd. For one, my mech does best when I can flank the enemy after they're already engaged (who doesn't?), but also because I've come up on a spot to look around, immediately been shot at by eight mechs on the other team, and discovered I couldn't back up because someone was standing directly behind me and basically forcing me into becoming a shield.

Worse? They'll start shooting. With me in front of them.

Easier to just stay with the herd, but act more like a sheepdog and stay to the side.

[mailin]

Dawnstealer, on 20 May 2013 - 08:39 AM, said:

hahahaha - yeah, this is the exact reason I not only don't want to be first, but usually travel 10-20m to the side of the main herd. For one, my mech does best when I can flank the enemy after they're already engaged (who doesn't?), but also because I've come up on a spot to look around, immediately been shot at by eight mechs on the other team, and discovered I couldn't back up because someone was standing directly behind me and basically forcing me into becoming a shield.

You should actually try to stay about 100m away from your teammates. Much closer and there isn't a lot of room to move, also, by staying about 100m out any lights that want to circle strafe will need to make a decision leaving the other free to fire. Also, if you're too close there is a greater likelihood of taking random hits, which is never something you want to give your enemy.

[DeaconW]

Rabid Dutchman, on 18 May 2013 - 07:25 PM, said:

In short: Give your teammates room to maneuver without tripping over you. It will increase their longevity, and yours by extension.

I applaud your effort to get PUGs to understand and care...but my experience is that the window-licker ratio in this game remains fairly constant no matter what ELO does...unless you are dropping in 8-man organized groups. My favorite are Atlas D-DC's who charge right in, do less than 100 pts of damage and get killed first. As I pilot an Atlas a good bit this both annoys and embarrasses me...

[Lugh]

DeaconW, on 20 May 2013 - 08:53 AM, said:

I applaud your effort to get PUGs to understand and care...but my experience is that the window-licker ratio in this game remains fairly constant no matter what ELO does...unless you are dropping in 8-man organized groups. My favorite are Atlas D-DC's who charge right in, do less than 100 pts of damage and get killed first. As I pilot an Atlas a good bit this both annoys and embarrasses me...

My favorite is Jenner and Raven pilots that do the same. Instead of actually staying alive and you know scouting... harrassing when appropriate. They die 1.5minutes in fighting 1 on 8.

[1453 R]

It's especially aggravating with ECM machines. When I'm in my ECM 'Mechs, I actually tend to try and stick with the pack in the first minute-odd of a game when everyone's still maneuvering. I find that providing an ECM shield to my allies is generally a better use of my time in the first actions of a match than going out to scout - as much as I know it burns poor Void Angel's cookies and as much as I'd love for folks to listen to scout reports, scouting in public games is mostly a waste of time, effort, and perfectly good light 'Mechs.

That said...it's astounding how difficult it can be to both keep folks under shield and not get run over by folks who just absolutely insist on lodging themselves firmly in my armpit. It's like they don't even see me if I weigh less than seventy tons, it throws me off, they damage my legs with their giant *****-feet, and the number of times I've been snarled around a corner by some ******** with more SRM ammo than situational awareness, even in my smaller 'Mechs...

Well, it makes me glad I'm more or less used to operating away from the pack as a flank skirmisher/vulture.

EDIT:: Wow. Piranha's cuss filters are harsh, man.

Edited by 1453 R, 20 May 2013 - 09:06 AM.

[Rabid Dutchman]

Dawnstealer, on 20 May 2013 - 08:39 AM, said:

Worse? They'll start shooting. With me in front of them.

THIS. SO much this! I've been cored by teammates doing this

[Dawnstealer]

mailin, on 20 May 2013 - 08:52 AM, said:

You should actually try to stay about 100m away from your teammates. Much closer and there isn't a lot of room to move, also, by staying about 100m out any lights that want to circle strafe will need to make a decision leaving the other free to fire. Also, if you're too close there is a greater likelihood of taking random hits, which is never something you want to give your enemy.

Very good point. I mostly meant as I was trundling up to the battle. Once I'm actually at the battle, I'll hold back just a little bit (unless I'm on a team of snipers or, worse, jump-snipers...*sigh*), and try to come in from the side and reach that perfect range for my SRMs and lasers (usually about 50m). I really try not to get any closer than that for exactly the reason you say.

[Phoenix Gray]

Rabid Dutchman, on 18 May 2013 - 07:25 PM, said:

(Please don't confuse Bunching Up with Staying Together. Staying Together is one of the best things you can do. Bunching Up gets your teammates killed.)

I can't tell you how many times I've been moving with a group and come to the corner of a cliff face/crashed ship/building/glacier and peeked around to see several Heavy and Assault Mechs waiting to ambush whoever stepped around the corner (Not knocking Ambush tactics, go with what works). Were I able to back up behind cover, the damage dealt to me would be negligible. However, there is consistently a friendly Mech standing right behind me and preventing me from backing into cover. This means that I end up getting severely damaged to the point of uselessness or cored. All because a teammate felt that they needed to be in optimal hugging range.

In short: Give your teammates room to maneuver without tripping over you. It will increase their longevity, and yours by extension.

GUY WITH A BUNCHA LRMS AND ARTY MODULES SEZ:

"DON'T LISTEN TO THE SILLY MAN!"

"Look at all the 'free armor' you get by crowding up behind that assault! And the fact that he can't back up means he HAS to take the fight to the enemy, which means less work for you!"