22 replies to this topic

[Eleshod]

Afternoon all, I have a rather interesting question that I lack some info on. I'm slowly approaching the 15,00 GXP line (14,920 at the moment) and I taking a peak and two possible upgrades for my scout Ravens modules.

Now my raven already has Advanced sensor range and target info gathering so now i'm trying to decide between grabbing upgraded UAV or seismic. Now I have no experience with the seismic mod but a ton with the UAV consumable. So basically, what I am asking, is seismic useful for a scout and support raven?

P.S it just dawned on me I lack the Capture accel mod, so now I have three choices to make... Any info and incite would be very appropriated.

[Vassago Rain]

Seismir, target decay, advanced sensors, last one of your choice.

[Lykaon]

My Raven 3L uses

1) Capture Accelerator
2) Adv. Seismic sensor
3) 360 target retention ( I mount a TAG and use this mech for LRM support also 360 target retention lets your streaks shoot at extreme angles for extra cheese)
4) Target decay

I replaced my advanced sensor range module with seismic but added a BAP to fill the range boost role.

Complete build is

280XL
10 DHS
Endo and Ferro
Armor near max (short by 2 points)
2 medium lasers
1 TAG
2 SSRM2 with 2 tons ammo
ECM/BAP/AMS with 1 ton ammo

I am concidering replacing the target decay with a UAV module.Tactical use would be run through the enemy lines and deploy the UAV in their midst.

I would grab the seismic module first without a doubt the better choice to get installed first.

Edited by Lykaon, 24 May 2013 - 03:57 PM.

[Soy]

Definitely Seismic, Decay, and 3rd/4th are down to mech/role/casual or competitive, etc.

For me, my third is usually Target Info Gathering.

Sensor Range is decent, too. This was my usual 3rd until Seismic, and it was on the hot seat for a while, I just didn't like consumables. Still don't, never used em.

I like Advanced Zoom but honestly don't get much utility out of it when I try it, feel like I'd be better off sniping at 3x without gimping screen awareness either.

This weekend I'm gonna be looking into UAV a lot, so can't comment on that without knowledge/experience. I've heard fairly decent responses regarding UAV.

Anyways, Seismic is the best gadget in game.

Edited by Soy, 24 May 2013 - 04:02 PM.

[Karenai]

Seismic anyday. It's broken op right now. Like a 400m wallhack.

[Mao of DC]

I run adv sensor, cap accel, seismic, and uav on my raven. I use it as an uber scout with BAP/ECM, 2 SSRMs, 2 mlas or 3 if Im not using TAG. xl 295 engine. As far as which module you should get it depends on what time or game mode you play. Play a lot of conquest, then cap accel hands down. Want to know when some is near by go seismic. The UAV is the scouts best friend when playing assault if placed right. Drop it in the middle of them and run away there isn't a PUG in the world that can ignore 5 or 6 blips popping up on his screen.

Karenai, on 24 May 2013 - 11:58 PM, said:

Seismic anyday. It's broken op right now. Like a 400m wallhack.

I don't think it is OP at all.

Edited by Mao of DC, 25 May 2013 - 12:11 AM.

[Victor Morson]

First off: They work great together. You can see where the UAV needs to be on Seismic, then deploy it accordingly.

Second, if you're an individual pilot, Seismic. No question. It's incredibly useful for both self-defense and getting tactical information. It is the answer to flanks and the bane of rushes.

Finally, UAV if you're a serious recon pilot or commander type. It's incredible at getting targeting information at the most crucial moments.

Long story short I'd give Seismic and UAVs both five stars, though Seismic will be useful 24/7 for you and UAVs are more of an occasional but powerful ability to use in team play. It'd be way too pricey to just run around throwing them up in PUGs, but they're super solid in serious games.

EDIT 2: I'd recommend Capture Accelerator and Seismic as your priorities if you are lone wolfing for sure. UAV again is only something worth picking up in your extra slot(s) for serious team play IMO. Very worthwhile if you're in a unit, however, but I'd definitely rank Cap Accel and Seismic as your immediate priorities.

Edited by Victor Morson, 25 May 2013 - 12:14 AM.

[MangoBogadog]

I got the UAV first, used it and thought, wow this is pretty cool.

I then got the Seismic Sensor and have never bothered using the UAV again. Its basically wall hax, no more sneaking behind the enemy through the cave or changing direction behind a building to throw them off. No more can anyone sneak up on you

[HarmAssassin]

Seismic is absolutely no different than a wallhack right now. Any mech without it is at a huge disadvantage. I usually flank the enemy, and attack from behind. I knew the seismic module was out, but didn't yet have it. Every game that I managed to sneak unseen (using cover) to the enemy's backside... I was met with half their team waiting for me.

Then I equipped seismic and understood why. I also noticed the little red dots of the enemy footsteps change direction whenever I tried to flank them, indicating that they had it too.

Yet another nail in the coffin of brawling / flanking / tactics. This game is becoming more and more of a sniper fest with each patch.

[Soy]

Lightstep Module would counter Seismic so chillaxative plopnflop til then, k? S gonna be aiiiiiite yo.

[Wispsy]

Seismic first, then uav and cool shot also target decay

[armyof1]

Anyone without Seismic right now is basically nerfing themselves. Gone are the days when you have to guess where that fast mech is going to come up on you again, to the left or right? Bah just look at your minimap and follow his movement, wait until he's visible and blast him with all your guns. Kinda sad really how tactics are being thrown out the window.

[Soy]

armyof1, on 25 May 2013 - 10:56 AM, said:

Anyone without Seismic right now is basically nerfing themselves. Gone are the days when you have to guess where that fast mech is going to come up on you again, to the left or right? Bah just look at your minimap and follow his movement, wait until he's visible and blast him with all your guns. Kinda sad really how tactics are being thrown out the window.

I get spirit of your post and everything, but... using Seismic opens up a bunch of new tactics... just sayin...

[armyof1]

Soy, on 25 May 2013 - 11:08 AM, said:

I get spirit of your post and everything, but... using Seismic opens up a bunch of new tactics... just sayin...

Frankly I don't see how, I think it takes away a lot more than it can ever give back. When you can see exactly where your opponents are moving all the way to 400m from you, trying to get the advantage by good maneuvers is really hard, or on smaller maps just about impossible.

[Victor Morson]

armyof1, on 25 May 2013 - 11:13 AM, said:

Frankly I don't see how, I think it takes away a lot more than it can ever give back. When you can see exactly where your opponents are moving all the way to 400m from you, trying to get the advantage by good maneuvers is really hard, or on smaller maps just about impossible.

Last night I was a pretty bad DC for the first hour or so, playing like people didn't have this sensor. Once I got used to the idea that they did, I started taking advantage of it.

You can keep units in ambush by having them hold still, for one. Given people RELY on their sensor now, we have trapped and murdered the enemy light team numerous times by having them think they were after two moving lights and run into 4 static assaults & heavies.

Also, you can use this to fake people out - having everyone push into seismic range and then push in a direction, only to change direction, was able to convince them we were going the wrong way at least once too. This does, however, completely destroy tunnels as a viable way to sneak and that's my only complaint really (Frozen City for example.. just park anywhere along the ice wall and you've got the tunnel on lock down.) Once again, we tracked numerous light units rush the tunnel only to have them encounter a still firing squad at the exit.

Really it requires an entirely different mindset about your actions and your team's actions. That said I realize it's a bit OP now and I support slowing the ping time, if not reducing the range a bit. It'll still be plenty useful.

Wispsy, on 25 May 2013 - 10:47 AM, said:

Seismic first, then uav and cool shot also target decay

Capture Accelerator and Seismic are both vital. Past that, you can toy around with it a little.

MangoBogadog, on 25 May 2013 - 05:18 AM, said:

I got the UAV first, used it and thought, wow this is pretty cool.

I then got the Seismic Sensor and have never bothered using the UAV again. Its basically wall hax, no more sneaking behind the enemy through the cave or changing direction behind a building to throw them off. No more can anyone sneak up on you

Even though LRMs are awful now, UAV is still awesome. You're not really using it for indirect fire because LRMs blow again, but if you see a big cluster about to advance on Seismic - dump a UAV and bam, you can target and get damage info from the entire enemy team.

This is huge. HUGE. Knowing who is crit and making a beeline at them before you're even in visual is an outright game changer if you're in even a somewhat organized game.

Edited by Victor Morson, 25 May 2013 - 11:22 AM.

[Wispsy]

Victor Morson, on 25 May 2013 - 11:20 AM, said:

Capture Accelerator and Seismic are both vital. Past that, you can toy around with it a

I disagree strongly. Instead of fleeing from the fight and hoping nobody bothers to come after you (at which point rarely is it going to be within 20seconds of you winning by capture of not, 95% of the time you get it or do no with or without capture mod) you can influence the fight and tip the victory over to your team, then clean up the random light who has not enough time to cap and no team to support him as he did not support them. Seismic is the best, coolant flush is just necessary on any mech, it is more damage when you need it most, uav is incredibly strong right now as most teams group up behind a hill. And as a raven who will
Mostly likely be killing things decay is useful in all engagements as it makes ssrms even easier.

Of course you can play the cap game but it is pretty much 100% reliant on your team which means success is somewhat random.

[General Taskeen]

Modules are for kids.

Edited by General Taskeen, 25 May 2013 - 11:43 AM.

[Victor Morson]

Wispsy, on 25 May 2013 - 11:35 AM, said:

I disagree strongly. Instead of fleeing from the fight and hoping nobody bothers to come after you (at which point rarely is it going to be within 20seconds of you winning by capture of not, 95% of the time you get it or do no with or without capture mod)

...

Of course you can play the cap game but it is pretty much 100% reliant on your team which means success is somewhat random.

The sheer amount of 8 man games that have been decided by a single 'mech having, or not having, a capture module - both in base cap situations (usually a counter-cap, if they've already got your base) - is staggering.

Coolant is nice and can save you sometimes but it in no way is as remotely as important as Cap Accel.

This issue is compounded more if you're honestly playing a Raven... if you are running a Raven without Cap Accel, you're hurting your whole team. Being able to slip away and take a lot of stuff off a base, even as a forced distraction, is important.

Edited by Victor Morson, 25 May 2013 - 11:55 AM.

[pencilboom]

seismic hands down

[Wispsy]

Victor Morson, on 25 May 2013 - 11:54 AM, said:

The sheer amount of 8 man games that have been decided by a single 'mech having, or not having, a capture module - both in base cap situations (usually a counter-cap, if they've already got your base) - is staggering.

Coolant is nice and can save you sometimes but it in no way is as remotely as important as Cap Accel.

This issue is compounded more if you're honestly playing a Raven... if you are running a Raven without Cap Accel, you're hurting your whole team. Being able to slip away and take a lot of stuff off a base, even as a forced distraction, is important.

Anecdotal 8man cap focused team argument? You do realise you can slip away for the cap anyway and it did not sound to me like he was playing 8mans using capping strategies. As I said it very much relies on your team to work and whereas you will use coolant flush nearly every fight and uavs provide a massive team advantage and target decay is so damn useful espeicially when you have ssrms. I mean I guess it is a different philosophy of play, would you rather carry your team harder or pray they can distract the entire enemy team long enough to pull off a surprise(2minute20?) cap win without anybody bothering to show up (in which case you likely would have got it anyway 95% of the time in my personal experience, which I guess is different to yours). I mean the time it is really useful is if both teams avoid each other and base race? But that does not happen very often and as a raven he is in the perfect position to stop that happening at all.

I could not begin to tell you the amount of games I have won simply because I had cool shot so could take that extra shot when it really mattered without overheating, it is truly staggering? Hell I have won more games yesterday due to my uav module then I had cap victories/losses total.