50 replies to this topic

[Rabid Dutchman]

In the last five games I've played (all with different PUGs), I've noticed an emerging trend among Assault Mech pilots: A rather frustrating tendency to find a large piece of cover and cower behind it.

Please don't misinterpret what I'm saying. I am not saying that Assault Mechs should never take cover. Assault Mechs should take cover, all Mechs should because it is a smart tactic. What they should not do is cower behind cover, only to step out occasionally to observe the battle without firing a shot.

Assault Pilots: You are piloting an 80+ ton Mech, loaded with an ungodly amount of weapons and armor. Part of your job is to push forward and, yes, take some hits. By all means play smart within your weight class, but actually play your weight class. If you spend the match bunched up together behind cover, terrified of getting mean looks, then you are not pulling your weight and your team will suffer because of it. Please adjust your tactics or weight class accordingly.

Again: Not complaining about Assault Mechs that utilize cover, just the ones that won't do anything but stay in cover.

[Mechteric]

Its probably mostly because of the high amounts of damage put out by snipers, plus the desire to not wade through LRMs (even if they dont do as much damage now). Add on to that not knowing if the rest of your team has your back as you move forward. PUG life is hard.

[8CH Trooper]

As an assault pilot I can tell you that the trend is for the rest of the team leaving me in a shower of dust and gravel, get them self's killed before I get any where near the battle field and then complain bitterly in team chat that I didn't help and I should L2P. If you want help stick with the assault and give it support or you will find me using cover to try and deal out enough damage before I go down in a hail of concentrated fire from the guys that just finished wiping you out, that I feel like I did something before I died. But I do want to thank those guys for keeping my ELO low.

[Naimes]

I'm just getting used to my stalker and I have found that in most pugs lighter mechs go off on there own, mediums tend to stick close, and heavies press a bit but there is precious little cover being provided to assaults who are the focus of fire. In response assaults play it more and more safe.

At the end of the day while assaults have the most armor, they dont like bullets, missles, or lasers, anymore then a light mech might. So if you want a bold assault pressing the lines, give them some cover.

Edited by Naimes, 28 May 2013 - 12:05 PM.

[Sephlock]

http://mwomercs.com/...__fromsearch__1

[Rabid Dutchman]

Naimes, on 28 May 2013 - 12:01 PM, said:

I'm just getting used to my stalker and I have found that in most pugs lighter mechs go off on there own, mediums tend to stick close, and heavies press a bit but there is precious little cover being provided to assaults who are the focus of fire. In response assaults play it more and more safe.

At the end of the day while assaults have the most armor, they dont like bullets, missles, or lasers, anymore then a light mech might. So if you want a bold assault pressing the lines, give them some cover.

8CH Trooper, on 28 May 2013 - 12:01 PM, said:

As an assault pilot I can tell you that the trend is for the rest of the team leaving me in a shower of dust and gravel, get them self's killed before I get any where near the battle field and then complain bitterly in team chat that I didn't help and I should L2P. If you want help stick with the assault and give it support or you will find me using cover to try and deal out enough damage before I go down in a hail of concentrated fire from the guys that just finished wiping you out, that I feel like I did something before I died. But I do want to thank those guys for keeping my ELO low.

I run a CTF-2X, and my basic philosophy is "Follow Firepower". I personally love D-DC's with ECM and will run escort for them whenever I can. The problem I've been encountering is seeing two Atlases and a Stalker all bunched up behind the giant rock in the river on Forest Colony. They push out to there, sit, and do NOTHING. Or on Tourmaline Desert seeing an Atlas and an Awesome hunkered down in a knell between two rock outcroppings, while Hunchbacks and Centurions and Cataphracts (me) get blasted trying to fight while out matched by 100+ tons.

I understand that piloting an Atlas is not the same as flipping the God Mode switch, but simpering behind a rock is a waste of 100 tons.

Edited by Rabid Dutchman, 28 May 2013 - 12:15 PM.

[StonedVet]

Have you been away for the last few months??? Even assaults need to cover and are taken down in seconds if they try advancing. Sometimes staying behind cover and using your 4-6 PPC's is the best course of action even in an assault. Just because you are an assault doesn't mean you need to be the cannon fodder. Take notice next time and you will see the first ones to die are the ones who get this sense of being invincible and run out without thinking about what they are doing.

[Rabid Dutchman]

Lowridah, on 28 May 2013 - 12:25 PM, said:

Have you been away for the last few months??? Even assaults need to cover and are taken down in seconds if they try advancing. Sometimes staying behind cover and using your 4-6 PPC's is the best course of action even in an assault. Just because you are an assault doesn't mean you need to be the cannon fodder. Take notice next time and you will see the first ones to die are the ones who get this sense of being invincible and run out without thinking about what they are doing.

Rabid Dutchman, on 28 May 2013 - 11:45 AM, said:

Again: Not complaining about Assault Mechs that utilize cover, just the ones that won't do anything but stay in cover.

[Ryokens leap]

New players equate bigger as better thus many news run assault. After getting hammered by snipers and LRMs for their first 50 matches they start learning self preservation and they luvs the big rocks. Knowing when to hold and when to push is tricky for news, especially when not using voice comms to coordinate, the big boys hang back and everyone else goes of to die leaving the new assault player to face the remaining team solo. In summation- new players pick a chassis that's faster, get on comms and listen up.

[Tatula]

I was leveling up my Centurion AL over the long weekend while playing in the tourney at the same time and I kinda know what you're talking about. I think it has something to do with LRMs. I saw quite a few assaults hanging back spamming LRMs. As it is right now, they're not very effective.

[MoonUnitBeta]

Ryokens leap, on 28 May 2013 - 12:45 PM, said:

[snip] new players pick heavier mechs [snip]

Actually, I just got my friend into it. Not knowing anything about MWO he picked the highlander trial mech just because (i asked him if the reason why he picked it was because it was big and powerful and he said no, just picked it randomly). He hated it. He hopped into the jenner champion mech and was blown away. He loved it. I bought it for him after the second game and he's purchased a medium and an assault but he loves his jenner for the speed. He said to-hell with armor and just loaded it with weapons and 10 games later he's putting out 400 damage.
I'm not so sure that many new players pick the heavy since the speed is very undesirable, slow, and you just end up feeling like you cant do anything. Atleast that's what my friend felt lol. I must a agree though. When I joined Closed Beta in August, I instantly fell in love with my jenner, and my atlas was kind of... meh. Been piloting lights ever since and just now I'm starting to get into heavies and how they play. And by that I am only realy talking about my jager dual LB10X and my K2 that has 4 med laers and 2 UAC5... everything else is light.

But, that could be entirely play-style talking. Myself and my friend found ours pretty quick I guess, but I suppose a player who doesn't know what he likes might just end up in the heavier secure fortress of assault mechs.

Edited by MoonUnitBeta, 28 May 2013 - 01:48 PM.

[Sephlock]

MoonUnitBeta, on 28 May 2013 - 01:44 PM, said:

Actually, I just got my friend into it. now knowing anything about MWO he picked the highlander trial mech. he hated it. went into the jenner champion mech and was blown away. He loved it. I bought it for him after the second game and he's purchased a medium and an assault but he loves his jenner for the speed. He said to-hell with armor and just loaded it with weapons and 10 games later he's putting out 400 damage.
I'm not so sure that many new players pick the heavy since the speed is very undesirable, slow, and you just end up feeling like you cant do anything. Atleast that's what my friend felt lol. I must a agree though. When I joined Closed Beta in August, I instantly fell in love with my jenner, and my atlas was kind of... meh. Been piloting lights ever since and just now I'm starting to get into heavies and how they play. And by that I am only realy talking about my jager dual LB10X and my K2 that has 4 med laers and 2 UAC5... everything else is light

Can you buy me some mechs too? I'd like an Atlas RS please. And a Heavy Metal.

[MoonUnitBeta]

Sephlock, on 28 May 2013 - 01:46 PM, said:

Can you buy me some mechs too? I'd like an Atlas RS please. And a Heavy Metal.

lol Of course. Here's $100 that you can use anywhere that accepts invisible monopoly money.

[StonedVet]

Rabid Dutchman, on 28 May 2013 - 12:33 PM, said:

I play a stalker with ppc's and a DDC with a long range setup. I stay behind cover and engage only when there is team support, not just because I play assault classes.

[Aleric]

I love hearing people call me a scardy Atlas when I use cover to keep myself from being FFd on by everything in sight. No matter what you think an Atlas in the open has a life expectancy of 15 seconds if you are lucky. Remember we cant RUN out of target from LRMs, and AMS only do so much. If I am toe to toe with another mech then I will wade into them but dont tell me to stand there and get wasted while you are sitting back and laughing at me for dying.

[Rabid Dutchman]

Aleric, on 28 May 2013 - 09:50 PM, said:

I love hearing people call me a scardy Atlas when I use cover to keep myself from being FFd on by everything in sight. No matter what you think an Atlas in the open has a life expectancy of 15 seconds if you are lucky. Remember we cant RUN out of target from LRMs, and AMS only do so much. If I am toe to toe with another mech then I will wade into them but dont tell me to stand there and get wasted while you are sitting back and laughing at me for dying.

Rabid Dutchman, on 28 May 2013 - 11:45 AM, said:

...Please don't misinterpret what I'm saying. I am not saying that Assault Mechs should never take cover. Assault Mechs should take cover, all Mechs should because it is a smart tactic. What they should not do is cower behind cover, only to step out occasionally to observe the battle without firing a shot....

...Again: Not complaining about Assault Mechs that utilize cover, just the ones that won't do anything but stay in cover.

Guys, seriously, actually bother to read what someone posts before responding

[Johnny Reb]

Well if thats the case my lrms are doing there job still inside my mech!

[Xie Belvoule]

Umm, where have you been for the past month, under a rock? Everyone and their cat is a high alpha sniper build now.



When the only difference between a heavy and an assault is whether it takes 3 or 4 shots to kill you, your damn right people are keeping their heads down and staying in cover.

[Appogee]

I have just purchased my first Atlas.

With so many LRM campers, and scouts spotting for them, I am playing the Assault like I play my heavy... find cover, id an available target, step out and shoot, and advance with the rest of the team.

I learned quickly that wading into a hail of missiles and sniper fire kills my Atlas in 15 seconds.

So, I am not sure whether I am ''part of the problem'' as you see it. But I don't see an alternative strategy given the current meta, and given that - even though I use a 350 engine in my Atlas - it is still a big, slow, easy target for camperpults and snipers alike.

What would you have me do differently?

Edited by Appogee, 29 May 2013 - 01:24 AM.

[aniviron]

Can't speak for the other assault pilots, but when I am taking my awesome out for a stroll I hang back because it takes two shots to core me to deep red, and my ct is wider than your whole mech, and I'm not moving very fast. So yeah, cover is prudent.

MoonUnitBeta, on 28 May 2013 - 01:44 PM, said:

Actually, I just got my friend into it. Not knowing anything about MWO he picked the highlander trial mech just because (i asked him if the reason why he picked it was because it was big and powerful and he said no, just picked it randomly). He hated it. He hopped into the jenner champion mech and was blown away. He loved it. I bought it for him after the second game and he's purchased a medium and an assault but he loves his jenner for the speed. He said to-hell with armor and just loaded it with weapons and 10 games later he's putting out 400 damage.
I'm not so sure that many new players pick the heavy since the speed is very undesirable, slow, and you just end up feeling like you cant do anything. Atleast that's what my friend felt lol. I must a agree though. When I joined Closed Beta in August, I instantly fell in love with my jenner, and my atlas was kind of... meh. Been piloting lights ever since and just now I'm starting to get into heavies and how they play. And by that I am only realy talking about my jager dual LB10X and my K2 that has 4 med laers and 2 UAC5... everything else is light.

But, that could be entirely play-style talking. Myself and my friend found ours pretty quick I guess, but I suppose a player who doesn't know what he likes might just end up in the heavier secure fortress of assault mechs.

Might also be because the trial highlander has pretty much the worst possible loadout for this game. Well, I mean, there are always going to be troll builds but this is a serious mech, and the weapon range overlaps are really awkward and it's super slow and doesn't have all that much firepower and runs hot.