102 replies to this topic

[C E Dwyer]

when the daka is high and the lrms are flying,the screen is shaking hitting is allways a plus

[Shakespeare]

Often the Girdle/Undercarriage/Pelvis is a good aim point. Several mechs can be CT'd from every angle that way. A few more mechs have the cockpit center-mass, or nearly so - Cataphract, Catapult, Jager (to a degree), Awesome. I aim for the head on those.

Some mechs have prominent weapon systems - The Atlas's underslung gun, the Hunchback's hunch, The Highlander's Energy Dock. Take those out, and return fire becomes a secondary issue. You go for the kill after that.

Other mechs are just too good at twisting off, or their hitboxes are designed such that you'll waste energy blasting every scrap of armor before they're dead. Centurions get legged, same with lights. Stalkers are funny - on the one hand, taking out a side torso usually takes out %50 of its hit potential and exposes the CT. On the other hand, that's kind of the long way around. Getting to their backs, or aiming under the nose, is usually a better approach.

Most heavies with big guns will run XL to keep pace. Some Jagers, most 'Phracts, all dragons. When possible, a side torso kill is nice, and saves time. But it's not a guarantee. Try doing it through the rear plate, although I've had decent luck taking out a 'phracts torso gun and blowing the whole mech with it!

It's a lot of little things to keep in mind, but it quickly becomes habit. I'm still teaching myself to leg centurions instead of trying to brute them, because they're so hard to quickly destroy, and they're a threat until they're all the way down. The rest is instinct at this point. Knowing who to destroy first, and how, is vital to an Atlas pilot.

[MustrumRidcully]

No matter the posts replying to the thread, the poll seems to be pretty definite - most people go for the CT.
I wonder if that is what the devs had hoped for? I figure if you have a lot of hit locations with fairly complex rules on what happens when they get hit (critical hits) or destroyed, you would expect players to utilize this a bit more intentional. But it seems we all tend to think that the CT is the most worthwhile target.

Edited by MustrumRidcully, 10 June 2013 - 11:29 PM.

[One Medic Army]

After paying more attention to my own gameplay, I find most times I'll go for a side torso these days, lots of XLs around.
Std engine mechs then get shot on the other side torso or the groin.

[StandingCow]

It depends. Often time I take a shot at the legs first to see if the armor was stripped, if not, or if I can't tell by default I normally go for the right torso, again it depends on what weapons they have.

[Sephlock]

I've found that if I seriously damage an enemy mech's leg, I cannot count on my teammates to also shoot at that leg, even if the mech's CT is unharmed.

As far as I have been able to determine this is because:

1: Puggers are stupid and therefore do not bother using R

2: There is a bit of a time lag between when you first target an enemy and when you get data on the status of their armor. Why they don't immediately switch to targeting the red leg armor or yellow internal leg structure upon getting that data is a bit beyond me... maybe they just don't bother to look?

3: Puggers are stupid, period.

For similar reasons, I tend not to aim for the head unless I think I can finish the target myself.

[skullman86]

Shoulder and/or leg priority for lights, but I aim center of mass on everything else unless there is a good chance it's running a XL.

[buttmonkey]

normally i go for the testis

[Praehotec8]

Undamaged heavies, assaults, and mediums (in general)- Core torso generally
Lights (and cicada) - legs
Jagers - Side torsos
damaged mechs - damaged areas

[Praehotec8]

MustrumRidcully, on 10 June 2013 - 11:29 PM, said:

No matter the posts replying to the thread, the poll seems to be pretty definite - most people go for the CT.
I wonder if that is what the devs had hoped for? I figure if you have a lot of hit locations with fairly complex rules on what happens when they get hit (critical hits) or destroyed, you would expect players to utilize this a bit more intentional. But it seems we all tend to think that the CT is the most worthwhile target.

I think the issue is that getting to the tasty center of the core torso doesn't take much more effort (in general and sometimes less) than other parts. If you spend 60-80 or so points to take off an atlas's arm or side torso, you've only cut down some weapons and made it angry. You still have another 100or so points to core it. It's often just more efficient to spend your initial damage toward the core. Situations vary, but in general it's faster to go for CT (save for mechs with large side torsos running XLs, *cough Jagers *cough* or already damaged parts).

[Eddrick]

I aim for the Head. If I miss, it hits the Center Torso or Side Torso instead. Which, is the next best. I don't bother trying to disable a Mech. I just go for Kill Shots.

[Oriius]

It depends on what I'm shooting at, at very long range i will shoot for the center mass. In range to place shots and with no damage on them, I gun for all lights legs and all cent's legs. Known XL builds (i.e. AC40 jager) I will gun for their sides, the only ones I really try for head shots on are Catapults and Cataphract.

With that said my personal preference is to shoot everyone in the back.

[MustrumRidcully]

Praehotec8, on 17 June 2013 - 12:14 AM, said:

I think the issue is that getting to the tasty center of the core torso doesn't take much more effort (in general and sometimes less) than other parts. If you spend 60-80 or so points to take off an atlas's arm or side torso, you've only cut down some weapons and made it angry. You still have another 100or so points to core it. It's often just more efficient to spend your initial damage toward the core. Situations vary, but in general it's faster to go for CT (save for mechs with large side torsos running XLs, *cough Jagers *cough* or already damaged parts).

What could be done to change that?

[Victor Morson]

This poll is impossible to answer because the answer is literally different for every single chassis and sometimes even variant.

[Mercules]

Victor Morson, on 17 June 2013 - 05:08 AM, said:

This poll is impossible to answer because the answer is literally different for every single chassis and sometimes even variant.

Yep, had to say "other" to both of them. It really depends on what I am running, what I run into, range, and status of the target. I have the Target Info Gathering module and put it on every mech with pinpoint guns so I know what is weak and what to aim at.


Spaltcats/Boomcats get legged from range if I can help it, same with Jaggers relying on ballistics. 1. They can't close the distance to shoot me with a LOT of damage. 2. They often store ammo in their legs meaning, "Boooooom!". I've seen a splatcat go boom and lose the leg and the Torso.

Atlas need that AC/20 or Gauss gone if I can. I'll hit them RT and same with Ilya/'phracts. Against lights I'll often be happy to hit them unless I am in my light. I've blown both arms off a COM-TDK before with my COM-TDK. He was then forced to run and I was able to easily finish him off since he was no threat to me.

Now with ECM being in specific spots I've considered trying to blow that location.


Default though, is Head/CT/Crotch. Fastest way to end a mech.

[DEMAX51]

I don't think any of the answers in the poll are adequate, because I aim at different parts of a 'Mech depending on what that 'Mech is. If you want to succeed you can't just say "well, I'm going to CT every target I fire upon."

For instance:

Against a Misery I target the ballistic side torso...

Against a Centurion I'll almost always go for the legs...

Against a Jenner it's nothing but the gigantic CT...

Against a Spider it's all legs all the time...

Against random heavies/meidums I'll take a look at the loadout and see if they're likely sporting an XL engine, if so I go side torso...

Against an Atlas I'll go side torsos to neuter it unless I can get a clear shot at his rear CT...


You've got to change it up, because different builds have different weaknesses.

[Hauser]

It's a prisoners dilemma.

I prefer side torsos or legs but unless the whole team does the same I'm wasting my shots by spreading the damage. So I usually look where other people are shooting at and shoot the same. Usually that is the CT. There might be more armor but overall it is faster.

When it's mechs that need to be legged I try to call it out on chat though.

Edited by Hauser, 19 June 2013 - 04:45 PM.

[Shakespeare]

Anybody remember when atlas dueling was all about the headshots?

Loved that stuff.

[JP Josh]

depends on my build and what i face.

atlases i cant survive against because i run either a thumper cat or a ambush atlas.

for atlases i will ambush and try to leg it before it can turn on me this is true for both of my mechs. if i leg it and im in my cat i will usally stay on its back and dissable both shoulders then i am guilty of leaving it. in my haunch back ill kill it by legging first to cancel its mobility and then back core. please note in a urban setting ill leg the atlas and get the hell out of dog if the pilot starts to back up against a building with my cat i usally jj ontop of the building hes up against and run if in my haunchback i just round the corner and call for some team support.

if dealing with snipers in my cat i will answer back with my lrm 5 ****** when team mates light em up. in haunchback ill just sit tight in a spot where they have to enter the mechs specilized doman in face brawling less than 5 meters apart.

my haunchback is all small lazer with double heat sinks defalt moter.

my cat runs double heatsinks defalt moter all med pulse lazers (chain fire) and one lrm 5

these builds are specilized and while my cat may not be optimal the srm nerfe hurt it because it use to have a srm 6 in the ear that the lrm 5 sits i ripped out the srm after the nerf

[Scorpio Rising]

I always aim for the head on undamaged mechs, because a "miss" equals a center torso hit.

If they aren't damaged then I aim for the reddest part of the mech.