17 replies to this topic

[Toast001]

And i must be cured! Every match i tell myself don't be the first one in the pack and don't solo the atlas, but for some reason it always happens this way. I pilot a cataphrax mostly, its not that fast, even when i hold back the speed its usually me that ends up up front. Then i go charging in when i see one target then that one turns into the whole team. Trying to fix my kill death ratio with that mech. just bothering me that i can't think more tactically and use common sence. lol anyone else having this type of issue? Or cured yourself.

[Fishhawk]

You might try finding an assault on your team and just shadowing him and concentrating on having him in your sights at all times.
I typically pilot a light mech and you learn QUICKLY that you cannot take on a whole team of mechs.

[Nebelfeuer]

2 ways to "cure" you either take a fast light with ecm to have a chance to disengage after your initial charge or take a real slow mech(preferably relying on LRMs mostly to teach you keeping range) that prevents you from being the first to reach the battlefront ;-)

[Kenyon Burguess]

everyone starts as Rambo, and after a long painful road of losses, ends up as Audie Murphy. just keep at it.

Edited by Geist Null, 25 July 2013 - 05:32 AM.

[Liquid Leopard]

I sometimes have episodes of "target fixation" that result in coming around a corner and finding 4 or 5 enemy mechs waiting for me. My good tactical sense kicks in while my mech is being focus fired, and it's too late to do anything about it.

Are you playing with a team/guild/clan group? If you're playing with friends, with voice communication, maybe they can remind you to stick with the group and not "chase squirrels" so much.

[Crushus]

Ha, I know this problem all to well!

To trick myself into playing defensively, i sometimes kit out my mechs with a balanced weapon loadout and focus on the long range weapons (especially lrms) first, just to pass the time. For example, if you imagine a standard atlas, use the lrm 20 exclusively untill your ammo is depleted.
Then the battle should have developed to a point where you can wade in and bring down the unholy hammer on already damaged enemies with your short range weapons.

Unless, of course, your whole team as been ripped to pieces by then because you didnt support them properly

Horrido!

Edited by Crushus, 25 July 2013 - 05:52 AM.

[Eisenhorne]

I've been doing this a lot in my victor lately... though I'll contend that its not always a bad thing. I'm ramboing their LRM boats, killing 1-2 per game and doing at least 500 dmg before I'm brought down, paving the way for my team's victory.

[Bloodweaver]

Don't chase. Ever.

Don't head to a target just because you see it - whether visually, on radar, or on seismic.

Don't start fixating on a target just because your scout sighted him - especially vital if the real fighting has yet to commence. Take note of its position, but do nothing else about it.

Make sure there's always at LEAST one friendly 'mech in front of you. Especially if you're in a heavy-hitter like the Cataphract.

As you improve, each of these strategies can be ignored from time to time. But until you do improve, they are critical. And even after you do improve, they will still make up the majority of your gameplay. You only buck them when you have both the right situation AND developed skill.

[AdamBaines]

I have recovered.....mostly.....from my John Ramo/Leyroy Jenkins tendencies. I love my dragon the most which I have the speed tweak for....so I really have to be disciplined in not running ahead and getting picked apart. I always make myself stay at the pack of the pack until first heavy contact. Then I spring into action where my Rambo-ness actually helps.

My K/D ratio is still abysmal, although less so now then 2 months ago. it takes time....but I think ill get back to 1.0 sometime this month :-) My goal is by go-live to be somewhere around 1.25......I know....bad...but ill be happy :-)

[oldradagast]

I had a bad habit of doing this as well - it seemed no matter what mech I was in, I was leading the charge. Now, we're not talking "leading a stupid charge over a hill to die," but still... first one in tends to get a beating.

Practice has been the main factor to reduce how often I do this - I always try to let somebody else be the first one in unless I'm in an assault mech.

Edited by oldradagast, 25 July 2013 - 08:29 AM.

[Spiketail Drake]

Crushus, on 25 July 2013 - 05:52 AM, said:

Ha, I know this problem all to well!

To trick myself into playing defensively, i sometimes kit out my mechs with a balanced weapon loadout and focus on the long range weapons (especially lrms) first, just to pass the time. For example, if you imagine a standard atlas, use the lrm 20 exclusively untill your ammo is depleted.
Then the battle should have developed to a point where you can wade in and bring down the unholy hammer on already damaged enemies with your short range weapons.

Unless, of course, your whole team as been ripped to pieces by then because you didnt support them properly

Horrido!

That is how I pilot my 3F Stalker. 2 LRM10, 2 LL, 4ML, 2 StreakSRM, 5/1 ton of ammo for LRMs/Streaks. It is mighty slow though...

[Dracol]

Ahh.. you need the anti-Rambo three step program.

Step 1: hit launch and wait for bitching Betty to say "all systems nominal"
Step 2: do 50 jumping jacks
Step 3: go join the rest of your team who have hopefully already engaged the enemy

Even if this fails every time, you will feel better about yourself from the additional exercise in your life.

[Ryokens leap]

OP, I was that guy but in a Dragon. I started pulling a Crazy Ivan at match start and doing a lap around our base in an attempt to check my bad behavior. It has become a ritual now.

[zraven7]

Pick a buddy. Prob the easiest solution.

Just pick one mech and decide you are going to be with them the whole match. Then, either engage what they engage, or cover their backside. Should help.

[Lugh]

Geist Null, on 25 July 2013 - 05:31 AM, said:

everyone starts as Rambo, and after a long painful road of losses, ends up as Audie Murphy. just keep at it.

I'd prefer being one of the Medal Of Honor winners that didn't die in an explosion at the end of the good fight...

[Qrbaza]

I rambo too sometimes but only in desperate situations and when i forget to know beter...

[Victor Morson]

You're not alone OP, it's one of the big things we generally work on when we bring new people into an organized group: It's easy to want to push forward. Even after all this time, I find myself at the front of the group more than I should be.

My recommendation? Force yourself to play something decidedly long range for a bit, where pursuit is the last thing you want. An LRM 'mech, a sniper, something along those lines.

Another thing to try? Being a wing man. Pick a friendly 'mech of a similar loadout, and stick to them at all costs. I'd recommend any 'mech you suspect is part of a premade - if you see 4 people with the same faction logo pop in on the same lance, follow them.

Failing that, if you want to brawl and be the first in... my alternate advice is to run a build that can survive it! Check out a Centurion 9A with 3x SRM6 and 2x ML running a large standard engine (no arm armor). That thing can twist and move so much that destroying it takes forever, so at least you'll be able to soak a lot of fire while your team gets into position!

Edited by Victor Morson, 25 July 2013 - 02:43 PM.

[Nothing Whatsoever]

You could also get a Spider or Jenner, maybe even a Commando, Raven or Cicada, these mechs can Rambo well enough and then get away with enough regularity when things get too dicey, compared to other mechs, that are often stuck once committed to a fight.

• Spiders have a compact frame that is tough to focus on, and Jump Jets; but a light weapons load (often tough to over heat them with most builds). Just stay in motion and the experience can be forgiving since they are elusive little mechs, but can be frustrating in certain matches with the weak firepower.

• Jenners have it all. Speed, firepower and Jump Jets, but they are also all CT. They can brawl well, strike well, and are excellent scouts. But they can also run hot, so you will need to practice Trigger Discipline with most builds and learn how to lead SRMs on bigger mechs if you carry them. Stick to using Lasers against other lights when in motion.

• Commandos are the toughest lights to use because they are less durable when hit, tend to be slower than many other light builds, and don't have JJs. But their unforgiving nature can teach you how to move on the battlefield, lead with SRMs if you have one of those variants, and they can often carry enough firepower as a striker mech to fight bigger mechs. But you'll often have to avoid fighting other lights fairly, if packing SRMs, since they are tricky to land on other lights and SRMs are also randomly having trouble registering damage against lights.

• You could also try the Ravens and Cicadas, they can pack fine firepower and speed (except for the non-ECM Ravens which are as slow, or slower, than the average Commando build). All three Ravens and the Cicadas can be easily legged though, and Cicadas are also mostly CT like Jenners (rather safe for XLs, but bigger and no Jump Jets can make them easy targets for pilots with good aim and LRMs). Only the RVN-4X has JJs from this group. And from what I've read the best three Cicadas seem to be the CDA-3M and the X-5 for sure, and possibly a tie at third with the CDA-2A and CDA-2B. So these mechs are also possibilities if you've tried other lights and like how piloting feels with that type of combo of their speed and firepower.

Just remember to stay in motion when moving between cover, do your best to stay out of sight, always use cover to your advantage, communicate as best you can to your team and have lethal intent when you do attack.

Rambo did use stealth often enough, and if for example, you happen to find an Assault alone and 1 on 1, you can at least keep it occupied so that you team can get an advantage. Lights can also often inflict the "Squirrel!" chase, distracting multiple mechs allowing for your team to advance and pick apart the enemy when that happens.

Hope the ideas help.