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"The terms tactic and strategy are often confused: tactics are the actual means used to gain an objective, while strategy is the overall campaign plan, which may involve complex operational patterns, activity, and decision-making that lead to tactical execution."
In other words, I'm not talking here about how to win at Assault, or Conquest. I'll be attempting to address basic armor tactics applied to walking vehicles. I find the congruence of armor and infantry tactics one of the more interesting aspects of Battletech. Having been trained as a specialist in both roles, I hope to offer some valuable insight to anyone capable of resisting the tedium induced by reading through this diatribe.
So without any more preamble, a few definitions may help those new to military terminology, and clarify how I intend to apply them to MWO for those who are familiar.
Ablative Armor: Ablative armor is armor that degrades its level of protection as it takes enemy fire. All armor in MWO is ablative. It protects your mech by ablating every time it takes damage. And the damage is cumulative. There is currently no repair on the battlefield.
Bounding Overwatch: Sometimes called Traveling Overwatch when applied to armor or simply bounding, is the military tactic of alternating movement of coordinated units to allow, if necessary, suppression fire in support of offensive forward movement or defensive disengagement. In MWO this can simply be referred to as advancing (or withdrawing) by lance. One lance takes a firing position, while the other lance moves.
Column: A military column is a formation of units marching together in one or more files (a line of units, one following after another) in which the file is significantly longer than the width of ranks in the formation. In MWO this is generally seen as a single file column, where mechs are in tight terrain, or because of lack of command structure, people are just following the individual who looks like they know where they are going. As a general note, a column is considered the most vulnerable formation to be in when encountering the enemy.
Concealment: Concealment is terrain that conceals your presence from the enemy. It does not block incoming fire. In MWO this concept becomes rather tentative, because of the level of advanced sensors and the presence of ECM. Advanced sensors (such as seismic and UAV) and the ability to instantly relay positional information to team members on targeted mechs means that in many ways concealment is more powerful than cover, but also much more difficult to achieve. For practical purposes, ECM is a form of concealment, since it primarily blocks spotting, but not incoming fire.
Command and Control In a military organization this is the exercise of authority and direction by a properly designated commanding officer over assigned and attached forces in the accomplishment of the mission. In MWO this is generally non-existent. Unless you are part of a Clan or Guild, or in a voice chat, the closest you are likely to get to C&C is to follow someone who looks like they know what they are doing. In practical terms you can mitigate the lack of C&C in two ways. 1) Learn your role. Knowing how to be an effective scout, brawler, or skirmisher will go a long ways towards being in the right place at the right time, and enhancing your effectiveness. 2) Stick tight. Stay in formation. Unless you are an experienced pilot (and very often even if you are) the most effective thing you can do on the MWO battlefield is to provide force multiplication by staying close to your lance and concentrating fire on targets of opportunity. You cannot concentrate fire if you are off on your own alone.
Cover: Cover is generally regarded as an obstruction that will stop incoming enemy fire. A building, a ridge, even the burned out hulk of a vehicle. (or for that matter a working vehicle). Anything that will stop incoming rounds. You may note however that what is cover for direct fire is not necessarily cover for indirect fire. Cover for indirect fire is generally referred to as "overhead cover" (In MWO this primarily means it blocks incoming LRMs). In MWO the primary consideration for cover is that on a modern (futuristic) battlefield anything that can be seen can be killed. Since all armor is ablative, every time you expose yourself to the enemy, your level of protection is subject to being rapidly degraded.
Defilade Fire: A unit or position is "in defilade" if it uses natural or artificial obstacles to shield or conceal. For an armored fighting vehicle defilade is synonymous with a hull-down or turret-down position. In MWO this term applies to "ridge humping" and "pop-tarting". Using cover to provide protection while firing at the enemy is so ingrained in modern tactics that most people aren't aware that there is even a special term for it.
Direct Fire: This is just what it sounds like. The majority of all weapons mankind has invented are direct fire weapons. They move in more or less a direct line from origin to target, or at least require a direct line of sight to the target. Almost every weapon in MWO is a direct fire weapon. All energy weapons, all ballistic weapons and short range and streak short range missiles are direct fire weapons. Artemis, when applied to Long range missiles, is also a direct fire weapon, as it requires a line of sight to the target to take advantage of the bonus.
Enfilade Fire: A formation or position is "in enfilade" if weapons fire can be directed along its longest axis. In simplest terms, this is "flanking fire". Note that in MWO flanking fire is extremely effective, as mechs generally have less armor on their rear torsos. It also forces the enemy to respond, as they cannot bring their weapons to bear on the threat without turning.
Field of Fire: The field of fire of a weapon (or group of weapons) is the area around it that it can easily and effectively reach by fire. In MWO this refers to weapon range (short, medium or long) and type of fire (direct or indirect).
Forward Observer: A forward observer or “spotter” is responsible for directing artillery and mortar fire, mostly at opportunity targets. Note that this differs from the role of “scout” or intelligence gathering. The job of an FO is to provide specific intelligence on a target position, while a scout is primarily involved in gathering intelligence on the disposition of enemy forces. In MWO this is generally relevant to LRMs. Specialized tools such as TAG and/or BAP and various modules can make the FO more effective at holding target lock, hopefully without exposing themselves to counter-fire by remaining concealed. All FO in MWO requires LOS (line of sight).
Indirect Fire: With the advent of massed archers, indirect fire became a viable tactic on the battlefield. Artillery, Mortars and Ballistic/Cruise missiles are state of the art indirect fire systems currently in use. Indirect fire is arcing fire that can affect enemy units without LOS (Line Of Sight) to the target. In MWO the only two systems that allow for indirect fire are LRM's and Consumable Modules (Artillery and Airstrike). Both of these systems requite an FO (Forward Observer) or "Spotter" to be effective. In the case of the Consumable Modules the mech carrying the module is the FO. For LRMs it is generally another mech on the same team that has a LOS "LOCK" on the target.
Kill Zone: In military tactics, the kill zone is an area entirely covered by defensive fire, an element of ambush within which an approaching enemy force is trapped and destroyed. The objective of the defensive force is to quickly disable all enemy inside the kill zone. The trapped enemy may respond by counterattacking or withdrawal. In MWO this can be achieved in several ways, but primarily involves knowing 1) the location of the enemy and 2) the location of terrain advantageous to setting up a kill zone.
Line Abreast: The line formation is a standard tactical formation which was used in early modern warfare. It continued the phalanx formation or shield wall of infantry armed with polearms in use during antiquity and the Middle Ages. The line formation provides the best frontage for volley fire. In MWO such a line would be more correctly referred to as a "Skirmish Line". The important thing to remember is that a Skirmish Line allows for maximum firepower to be brought against the enemy, as field of fire is not blocked by friendly units.
Line of Sight: Just what it sounds like, a direct visual line of sight on the target or targets. An unobstructed view of the enemy. For MWO this should result in a LOS LOCK, or a red bracketed enemy that you can actively target. Unfortunately ECM is a consideration, as it often blocks target lock (and one reason why I choose to regard it as a form of concealment). Using an active targeter like TAG can overcome this obstacle for a single target. For multiple enemys a knowledgeable scout can sweep the tag over multiple targets, highlighting their positions to his team.
Scout: One of the most misunderstood roles in the military, the role of a scout is difficult, dangerous, and very often thankless. It is no different in MWO. The job of a scout is to gather intelligence on the disposition of the enemy. Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain vital information about enemy forces or features of the environment for later analysis and/or dissemination. In MWO this relates practically only to the disposition of enemy mechs, as terrain and environment are knowns. (At least, they should be after a couple of drops or even better exploration in the practice mode.) The best scouts do not engage the enemy (unless it is extremely advantageous or necessary to gather better intelligence), they provide the information for other units to engage the enemy. Maintaining contact with the enemy while in concealment is greatly facilitated by carrying your own concealment around with you, thus the prevalence of ECM mechs amongst veteran scouts.
Screening Elements: The easiest way to define this in layman’s terms is anti-scout. A screening element’s role is to prevent the enemy scouts from locating your main force and relaying information on your team’s position. In MWO this is a stock role for lighter medium mechs and heavier light mechs, especially when armed with SSRM, and energy weapons capable of discouraging light mechs. Tag is also a surprisingly effective tool in this role, as many scouts relying on ECM will immediately disengage on being painted and having their position broadcast to the entire enemy.
Suppressive Fire: Firing that that degrades the performance of an enemy force below the level needed to fulfill their mission. Suppression is usually only effective for the duration of the fire. In simplest terms suppressive fire is designed to keep the enemy from shooting back at you, by forcing them to remain in cover. In MWO this is generally best accomplished by LRM’s, and rapid fire ballistic weapons. The object is not to do damage, but to force the enemy into cover. LRM’s are extremely effective in this role, since they have a long flight time and track the target, forcing them to seek overhead cover and remain in cover for a longer period. (And they even tell you they are incoming, just in case you weren't aware someone was trying to suppress you.) Rapid fire ballistic weapons are effective at engaging multiple targets and forcing them to seek cover by placing shots on multiple targets in rapid succession.
Having bored you with tedious definitions of obscure military terminology, I now offer an extremely basic discussion of the tactics involved surrounding various common engagement situations encountered in MWO.
Encountering the Enemy – Dictating the Terms of Engagment
At some point during most matches you will encounter the enemy (No one like base swaps). It is difficult to over-stress the importance of making sure that you encounter the enemy on favorable terms. Very often the outcome of a battle is determined in the first few seconds of fire. In order to maximize this advantage several key factors must be in place. This is where the role of a scout comes to the forefront. An effective scout is worth far more to his team than his firepower or spotting capabilities. Knowing where the enemy is, and where he is going before he gets there, or conversely before you get to him, is a key element in successfully dictating the terms of engagement.
In MWO there are three basic types of engagement: Advancing, Ambushing, and Mutual Engagement.
Advancing is, in general terms, moving your lances forward until you can engage the enemy. It is perhaps the most common form of engagement new players engage in. Conversely it is also the most difficult to do correctly. As stated above, intelligence on the location of the enemy is extremely helpful, unless you want to walk into an ambush. But sometimes you just can’t locate the enemy, be it due to the presence of enemy screening elements, or effective concealment such as heavy ECM. In that case the other elements of a successful advance become even more critical. Advancing in a column is perhaps the most common mistake new players make. If at all possible, you want to avoid advancing in a column because of the possibility of moving into an enemy kill zone and receiving enfilading fire. A line abreast or skirmish line is much safer. If terrain narrows and forces you into a column, consider going a different way. Or at the very least slow your advance to allow the line time to maneuver over the difficult terrain and maintain the formation.
The other basic tactic of an advance is bounding overwatch. One lance (or mech) takes a position with a good field of fire, and covers the advance of another lance (or mech). When the advancing lance or mech reaches a secure position, the overwatching element then moves, while the element in the secure position becomes the overwatch element. This tactic can also be employed to advance into an enemy position by providing suppressive fire with overwatch elements while the advancing element moves to a defilade position.
Ambushing is a defensive tactic. It can be extremely effective when done correctly. When done incorrectly it can be disastrous. Sitting in a static position, waiting for the enemy only to have them arrive behind you and attack from a vulnerable flank is extremely disconcerting and leads to loss of initiative and inevitable casualties while the formation adjusts position to address the flanking enemy. So once again, effective scouting is paramount. It is rather difficult to effectively ambush the enemy unless you know where he is, and more importantly, where he is going. Still, the matter is greatly simplified in MWO, since terrain is known. In general, unless the enemy is setting up their own ambush, they will be advancing towards your base. (Or in the case of conquest, following easy paths from one capture site to another.)
The key elements to an effective ambush are surprise and reaction management. Designating a kill zone involves Command and Control, which are sadly lacking in most matches, but in general, holding fire until the enemy is in the open, in range, and committed to an axis of advance is a tactic than even new players should be able to understand without having to have it typed out for them. If you are in one of those happy matches where there is a command and control element, reaction management can become a factor.
Instead of just bloodying the enemy’s nose, the ambush may have several elements that can control the enemy reaction, keeping them in the kill zone for as long as possible. Flanking elements that can move in behind the enemy, concealed units that can provide enfilade fire, and blocking elements that can prevent escape are several examples.
At the very least the aim of an ambush is to degrade the enemy to the point where you can mop up any escaping elements with minimum risk.
Mutual Engagement is perhaps the most common type of engagement in MWO. Either because neither team chooses to ambush, or the both got tired of waiting in ambush, or one team meets the other before the other team can set up in ambush, most encounters will be of this type. Simply stated it is where two advancing forces encounter each other at the same time. All of the elements of an effective advance apply here.
The main considerations become flanking movements. Having encountered the enemy, do you decide to sit in place and provide defilade fire, or do you send out flanking elements? Both is the correct answer. The tactic is known as “fixing” and flanking. The defilade units provide suppressive fire while flanking elements seek to come at the enemy from the side. One other option worth considering is a “demonstrate” and flank. In this option the demonstrating element appears to withdraw, or mill about in vulnerability, while the flanking element positions itself to engage the advancing enemy with enfilading fire.
In summation, I hope that a knowledge the basic elements provided here regarding a fusion of armor and infantry tactics will help newer players understand some of the more advanced tactical elements they might encounter. Very likely most of the time all you will see is a pell mell melee of confusion and lone wolf hero rushes, but on occasion you might witness such tactics in use against you. If you do, I just want you to be able to learn why your mech got turned into a smoking crater.
Edited by Xandre Blackheart, 25 August 2013 - 03:21 PM.
