13 replies to this topic

[Red5angel]

“Listen up cadets! You’re here at the Nagelring because someone somewhere thought you might not get killed too quickly in a mech! Your performance out on the training field today might indicate otherwise. We recognize it’s not easy, even for veteran pilots to get thrown together in a hurry and still operate at peak efficiency. Therefore in all of its wisdom, the Nagelring has chosen to allow me to instruct you in the general theories of combat. These theories can be put into practice by any mechwarrior, at any time and doesn’t necessarily require the co-operation of your fellow mechwarriors. Follow these guidelines and suggestions and you might just make it regardless of the incompetence you may find yourself surrounded by.”
I’m writing these as general guidelines for new mechwarriors being thrown into the heat of battle with no idea how to maximize their potential. These are articles designed to break down basic tactics so that you can apply them whether you’re team wants to co-operate or not. This is by far not an in depth analysis of these tactics as generalities will carry you farther when the level of co-operation is uncertain. Keep it simple.
I want to break down support by fire as it’s the link in a chain of common support tactics. There are two ways to support by fire and in this article we will discuss the first is Long Range Fire Support. This uses a Mech kitted out for long range fire – lots of LRM’s, PPC’s, Gauss, etc., anything that can reach out beyond say 300-400 meters. First and foremost you must establish position before submission. You need to stay to the rear of your units’ movement. On most maps you’ll know where the main drive from your enemies will be. Knowing this, you need to find a position higher up so you can overwatch where the main melee will be. Find a place that allows you to easily back up into cover, and ditch out if you start to get over run.
Once you’ve established a good position you need to pick your target. First consider the limitation of your weapons, then pick the target that seems most ripe – heavies and assaults leading the enemy charge are a good place to start [Communication Addendum: Try to communicate with fellow Fire Support to focus fire on a single target. “Focus fire on Target D”. This also let’s your assaulting mechs know which mech they should go for as well.]. Continue to laydown fire on this mech for as long as possible piling on damage. That target goes out of range or becomes ineligible for fire, switch and communicate your switch.
Your second target option is to counter fire their fire support. You should know where their long range fire support mechs are, if you have range you can choose to slug it out at long range with those boats. Again, pick your target and try to focus fire for as long as you can.
In either case you will need to shift positions eventually. I suggest once your primary target has become ineligible for targeting, move to another position. Your initial position is hopefully near other locations you can shift to so you don’t have to move too far.
Tips:

• Try to get protection. If you’re kitted out for long range support, brawler mechs will punish you up close. Having a medium brawler or a light mech in support will help when you can get it.
  
• Fire and maneuver. Send off a couple of rounds then shift positions when possible. Don’t remain too static, otherwise your opponents long range support will find you, or his scouts may find you.
  
• Utilize equipment that will help you maintain your support fire – ECM, Beagle Active Probe, Artemis to name just a few.
  
• To truly excel as a support by fire mech, most of your firepower should be focused on long range. It leaves you open at shorter ranges but hopefully you have some backup.
  
• You can in theory save weight by lowering armor on legs and back. If you’re positioning yourself properly and you have any sort of support at all you won’t need as much armor in these locations. This may give you a few more rounds for those LRMs!
  
• Jump Jets are your friend. If your mech has them, use them by sitting behind cover, jumping up to reveal yourself briefly to commit a ‘pop-up’ attack, firing your weapons then falling back behind cover.

Again I’d like to emphasis that the greatest mechwarriors of the Lyran Commonwealth have tested these tactics in real situations. The best advice is to commit to your role, and keep it simple. Communication is key. Whether you know your fellow mechwarriors well or not, let them know your intentions and you will find some of them will buy into your plan, and you will be the victors!

[Bront]

MOst of this is solid advice, but:

Quote

You can in theory save weight by lowering armor on legs and back. If you’re positioning yourself properly and you have any sort of support at all you won’t need as much armor in these locations. This may give you a few more rounds for those LRMs!

Be careful of this. Dropping a half-ton to ton on the legs might be ok (depends on the mech, your legs should at least be as armored as your arms), but beware the back, just because it will be the difference between calling for help when you're flanked, and your team seeing you've been killed.

[IllCaesar]

I've got to chime in and agree on Bront's point about the legs. I've not been playing long, but the entire time I've been playing, the only time my legs have been targeted was while piloting light or medium mechs. I have an Awesome, which is as wide as a barn, and there's only been one instance in the 34 matches I've played with it that the legs were ever a target of heavy fire, and I think that one instance was an accident as well. I've never noticed anybody digging into the legs of an Assault mech or a mech that was a Brawler, so I figure it could work to take a ton off the legs of one of those mechs to add a heatsink or something.

However, my experience with light and medium mechs is totally different. Legs are usually the first thing to get targeted.

I'm not a good pilot, maybe not even an okay, decent, or average pilot, but you don't have to be a good pilot to be a good observer.

[Red5angel]

I agree. It's a suggestion for those who think they can handle the risk. It's a higher level option if you will. I personally try not to strip armor at all unless it's absolutely necessary for my build and as a rule I wouldn't recommend it, but some players can handle, or enjoy the risk.

[Glenn Cain]

nice suggestions but so far, because the world tends to wanna be a hero and rack up their own kills

-calling targets stand alot of chance of being missed coz player may not look at chat seriously or frequently enough or even give a damn

-the enemy scout does not need to find you. the main enemy contingent will fire back straight at you as long as you are in sight, unless of course your first shot and thus forth are made when friendly brawlers are already engaging them

I'm wondering if its just a matter of "luck"

[Red5angel]

Glenn, I agree, most players want to do their own thing, however, I find that if I start to organize things there are always some interested parties. I get a lot of comments later about how much more fun it is to be organized. Anyone who's in a clan of some sort knows this already of course. I figured I would write a series of quick articles on how a player who wants to be a better player and a bigger contributor can do so in different roles. I think the biggest thing is that most players don't realize they can fulfill different roles instead of just rushing. Hopefully these articles reach a few of those players interested in getting better and making the game more fun by adding some depth.

excuse the multiple posts for one reply but for some stupid reason this forum won't let me enter to start a new paragraph. What is it you think might be luck? I've found that often enough, if you engage at long range AFTER your brawlers have started to engage, the enemy gets too focused on them to bother with you. Not always, but enough to consider it. A lot of this game is about timing as much as anything else. That should probably be another tip : wait until your main line engages the enemy before engaging from long range to delay your enemies response.

[Glenn Cain]

well i've tried a bunch of stuff actually, maybe not enough seat time.

but this godly atlas ddc build that people said they had a hard time getting less than 600 damage with it?
i've tried to stick with the main army with the ddc, solo to flank and rush in against a bunch of enemy, solo to flank and enter only when main line is engaged, blah blah blah with different entry strategy, but it seems i aint getting that 600 damage thing. somethings gotta give~

i wonder what are the finer points that made the difference~

[Red5angel]

Sometimes it's just about skill Glenn. It's possible that currently your skill level won't let you peak out at 600. Regardless, I'm not looking to finely hone elite warriors lol. I'm just looking to get some of the LNW's to think when they're on the field.

[Vodrin Thales]

Glenn Cain, on 10 September 2013 - 07:09 PM, said:

well i've tried a bunch of stuff actually, maybe not enough seat time.

but this godly atlas ddc build that people said they had a hard time getting less than 600 damage with it?
i've tried to stick with the main army with the ddc, solo to flank and rush in against a bunch of enemy, solo to flank and enter only when main line is engaged, blah blah blah with different entry strategy, but it seems i aint getting that 600 damage thing. somethings gotta give~

i wonder what are the finer points that made the difference~

With the Atlas one of the things that makes the difference between a good pilot and a merely average one is having torso twisting down. Make sure you put one of those massive arms towards the enemy after every salvo and only turn back when you are ready to fire again.

Once you have the rhythm down on this and can quickly reacquire your primary target after turning away you will see your damage numbers go way up.

[Red5angel]

Presenting your undamaged parts to the enemy (torso twisting) is key for any mech, but especially for heavier mechs wyho can absorb the damage.

[LoboSG]

Glenn Cain, on 10 September 2013 - 07:09 PM, said:

well i've tried a bunch of stuff actually, maybe not enough seat time.

but this godly atlas ddc build that people said they had a hard time getting less than 600 damage with it?
i've tried to stick with the main army with the ddc, solo to flank and rush in against a bunch of enemy, solo to flank and enter only when main line is engaged, blah blah blah with different entry strategy, but it seems i aint getting that 600 damage thing. somethings gotta give~

i wonder what are the finer points that made the difference~

2 possibilities. Red5 mentioned 1, the other is that your teammates are just that good. By the time you reach the battle, they'd clean up most of the enemy, and dmg them so much, you aren't likely to inflict much more b4 they die.

[Glenn Cain]

thats pretty saddening lol. Well i improved my damage out put by ALWAYS walking with the main team or largest number of mech and NEVER showing face first time the mess starts to twirl around and I know they've lost focus. at this point i dishing 200 plus damage per match which is an increase.

but still no 600 in sight yet. will try the torso twist. I think my loadout is to hot, im shutting down quite abit

im currently running the std engine, std structure, dhs, 2 x LL, 3 x SRM artemis, ac20 and some loose dhs i can manage to squeese. is the srm no long a viable build compared to the streak?, or is this setup no excuse for me not to hit 500 to 600?

[Victor Morson]

Red5angel, on 09 September 2013 - 07:24 PM, said:

• You can in theory save weight by lowering armor on legs and back. If you’re positioning yourself properly and you have any sort of support at all you won’t need as much armor in these locations. This may give you a few more rounds for those LRMs!

I would highly recommend against lowering your leg armor in a fire support 'mech, and doubly so if you've stored any ammo there. Snipers that are good will be going for your leg and it's good to keep them as close to maximum as possible no matter your range.

MarsAtlas, on 10 September 2013 - 09:34 AM, said:

I've got to chime in and agree on Bront's point about the legs. I've not been playing long, but the entire time I've been playing, the only time my legs have been targeted was while piloting light or medium mechs. I have an Awesome, which is as wide as a barn, and there's only been one instance in the 34 matches I've played with it that the legs were ever a target of heavy fire, and I think that one instance was an accident as well. I've never noticed anybody digging into the legs of an Assault mech or a mech that was a Brawler, so I figure it could work to take a ton off the legs of one of those mechs to add a heatsink or something.

This is likely due to ELO. Good players/teams go very heavily for legs on assaults; the reason you're not getting legged much in an Awesome is the Awesome has really bad chest hitboxes, but if you were in many, many other 'mechs - Centurion, Cataphract, etc. - you're going to get legged. A lot.

[Bront]

Glenn Cain, on 16 September 2013 - 03:11 AM, said:

thats pretty saddening lol. Well i improved my damage out put by ALWAYS walking with the main team or largest number of mech and NEVER showing face first time the mess starts to twirl around and I know they've lost focus. at this point i dishing 200 plus damage per match which is an increase.

but still no 600 in sight yet. will try the torso twist. I think my loadout is to hot, im shutting down quite abit

im currently running the std engine, std structure, dhs, 2 x LL, 3 x SRM artemis, ac20 and some loose dhs i can manage to squeese. is the srm no long a viable build compared to the streak?, or is this setup no excuse for me not to hit 500 to 600?

Damage comes and goes, and is overrated. Think about this: 2 different players kill a jenner and shoot nothing else. One does 60 damage, one does 150. Who did better?

With an AC20, you can possibly inflict some massive damage games, but you also could end up with several kills and less damage instead.

Don't forget that ammo explosions count as damage done, so numbers occasionally get inflated.

Ultimately, if you're doing over 200 regularly, you're probably not doing too much wrong. Assaults are not simply an easy mode into massive damage, as they also tend to be massive targets.


My comment on Legs is that you don't always need max armor there, but don't go nuts. You should still have more leg armor than total CT armor in general unless you're in a mech with a clearly superior target (Hunchies, Awesomes, for example)