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What this does, is locks your computer onto a target. This in turn puts a red box around said target and allows your team mates to also lock onto this target. Not only that, it allows you to gather info about the locked target. While it is essential for missile boats it is NOT solely for them.
Let’s go through some of the benefits.
- While I don’t recommend blind firing at targets, that red box around a locked target gives you a pretty good idea of where the mech is. When shooting through trees and other things that obstruct your view you can often get a hit on a mech by simply aiming for the middle of that red box. Again – be careful when doing this that none of your team mates are between you and the target.
- It allows your team to also target the mech. This will allow LRM boats to attack these targets. Not only do the LRMs damage the mech, it has the added bonus of sending pilots running for cover. When mech’s are trying to get under cover they often forget about firing at you, letting you get in a few free shots at them.
- It allows you to gather good info about a mech. After you have been locked on a target for a bit you get a little “paperdoll” of that mech on your HUD. That gives you what weapons it has. If you see an AC20 (or 2) you know not to get within brawling range of this mech. Beyond just weapon load outs you will also see colors that indicate how much armor is left on a specific spot. If you look at that then you know which leg is about to come off or if their back center torso armor is almost gone. Very useful info for getting kills, especially when you start to learn which mechs often run XL engines.
- This can also be a good way to get your team mates to move in your direction, or at least in the direction of the targeted mech. When a red target icon pops up on their HUDs there is a good chance they will head towards it to get into the fight.
- I’ve also seen some scouts use the “R” key to rapidly cycle through targets. Basically you keep hitting it, targeting the group of mechs in an area and if your team mates are on the ball, they will notice this on their HUD and come to help out. It’s not quite as good as actually typing out locations but it works in a pinch if you have to get away before typing up that info.
So please please please use that R key.
