32 replies to this topic

[Lyoto Machida]

Ghost Badger, on 08 October 2013 - 09:32 AM, said:

May I refer you to this other thread?

Spoiler

Caswallon, on 08 October 2013 - 05:26 AM, said:


Thank you OP I thought it was just me in some nether region of elo hell..

That said the one time I (completely by accident) dropped in a trial atlas that I was looking over I didn't score much better than these individuals. Heavy Boyz you have my respect, how can you bear to be in these lumbering monoliths!? Ah well each to their own.

Also can I second the idea of having DemonRaziel's ditty added to the tutorials.

My Reply

Speaking as someone who plays the 'heavy boyz' a lot, it comes down to piloting differently, and commitment. I see a lot of trial assaults lead a column of 'mechs into a narrow straightaway and peek over it. They get shot at, freak out, kill their engines, and start to reverse.

And then they butt up against the people trying to get past them, and behind them. By the time they realize they CAN'T go backwards, and go forwards again, their torsos are shot.

Being in the big boys, especially Atlai, you need to accep that you WILL take damage. When you lead a charge, backing away does NOT encourage others to go past you. "If it scared the Atlas, well, I'll stay behind the Atlas." Once you commit to your attack, stick with it. For better or worse, you've made your choice, and deciding to back up is the wrong move 99% of the time.

When you decide to go, you GO, you don't change your mind. If there's a crapton of enemies, you shoot, and turn, and let the arms soak up damage. Call a target, stay on it, and keep MOVING. If your team goes with you, there's actually a chance you'll walk your way into OTHER cover and they'll be too busy dealing with the back end of your death train.

When possible, go at EXACTLY the same time as another big boy, or a couple heavies. If you crest by yourself the team says "Oh look, shoot Atlas," and despite all your armor, you get focused, and die. If TWO Atlases crest at the same time, I guarantee you the team will split that fire, and there's a decent chance you both survive, and an excellent chance at least one of you does long enough for backup to come and cream what you've started hitting. If 4-6 team members all crest a hill at the SAME time with ANYONE saying "Shoot A, Shoot B" in chat, I give you an 80% chance to both survive, and kill everything.

Had a game like that last night on Terra Therma...I went in first to the bowl, and cut left, taking heavy fire. I kept going clockwise around the bowl -- we took out an Atlai and a Centurion, but by that point I had lost my right arm entirely, and my AC20. I kept going. The enemies focused on the fresh troops that were firing like crazy behind me, and ignored the one-armed Atlas I had become. I walked behind them and started taking more names by shooting out the backs of side torsos.

In Atlai you can't waffle. Don't hesitate...go tank...bring friends.

Lolwut? I just read that post in the other thread.

[MischiefSC]

Lyoto Machida, on 08 October 2013 - 04:13 PM, said:

Lolwut? I just read that post in the other thread.

It's all good advice. One thing that works very well is don't focus too much on the kill - in fact it's best if you blow the {Scrap} out of someone, then switch to someone else and let your teammates finish up killing them. You'll make up in wins and fewer deaths what you lose in kills. If you're leading a charge or holding a line (say against a tunnel rush) and have several teammates with you, pummel someone until they start to run, then switch targets. Your teammates will finish him. You've got a LOT of firepower (again, a good Atlas brawler is well over 60 pts per alpha, 74 is best) don't waste it on kills. Precision is not your focus, blowing the {Scrap} out of people is. 74 points will strip most heavies torsos clean naked with 1 alpha.

The best Atlas pilots shoot for 0-3 kills per match but at least 9 assists and ~600-800 damage. You'll survive a lot more matches and generate more wins, which will in turn bring your KDR ratio up.

[Maddminister]

For the Atlas pilots if you see me, think of me as a second right arm with 2xLBX or 2xAC10 on my Jag. The DDC is my friend I will stay on your right side and circle counter clockwise to open up enemy ST and backs to that sweet big ballistic on your RT soon as I open the target up to a 70 point alpha I will performe a split S and trun clockwise bringing my front armor to bear on the next target. Most of the time the Atlas is moving forward and we come side to side again and then I rinse and repeat untill we smash them or I die. I know most people will switch to a Jag off an assault mech in a heartbeat and I know this and work it to my advantage. And please dont try and follow a light around you...trust me I got them they may not die right off but they will skip out fast knowing im taging that sweet light armor they have.

Another thing 99.9% of the time I will follow you into a push or crest a hill and charge right at the enemy line!!! Violence of action is the phrase I go by...assault through the enemy line get close so they can smell powder and hear the shell casing clank off their armor...mix it up and force them into FF situations so they have pull off target or do some of our dirty work...I like to repay them in lead and laser fire. Best thing is as we push past the enemy line most will turn and track us opening up the thin rear armor to the death train.

!!!Strike Hard Strike Fast!!!

[ShadowbaneX]

Maddminister, on 08 October 2013 - 06:46 PM, said:

!!!Strike Hard Strike Fast!!!

We're talking about the Atlas here. We can strike hard, sure, no problem. Strike fast? Yeah, not so much.

[Karl Streiger]

Trauglodyte, on 08 October 2013 - 09:25 AM, said:

I don't know how it is that you all cruise around in those things. You're super slow, about as agile as a bag of hammers, and your torsos fall off faster than those on an Awesome. Seriously, how do you do it? I've read post upon post about people brawling with them and I can barely get within SRM range before I'm dead and that is with me piloting my *** off, ninja style. I swear, I feel like I'm in the Phract 4X all over again.

Brawling in an Atlas...its madness ...you may have a lot of weight for heavy weapons---and your arms have a great field of fire...but twist and turn rage is slow even a Awesome can circle arround you.

Sniping in an Atlas isn't a option eighter - > the main weapons are as deep as they are on a CTF-4X...so when using cover prepare that most of your shots hit the dirt.

So here comes my unique Atlas guide

• weapon groups - left arm and right arm should be 2 weapon groups
  
  
  
  • you keep heat in check - allowing you high heat weapons like ER-Laser or ER-Peps
    
  • you can fire around corners with one arm
• if your right arm hit a target it is likely that your ballistic hardpoint will hit it too
  
• AMS is necessary
  
• in combat -
  
  
  
  • stay in the middle range
    
  • you are the anchor
    
  • support friendly troops at any range
    
  • shoot at multiple targets when your line is about to be overruned
    
    • you twist you torso while aiming for another target
      
    • some target stop when they got damage and dive for cover - 2nd Rule of the WoT Hetzer
• mixed loadouts is the only way
  
  
  
  • LRMs in combination with good short range punch
    
  • SRMs in combination with good long range direct fire
    
  • try to use every hardpoint you got
• good controlling device - you will need all 6 weapon groups (my groups)
  
  • left mouse - primary ballistic
    
  • secondary - laser or primary ballistic in chain (when multiple mount)
    
  • left arm - mhweel up
    
  • Alpha Strike - Key 4 on keyboard (or another weapon - like the SRM for the RS Stock)
    
  • right arm - mwheel down
    
  • guided missiles - thumb button on mouse
• last not least the most important rule for a Atlas pilot
  
  • "Heads up, by God! those are bullets, not turds!"
    
  • cover is for cowards...cowards don't cause fear

Its easy to drive a Atlas - its hard to master - because it is a complex cocktail of SLC (style, loadout and controll)




As said this guide is exclusive and will never be given again

Edited by Karl Streiger, 08 October 2013 - 11:50 PM.

[AlmightyAeng]

Maddminister, on 08 October 2013 - 06:46 PM, said:

For the Atlas pilots if you see me, think of me as a second right arm with 2xLBX or 2xAC10 on my Jag. The DDC is my friend I will stay on your right side and circle counter clockwise to open up enemy ST and backs to that sweet big ballistic on your RT soon as I open the target up to a 70 point alpha I will performe a split S and trun clockwise bringing my front armor to bear on the next target. Most of the time the Atlas is moving forward and we come side to side again and then I rinse and repeat untill we smash them or I die. I know most people will switch to a Jag off an assault mech in a heartbeat and I know this and work it to my advantage. And please dont try and follow a light around you...trust me I got them they may not die right off but they will skip out fast knowing im taging that sweet light armor they have.

Another thing 99.9% of the time I will follow you into a push or crest a hill and charge right at the enemy line!!! Violence of action is the phrase I go by...assault through the enemy line get close so they can smell powder and hear the shell casing clank off their armor...mix it up and force them into FF situations so they have pull off target or do some of our dirty work...I like to repay them in lead and laser fire. Best thing is as we push past the enemy line most will turn and track us opening up the thin rear armor to the death train.

!!!Strike Hard Strike Fast!!!

You can hang in my lance any day. Did something VERY similar with my Boar's Head last night with a buddy running his triple LBX-10 Muromets.

I picked targets, and put a couple of alpha lovetaps on a CT, armor gone, but internals just a bit yellow. Buddy comes in with the LBX-10's. BOOM. Next target. I love my right-arm direct fire support 'mechs.

Edited by Ghost Badger, 09 October 2013 - 08:43 AM.

[Vodrin Thales]

DarkDevilDancer, on 08 October 2013 - 10:12 AM, said:

Install a 350 std engine you get 60kph with speed tweek and have enough space and tonnage to mount decent weapons.

Torso twist is also much faster if you do this, very helpful.

[Trauglodyte]

I appreciate the insight, all. And Mischief/Bishop, you two know that you're my boys! I guess that I'm just not used to what the Atlas actually is and was invisioning what I thought it would be. The slowest mech that I drive is my 70kph Cataphract and it is, by far, the worst experience that I have in this game (well, #2 now that I'm in the Atlas). Both the Phract and the Atlas suffer from extremely low slung arms syndrome and even the ballistic slots in the right torsos of both mechs are low. This means that I find my targets in defilade more often than not (hello Canyons/Isle). Plus, as others have said, you've got to use the Awesome mentality and torso twist like Chubby Checker to keep things spread around but, even with a 350 engine installed, you're still moving like the big girl at the prom.

I guess that I'm just in that mode where I'm leveling up a new chassis (hurts) while getting used to my role (hurts) and seeing PUGers not supporting me/expecting me to support them as they leave me behind (hurts) all while feeling like I'm horribly outgunned (hurts). The lack of speed and maneuverability leaves me wanting while my hard points don't allow me to specialize in one specific area.

[NRP]

I really like MischiefSC's take on things.

[AlmightyAeng]

NRP, on 09 October 2013 - 10:31 AM, said:

I really like MischiefSC's take on things.

Works well in reverse, too! Last night we had a terra therma match where is was me in a Boar's Head, lancemates in a Founder's Atlas and a Kintaro. We peeked around the corner, and the Kintaro shot past us, running by the other team., intentionally trying to draw fire.

Sensing the comparatively weaker kill they all turned around to fire at the Kintaro. In front of two Atlai.

Giggles. They were loud. Juicy, juicy rear armor.

[Tom Sawyer]

AC20 check
2 ER PPC check
1 LRM 15 check

I can pound from a distance if neccesary and when I do close the ER PPC's have no min range which helps.

Getting swarmed by a pack of spiders can ruin my day but as others point out. An Atlas does NOT make you god. If you get out alone especially in the early opening of a match your are toast.

[ReguIus]

Try this sometime: http://mwo.smurfy-ne...bae838f795cebe2

Punishes like hell from mid range once you get the hang of it.

[MischiefSC]

@Karl Strieger;

All good advice, really digging into precision control on a mech like an Atlas can give you a big bump in performance that's worth cultivating.

Maddminister, on 08 October 2013 - 06:46 PM, said:

For the Atlas pilots if you see me, think of me as a second right arm with 2xLBX or 2xAC10 on my Jag. The DDC is my friend I will stay on your right side and circle counter clockwise to open up enemy ST and backs to that sweet big ballistic on your RT soon as I open the target up to a 70 point alpha I will performe a split S and trun clockwise bringing my front armor to bear on the next target. Most of the time the Atlas is moving forward and we come side to side again and then I rinse and repeat untill we smash them or I die. I know most people will switch to a Jag off an assault mech in a heartbeat and I know this and work it to my advantage. And please dont try and follow a light around you...trust me I got them they may not die right off but they will skip out fast knowing im taging that sweet light armor they have.

Another thing 99.9% of the time I will follow you into a push or crest a hill and charge right at the enemy line!!! Violence of action is the phrase I go by...assault through the enemy line get close so they can smell powder and hear the shell casing clank off their armor...mix it up and force them into FF situations so they have pull off target or do some of our dirty work...I like to repay them in lead and laser fire. Best thing is as we push past the enemy line most will turn and track us opening up the thin rear armor to the death train.

!!!Strike Hard Strike Fast!!!

You're a good man, have many fat healthy MW babies to carry on that tradition because it's uncommon in the field. When I play in my Hunchie I try to find an Atlas and act like a floating spare AC20 for him. Both he and I tend to do much better for it. The Atlas with the right support really can become one of the more significant mechs in any match; combo tank and heavy hitter they can shelter glass cannon mechs and builds that do great - if they can close the range. An Atlas with a cloud of faster brawlers around it tends to be a nexus of destruction. I genuinely believe that when I have a good Atlas game there are often three or four people on my team who also get 600-1000 damage. Played well and supported well they make everyone do better.

Trauglodyte, on 09 October 2013 - 09:11 AM, said:

I appreciate the insight, all. And Mischief/Bishop, you two know that you're my boys! I guess that I'm just not used to what the Atlas actually is and was invisioning what I thought it would be. The slowest mech that I drive is my 70kph Cataphract and it is, by far, the worst experience that I have in this game (well, #2 now that I'm in the Atlas). Both the Phract and the Atlas suffer from extremely low slung arms syndrome and even the ballistic slots in the right torsos of both mechs are low. This means that I find my targets in defilade more often than not (hello Canyons/Isle). Plus, as others have said, you've got to use the Awesome mentality and torso twist like Chubby Checker to keep things spread around but, even with a 350 engine installed, you're still moving like the big girl at the prom.

I guess that I'm just in that mode where I'm leveling up a new chassis (hurts) while getting used to my role (hurts) and seeing PUGers not supporting me/expecting me to support them as they leave me behind (hurts) all while feeling like I'm horribly outgunned (hurts). The lack of speed and maneuverability leaves me wanting while my hard points don't allow me to specialize in one specific area.

We should drop together. Imma friend you and I'll take you out on The Rampage. I've got a couple other friends and sometimes we'll all Atlas up and run 3 or 4 together. Statistically we win about 7/10 matches doing that. The problem is that when I drop solo again I'm out of my Elo for a while but it's fun. We'll go Atlas up and go cleave some bloody trails on the field. It'll be fun. We'll take a picnic basket, maybe some beers, a couple 100 ton engines of destruction and make an afternoon of it.

All good clean family fun.