32 replies to this topic

[Trauglodyte]

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.

[Broad5ide]

Use cover. Stay with the team. Most importantly, avoid the suicide charge unless everybody else is doing it. You may be able to 1v2 or 1v3 in an atlas, but you definitely can't 1v12

[AlmightyAeng]

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.

Edited by Ghost Badger, 08 October 2013 - 09:34 AM.

[XX Sulla XX]

Piloting an Atlas is very tricky. For a close in brawler like I always play you have several things to watch. First thing is to use cover on the way in and move with your team. While you have lots of armor you do not want half of it to be gone by the time you get to the enemy. So its very important to be smart when moving. Playing a DDC with ECM really helps this. The next thing is you have to be really good at situational awareness and what the pugs on your team are doing. This is because you are not fast enough to get out of a mistake. If you rush/attack at the wrong time you are dead and wasted your mech/firepower. So you have to be very careful you do not commit when the other pugs on your team are not really ready to. Then you are all alone and dead as they pull back. Or if you step around a corner and there is most of their team you are dead. With my VIctor I can use my speed, jump jets and armor to get away most of the time. But in an Atlas you are just two slow. Because of this you need very good situational awareness and timing.

Also personally I always run my DDC with a large standard engine. The speed really does help. If you are lumbering along at 48 you are an easy tarket for every one.

Edited by XX Sulla XX, 08 October 2013 - 09:45 AM.

[Capt Jester]

Broad5ide, on 08 October 2013 - 09:27 AM, said:

Use cover. Stay with the team. Most importantly, avoid the suicide charge unless everybody else is doing it. You may be able to 1v2 or 1v3 in an atlas, but you definitely can't 1v12

This. Also, you might not be able to twist very fast, but you don't need to twist very far to spread a laser or a volley of SRMs across your whole front torso. Spread your damage out and avoid being cored. If it means losing an arm to get within AC/20 and SRM effective range, do it. The arm is not a significant loss compared to a side torso.

You MUST, I repeat, MUST not assume that because you have 600 armor points, that you can afford to make a wrong turn. If you come around a corner unawares into the face of a Misery and another brawler Atlas, you're going to have a bad time. Let the lights run ahead and scout out enemy positions. You are the main fighting force of your team and a bullet sponge, but you are by no means a scout nor a skirmisher.

Know your role, and play your role.

[NRP]

In a word: Positioning.

It's not hard to annihilate stuff in an Atlas. The hard part is getting in range to do so. Having good/willing teammates is essential.

[DarkDevilDancer]

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

[shulman87]

the trick is having an all around loadout and not overreaching , as a strictly atlas pilot with 2.4 kd i keep calm in big brawls and not overreach since im a big *** target , mastering the chassis also helps

[Scrawny Cowboy]

Go big or go home!

[MischiefSC]

It's not as tough as it sounds.

1. Go D-DC. ECM makes you quasi-invisible. People prefer to target someone they get a readout from. Snipers will try to favor your right torso, give them some swing when you can and if there's more than one Atlas move around a bit - they'll lose which one they're sniping and spread the damage around.

2. Std 325, AC20, 2LL and 3xSRM6+Artemis. Some people mix it up a bit but this right here? god-tier. It's a 74 point face-exploding alpha that absolutely *shines* at about 100m against heavies/assaults so all your SRMs register. You're not a sniper. You're a bomb that explodes in peoples faces.

3. Your ECM is love that you share with people you care about. It protects your teammates from LRMs and snipers identifying weak spots. It has a *significant* impact on the longevity of your team. Your team is probably suicidal and tactically challenged. The Atlas is the command vehicles, you need to watch for enemy LRMs and snipers and use your ECM bubble to protect allies who are targeted. It's awesome watching LRM rain open up on an ally and then you move up, give them an ECM snuggle and watch the sky go quiet while those LRM boats start to calculate what you're about to do to their KDR.

4. You're the Full Sized Version. You've got big hit locations but conversely they're ALL big. Swing baby, you gotta SWING. LLs at range but when you get close it's AC20+SRMS, swing left then right, back to center and BOOM! Then LL up what's left of their center. You just killed whatever mech it is with 2x AC20 and 6xSRM6 hits and 1 2xLL burn up the center (about 120 points in 4 seconds) while spreading their damage over 5 locations. Rinse and repeat until you get match over screen. You should be able to eat about 4 or 5 mediums, or 3 heavies or 2 other assaults without losing armor on any location completely. If this is not the case the problem is your approach, not the mech.

5. You're not a fighter you're a bomber. You don't dart in and out, you don't stick and move. You identify the target and you line up an attack run, lay the throttle down and carpet bomb them and anyone stupid enough not to run when you show up, towing your ECM-protected allies. It's more tactical - you're not going to stop and retreat. That's how Atlas pilots die stupidly. There are only 2 reasons to ever back up in an Atlas - you're stuck on terrain or you want to run over someones corpse again. You don't retreat, worse case scenario you push past and circle. A retreating Atlas is the first casualty in the destruction of your team.

[NRP]

^^ Best. Post. EVER.

[Bishop Steiner]

MischiefSC, on 08 October 2013 - 11:29 AM, said:

It's not as tough as it sounds.

1. Go D-DC. ECM makes you quasi-invisible. People prefer to target someone they get a readout from. Snipers will try to favor your right torso, give them some swing when you can and if there's more than one Atlas move around a bit - they'll lose which one they're sniping and spread the damage around.

2. Std 325, AC20, 2LL and 3xSRM6+Artemis. Some people mix it up a bit but this right here? god-tier. It's a 74 point face-exploding alpha that absolutely *shines* at about 100m against heavies/assaults so all your SRMs register. You're not a sniper. You're a bomb that explodes in peoples faces.

3. Your ECM is love that you share with people you care about. It protects your teammates from LRMs and snipers identifying weak spots. It has a *significant* impact on the longevity of your team. Your team is probably suicidal and tactically challenged. The Atlas is the command vehicles, you need to watch for enemy LRMs and snipers and use your ECM bubble to protect allies who are targeted. It's awesome watching LRM rain open up on an ally and then you move up, give them an ECM snuggle and watch the sky go quiet while those LRM boats start to calculate what you're about to do to their KDR.

4. You're the Full Sized Version. You've got big hit locations but conversely they're ALL big. Swing baby, you gotta SWING. LLs at range but when you get close it's AC20+SRMS, swing left then right, back to center and BOOM! Then LL up what's left of their center. You just killed whatever mech it is with 2x AC20 and 6xSRM6 hits and 1 2xLL burn up the center (about 120 points in 4 seconds) while spreading their damage over 5 locations. Rinse and repeat until you get match over screen. You should be able to eat about 4 or 5 mediums, or 3 heavies or 2 other assaults without losing armor on any location completely. If this is not the case the problem is your approach, not the mech.

5. You're not a fighter you're a bomber. You don't dart in and out, you don't stick and move. You identify the target and you line up an attack run, lay the throttle down and carpet bomb them and anyone stupid enough not to run when you show up, towing your ECM-protected allies. It's more tactical - you're not going to stop and retreat. That's how Atlas pilots die stupidly. There are only 2 reasons to ever back up in an Atlas - you're stuck on terrain or you want to run over someones corpse again. You don't retreat, worse case scenario you push past and circle. A retreating Atlas is the first casualty in the destruction of your team.

I see a D-DC, I don't worry about getting a paper doll. I focus fire into it's left torso, and tell my teammates to do likewise. Smart pilots (which do appear to be few) know that deny the enemy their ECM, and you just seriously hamstrung their ability to project force.

About the only thing that draws focus fire faster than a D-DC is a BoomCat/Jager, and that's because the risk/reward fragility to hurt nature of them demands their guns be silenced first. Then The D-Dcs go.

[MischiefSC]

Bishop Steiner, on 08 October 2013 - 12:05 PM, said:

I see a D-DC, I don't worry about getting a paper doll. I focus fire into it's left torso, and tell my teammates to do likewise. Smart pilots (which do appear to be few) know that deny the enemy their ECM, and you just seriously hamstrung their ability to project force.

About the only thing that draws focus fire faster than a D-DC is a BoomCat/Jager, and that's because the risk/reward fragility to hurt nature of them demands their guns be silenced first. Then The D-Dcs go.

That's exactly correct. I hate to admit it but when I'm in my D-DC I find a boomjag to follow because I absolutely know that he'll draw fire away from me. You'd be surprised how often the guy trying to corner that boomjag will *turn his back to me* to shoot the boom jag. Just last night a QD was trying to get the kill on a wounded boomjag on my team and turns his back right in front of me. Opened up with 74 points of affection and blew through his rear torso at which point he *catapulted* forward off a ledge down into the water where his body face-planted and his little legs flopped up higher than his head.

Comedy gold.

Crimson Strait is ideal for Atlases. Lots of high cover and complicated visual stuff that if you are not pinging their radar provides a sort of visual camo for a still ECM atlas. I've been standing on top of the construction garage area, lining up a shot on someone down below and had 3 enemy mechs just walk *right past* me. I swear to god the first guy I opened up on just stood and turned to look at me like 'Hey, wha, wait, wut?' as I literally blew half his Hunchie away. Arm and torso in one salvo. I shot him again when he was just turning to run away and presented him with the opportunity to enjoy the rest of the match in spectator mode.

An Orion runs a lot like an Atlas but trading ECM and armor for size and speed. It's enjoyable but end of the day, nothing brings destruction like an Atlas. It's a rare game that I don't do 400 damage in my D-DC, even if I don't get any kills.

[ShadowbaneX]

I picked up 3 Atlai last week, the RS, the K & the D-DC...and I pretty much suck with them, so much so that I've become one of those annoying types with a Gauss Rifle and an LRM-10. When I'm flying solo in them, even if I try to stick with the team, they always end up vanishing on me and all of a sudden I'm surrounded by 4+ enemies and turned in to scrap metal in about 10 seconds. When grouped up with friends I do 400-600 damage in a match which is about normal for me...not many kills though. More times than I can count I unload heavy weapons into the enemy, see it do little damage and then have a Jenner or Boomjager waltz in and steal my kill. >

[Bishop Steiner]

MischiefSC, on 08 October 2013 - 12:20 PM, said:

That's exactly correct. I hate to admit it but when I'm in my D-DC I find a boomjag to follow because I absolutely know that he'll draw fire away from me. You'd be surprised how often the guy trying to corner that boomjag will *turn his back to me* to shoot the boom jag. Just last night a QD was trying to get the kill on a wounded boomjag on my team and turns his back right in front of me. Opened up with 74 points of affection and blew through his rear torso at which point he *catapulted* forward off a ledge down into the water where his body face-planted and his little legs flopped up higher than his head.

Comedy gold.

Crimson Strait is ideal for Atlases. Lots of high cover and complicated visual stuff that if you are not pinging their radar provides a sort of visual camo for a still ECM atlas. I've been standing on top of the construction garage area, lining up a shot on someone down below and had 3 enemy mechs just walk *right past* me. I swear to god the first guy I opened up on just stood and turned to look at me like 'Hey, wha, wait, wut?' as I literally blew half his Hunchie away. Arm and torso in one salvo. I shot him again when he was just turning to run away and presented him with the opportunity to enjoy the rest of the match in spectator mode.

An Orion runs a lot like an Atlas but trading ECM and armor for size and speed. It's enjoyable but end of the day, nothing brings destruction like an Atlas. It's a rare game that I don't do 400 damage in my D-DC, even if I don't get any kills.

very true. And yeah, sometimes you hit the kill/terrain mix just right where you just want to stop and admire the poetry of their fall. Had a Cicada I boomed off a Crystal formation do a series of slow cartwheels down the talus slope last night. Took almost a full minute to hit the bottom. Just annoying to have the end of match screen obscuring my enjoyment of the show.

And yeah, used well, the Atlass is still the Aircraft Carrier of any good formation, the Stalkers should be the Battleships and your VTRs and BoomJager escorts acting as the destroyers. And then the rest should be acting as a screening force, flanking and drawing off faster stuff so the Atlas can focus on crushing the focal points of the enemy force.

When I drive an Atlas, I rarely get over 800, but like you say, if ya get under 400, you or your team probably did something VERY wrong.

[MischiefSC]

ShadowbaneX, on 08 October 2013 - 12:21 PM, said:

I picked up 3 Atlai last week, the RS, the K & the D-DC...and I pretty much suck with them, so much so that I've become one of those annoying types with a Gauss Rifle and an LRM-10. When I'm flying solo in them, even if I try to stick with the team, they always end up vanishing on me and all of a sudden I'm surrounded by 4+ enemies and turned in to scrap metal in about 10 seconds. When grouped up with friends I do 400-600 damage in a match which is about normal for me...not many kills though. More times than I can count I unload heavy weapons into the enemy, see it do little damage and then have a Jenner or Boomjager waltz in and steal my kill. >

Brings up a

Bishop Steiner, on 08 October 2013 - 12:25 PM, said:

very true. And yeah, sometimes you hit the kill/terrain mix just right where you just want to stop and admire the poetry of their fall. Had a Cicada I boomed off a Crystal formation do a series of slow cartwheels down the talus slope last night. Took almost a full minute to hit the bottom. Just annoying to have the end of match screen obscuring my enjoyment of the show.

And yeah, used well, the Atlass is still the Aircraft Carrier of any good formation, the Stalkers should be the Battleships and your VTRs and BoomJager escorts acting as the destroyers. And then the rest should be acting as a screening force, flanking and drawing off faster stuff so the Atlas can focus on crushing the focal points of the enemy force.

When I drive an Atlas, I rarely get over 800, but like you say, if ya get under 400, you or your team probably did something VERY wrong.

These bring up another good point to driving an Atlas vs other mechs -

Reading the play.


Another very different thing about the Atlas - it's alright to stand still sometimes. Get cover you can move behind but hold a position overseeing an enemy approach. Wait for your team to commit if they don't seem inclined to stick with you, then follow them. You'll see it in the setup. Either a couple of mediums and heavies will fall into your 'orbit', aware and eager for the ECM and firepower you provide, or they don't. If they do, take the lead and tank. They won't always stick with you but most generally will. If they seem oblivious to you and the ECM love you have to share, don't feel rejected. Hang back and watch.

Here's what you will generally see one of a couple of things:

1. A slow, spilling push as mechs on your side of different speeds move in on a perceived weak spot in the enemy lines. If you see this and there's 4 or more allies moving forward, set your course right through the center of your own people. Most of them will start to eat fire, stop and backup. That's alright - you're going to be the cover that intercedes for your teammates. Pick one enemy target, ideally a Phract or Jag or Assault and just lay fire on them. Your teammates, smelling opportunity for kills, will stop retreating and follow with you. Swing a lot because you're going to be tanking damage but conversely you'll generally see the enemy start to break at this point. So, let your allies lead the charge but when they stumble, make sure you're on target to reverse their fall.

2. Your team will trade fire through some choke point with the enemy. DON'T ENGAGE, stay back and out of sight. When you see some mostly dead targets on the other side roll on in, soak the hits and start nuking damaged enemies. Your team will see a rush of kill reports and push in to scavenge scraps of their own. If your team is on the receiving end of this stand your ground - your team will retreat and damaged but eager enemies will spill in, focused on your damaged allies. use this opportunity to face-hump them and finish what your team started.

3. Your team will go full ******, split up and scatter. In this case pick a couple of assaults or anything that looks like a premade and follow them. Use your ECM to shelter them as best as possible. If they seem to pick up on this and incorporate you into the team then go like above. If not, use them as meat-shields to weaken enemies, avoid shooting SRMs and AC in favor of sniping with LLs so the enemy, partially blinded by ECM to the death you're packing, will soak damage and focus on your meat-shields. When they do get close enough to see your full firepower it'll be too late. You can also pick a likely group of people clearly bent on suicidal rushes and stay way back from them. When they get hammered and start falling back kill-hungry enemies will chase them, running them to ground and end up unaware of you until it's too late.

If your team follows, lead fearlessly and expect to die but with 800 or 1,000 damage under your belt and having paved the way for a near-certain victory for your team.

If your team ignores you, follow likely groups at a distance and blend in while waiting in ambush for people focused on the easy kill of your more foolish teammates.

Atlases just make me so happy. I pilot a lot of mechs but when I get frustrated or otherwise tire of the game I can always go back to Facehumper, my D-DC. Slow, tactical, laden with cunning violent intent, she's always happy to see me.

[Sir Wulfrick]

I'll agree totally with lots of the posts above. The AS7 is all about positioning, tactics & choosing the best time and place to make use of your considerable firepower & armour. It's not a forgiving mech, particularly to mistakes in positioning, as when engaged there's usually no chance to withdraw unless you get significant support very quickly.

I love my Atlases, and they love me

[Aquavolt]

I was so excited to play my AS7-D(F) after reading this thread. Get dropped on Terra Therma conquest and waltz over to the center where it becomes a gigantic brawl on both sides.

Doing great initially as Cataphracts, Atlases, and boom Jagers are pouring out from their side smacking them all with my AC20 SRM combo while they fall for my torso twisting bait.

Nope. Pair of AC/20's to my enlarged cockpit.

[NRP]

Will be fixed on Oct 15 according to the Devs.

[MischiefSC]

Well that would be awkward. Try again. An Atlas isn't an auto-win, it's just very satisfying when played well.