

Support Our Troops!
Started by Not A Real RAbbi, Nov 23 2013 06:38 PM
9 replies to this topic
#1
Posted 23 November 2013 - 06:38 PM
As a crusty veteran IRL, I hate those words. As a mechwarrior in the virtual gamespace, I love them.
Newblets, I give you a mission. That mission is to support your teammates.
Now, 'support' means a lot of different things to different people. That's fine. Support in this game comes in many flavors, too.
Electronic Warfare Support: Basically, Guardian ECM in DISRUPT mode. This renders it impossible for an enemy battlemech, using conventional means, to acquire a missile lock on a friendly battlemech. That means NO LRMs raining down on your lance commander. He should appreciate it, and if he doesn't, then find another lance. It also means none of those nasty Streak SRMs. Guardian ECM also prevents you (and other covered mechs) from being targeted from beyond a very short range. The enemy can't get information about what weapons you have, what condition your mech is in, and so on, while your mech is under ECM cover.
Electronic Counter-Countermeasures Support (ECCM): Guardian ECM in DISRUPT mode, UAV, and sometimes Beagle Active Probe (BAP), and Target Acquisition Gear(TAG). These devices allow you to target a mech otherwise shielded by Guardian ECM in DISRUPT mode. ECM in COUNTER will nullify the effects of any ONE (1) enemy ECM in DISRUPT mode, while giving up the DISRUPT capability of your own ECM. Guardian ECM is best used in pairs for this reason--one can COUNTER while the other DISRUPTs, and thus both are covered under ECM and still able to target another covered mech within Guardian's range. Shining TAG on an ECM-covered mech also makes it available for targeting, regardless of Guardian ECM coverage. Once the TAG comes off-target, though, the effect decays within a few seconds. A UAV over a Guardian ECM-covered enemy will disregard the ECM effect and render that mech available for targeting. Also, there is a narrow range band in which BAP will allow you to target an ECM-covered mech. When ECM is not in effect, BAP accelerates missile locks, target info gathering, and increases your sensor range to nearly 1,000 meters. Defeating an enemy's Guardian ECM by any of these means not only allows your lance mates (and your whole company, really) to target those mechs, but it also provides you with some extra CBill and XP scratch, thanks to the latest patch!
Spotting (call it Forward Observation/FO): TAG, BAP, and UAV's, as well as getting in a scout light mech and living dangerously. This often requires you to be out away from the main body of your friendly force, and often all by your lonesome little self. IF you're sneaky enough and can get close to the enemy without being noticed by him, deploy a UAV near (but behind) him. Within a few seconds, you'll be rewarded with a UAV detection bonus for any enemy mechs detected by it. If one of those mechs then comes under fire from your pals, you'll get ANOTHER bonus! This is great stuff for grinding your first mech while in the Cadet Bonus stage of the game (first 25 matches). Or, really, any time you need to grind up some CBills and/or XP.
Spotting with TAG is a LITTLE more tricky. For one thing, you have to maintain line-of-sight (LOS) to the target. TAG requires you to be within 750 meters of your target (I thought it should be farther, but whatevs). That's close enough for even a regular PPC or LL to do significant damage, and well within LRM range. And it requires you to STAY THERE, as opposed to the kinda silent hit-and-run of the UAV drop. ALSO, when an enemy mech is lit-up with TAG, its friendlies can see it as well as can YOUR friendlies. So, when my lance mate tells me I've got TAG on my (I hear that line from "Shaun of the Dead" now... "You've got red on you."), I immediately know that there's an enemy within 750 meters with LOS to me. This makes me a little angry, and I'm likely to direct some fire at that mech. TAG is a bit dangerous, but that sort of spotting earns you some bonus as well. It DOES come at the cost of one Energy weapon slot, too, and one ton of weight. But, y'know, whatevs.
BAP spotting: Not nearly as effective, and a totally passive process. You just have to sacrifice 2 critical slots and 1.5 tons, and Beagle does the rest for you. The increased sensor range DOES stack with the Advanced Sensor Range module. Aside from ECM defeat bonuses, however, I don't think it really does you much good for grinding.
AMS support: Some mechs carry more than one AntiMissile System (CPLT-J, LCT-3M, and at least one Stalker variant). Most appropriate to our talk is the LCT-3M. It can carry TWO AMS. This is a pretty big deal when you stand it next to your company commander, who is taking a BUNCH of LRM fire from the enemy. My teammates have become VERY fond of the Jester for this reason (among the MANY reasons to love that mech), and often laugh at swarms of enemy LRMs that are cut down in flight and never hit their targets. There's no grind bonus to AMSing missiles fired at your buddies, but there is at least some satisfaction in helping your teammates survive the fight. If THAT doesn't mean anything to you, then please go away and play HALO or something.
Just some ideas. And again, this can be VERY helpful to you in grinding up. Remember, UAV modules cost CBills and/or MC, so they're better used for grinding XP than money.
One more thought: Fire Support. Not so much a support role, but it kinda is. Consider a mech that has three or four module slots (RVN-3L is wonderful for this, as are JR7-D and -K). Carry a UAV, an Artillery Strike, and an Air Strike. Maybe consider a TAG as well. Let's say you're behind and to the side of your enemy's main force, and they haven't spotted you. You TAG a big brawl mech on their side. Your pals start unloading LRMs on it. The enemy mechwarrior, sensing his impending doom, tries to make a run for cover. You SEE this, and you drop an artillery strike in front of him. He can choose to chance running through the red smoke and HOPE he doesn't get obliterated, or he can back off and face swarms of LRMs to strip his armor. He's kinda SKROOD. Rinse, repeat with the air strike. Once you're busted, of even if you're not, find your opportunity to run up behind the enemy and pop a UAV RIGHT BEHIND THEM, then run off again and keep shining TAG. Friendly LRM boats will LOVE you for this, as their damage numbers soar along with their match scores and KDRs.
So what if it gets you killed horribly? Team work, buddy.
Some soccer mom on Terra will buy a $2 yellow twibbon sticker for her Cadillac Escalade, and it'll all be worth it then!
Newblets, I give you a mission. That mission is to support your teammates.
Now, 'support' means a lot of different things to different people. That's fine. Support in this game comes in many flavors, too.
Electronic Warfare Support: Basically, Guardian ECM in DISRUPT mode. This renders it impossible for an enemy battlemech, using conventional means, to acquire a missile lock on a friendly battlemech. That means NO LRMs raining down on your lance commander. He should appreciate it, and if he doesn't, then find another lance. It also means none of those nasty Streak SRMs. Guardian ECM also prevents you (and other covered mechs) from being targeted from beyond a very short range. The enemy can't get information about what weapons you have, what condition your mech is in, and so on, while your mech is under ECM cover.
Electronic Counter-Countermeasures Support (ECCM): Guardian ECM in DISRUPT mode, UAV, and sometimes Beagle Active Probe (BAP), and Target Acquisition Gear(TAG). These devices allow you to target a mech otherwise shielded by Guardian ECM in DISRUPT mode. ECM in COUNTER will nullify the effects of any ONE (1) enemy ECM in DISRUPT mode, while giving up the DISRUPT capability of your own ECM. Guardian ECM is best used in pairs for this reason--one can COUNTER while the other DISRUPTs, and thus both are covered under ECM and still able to target another covered mech within Guardian's range. Shining TAG on an ECM-covered mech also makes it available for targeting, regardless of Guardian ECM coverage. Once the TAG comes off-target, though, the effect decays within a few seconds. A UAV over a Guardian ECM-covered enemy will disregard the ECM effect and render that mech available for targeting. Also, there is a narrow range band in which BAP will allow you to target an ECM-covered mech. When ECM is not in effect, BAP accelerates missile locks, target info gathering, and increases your sensor range to nearly 1,000 meters. Defeating an enemy's Guardian ECM by any of these means not only allows your lance mates (and your whole company, really) to target those mechs, but it also provides you with some extra CBill and XP scratch, thanks to the latest patch!
Spotting (call it Forward Observation/FO): TAG, BAP, and UAV's, as well as getting in a scout light mech and living dangerously. This often requires you to be out away from the main body of your friendly force, and often all by your lonesome little self. IF you're sneaky enough and can get close to the enemy without being noticed by him, deploy a UAV near (but behind) him. Within a few seconds, you'll be rewarded with a UAV detection bonus for any enemy mechs detected by it. If one of those mechs then comes under fire from your pals, you'll get ANOTHER bonus! This is great stuff for grinding your first mech while in the Cadet Bonus stage of the game (first 25 matches). Or, really, any time you need to grind up some CBills and/or XP.
Spotting with TAG is a LITTLE more tricky. For one thing, you have to maintain line-of-sight (LOS) to the target. TAG requires you to be within 750 meters of your target (I thought it should be farther, but whatevs). That's close enough for even a regular PPC or LL to do significant damage, and well within LRM range. And it requires you to STAY THERE, as opposed to the kinda silent hit-and-run of the UAV drop. ALSO, when an enemy mech is lit-up with TAG, its friendlies can see it as well as can YOUR friendlies. So, when my lance mate tells me I've got TAG on my (I hear that line from "Shaun of the Dead" now... "You've got red on you."), I immediately know that there's an enemy within 750 meters with LOS to me. This makes me a little angry, and I'm likely to direct some fire at that mech. TAG is a bit dangerous, but that sort of spotting earns you some bonus as well. It DOES come at the cost of one Energy weapon slot, too, and one ton of weight. But, y'know, whatevs.
BAP spotting: Not nearly as effective, and a totally passive process. You just have to sacrifice 2 critical slots and 1.5 tons, and Beagle does the rest for you. The increased sensor range DOES stack with the Advanced Sensor Range module. Aside from ECM defeat bonuses, however, I don't think it really does you much good for grinding.
AMS support: Some mechs carry more than one AntiMissile System (CPLT-J, LCT-3M, and at least one Stalker variant). Most appropriate to our talk is the LCT-3M. It can carry TWO AMS. This is a pretty big deal when you stand it next to your company commander, who is taking a BUNCH of LRM fire from the enemy. My teammates have become VERY fond of the Jester for this reason (among the MANY reasons to love that mech), and often laugh at swarms of enemy LRMs that are cut down in flight and never hit their targets. There's no grind bonus to AMSing missiles fired at your buddies, but there is at least some satisfaction in helping your teammates survive the fight. If THAT doesn't mean anything to you, then please go away and play HALO or something.
Just some ideas. And again, this can be VERY helpful to you in grinding up. Remember, UAV modules cost CBills and/or MC, so they're better used for grinding XP than money.
One more thought: Fire Support. Not so much a support role, but it kinda is. Consider a mech that has three or four module slots (RVN-3L is wonderful for this, as are JR7-D and -K). Carry a UAV, an Artillery Strike, and an Air Strike. Maybe consider a TAG as well. Let's say you're behind and to the side of your enemy's main force, and they haven't spotted you. You TAG a big brawl mech on their side. Your pals start unloading LRMs on it. The enemy mechwarrior, sensing his impending doom, tries to make a run for cover. You SEE this, and you drop an artillery strike in front of him. He can choose to chance running through the red smoke and HOPE he doesn't get obliterated, or he can back off and face swarms of LRMs to strip his armor. He's kinda SKROOD. Rinse, repeat with the air strike. Once you're busted, of even if you're not, find your opportunity to run up behind the enemy and pop a UAV RIGHT BEHIND THEM, then run off again and keep shining TAG. Friendly LRM boats will LOVE you for this, as their damage numbers soar along with their match scores and KDRs.
So what if it gets you killed horribly? Team work, buddy.
Some soccer mom on Terra will buy a $2 yellow twibbon sticker for her Cadillac Escalade, and it'll all be worth it then!
#2
Posted 23 November 2013 - 11:04 PM
(On the fire support note.)
In this video, notice the support coming from allies. To quote one of the comments on the vid: "Dat LRM support!"
In this video, notice the support coming from allies. To quote one of the comments on the vid: "Dat LRM support!"
Edited by Koniving, 23 November 2013 - 11:05 PM.
#3
Posted 24 November 2013 - 06:47 AM
TheRAbbi, on 23 November 2013 - 06:38 PM, said:
So what if it gets you killed horribly? Team work, buddy.
Some soccer mom on Terra will buy a $2 yellow twibbon sticker for her Cadillac Escalade, and it'll all be worth it then!
Some soccer mom on Terra will buy a $2 yellow twibbon sticker for her Cadillac Escalade, and it'll all be worth it then!

Quick question though, BAP gives ECM counter rewards? Hadn't seen that, but also haven't been running my BAP mechs either. May have to jam it on some others if it does...
#4
Posted 24 November 2013 - 07:23 AM
Nick Makiaveli, on 24 November 2013 - 06:47 AM, said:

Quick question though, BAP gives ECM counter rewards? Hadn't seen that, but also haven't been running my BAP mechs either. May have to jam it on some others if it does...
Sure does. My X-5 is getting them almost every game by accident.
#7
Posted 24 November 2013 - 05:30 PM
Yup. The ONE way to get the counter-ECM bonus that I'm not SURE about right now is by PPC fire.
***NEWB NOTE*** When an ECM-equipped mech is hit by PPC, that mech's ECM will be rendered inoperable for about 4 seconds. EVEN IF the PPC hit does no damage (standard PPC within 90 meters, for instance) the effect will still take place.
***ANOTHER NEWB NOTE*** The above applies equally to enemy AND friendly mechs, so watch your fire! If your PPC hits a friendly that's shielding you with its Guardian ECM, you just boned yourself AND that friendly for the next four seconds.
OK, so ways to get the counter-ECM bonus so far (CONFIRMED):
-Beagle Active Probe (makes ECM-covered mechs targetable/visible at about 180-200m)
-Guardian ECM in COUNTER mode (duh, I know, but there are some out there that seem to have NO CLUE that COUNTER mode exists on their ECM)
-UAV: As UAVs can spot targets with no regard to ECM cover, UAV spots count as countering ECM. I REPEAT, THIS IS CONFIRMED IN GAME. This bonus stacks with the UAV spotting and assist bonuses, IIRC. Just scored some of that Friday and Saturday nights. Yummy, yummy XP...
-Target Acquisition Gear: TAG acts without regard to ECM, and therefore provides the bonus.
Now, if only I could afford to spend a UAV every match...
OK, newbs, there are more ways to cause havoc in the enemy lines. As hinted above in the original post, Artillery and Air Strikes can be game changers since they were buffed a couple weeks ago. Each bomb now does 40 points damage, and each has a splash range (doesn't have to hit a target directly to cause SOME damage). With IMPROVED strikes (each can be upgraded with 15,000 GXP in the PILOT skill trees), you increase the number of bombs in the strike to 10. That's 400 points of damage, yo! That's basically all the armor on a Shadow Hawk, and then some.
So, how do we use them? Simple. Put your crosshairs on the spot where you want the strike to hit. Hit the button. VOILA! You should almost immediately see a cloud of red smoke start to rise from that spot. In about 5 seconds, rounds will start to impact.
Artillery Strike rounds will hit in a circular pattern around the spot marked by the smoke. Air Strike rounds will fall in a line, centered on the red smoke, along your line of sight when you called the strike.
IMPORTANT! If there is some object, like a bridge or building, between the strike's source and target, it may interfere with the strike. This can be either a curse or a blessing. For instance, if you are in the lower level of the dock on Crimson Strait and drop an Artillery Strike, it will not hit where you dropped the strike. It will hit pretty-much directly above the red smoke, on the upper level. So, if you NEED that fire support down below, you're not gonna get it. If you know, however, that there's an enemy on the upper deck that needs dealt with, drop your strike from the relative security of the lower level and he won't even see the smoke. Let's say you drop an Artillery Strike between two buildings on one of the narrow streets in the upper city in River City, though. There's a good chance that half or more of the rounds will impact the buildings around the smoke, and not the ground or the mechs standing there. Keep this in mind, and also know that these things work to your advantage when trying to AVOID getting hit with close-air or artillery.
There's no special support bonus for using those effectively. But you WILL get credited for the damage done to enemies with those strikes, and you will get credit for kills done with them. That includes assists and saviour kills, which are worth a lot of XP and CB.
Special uses for strikes? Glad you asked. A favorite use of the strike is to clear enemies off one's own base in Assault mode. You know, once they capture your base, they win. If you're racing to get back to cap to clear out an enemy, then like any other place on the map, if you can see it, you can strike it. Even if the enemy there does see the red smoke, he's likely going to step away from the base for a few seconds to avoid getting damaged by the incoming strike. Those few seconds can be the difference between winning and losing.
Same goes for any resource point on Conquest mode. As long as you can see it, you can strike it. If you want to run an enemy off a particular resource point, you have that option at your disposal. Also, if you have to bail out of a resource point because an overmatching enemy is advancing on you, let him get about 4 seconds out, drop your strike on yourself, and run like HELP. Hopefully, you were on the side of the resource point away from the advancing enemy (using the point itself to shield you from enemy fire), so it'll be harder for the advancing enemy, bent on retaking the point from you, to see the red smoke cloud building up on the far side of the point. Also, your sudden departure should draw his attention, too. Make sure it does. I call this technique the "care package", or the "Billy Madison".
Simply slowing enemy advances, breaking up their formations, and sowing confusion. Strikes are GREAT for that. Drop one right in front of an advancing enemy force, and watch the chaos. It's a temporary denial-of-use weapon. Want to clear that enemy sniper off signal hill in Alpine Peaks? Doesn't matter that your AC/20 and MLs can't touch him there. Drop an air strike on it. If he sees the red cloud, he knows to run. This buys you at least a few seconds to rush to a better covered position. If he doesn't see it, then the damage and screen shake are going to buy you time as well.
Sadly, we don't yet have (and I don't know that we ever will) obscurant smoke or illumination rounds to call yet. That'd be neato. Call an illumination fire mission! I can see it on River City Night already. Pop Illum. over upper city, and temporarily disable/blind the night vision of anyone on that piece of land. Say, 30 second duration, with a skill unlock to drag it out to 40. Or make it a separate unlocked PILOT skill, and then you can buy illumination or effect in Mech Lab. Hmm.......
OK, back to the 31st Century.
The red cloud? Those that know what it is generally avoid being near it. This overrides any need to fire on a target. It's self-preservation. Those that don't know, or that don't see it, are in BIG trouble if they're near it.
ALSO, if you're standing close to something, especially if you're zoomed-in, be extra careful when you drop your strike. The game can sometimes be a bit wonky about this, and it HAS been known to interpret a mechwarrior's call-for-fire as calling fire directly on himself. Not that it can't be intentional (saw a LCT pilot, last of 12 on his team, call arty on himself once he was legged... BRILLIANT!), but 99% of the time it isn't. Be careful, and remember--INCOMING ARTILLERY ALWAYS HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY!
***NEWB NOTE*** When an ECM-equipped mech is hit by PPC, that mech's ECM will be rendered inoperable for about 4 seconds. EVEN IF the PPC hit does no damage (standard PPC within 90 meters, for instance) the effect will still take place.
***ANOTHER NEWB NOTE*** The above applies equally to enemy AND friendly mechs, so watch your fire! If your PPC hits a friendly that's shielding you with its Guardian ECM, you just boned yourself AND that friendly for the next four seconds.
OK, so ways to get the counter-ECM bonus so far (CONFIRMED):
-Beagle Active Probe (makes ECM-covered mechs targetable/visible at about 180-200m)
-Guardian ECM in COUNTER mode (duh, I know, but there are some out there that seem to have NO CLUE that COUNTER mode exists on their ECM)
-UAV: As UAVs can spot targets with no regard to ECM cover, UAV spots count as countering ECM. I REPEAT, THIS IS CONFIRMED IN GAME. This bonus stacks with the UAV spotting and assist bonuses, IIRC. Just scored some of that Friday and Saturday nights. Yummy, yummy XP...
-Target Acquisition Gear: TAG acts without regard to ECM, and therefore provides the bonus.
Now, if only I could afford to spend a UAV every match...
OK, newbs, there are more ways to cause havoc in the enemy lines. As hinted above in the original post, Artillery and Air Strikes can be game changers since they were buffed a couple weeks ago. Each bomb now does 40 points damage, and each has a splash range (doesn't have to hit a target directly to cause SOME damage). With IMPROVED strikes (each can be upgraded with 15,000 GXP in the PILOT skill trees), you increase the number of bombs in the strike to 10. That's 400 points of damage, yo! That's basically all the armor on a Shadow Hawk, and then some.
So, how do we use them? Simple. Put your crosshairs on the spot where you want the strike to hit. Hit the button. VOILA! You should almost immediately see a cloud of red smoke start to rise from that spot. In about 5 seconds, rounds will start to impact.
Artillery Strike rounds will hit in a circular pattern around the spot marked by the smoke. Air Strike rounds will fall in a line, centered on the red smoke, along your line of sight when you called the strike.
IMPORTANT! If there is some object, like a bridge or building, between the strike's source and target, it may interfere with the strike. This can be either a curse or a blessing. For instance, if you are in the lower level of the dock on Crimson Strait and drop an Artillery Strike, it will not hit where you dropped the strike. It will hit pretty-much directly above the red smoke, on the upper level. So, if you NEED that fire support down below, you're not gonna get it. If you know, however, that there's an enemy on the upper deck that needs dealt with, drop your strike from the relative security of the lower level and he won't even see the smoke. Let's say you drop an Artillery Strike between two buildings on one of the narrow streets in the upper city in River City, though. There's a good chance that half or more of the rounds will impact the buildings around the smoke, and not the ground or the mechs standing there. Keep this in mind, and also know that these things work to your advantage when trying to AVOID getting hit with close-air or artillery.
There's no special support bonus for using those effectively. But you WILL get credited for the damage done to enemies with those strikes, and you will get credit for kills done with them. That includes assists and saviour kills, which are worth a lot of XP and CB.
Special uses for strikes? Glad you asked. A favorite use of the strike is to clear enemies off one's own base in Assault mode. You know, once they capture your base, they win. If you're racing to get back to cap to clear out an enemy, then like any other place on the map, if you can see it, you can strike it. Even if the enemy there does see the red smoke, he's likely going to step away from the base for a few seconds to avoid getting damaged by the incoming strike. Those few seconds can be the difference between winning and losing.
Same goes for any resource point on Conquest mode. As long as you can see it, you can strike it. If you want to run an enemy off a particular resource point, you have that option at your disposal. Also, if you have to bail out of a resource point because an overmatching enemy is advancing on you, let him get about 4 seconds out, drop your strike on yourself, and run like HELP. Hopefully, you were on the side of the resource point away from the advancing enemy (using the point itself to shield you from enemy fire), so it'll be harder for the advancing enemy, bent on retaking the point from you, to see the red smoke cloud building up on the far side of the point. Also, your sudden departure should draw his attention, too. Make sure it does. I call this technique the "care package", or the "Billy Madison".
Simply slowing enemy advances, breaking up their formations, and sowing confusion. Strikes are GREAT for that. Drop one right in front of an advancing enemy force, and watch the chaos. It's a temporary denial-of-use weapon. Want to clear that enemy sniper off signal hill in Alpine Peaks? Doesn't matter that your AC/20 and MLs can't touch him there. Drop an air strike on it. If he sees the red cloud, he knows to run. This buys you at least a few seconds to rush to a better covered position. If he doesn't see it, then the damage and screen shake are going to buy you time as well.
Sadly, we don't yet have (and I don't know that we ever will) obscurant smoke or illumination rounds to call yet. That'd be neato. Call an illumination fire mission! I can see it on River City Night already. Pop Illum. over upper city, and temporarily disable/blind the night vision of anyone on that piece of land. Say, 30 second duration, with a skill unlock to drag it out to 40. Or make it a separate unlocked PILOT skill, and then you can buy illumination or effect in Mech Lab. Hmm.......
OK, back to the 31st Century.
The red cloud? Those that know what it is generally avoid being near it. This overrides any need to fire on a target. It's self-preservation. Those that don't know, or that don't see it, are in BIG trouble if they're near it.
ALSO, if you're standing close to something, especially if you're zoomed-in, be extra careful when you drop your strike. The game can sometimes be a bit wonky about this, and it HAS been known to interpret a mechwarrior's call-for-fire as calling fire directly on himself. Not that it can't be intentional (saw a LCT pilot, last of 12 on his team, call arty on himself once he was legged... BRILLIANT!), but 99% of the time it isn't. Be careful, and remember--INCOMING ARTILLERY ALWAYS HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY!
#8
Posted 25 November 2013 - 02:45 PM
Question about BAP and ECM interaction. You are an ECM protected mech. I have a BAP. I can target you when I'm close enough. But let's say that I'm now within the range of your ECM. Does the ECM prevent me from sharing my targeting information? Or do I drop off my allies radar into the black hole of ECM?
Question about TAG usage. I currently have the TAG in all of my weapon groups. If I shoot you, you get a TAG marker. Occasionally I get a
bonus by doing this, so it's worth it for me. For my LRM buddies in the PUGs out there... does this confuse and mix up your target selection? If I only used the TAG on targets I think you should LRM, would that be more useful? Or would such a subtle indicator get lost in the rush of battle?
Question about TAG usage. I currently have the TAG in all of my weapon groups. If I shoot you, you get a TAG marker. Occasionally I get a

Spoiler
#9
Posted 26 November 2013 - 12:25 PM
TheRAbbi, on 24 November 2013 - 05:30 PM, said:
*snip*
-Beagle Active Probe (makes ECM-covered mechs targetable/visible at about 180-200m)
-Beagle Active Probe (makes ECM-covered mechs targetable/visible at about 180-200m)
Once upon a time, I remember reading that Advanced Sensor Range module bumps both of these figures by 25%, so instead of a narrow 20m band, you get a whopping 25m (225-250) band, further away from the ECM nasties. Anyone know if that's still true?
#10
Posted 26 November 2013 - 01:29 PM
C Lochiel, on 25 November 2013 - 02:45 PM, said:
Question about BAP and ECM interaction. You are an ECM protected mech. I have a BAP. I can target you when I'm close enough. But let's say that I'm now within the range of your ECM. Does the ECM prevent me from sharing my targeting information? Or do I drop off my allies radar into the black hole of ECM?
Question about TAG usage. I currently have the TAG in all of my weapon groups. If I shoot you, you get a TAG marker. Occasionally I get a
bonus by doing this, so it's worth it for me. For my LRM buddies in the PUGs out there... does this confuse and mix up your target selection? If I only used the TAG on targets I think you should LRM, would that be more useful? Or would such a subtle indicator get lost in the rush of battle?
Question about TAG usage. I currently have the TAG in all of my weapon groups. If I shoot you, you get a TAG marker. Occasionally I get a

1) BAP counters 1 enemy ECM
2) a TAGed mech is marked with a symbol, any LRM boat targeting that mech gets reduced lock on, and (I believe) tighter grouping for their missiles.
It does not shift our targeting data over to them or anything like that,.
As a pugger, I greatly appreciate when there is a TAG on an ally, but we learn not to rely on it, or to bring our own.
I would say that if you see a missile boat unloading into someone, and it would not kill you (I mean that literally, not sarcastically or otherwise) then yes, shift your TAG over to our target, but as said, don't kill yourself doing it, you are probably more valuable alive than TAGing.

Blalok, on 26 November 2013 - 12:25 PM, said:
Once upon a time, I remember reading that Advanced Sensor Range module bumps both of these figures by 25%, so instead of a narrow 20m band, you get a whopping 25m (225-250) band, further away from the ECM nasties. Anyone know if that's still true?
Far as I am aware... yes.
Those were supposed to be the counters to ECM before they added Beagle to the list, and I do not see why they would have removed that.
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