8 replies to this topic

[Hillslam]

Been seeing some really bad advice and suggestions revolving around assaults. Some of it old and some of it new. Here are my thoughts.

1 - Assaults' place in the battle space.

You hear some people using phrases like tanking and leading up front. Soaking. Etc.
This is wrong. MMO tactics do not apply to MWO. Please stop with that nonsense.

Think instead naval formations.

Formations would NEVER lead with their battleships or carriers. The battlegroup has frigates and destroyers at the van and rear - think lights and mediums - as well as screening flanks, cruisers (think heavies) inside that ring and reacting, and central to it all the big boys, battleships, carriers and other ships of the line (think your assaults). They anchor. they pour it on.



Do the assaults sit in the back? No. Do they lead at the front? No.
(Understanding that sometimes in PUGS you just gotta roll forward to coax the cowards hiding in your skirts into action)

2 - Assaults can't track lights.

AKA - "I want to make it physically impossible for an assault to hit me in my light". This is the most idiotic moronic concept I've seen put up on the forums in a long time. This is so bad on so many fronts I cannot bother to respond to all of them with a cogent "why this is stupid" breakdown. I'll just say this: Mechs were used as anti-air platforms in the lore for heavens sake. Easily downing supersonice jets. ...

Edited by Hillslam, 11 December 2013 - 12:12 PM.

[Tombstoner]

I also hate MMO terms in MWO.... tank that..... yea right. heal me first.

Formations allow for clear LOS and focued fire. sadly most of what i see if everyone competing to get there shots in and then complaining about how much rear armor damage they take when i'm zoomed in and they walk in to my firing lane.

[Buckminster]

Hillslam, on 11 December 2013 - 12:11 PM, said:

2 - Assaults can't track lights.

AKA - "I want to make it physically impossible for an assault to hit me in my light". This is the most idiotic moronic concept I've seen put up on the forums in a long time. This is so bad on so many fronts I cannot bother to respond to all of them with a cogent "why this is stupid" breakdown. I'll just say this: Mechs were used as anti-air platforms in the lore for heavens sake. Easily downing supersonice jets. ...

I think this is more a statement on assault pilots, and not the mechs themselves. It's an easy trap for new players to get caught in - the smaller lighter mech dancing around, and the inexperienced assault pilot panicking and flailing about ineffectively.

I think a lot of new players think that assault mechs are going to be better, because they are packing more armor and weapons. But any experienced player will tell you that assaults require a lot of skill and a certain play style to use right, and that in the wrong hands an assault mech is just a heavier coffin.

[aniviron]

Hillslam, on 11 December 2013 - 12:11 PM, said:

2 - Assaults can't track lights.

AKA - "I want to make it physically impossible for an assault to hit me in my light". This is the most idiotic moronic concept I've seen put up on the forums in a long time. This is so bad on so many fronts I cannot bother to respond to all of them with a cogent "why this is stupid" breakdown. I'll just say this: Mechs were used as anti-air platforms in the lore for heavens sake. Easily downing supersonice jets. ...

Canonically, an Atlas turns at 18 degrees a second. In this game, an Atlas with a 350 engine can turn 48 degrees a second, just using the left and right turn keys, not counting torso twist. It's fine if you want to say that assaults should be as mobile as they are, but don't say that they were mobile in TT.

[sneeking]

heavy and assult would be best left untill a new player had at least mastered one medium chassis and been about long enough to meet up with a few forum people on ts server, they will have more success.

my heavy chassis ( especially the lrm platform ) was a great source of frustration in solo drops, I was lucky enough to tag along on some four mans with a few guys from [f8l] im sure they wont mind me crediting them with some of the best lrm drops iv had so far.

[Hillslam]

Buckminster, on 11 December 2013 - 08:10 PM, said:

I think this is more a statement on assault pilots, and not the mechs themselves. It's an easy trap for new players to get caught in - the smaller lighter mech dancing around, and the inexperienced assault pilot panicking and flailing about ineffectively.

Oops sorry for the misunderstanding - I was referring to the Suggestions that assault mobility be nerfed. Nothing about perceptions of assault pilots.

aniviron, on 11 December 2013 - 08:35 PM, said:

Canonically, an Atlas turns at 18 degrees a second. In this game, an Atlas with a 350 engine can turn 48 degrees a second, just using the left and right turn keys, not counting torso twist. It's fine if you want to say that assaults should be as mobile as they are, but don't say that they were mobile in TT.

Yes but canonically, an Atlas hit what it shot at (no hit reg issues) and cored most lights in one shot (no double armor). Also engagement and battlefield sizes were MUCH larger. With these in-game issues the mobility nerf to assaults is ludicrous and is directly analogous to another player base (*cough* the clanners) wanting their easy-win-mode OP mechs and spewing out pages of lore diatribe to rationalize it. The real problem is role warfare doesn't exist, and lights have nothing good to do BUT fight each other and the other weight classes. And on that same note, assaults don't have anything to do but fight all the lighter faster classes. I have yet to storm a base or prepared position or assault a landed dropship... etc.

Edited by Hillslam, 12 December 2013 - 10:56 AM.

[sneeking]

an actual mission with ready room planning and objective loadouts to suit both the ends means and conditions would be great.

nothing worse than this business of choosing platform and loadout having zero friggin idea if it will be hot cold or do I need jj ? who bloody knows what you need. your at mercy of map rotation and never mind the fact that objectives are limited to stomp and capture.

building would become more diverse if objectives demanded sets of specific skills weight classes and loadouts that reflected environmental challenges.

[Charons Little Helper]

In a similar vein to your talk of battleships - I find that assaults work best when not clumped - but 200ish meters apart. Close enough for support - but far enough to peel wolfpacks off of each-other.

[sneeking]

like lrm boats that cant fight short range, if two hold parallel course they can keep fleas off.