18 replies to this topic

[Samophlange]

Its not new to this game to see a pile up at various points in each map, with both sides doing the two step shuffle forward and back, waiting for someone to shoot or get shot.
While some folks have a raging hate LRMs, they do a wonderful job of pressing the issue, forcing one side or the other to move. Otherwise, everyone (Except for that lone light mech) stays put, trying to shoot at distance, and waiting for one or the other side to lose the first mech, then finally charging in, expecting that loss of one, to tip the entire balance of the game.

So, not at the expense of others, I've been trying out a simple, but seemingly effective method of changing this up.

CHARGE RIGHT INTO THEM!

Yes, it sounds foolish, but its not done senselessly.
When both teams start doing the ol' shuffle-foot, I look for that one heavy or assault mech that seems to be loaded out with very specific gear, usually some sort of boat (crit seeker, sniper build), and I head straight for them, shooting non-stop, ignoring everything else. (Except, cover!)
Most of the time, a pile of others follow behind me, once they see that I'm not shooting and scooting back like normal.
Keep in mind, this isn't the usual call for "Push" that is thrown about. I don't wait for mechs to start falling then charge in. Don't wait, just go at them from the start.
The loadouts I use tend to be predominately chain fired medium/md pulse, chain streaks or if possible, multiple ac/2's. With a battlemaster or thunderbolt, it seems to be all of the above.

The benefit has been thus: Attacking in this fashion has become very rare as of late, and the unexpected charge causes the enemy to be stunned into inaction or find their entrenchment focused weaponry become suprisingly less effective than normal.
By targeting a mech a class heavier, it does seem to have a bit of morale effect as well. If you see a Shadowhawk get up in a Highlander's face, blasting its arms off then jumping over its head, the rabble tends to scurry away pretty fast.
As for stats, it has brought a few mechs from a K/D ratio of 1.x to 2.x only two days.

While it seems to be enjoyable to me and it has been mostly an exercise in changing up my play style, I'm curious what the results are if anyone else out there gives this method a try for a while. It does rely on some timing and hoping your team takes advantage of the sudden attack.

Its probably nothing new, more of an observation than anything.

[Mao of DC]

While I do like your enthusiasm going straight in isn't always the best way to go. That being said, I'm personally a huge fan of the flanking maneuver. When both sides are the two set peek and pray. I like to get around on their side or even better behind them and go to work. The most depressing thing I have encountered in this game on is the shockingly large number of players who have no idea what that is. This really helps create shock value and it usually makes people turn around and expose their rears. The downside is you will most likely hear a bunch a {Scrap} from your own team. I've had more than a few players ask me "why are you way over there?" I respond with "flanking them". The best response I've gotten was "what's that?" the worst was "why would anyone ever do that, that never works."

So I say let's not let the boring players rule charge over that hill, flank the living {Scrap} of them, shake things up.

[z00med]

Surprisingly effective in PUGs, I admit.
Survivability may be increased by:
*Choosing a target on the flanks
*Choosing a path of attack where you have proper intel (reduces the chance of suddenly facing AC-40 or similar)
*bring intimidating loadout (actually the only Mech I sometimes try this is a Chainsaw-Ilya)-increases chance that your target will try to retreat
*Dont try this if you have the feeling that there are premades in the enemy team or that the average Elo of a match is quite high (I highly doubt that a SHD would cripple a Highlander, then jump over it and finish it if both players are of equal skill. As soon as a player can pronounce "Jump Turn" its not a too good idea jumping over a Highlander anyways^^)

[NRP]

This approach is usually called the "Leroy Jenkins" approach. Or the "General Custer" approach.

It's fun.

If you're drunk.

[Morticoccus]

It's even more fun if you do it in a Spider 5K, usually you can get the entire enemy team trying to shoot you down if you just charge them and then circle strafe around behind their largest most impressive assault. Which hopefully leads to your team scoring a ton of LRM hits on their softly armored rears.

[Victor Morson]

[Broad5ide]

My advice, go for the legs. you'd be surprised how easy it is to rush in, claim an enemy leg(regardless of tonnage) and scoot out. do that 2 or 3 times and you've crippled a good portion of their team. on top of that, once one leg is down the other is easy pickings.

[1453 R]

Decisive is great. Reckless is not. Just as often as you'll convince your team to finally move, that sort of rush-in will get you dead and, in the process, finally provoke the other team's decisive rush.

By all means, keep diving in. The better you get at decisive charges the better off you'll be. Heh...just remember that your decisive charge is by no means a guarantee that your teammates will decide to back it up. Sometimes a group of players, on the whole, are just doomed to get pecked to death. No amount of screeching, cajoling, bribery, or mostly-suicidal charges will convince some types to jump out from behind the hill.

[Navy Sixes]

Yeah, like everyone else, I admire your enthusiasm. There are certainly times I wonder what everyone on my team is waiting for. Do they think they will get some kind of bonus for dying last?

But if the call to push when the enemy is down numerically is just something that is "the usual" or "thrown about," charging into an entrenched enemy who is numerically equal or even superior is usually just a recipe for quick and probably pointless death.

There are certain places where I think your ideas have merit, when charging into the enemy is better than where you're at. Four come to mind:

1) The cauldron on Caustic Valley. If your team is standing in the cauldron, you need to charge or fall back. Trying to fight from the middle of the cauldron is overheat fail.

2) Behind the boat in Forest Colony. If you're gonna "roll the river," you've got to go all the way. Teams that think they are going to "post up" behind the boat and hold off the enemy are usually wrong. They've given up the high ground and good cover on shore for a fast route to the enemy base. If you stop behind the boat, the enemy will eventually get an angle on you and start plinking you off one by one, if they don't just drop in a-strikes and waste you outright. The moment most of the team got their leg-actuators wet, they committed themselves to going all the way or dying. Push through.

3) In the water in River City. You have to cross the river, unless you're playing defense. You pick a spot on the other side and you head there, and you don't stop until you hit the shore. Wading around in the open water is no good. Under the platform by the citadel may seem like a good spot, but it really isn't. You don't have any good attack angles from there, so just like the boat in Forest, if you hang out there you're just waiting for the enemy to get an angle and take you down.

4) Everyone's favorite, the entrance to "Theta" (aka "Mount Doom") in Terra Therma. If you get there and the enemy is there, too, either move in and fight or fall back and get them when they come through your side. All you're doing in the doorway is pi$%ing-off your teammates and asking to get shot in the back.

Other than these (and other situations like these) I also agree that a failure to commit to any kind of action is usually the worst thing you can do (or not do, as the case may be). Against an inexperienced enemy you may get away with it, because they may lack commitment too. Then it's a "war of nerves:" both sides waiting for individuals on the other side to get bored and break cover, to be focused upon and put down quickly. But as soon as an experienced enemy realizes your team is indecisively milling about they will flank you hard.

Note that I'm not talking about a determined defensive strategy. If you plan to wait for the enemy to come to you, and you're ready for that flank, then you're still doing something. I'm talking about people who just hide behind some rocks because they don't know what else to do.

All of that said, try to look before you leap, OP!

Edited by Tycho von Gagern, 30 December 2013 - 10:03 PM.

[Samophlange]

I try to avoid the "Jenkins" plan. My K/D ratio is already low enough, and I'm not out to get my team killed!

After playing so many matches where I feel like I'm waiting around doing nothing, then dead or trying to shoot under everyone else's arms or over shoulders, I had to try something different.

Tycho, some of those spots were the exact ones that made me give this a shot! Crossing the river was the turning point.
I said "F-it" and plowed ahead in the triple ac/2 battlemaster and took out 4 mechs (all on the opposing team even!) before they could figure out what the heck to do.
I loved seeing all of those LRMs bounce off the cockpit when the boats frantically started firing at me. Too late!

Thanks for the video, its been a while since I've seen it!

[Buckminster]

Anyone named Samophlange is good in my book.

I always love the successful rush. I love it even more when you're outmatched - nothing makes you grin bigger than watching an assault mech drop as you come riding over the crest in your Shadow Hawk.

[ImperialKnight]

If I'm the enemy, OP's tactic is what I call "oh look, free kill"

[Samophlange]

Well, after continuing this style of play for a couple of weeks, I've managed to raise the old K/D ratio up .1 from where it started. It seems counter-intuitive, but most likely, it has more to do with my style of playing being a bit too "defensive" in the past.

Again, for those thinking I'm newb-charging in, all gung-ho....nope.
I'm not charging an undamaged assault with a medium.
The last, most notable of this plan working was plowing into the crater in Terra Therma as two other assaults just sat there scared to move. We outweighed the enemy even though we were out numbered. So.... charge in there!
Cored a Dragon and got another heavy CT stripped before I was taken down. It left the 2 assaults behind me with an easy job of cleaning up!
And its more fun than waiting to get picked apart, sitting at the entrance of the pit.
Ah well. Its been a good change of pace.

[Charons Little Helper]

I don't generally do the all out rush (unless they're seperated) - but I've found that the hit & run is great in such a situation.

On a fast medium - I like to rush in - pummel someone - then rush out. (depends upon useful cover at both sides of the hit & run) Afterwards - stay behind cover for the next min or so.

It's amazing how freaked out a group of long range mechs can get by this. They will continually watch where you went, giving your long range mechs a significant advantage for a bit. This doesn't work as well for lights as fast mediums - both because people are used to lights doing so - and because their alpha isn't nearly as mean. (I have a wolverine who can go 110ish & has an alpha of 51)

Of course - I almost exclusively play conquest - so the perpetual long-range shootout isn't as prevelant anyway.

[Kingdok]

Mao of DC, on 29 December 2013 - 08:36 AM, said:

While I do like your enthusiasm going straight in isn't always the best way to go. That being said, I'm personally a huge fan of the flanking maneuver. When both sides are the two set peek and pray. I like to get around on their side or even better behind them and go to work. The most depressing thing I have encountered in this game on is the shockingly large number of players who have no idea what that is. This really helps create shock value and it usually makes people turn around and expose their rears. The downside is you will most likely hear a bunch a {Scrap} from your own team. I've had more than a few players ask me "why are you way over there?" I respond with "flanking them". The best response I've gotten was "what's that?" the worst was "why would anyone ever do that, that never works."

So I say let's not let the boring players rule charge over that hill, flank the living {Scrap} of them, shake things up.

I am very partial to flanking moves. I also tend to announce them to my team before I get too far. "going for a walk in the cave -- be ready to bone them when they turn around" tends to be helpful.

[RiotHero]

Last night I brushed the dust off my 9small laser hunchback and played exactly like you described. I need to get really close so I would rush the ridge that a poptart was camping making sure to use cover the whole way. I'd try and find one hanging out alone. In nearly every case I shredded them without taking much damage. The funny thing is their ppc's are useless at that range, most can't get the timing down on the Gauss and if they miss one ac/20 shot I have them cored before the recycle. A handful of 4 kill 550-600+ dmg game shows how much tunnel vision people get in their play style.

One way to fight the long range meta is to brawl them to death with constant fire and very high heat efficiency xD

Granted this isn't the smartest way to play and isn't competition but, it works great in pugs if you select your target carefully. Most people panic because they aren't used to it. Before that I was circle strafing them with my Jenner F using two flamers to blind them while I pumped lasers into them until they died lol. I got called a newb lamer, ironically from the "competitive" build that I dropped in my light.

[ginger]

I started off in this game as a timid sniper in a BJ-1X and did not have much success. Since converting to Ravens w/ a heavy emphasis on harrassment and flanking my K/D and W/L has been climbing steadily.

Over time I have noticed that the other team often overreacts to my presence (instead of sicking just sicking a Light Hunter on me) and turns their backs to the deathball, taking a beating from them while they chase me in circles. I still die, a LOT, but I immensely enjoy seeing the fruits of my labor in the form of a sh!tstorm of heavies and assaults charging over the hill to take advantage of the havoc I have cause.

In summary, when I play aggressively, and in turn cause my team to play more aggressively things tend to work out for the better.

[oldradagast]

OP: While this plan may not always work, it is worth considering. There is rarely anything to be gained by a slow attrition - especially when you KNOW your side is slowing losing - and sometimes that focused, well-placed charge is what it takes to crack the enemy lines

Ginger: GAH!! So many games lost to team mates "chasing the squirrel" - this is another great way to drive entrenched teams nuts.

[ginger]

And I finally got my hands on a 275 XL today as well.... 130+ KPH with speed tweeks doing figure 8's right in the middle of their formation and I think the heavies hit each other more than they hit me!