31 replies to this topic

[Kroxloq]

Hey community!

What are some of the best times you've used the Power Up/Shut Down mechanic? I remember this being more of a thing in previous mechwarrior titles with the iconic MW2 computer voice constantly chiming "enemy mech power up detected!"

So what are some of your best times using the power up or shutting down to lay ambushes and or confuse the enemy?

I think the mechanic needs a little work myself. If you power down while missiles are incoming, the missiles still had the lock on your "last known location" and so will still hit you even though you are powered down.

Since I PUG 99% of the time, perhaps the coordination isn't there to set up powered down mech ambushes, but I have read about such ambushes in the Table Top BattleTech rule book fluff pieces.

So once again, what are some of your best uses or stories involving Power Up/Power Down?

[Christof Romulus]

Is this really a Gameplay Balance kind of thread?

Powering down isn't recommended in MWO - however if you're going to do it to lay an ambush, you would have to search each map for the "best" places for that.

Forest colony just outside of the tunnel is a good area, for example.

Attempting to avoid lock-ons isn't the best use of Powering up or shutting down, unless your attacker is very far away - if they have a lock on you, and fire (700m+) and you break line of sight, you can power down to break their lock (which can last up to 3 seconds after LOS) then power up to attempt to move out of the way of the missiles. There is BARELY enough time for that, but the damage you save from doing this may not be worth it.

[Screech]

If you have inbound missiles coming and your mech is jump jet equipped, you can jump in the air and at the apex of your jump power down your mech. This will cause the missiles to fly over your mech. Other then that not a lot of reasons to do it other then taking a smoke break.

[Kroxloq]

It seems like this mechanic is there, we should be able to use/exploit it more than jump/power down/break lock...

Also, which other forum would this fall under? =)

Seems like there should be more ways to be sneaky with this

[Alistair Winter]

http://mwomercs.com/...the-unexpected/

[Kroxloq]

Nice work! I usually hold my fire until I know for sure whether that mech is enemy/friend overheated/just powered down. Looks like maybe I should feign death a little more.

[80sGlamRockSensation David Bowie]

The best use of Shutdown I know is JJ related.

If you have missiles lock-on on to you and are moving fast enough, shutdown mid air. You will continue to move forward and the missile lock will soon drop off on the location about where you shut down. Works best with lights and mediums.

[Sug]

Best use is to hide and shutdown so you don't tank your KDR.

[Scandinavian Jawbreaker]

I remember one time in OB pug match where our whole team (8vs8) shutdown in cover in Frozen City to lay down an ambush. The enemy pushed thru, didn't realize the shutdown mechs soon enough and our team slaughtered theirs in that spot. One of my MWO all time spotlights...

Though that was fun, it's not even a good use of shutdown. Like said, it's handy for losing missile locks. Even without jumpjets. If some team is running a spotter and lurms in pugs, they lurm you till you die. Shut down and force the spotter to change target.

Also could be used for non ecm scouts to prevent accidental blips on enemy targeting system to seal your location but still keep your eyes on the enemy team.

[Captain Stiffy]

To dodge incoming missiles, power down just as you jump off a ledge. Mech's with jumpjets can sometimes jump to max height and power down to dodge.

You can also use it to hide in plain sight once you have a mech that is heavily smoking from damage.

Powering down also seems to be the fastest way to drain heat.

Christof Romulus, on 20 December 2013 - 01:12 PM, said:

Is this really a Gameplay Balance kind of thread?

uh-oh the man is here hide

[Kaspirikay]

Back when you could easily see the enemy heat with smurf vision, I would shut off vs someone who is overheating. Gives me a good heat advantage.

Also used shutdown to screw up targeting for a few moments.

[Sable Dove]

My crippled Atlas (no arms, no LT/RT, CT critical) rammed into the derrick and powered down on Theta on Caustic Valley. Held the point and won the game. Enemies couldn't figure out why the point wasn't capping for them.

Only time I've used or seen powering down in some useful capacity.

[Bobdolemite]

Once during a conquest on Tourmaline part of our team ran away and got killed (4 man wolfpack and 1 random medium), two others were disconnects so the 5 remaining mechs hid among the ruined remains of the afk's and powered down to wait for the enemy cap.

They showed up and we let them fill the cap and get a little headway, we powered up (luckily 2 of us were jaggerbombs) and laid waste to as many as we could.... we were defeated shortly, but ended up taking 3 with us.......

Not really a wise investment, but it was fun as ****

Edited by Bobdolemite, 20 December 2013 - 08:18 PM.

[Almond Brown]

I have found that if at a dead run, over 60kph, with Missiles inbound, hitting P as I reach some cover allows a stride or 2 before completely stopping and as such the missiles will fall behind me. The Lock is lost, hit P again and off I go. Some stray spread may hit but not the full 85 x LRM5's that were fired.

I watched a Light hide in a crack on Canyon, power down and waited as 3 Assaults stomped right on by. They were either chasing him (unlikely for the lead foots) or just responding to a call for help somewhere else.

Well, after powering back up, the Light proceeded to killed 2 outright, with multiple RT shots, before the last one figured out was happening. It died shortly after, when help arrived in the form of another pair of Lights. Fun times for sure. LOL!

[Nehkrosis]

ha awesome thread, i myself once lost a leg in my raven 4x (which happens all the ********* time) in Canyon.
I limped over to a ruined pile of atlai and general wreckage and stayed there for a few minutes.
I even asked my buddy if i looked dead.
he sed i did and that he'd draw people away if he could.
in the end, it was only myself, my buddy, and one enemy healthy Orion.

He implored me to help him take it out, so, i powered back up and dragged/jj'dd over to him, about half the map away,
I eventually get there and my friend has just overheated his Cicada right in front of the Orion! oh noes!
However, i open up with my machineguns as i sore in over head, critting the Orion side torso!
he spins suddenly to face me, and my friend powers back up just in time to deliver a nnice alpha to his CT, stripping his armour!
torn between who to shoot first, he forgets me for just a second, allowing me to fire off an SRM6 volley straight into him, Coring him out, and winning the match!

we ended on to 2-3 kills each with damage in the several hundreds.
Great stuff, wish we had Bandicam running

[Kai Harper]

Reading some of these, I *really* should remember to use that mechanic more. XD These stories are awesome!

[barnmaddo]

Solo against a COM-2D with 3xSSRM2, shut down and he can't do anything

My favorite time to shutdown when I need just one more alpha to finish them off, so I alpha and overheat, but it doesn't kill them. Then I auto-shut down and they finish me...

[Thipequz]

I've got a comical power down power up story, used against me. I was chasing a hunchback on river city. He ran around a corner, and being a little slower it took me a few seconds to get round, and right there in front of me is a powered down hunchback. An alpha strike or two later and with most of his armour and all of his right or left torso blown away, he powers up. He was a team mate who had coincidentally powered down exactly where the hunchback had run through, needless to say I instantly apologised, and we actually went on to win the game together as last two surviving mechs. Until this day I dont know if the hunchback I was chasing did this on purpose, or if it was just a bit of luck on his behalf, but if it was on purpose it was utterly genius, and hats off to you

[Caswallon]

Screech, on 20 December 2013 - 01:17 PM, said:

If you have inbound missiles coming and your mech is jump jet equipped, you can jump in the air and at the apex of your jump power down your mech. This will cause the missiles to fly over your mech. Other then that not a lot of reasons to do it other then taking a smoke break.

mwhighlander, on 20 December 2013 - 01:37 PM, said:

The best use of Shutdown I know is JJ related.
If you have missiles lock-on on to you and are moving fast enough, shutdown mid air. You will continue to move forward and the missile lock will soon drop off on the location about where you shut down. Works best with lights and mediums.

This is indeed a good way to avoid missiles sure, but don't jump too high - especially in a light; as the leg damage from an un-cushioned fall might be counter productive. If your in a Jumping heavy, your golden, they hardly ever take leg damage from a moderate fall.

[Viscount Hood]

I've had two instances where powering off has worked (other than avoiding missiles). first was on the therma map whilst trying to run from 2 lances, I went into the shadows and shutdown. It helped I had a black hunchback and it was amusing to watch the lance run past me, after which I powered up and went the other way. The second time was on City day - there is a fire on the upper levels, stand in the middle of that and power down you will look like a destroyed mech still standing. That saved my bacon once.