16 replies to this topic

[Wildstreak]

A topic for advice on using any Trial Mech with success, hope others can contribute on other Trial Mechs including when they change. I don't run the Spider (already did the Locust) or the Cicada so I cannot offer advice there. Still not comfortable yet with the Gauss for Dragon advice.

Before going into a match, go to at least one Testing Grounds to set up weapon groups and get familiar with how to run the Mech. Yes, even though you can set up groups from MechLab, it helps to do it in TG so you can also try them out.

STALKER-3F{c}

Setup weapon groups as follows for keyboard + 2 button mouse:

Group 1 - All 4 Medium Lasers, either Group or Chain fired. You can use the Backspace key in a match to switch when needed.

Group 2 - TAG laser.

Group 3 & 4 - All 4 LRM15s CHAIN FIRED ONLY. Chain firing allows much better heat management than firing all 4 at once, you may not get massive damage but will definitely not put yourself in a bad spot heat wise. Using both Groups 3 and 4 allows for any possible hitting of the wrong key to still fire the right weapon unless you have more than 2 buttons on your mouse or are using a joystick.

In any match, let your teammates lead since you will do a lot of firing from a distance with LRMs.

Watch terrain and range, know where cover is for enemy units so you do not waste firing missiles.

Try to keep near some cover in case long range snipers start shooting at you. You can fire over cover, they cannot.

Never stay in one position too long, your flying missiles will let the enemy know your location.

Even if using LRMs closer in and when using Medium Lasers, try to keep some distance between you and targets. The Stalker has low torso twist range compared to other Mechs and turns like a New York City bus (slowly), keeping distance allows you better chances of keeping targets in sight instead of being flanked by others.

Expect Light Mechs (35 tons and lower) to annoy you, possibly harm you quickly.

Never close range with more than 1 target if teammates are still alive.

Always try to stick by at least 1 non-LRM boat.

Edited by Merchant, 20 February 2014 - 09:59 PM.

[Jett Hawking]

Thank you for starting this thread Merchant.

This is a great opportunity to help new players get started with info that may prevent them from being frustrated by the game their first times on the battlefield. I have been playing this game since the beginning of Beta, and still play it regularly.

Here are some tips to add about the trial mechs:


Stalker:
The trial Champion Stalker carries LRM15s (long range missiles launchers which fire 15 missiles per salvo)
These weapons have a Minimum range of 180 meters. If you look at your crosshair on your Stalker's heads up display you will see a number next to it. That number is your range to target. Whatever your crosshair is pointing at, your HUD will display that distance to that point. Your mech will also display a range to target next to any target lock box that is displayed when you have a lock to your target. LRMs and SRMs (short range missiles) do NOT need locks on a target to be fired at that target.
Many new players might think that since they don't have a lock on a target that they can't fire their missiles at it. An enemy Mech with ECM (electronic Counter Measures) may prevent your mech from locking a target to fire your missiles at.

Your missiles can still be fired. This is called Dumb Firing. Point your crosshair at that mech and fire your missiles. The missiles will fly to the point which you aimed your crosshair at. Anything those missiles impact on will take damage. To perform this attack successfully, do not have any obstructing cover between you and your target. Remember that your missiles will fly to whatever your crosshair is pointing at, so you cannot aim at cover in between your mech and your target mech, or the missiles will hit that over instead.

Your missiles have a minimum range of 180 meters:
This means that any target that you shoot your LRMs at will not take any damage from those missiles if it is under 180 meters away from your mech. Save your ammo and don't fire your LRMs at anything withing 180 meters.

Your Missiles have a Maximum range of 1000 meters:
If you shoot your missiles at any target that is beyond 1000 meters, your missiles will explode in flight before hitting the target once they reach 1000 meters distance from you. Hold your fire until the target is under 1000 meters away. Check your range to target on your HUD to see the range.

If your target locked is behind a building or other tall cover, Hold your missile fire. Your missiles will only hit the cover and not the target.


Medium Lasers:

Your Stalker does have 4 medium lasers (or MLs). Lasers do the most damage if they stay focused on the same location of your target for the entire duration in which they fire. Dragging or Grazing your fire across an enemy mech will spread fractions of that total damage potential across the target mech's body and not have as much affect to cause disabling damage on that mech. To this end, I advise you group your MLs into two weapon groups of 2 ML each and group fire them. This way with each shot, you fire 2 ML at the same target point. Firing any 3 or more of any weapon type will cause you to suffer an exaggerated heat penalty. If you fire groups of 2, then you conserve heat and maximize the damage to the point those lasers hit.

Focus your laser fire on the same target point. Practice holding your fire point on the same spot while your target is moving. This is a hard to learn skill, so it takes practice.

Also your medium lasers have a recharge time before they can be fired again. Practice firing those two weapon groups or MLs at half of their recharge time apart. This will allow you to continuously fire your lasers at a regular fire rate while maximizing your management of the heat built up by those weapons.

Check your range:
When you target your enemy, check your weapon range and look at the weapon group in your weapon list in the bottom right corner of your HUD. If the group is displayed in green text then the target is in optimal range and will do the most damage from your lasers. If you text is yellow then you can still fire your weapons and hit the target but you will suffer diminished firepower against that target. If your weapon text is dark, then your weapon is out of range to hit the target. Hold your fire!
If you shoot your MLs you will still build up heat but you will not damage your target. This is true of any energy weapon. Learn your weapon ranges and fire within them.


My last tips for you are these:

Keep moving! Staying in the same spot earn you an artillery strike on your head or the enemy will maneuver against you and attack you from a side (flank).

You are your team's heavy firepower, and support. Pay attention to what your team mates are firing at and fire your missiles against those targets. Your team depends on it. If you see a team mate outnumbered against several enemy mechs, fire at those mechs.

Stay with your team mates. If you wander off alone you can be picked off by light mechs that can stay behind you and shoot out your back. Also your team needs you to help draw fire off of them. You have a lot of armor and can take a lot of hits that might otherwise severely damage your team mates.

Use chat to communicate with your team and lance. It makes a difference in both match outcome and fun for you. Y for team chat and U for lance chat.

Turn off arm lock in options. This will allow you to target your arm mounted lasers and LRMs with much greater range of movement than having your arms locked to your torso cross-hair.


Good luck new player and welcome to Mechwarrior.

[xMintaka]

Just fairly basic stuff from me since I'm not very good.


Spider:

You do not want to get involved in a dogfight with another light at the start of the game.
For that matter, at the start of the game, hover around the edges of your team. Don't bother scouting unless you know what you're doing. Chances are you will run into a large group of enemies and die frustratingly quickly.

The general idea for this Spider, and any MG based light, is wait. Yup, wait until the heavier guns on your team have peeled some armour off and a few enemy mechs are smoking and (this is key) already committed to combat. At this point in time, you run in and go nuts with your MG's on any exposed location.

During the first phase of the match, you should be using your ER Large Laser to poke enemy mechs. You don't do a great deal of damage, but it saves from from what I call "Brawler's Boredom". Which is when none of your weapons work past 270m and you just have to wait, twiddling your mech's thumbs. This will save you from saying "Screw it" and running into combat just to keep busy.

The critical rule with this mech is as follows:
Only EVER engage mechs that have had armour stripped away from a location or two.

[wanderer]

One bit about the current LRM Stalker:

Put TAG on all weapon groups. It generates no heat when fired and can even be useful at close range- you're painting a target for other 'Mechs to possibly support with LRM fire in turn, and a TAG paint will reveal a 'Mech under ECM as long as you've got it painted with the TAG laser.

TAG must be kept on-target to provide it's benefits. That is, keep the beam on and pointed on the target continually. A steady hand is useful.

Don't be afraid to fire from behind cover. The Stalker has enough tubes to chain-fire in a steady barrage, and doesn't overheat easily at all while doing so. Just make sure you have lock and keep those red lock-on sights on target until those missile arrive on target- the crosshairs will flash red when your missiles make contact with a 'Mech and deal damage, but will remain yellow if the salvo got blocked by terrain/dodged by lost lock or out of ranged. Yes, you won't benefit from TAG- but you also won't get shot. Just make sure the missile launch is clearing whatever you hide behind and watch the flight- a high enough piece of cover in the way will make those missiles explode harmlessly.

[luxebo]

Spider: This is a pure scout, you should use JJs (space bar by default), cap points and snipe at opponents from afar, use MGs as a crit seeker (but careful, the MGs are similar to lasers despite their animations, once you shoot with your MGs damage is inflicted, also try not to shoot your own team by accident, I've had a couple teamkills by accident with this), and watch for leg damage, these are your most vulnerable spots in this mech. I suggest grouping ER Large Laser with group 1 and all MGs group 2.

Cicada: Once again another pure scout, but this one depends on lasers. It goes the exact same speed as the Spider above, but loses JJs to trade for durability and damage dealing. Always torso twist to avoid damage and place into arms instead of a torso, and zig zag similarly to the Spider. Alpha only if you think the heat limit can sustain the heat and to do a killing blow (press \ for firing all med lasers), and I suggest grouping lasers in twos for each torso section.

Dragon: This is far different from the other two scouts and the missile boat. You should be sniping from afar with gauss and lasers. Put your gauss arm away from the enemy as if it blows up your torso near it might blow up soon as well, which results in a death. Gauss requires charging before firing, which you must hold it long enough until the marker turns green before firing. Holding it too short or too long results in the charge dissipating. Always torso twist to soak damage with your arms and avoid strikes to your torsos. Unlock your arms, you need this badly for this mech or your gonna have a tough time. And never be in the front of the line or you will end up being killed quickly.

Posted this a while ago. Also: 627's guide: http://mwomercs.com/...69#entry3126969
Koniving's guide: http://mwomercs.com/...97#entry3132297
Both are on the Stalker.

Edited by luxebo, 21 February 2014 - 04:58 PM.

[Koniving]

I'm about to start my 5 wins to get the Centurion.

For fun, I'm recording the matches.
For even more fun, at least two of the wins are going to be with trial mechs.
To top it off. I'll be doing it while pugging.

After many failures I wound up with two wins. Back to back. Trial spider and trial Cicada. The Cicada's gonna make an amazing video. Two kills right after getting legged while riding 99% heat on caustic valley. Proof that switching to chainfire can in fact have a tactical benefit.

I'm going to try my luck again in a bit after I eat. But technically I got my two wins with the trials part done; I'll run the Dragon and Stalker once see if I win, if not then I'll use the other mechs.

Edited by Koniving, 21 February 2014 - 08:50 PM.

[Sparks Murphey]

In the trial Stalker, be aware that you have quite weak rear armour in favour of your front armour. A light or medium that gets behind you can core you out quite quickly, so watch out for damage indicators flashing on the bottom of your screen. You're not likely to win in a turning match with a light on your own, but keeping your sides and front facing while you chat with your team to get help (don't forget to specific your grid location) will keep you around longer.

The Dragon plays a little like the Spider, oddly. You want to hang around but a little behind the rest of your team until you see a 'Mech (other than a light) lose armour on a side torso or leg. Your target will probably retreat to cover in the face of the onslaught. Your role is to approach from the other side of cover from your team, and drop the two lasers and gauss slug on that weak spot, ensuring it's finished. The same process can be used for crippling enemies, such as taking out the right torso ECM on an Atlas-D-DC, but don't forget to retreat out of sight again once you've fired your volley. Don't forget that the gauss rifle requires charging, so start charging it just before you come into line of sight of your target. The Dragon isn't a brawler. If you start attracting fire, fall back behind cover and your team. Also, try not to appear in the exact same spot twice: they may still be watching.

[oldradagast]

Koniving, on 21 February 2014 - 06:59 PM, said:

I'm about to start my 5 wins to get the Centurion.

For fun, I'm recording the matches.
For even more fun, at least two of the wins are going to be with trial mechs.
To top it off. I'll be doing it while pugging.

After many failures I wound up with two wins. Back to back. Trial spider and trial Cicada. The Cicada's gonna make an amazing video. Two kills right after getting legged while riding 99% heat on caustic valley. Proof that switching to chainfire can in fact have a tactical benefit.

I'm going to try my luck again in a bit after I eat. But technically I got my two wins with the trials part done; I'll run the Dragon and Stalker once see if I win, if not then I'll use the other mechs.

You know... that sounds like a crazy challenge they could run. "Get X wins in trial mechs this weekend and get some nifty thing - like a free mech" out of the deal. Hmmm...

[Pyro Pete Sanchez]

oldradagast, on 22 February 2014 - 08:48 AM, said:

You know... that sounds like a crazy challenge they could run. "Get X wins in trial mechs this weekend and get some nifty thing - like a free mech" out of the deal. Hmmm...

Maybe a "Get X wins with a trial mech, win that trial mech." Even if it's the stock version instead of the champion, that's another way to get older players into new chassis, and a great way to get new players their first mech to tool around with.

[Koniving]

Trouble with that is if we do get the trial system to allow all stock and champion mechs instead of this "4 mechs of the week" stuff we have now, why would you ever buy a mech? I'm fine with them setting a specific mech once in a blue moon. Though I'd love the ability to try any mech, stock, with no unlocks, at any time.

4 trial mechs for 2 months straight sucks.

[Modo44]

4 trials is fine. Just rotating the mechs more often and using actually good builds would help a lot.

Edit: "Good" for new players. The builds need to be simple to use (2 weapon groups max, no Gauss or LRMs, at least 1.3 cooling efficiency), and not die for stupid reasons (no XLs on friggin' Stalkers, Gauss in the torso, ammo in underarmored legs, ridiculously heavy back armor, etc.). The Cicada, Blackjack, and Highlander trials came with noobie-friendly (even if not fully optimized) setups.

Edited by Modo44, 22 February 2014 - 10:56 AM.

[luxebo]

Modo44, on 22 February 2014 - 10:01 AM, said:

4 trials is fine. Just rotating the mechs more often and using actually good builds would help a lot.

I suggested a full 4 rotation each time and PGI pretty much ignored me and continued to do what they are doing. Oh well, have to do with what is available. They're trials after all...

[Koniving]

As promised, the first part of the 5 win thingy has been uploaded (I got 4 wins so far).

This video has the trial Spider which I used to get a win. In the end I have 2 kills, 4 assists, 242 damage dealt. There's also a demonstration of a way to preserve your leg when it is almost destroyed while trying to escape a fast pursuer.

(Out of 7 games played using trial mechs.)

Round 2, the epic trial Cicada prying out of the jaws of death.

Edited by Koniving, 22 February 2014 - 04:33 PM.

[Koniving]

Rounds 3 (Dragon) and 4/5 (Stalker + Centurion Champion) have been added.

[NRP]

The Trial Cicada is solid, as is the Spider. I don't care for the other two.

[oldradagast]

Koniving, on 22 February 2014 - 09:40 AM, said:

Trouble with that is if we do get the trial system to allow all stock and champion mechs instead of this "4 mechs of the week" stuff we have now, why would you ever buy a mech? I'm fine with them setting a specific mech once in a blue moon. Though I'd love the ability to try any mech, stock, with no unlocks, at any time.

4 trial mechs for 2 months straight sucks.

I agree with you about the ability to take mechs out for a test run without having to buy them. Just let people pilot ANY mech in stock configuration in the Training Grounds. Sure, stock configuration might not tell you much, but you can still get a feel for: the mech's speed, agility, hardpoint locations, etc.

[Koniving]

oldradagast, on 24 February 2014 - 11:41 AM, said:

I agree with you about the ability to take mechs out for a test run without having to buy them.

I'd be happy playing the stock mech in the matches, too. Some are really good stock builds. As actual trials.