10 replies to this topic

[xX PUG Xx]

I would like to share some thoughts; I have noticed a tendency to confuse the ability of a PILOT to fill a role in a Lance/Company formation, i.e. Brawler, Sniper, Scout, Skirmisher and the ability of a ‘MECH to be able to fulfil roles of the same title with the use of certain loadouts or configurations.

Obviously in canon, BattleMech’s are intended to have multiple weapons to allow it to deal with combat at varied ranges; there are some exceptions such as the Catapult A1 with it’s purely missile based platform and some of the fringe ‘Mechs with either purely ranged, sniper style loadouts or close range “In Fighters”. BUT in the MW:O arena we have the ability to customise of ‘Mechs to suit almost any range and play style, the limitations being in the ‘Mechs ability to mount certain weapon types and being usable with the current “Ghost” heat penalties (this is a topic I wish to write an article for the MW:O forums, covering some ideas I have seen put forth by other players and some I would like to bring up myself BUT that’s for another post )

In PuG matches (it still feels weird writing that), the pilot can essentially do whatever he wants, so if he brings an Atlas D-DC with two small lasers and two machine guns to compliment his three SRM-2 racks, then more power to him. However I can bet my back teeth he will:

a- Not be particularly popular with his teammates.
b- Not do much damage before his side torsos/arms are shot off from 400 metres by the Raven mounting 2x ER:LL’s

OK, that’s perhaps a little unlikely but the sentiment remains that in solo, OK, OK PuG (!?) drops you can essentially run whatever you want and in whatever role/style you feel like.

In a group, whether it is a pair of pilots, a Lance or a full Company, the idea is to have builds/play styles that will complement each other. For instance running what could be called a “Wolf” pack of JumpJet capable Mediums, all capable of 80-90kph with a mix of weaponry ranges, allowing the group to manoeuvre together and if co-ordinated properly hit the same target at almost the same time. Used in a PuG (!?!?!) match, this could be used to harass the enemy, break up firing lines, pick off lone ‘Mechs (LRM boats grrrr or snipers GRRRR) or the ubiquitous Base Rush (not that I condone such a tactic BUT if your silly enough to leave your keys in the car AND leave the door open don’t be surprised if someone steals it, just saying ). The key is to remember what the strengths of your group are, you are fast and mobile for a reason, DO NOT get stuck in a static slug fest against that Steiner Scout Lance. They are bigger, have more guns and more armour than you, so they will probably chew you up and go looking for a Commando to pick the leftovers out of their teeth (metaphorically of course).

Now don’t get me wrong here, I am not saying that a Steiner Scout Lance can’t actually scout (but it is perhaps not the best way to use four hundred tonnes of assault ‘Mech) or that a well-equipped and piloted Medium can’t take down an Assault ‘Mech. What I’m trying to get at (in a longwinded and rambling manner) is that IF you bring a walking road block with a 60+ point, short range Alpha strike, or if you are in the fastest meanest Jump Jetting Light ‘Mech since Kerensky left the Inner Sphere perhaps its best to play to those strengths.

By this I mean if you are in that walking roadblock with guns for traffic cones, either use cover to approach the enemies position, so you can come out within as close to optimal range for the majority of your weapons as possible (read as: YES there IS a time and place where a tunnel rush IS actually a good idea). Or get your team mates to goad / lure the enemy into an ambush and come out of cover with a little smile (OK big cheesy grin) on your face “S U R P R I S E!!”, 4x 60 point Alpha strike and lots of panic stricken enemy pilots “Oh poo good sir, where did those jolly old chaps come from?” (OK maybe not in the posh English accent but you get the idea). Now obviously that scenario is particularly hard to engineer in an environment like MW:O i.e with no VOIP/easy access comm’s between random groups. I am merely trying to use it as an example of using your Lance/Trio/Pair’s strengths to your advantage.

This could also be summed up in two words: Tactical Awareness. If you keep an eye on the situation around you, use the maps features to multiply your own (or groups) strengths and, if possible, communicate with your team mates it is possible to use ANY ‘Mech in ANY situation.

Soon you will stomping across the worlds of the Inner Sphere signing merrily as you blast your enemies to smithereens. (Actually if you are on comm’s with me and you start singing, be prepared for some Death From Above style teamkills, just saying )

Edited by xX PUG Xx, 07 March 2014 - 12:40 AM.

[Egomane]

Lucky me! In the groups I drop with, no one would be getting flamed if he brings a build that isn't complementing the others or that has a poor loadout. We play for fun and we can have that without the need for success.

I agree on the tactical awareness thingy, but that is something that is very hard to teach or learn and some will never get it.

[IraqiWalker]

sneeking, on 07 March 2014 - 03:03 AM, said:

not even the aforementioned yenlo build ? come on man, someone would say something

Nope, not even that would get criticized negatively. People can recognize a troll build when they see it. They might say it's sub optimal, but that's about it. Then again, I had a lance drop with three double AC20 Cicadas. Hillarioius.

[Egomane]

sneeking, on 07 March 2014 - 03:03 AM, said:

not even the aforementioned yenlo build ? come on man, someone would say something

Not even then! We would laugh about it when/if we notice it and it would be honest laughs.

We might ask what the others are running for the match, but we really do not care if it fits or if it's a good build. We want to have fun. If a player has fun driving an underperforming mech, who are we to try to deny him that?

[jper4]

i was part of a lance where we dropped a non-ECM spider and 3 locusts in skirmish. the rest of the team was rather underwhelmed until we ended up winning the match with two of us still standing out of our 4 survivors and manged 5 kills between us. ther person commenting at the start of the match was oddly quiet at that point.

i think to think of the sub-optimal builds/mechs as an extra challenge where accomplishing anything of note can be considered a major victory and doubles the shame of the poor enemy pilot i happened to get lucky against. "killed by a Locust 3S??!?!? NOOOOOO!" <runs his mech out of bounds to die in the next match out of shame>

[xX PUG Xx]

Jeez guys It was written to be light hearted, I'm not sure where I said if you're Lance doesn't consist of four ultra optimised poptart uber snipers (or whatever the current meta may be) then you're doing it wrong. Or the part that says my Unit will keel haul you from an aircraft carrier if you don't bring a specific build or 'Mech.

I suppose I should have typed that a pilot should be mindful of what their 'Mech is capable of and play to it's strengths.

P.s. The title did say it was a rambling (that means wandering) as in my thoughts were a bit wandered after being awake for over 30 hours.

Edited by xX PUG Xx, 08 November 2014 - 01:43 PM.

[IraqiWalker]

xX PUG Xx, on 07 March 2014 - 09:23 AM, said:

Jeez guys It was written to be light hearted, I'm not sure where I said if you're Lance doesn't consist of four ultra optimised poptart uber snipers (or whatever the current meta may be) then you're doing it wrong. Or the part that says my Unit will keel haul you from an aircraft carrier if you don't bring a specific build or 'Mech.

I suppose I should have typed that a pilot should be mindful of what their 'Mech is capable of and play to it's strengths.

P.s. The title did say it was a rambling (that means wondering) as in my thoughts were a bit wandered after being awake for over 30 hours.

I think most of us actually got your message. However, it seems that we started wandering ourselves as well.

[xX PUG Xx]

LoL fair enough.

[Alaskan Nobody]

I like ramblings....

[xX PUG Xx]

Had another wee 33+ hour trek yesterday and when I was on my 5th whiskey trying to settle down, I had another wee thought.

I didn't have the opportunity to experience the previous MechWarrior games (too poor to afford a PC let alone an internet connection, my parents thought things like food and shoes were more important ), so I have no comparison beyond a Console based BT game (I believe MechAssault) on the original Xbox. Was it such a LRM fest?

The current group queue is, not to put too fine a point in it, something straight out of Soviet military doctrine. Mixed in with some '80s-'90s American style combat scouting. It seems massed artillery / indirect fire followed by a tidal wave of fast moving PPFLD rolls over just about everything.

I remember reading a Tom Clancy novel back in the late '90s that was essentially a Gulf War before the Gulf War actually happened. The essence of it was that the Allies/US had great surveillance capabilities and longer ranged support against the greater numbered but technologically inferior Iran/Iraq armoured Brigades.

Right now it feels like whoever has the more UAV/TAG/NARC combined with the more effective LRM launchers will sweep the field. Then the DireWolf that has sat back waiting, will roll over the battlefield smacking down anything left standing.

In that situation tactical and situational awareness will only go so far I guess. (Or maybe I'm just miffed my Atlas D-DC lasted 82 seconds, dealing only 8 points of damage )

Anyway, onwards and upwards MechWarriors

(P.S Egomane this might need to go in another section as it's likely to go WAAAY out of "New Player Help" if I keep going )

Edited by xX PUG Xx, 08 November 2014 - 02:00 PM.

[Acierocolotl]

I wanted to go on about my LRM-packing Locust I've dubbed "LRM Canoe" because it's a very, very tiny boat.