29 replies to this topic

[Roadkill]

First game my group played last night, we all took LRM-boat assaults. We drew Alpine. We took the plateau. One enemy lance proceeded to walk down the ally that bisects the map below the plateau. Carnage ensued.

Meanwhile, the other two enemy lances grouped up and pulled off a flanking maneuver that rolled our team's other two lances near the remote base. Our guys did manage to kill two enemies, though, leaving the score at 6-8.

The remaining damaged enemies then proceeded to charge across the ally of death toward us. More carnsge ensued.

There was much QQing about OP LRMs. But as we sat there laughing and enjoying their delicious tears, we realized... the outcome had nothing to do with the LRM buff. The enemy team was simply idiots.

The first lance would have been eaten alive regardless of LRM speed. We were firing down on them from the ridge above the road... so for the most part they couldn't even fire back. Both lances (ours and theirs) were in assaults, so they couldn't even run. They just walked into a firing squad.

The 6 damaged enemies at the end charged across open ground directly at us, and we had a ridgeline we could hump to avoid their continuous direct fire barrage. Again, LRM speed was meaningless as they were charging straight towards us.

This isn't LURMageddon, folks. It's a bunch of clueless morons failing to realize that everyone wants to test out the new LRM speed to see what it's like. Give it a few days and it'll die down. All the buff has really done is make LRMs effective out to 500-600 meters now instead of the 300-400 meters of before. It's really not a big deal.

[Davers]

Roadkill, on 19 March 2014 - 07:28 AM, said:

First game my group played last night, we all took LRM-boat assaults. We drew Alpine. We took the plateau. One enemy lance proceeded to walk down the ally that bisects the map below the plateau. Carnage ensued.

Meanwhile, the other two enemy lances grouped up and pulled off a flanking maneuver that rolled our team's other two lances near the remote base. Our guys did manage to kill two enemies, though, leaving the score at 6-8.

The remaining damaged enemies then proceeded to charge across the ally of death toward us. More carnsge ensued.

There was much QQing about OP LRMs. But as we sat there laughing and enjoying their delicious tears, we realized... the outcome had nothing to do with the LRM buff. The enemy team was simply idiots.

The first lance would have been eaten alive regardless of LRM speed. We were firing down on them from the ridge above the road... so for the most part they couldn't even fire back. Both lances (ours and theirs) were in assaults, so they couldn't even run. They just walked into a firing squad.

The 6 damaged enemies at the end charged across open ground directly at us, and we had a ridgeline we could hump to avoid their continuous direct fire barrage. Again, LRM speed was meaningless as they were charging straight towards us.

This isn't LURMageddon, folks. It's a bunch of clueless morons failing to realize that everyone wants to test out the new LRM speed to see what it's like. Give it a few days and it'll die down. All the buff has really done is make LRMs effective out to 500-600 meters now instead of the 300-400 meters of before. It's really not a big deal.

The problem is that most teams wouldn't have taken LRM boats before the patch so they would have had to exchange some long range AC/PPC fire before they closed. But they would have closed. But when they are being hit by LRMs, they couldn't get a good bead on you to return fire and they didn't think this was fair. So, because the old tactic didn't work, nerf LRMs!

[trollocaustic]

Go search "Garbad Arty SPG Skill Clicker" and read one of the man's rants on the problem with artillery in world of tanks

They all apply to LRM-boating idiots.

[Joseph Mallan]

Davers, on 19 March 2014 - 07:33 AM, said:

The problem is that most teams wouldn't have taken LRM boats before the patch so they would have had to exchange some long range AC/PPC fire before they closed. But they would have closed. But when they are being hit by LRMs, they couldn't get a good bead on you to return fire and they didn't think this was fair. So, because the old tactic didn't work, nerf LRMs!

Yes.

[Varent]

Josef Nader, on 19 March 2014 - 06:17 AM, said:

I just wanted to say that the LRM buff was perfect. I don't run pure LRM boats, but a lot of my builds have LRM5s and 10s on them to give them a bit of reach. Before, it was largely just to exploit the [WARNING: INCOMING MISSILE] notification. People see that and duck back into cover without ever taking the time to notice that it was just an LRM5, and my brawlers could get in on people while they waited for the inevitable 50 LRMs they thought were coming. With the speed boost, the LRM5 isn't a joke weapon or a psychological weapon, and it is actually useful in damaging enemies at range now. It finally feels like you brought LRMs up to par with energy and ballistic weapons, and they're actually usable now.

To all the people getting up in arms about the buffed LRMs, remember that those missile hardpoints on mechs aren't there for show. Streak missiles have dominated the missile slots for months because LRMs are too slow to be useful and SRMs are bugged. I, for one, welcome the opportunity to get decent damage out of a missile hardpoint.

Remember, LRMs are countered by two separate 1.5 ton pieces of equipment, or decent cover. They spread damage more than our AC/PPC pop tart friends, and they're a lot more ammunition dependent. Wait out the period where everyone is testing the new toy and you'll see that LRMs will find a place. They'll certainly be used a lot more than before the buff, but I think they're much more balanced with the other weapon categories now.

I couldnt possibly agree more. LRMS basically were a non issue entirely. Its nice to see them being used again. +1 PGI.

[Joseph Mallan]

trollocaustic, on 19 March 2014 - 07:35 AM, said:

Go search "Garbad Arty SPG Skill Clicker" and read one of the man's rants on the problem with artillery in world of tanks

They all apply to LRM-boating idiots.

Powerful en mass, reasonably safe long range weapons, used to kill the opponent before seeing the whites of their eyes...
...
...
Sounds like the kind of weapon used to win a battle.

[Willard Phule]

DaZur, on 19 March 2014 - 07:19 AM, said:

[/size]
I'd be interested in how Wispy is dealing with the change... Forum gossip has it he was deftly proficient at out maneuvering LRMs in his light Mechs...

I don't know about Whispy, but, a lot of my previous "balanced" builds had an ALRM30 combo for long range and then AC/Energy for mid-short stuff. Worked out real well...except with lights.

I can't tell you the number of times where my entire team was trying to kill the last enemy....normally a Spider of some flavor....and I'd just be spamming away with the LRMs so I could at least get the assist....and I'd see this little bug running hell bent for leather across the open field, trailing a HUGE rooster tail of at least 90 LRMs...and none would ever hit him.

That doesn't happen anymore. Granted, I can't kneecap a Spider with LRMs, but I can definitely get him to sit up and take notice. And that, I like.

[Rokuzachi]

LRMs are pretty hilarious. Especially what with that trial Stalker.

I ran almost nothing but the trial Stalker last night... pretty much sat in the back and spammed LRMS till I was out of ammo every match. I was rarely harassed or killed before I was out. Was laughably easy to deal 500-800 dmg with little to no risk to myself.

The highlight was a few games where there were other trial stalkers. One game had 5 of us total - watched an Awesome that got NARC'd melt in about 10 seconds. He was pretty much a giant ball of fire, and then gone. It's just so easy that you can't help but laugh out loud as the poor ******* is engulfed in fire.

Some notes from a night of SkilLRMing;
- Lights/Fast mediums get absolutely shredded by them. Lost count of how many legs were ripped off by LRM volleys as a FS/Locust/Jenner/etc were running. Speed wasn't a great defense before but now it's pretty much not a defense at all. Manage to core a cicada and jenner with only 2 volleys because they hit them in the back.
- Not always, but sometimes LRMs seem to have an insane ability to navigate terrain. There were times that I was landing volleys that I don't think should have hit, but also times when the LRMs derped into terrain that looked like it wouldn't be a problem.
- ECM is no real defense agains a determined LRM fiend. Routinely strongarmed my way through defensive measures to deliver all of my ammo unto the enemy.
- AMS works... if there's a lot of it. Also noticed that on Manifold, all the people hiding under the center had their AMS firing at LRMs up top constantly (lol). Please fix.
- Correct me if I'm wrong, but when combined with something like the Rank 2 target decay mod, we're talking about nearly an extra 700m worth of travel distance before your lock falls off, right? Getting pummeled in the face after breaking LoS is still pretty routine, and extra painful now with the velocity boost.

Side notes;
- I feel bad for people who enjoy their Streaks and SRMS. Looked like they were getting shut down pretty hard by the AMS changes.
- Kind of cool that dual-AMS mechs can have a greater impact now. Actually saw a few of the Locusts out and about with that... too bad it didn't save them from being locusts, lol.

My main concern with LRMs at this point is that they're going to be the big weapon of choice for bad players to feel like they're better than they are, lol. It's just so easy to put out a lot of damage with them and even scoop up kills on very fast mechs.

Hard to say what state brawling is in after last night. When you're majority pug v pug, people just try to hide and slowly (or quickly in some cases) get torn down by the rain. Can't blame them really, breaking cover to try to close or flank is brutal.

I thought it was pretty amusing that these changes came in with the Stalker on trial. Will be amusing to see what happens in a week... one thing's for sure, a premade support lance is going to be hilariously effective. Two trial stalkers plus a jenner/locust NARC/Tagging last night had no problem tearing down more than their weight/numbers in enemies most of the time.

[Phromethius]

DaZur, on 19 March 2014 - 07:19 AM, said:

[/size]
I'd be interested in how Wispy is dealing with the change... Forum gossip has it he was deftly proficient at out maneuvering LRMs in his light Mechs...

Can't say I am near the level of pilot he is but I have seen him and a few of you pop up in my ELO from time to solo dropping so I must be decent. I will say after dropping for about an hour or so last night I am kinda stoked at the changes. I LOVE playing my Jenners and Hunchbacks. Conquest on Alpine Peaks was AMAZING. NO ONE stood still. There were force pushes and tactical flanks and LRM boat pushes, My fast attack 4SP was getting some love! And by love I mean LRM showers. But it was great. I took more damage but the matches themselves felt more active and alive. Reactionary and tactical rather than hold grid H8 or king of the hill style.

I think they still might be a tad fast, but the variety of weapons on the field now is a good change.

[Trauglodyte]

Josef Nader, on 19 March 2014 - 06:17 AM, said:

I just wanted to say that the LRM buff was perfect. I don't run pure LRM boats, but a lot of my builds have LRM5s and 10s on them to give them a bit of reach. Before, it was largely just to exploit the [WARNING: INCOMING MISSILE] notification. People see that and duck back into cover without ever taking the time to notice that it was just an LRM5, and my brawlers could get in on people while they waited for the inevitable 50 LRMs they thought were coming. With the speed boost, the LRM5 isn't a joke weapon or a psychological weapon, and it is actually useful in damaging enemies at range now. It finally feels like you brought LRMs up to par with energy and ballistic weapons, and they're actually usable now.

To all the people getting up in arms about the buffed LRMs, remember that those missile hardpoints on mechs aren't there for show. Streak missiles have dominated the missile slots for months because LRMs are too slow to be useful and SRMs are bugged. I, for one, welcome the opportunity to get decent damage out of a missile hardpoint.

Remember, LRMs are countered by two separate 1.5 ton pieces of equipment, or decent cover. They spread damage more than our AC/PPC pop tart friends, and they're a lot more ammunition dependent. Wait out the period where everyone is testing the new toy and you'll see that LRMs will find a place. They'll certainly be used a lot more than before the buff, but I think they're much more balanced with the other weapon categories now.

Finally, an LRM post that I can get on board with - cheers!