6
A battlefield is a series of decisions and responses, some of which have have to be made within split seconds, that will eventually lead to a conclusion. Basically, the smallest decision made at the right moment can turn the battle from a defeat to a victory (and vice versa) and the potential outcome will likely change multiple times as combat progresses.
One of the key aspects of combat decision making? Taking the initiative.
Taking the initiative puts you at the advantage that the enemies will have to respond before they can act themselves. This doesn't suggest that every decision made will lead to success for the one taking the initiative. Rushing into an entrenched formation of enemies that are positioned to easily defend from 'Mechs moving in from that direction will likely end in a poor result. However, more often than not, the receiving end of a stomp is a team that either didn't choose to or flat out refused to take the initiative.
Which leads us to another key aspect: Situational awareness.
If you only look at yourself, you will miss a lot of important information. Listening to and posting in the chat are crucial for a successful match as not all information can be relayed with the C3 system alone. Another part of situational awareness is being aware of your role in combat and the roles of your teammates. You might find yourself as the heaviest or best armored 'Mech in a formation, even if you are not running an Assault or maybe even a Heavy 'Mech. Taking one for the team, even if you didn't intend to brawl with your 'Mechs loadout, to enable the rest of your teammates to use their roles as effectively as possible can make the difference between a merciless stomp or a glorious last stand, successful or not.
On combat momentum: (quoted from a later post to centralize everything)
SethAbercromby, on 05 May 2014 - 04:00 PM, said:
In combat, there is something very akin to momentum. Often, in a stomp, the dominating team just keeps pressing forward, steamrolling any force that tries to stop them by presenting a clear advantage in both numbers and firepower, overwhelming enemies quickly one by one. This is a case of the team gaining a massive forward momentum, either by the opposing team being unable to stop them or by actively pulling back, fueling their push.
Here are a few examples of how builds can alternate the flow of momentum and later some more specific examples. This list is not all-encompassing and additions can be made when reminding me I forgot to mention something.
Specialized builds:
Brawlers:
The embodiment of forward momentum. In the offense, they generate more momentum the further they advance. A striking force lead by a brawler can become immensely dangerous when presenting enough numbers or in engaging the enemy force to prepare a flanking maneuver.
In the defense, they can secure bottleneck positions, stopping enemy teams in their advance, draining them of their momentum until the opportunity to push back presents itself.
Two equal-weighted brawlers engaged with each other basically push their momentum against each other until either of them yields or dies. The first to back out allows the other to drain their momentum or force them into reverse. From that point on, they can dictate the engagement, which provides a severe advantage.
Snipers:
Snipers provide counter-momentum to stop the enemy team. Their accurate long-range barrages can slow down their enemies' forward momentum, allowing their own team to increase the pressure. A well-coordinated sniper-squad can act as a dead stop at key positions, grinding enemy advances to a halt and possibly forcing them into a retreat. Important for a sniper is to know where their hard hitting shots are needed most and relocate appropriately. In the offense, the task of snipers in to keep the tip of the spear from breaking, eliminating priority targets that are engaged with the lead (likely a brawler). However, try to not exclusively shoot the target the lead is directly engaged with. Fire at targets that try to exploit their weaker sides or rear to keep them from crippling the 'Mech.
LRM Boats:
LRMs, in essence, provide a denial of area against enemy targets. Any 'Mech that does not move for cover when being hit by a hailstorm of missiles will suffer the consequences. This in turn can force enemies to stop their advance, draining them of momentum. When hitting an enemy 'Mech, the spread damage will move some of it away from the CT, but the overall armor damage will further weaken weak spots in the armor, making crippling easier. LRM boats always move with the momentum of the team, advancing when they push and retreating when they fall back. They don't operate much differently during offense or defense.
Non-Specialized Builds:
Skirmishers:
Skirmishers always move with the momentum, as their comparatively weak armor will not allow them to move too far from the allied teammates. Their fast speed and mobility allows them to use quick hit-and-run skirmishing tactics to hunt down isolated targets or to redirect the momentum of the enemy team. They carry enough firepower to deal a notable amount of damage in a short time, but retain the mobility that allows them to relocate quickly to strike from cover or behind heavier teammates (or enemies if you are daring enough).
Fire Support:
Fire support 'Mechs do not necessarily fill the traditional role of killing quickly. They usually move in the second line, providing additional fire against any targets the lead is engaging or fending off small targets that want to tear open the back armor while it is engaged.
Some 'Mechs can effectively load a variety of weapons to engage targets at any range, however most specialize either into mid to long range or mid to short range support.
Whenever possible, AMS and BAP should always be equipped when using a front line fire-supporter. The ECM breaking capabilities of the BAP and at least somewhat damage-reducing effects of AMS can provide a huge benefit to the advancing group.
Fire supporters generally reinforce the momentum of their team.
Striker:
The Striker is a (usually) Heavy 'Mech that carries an arsenal of weapons designed to kill a target in as short time as possible. The increased mobility allows them to strike from cover more efficiently and use the bullet-attracting effects of the spearhead to quickly kill priority targets. Similar to a brawler, they are intended to create a lot of forward momentum, they are however somewhat less specialized to allow for a bit more flexibility on the field.
Here are a few examples of how builds can alternate the flow of momentum and later some more specific examples. This list is not all-encompassing and additions can be made when reminding me I forgot to mention something.
Specialized builds:
Brawlers:
The embodiment of forward momentum. In the offense, they generate more momentum the further they advance. A striking force lead by a brawler can become immensely dangerous when presenting enough numbers or in engaging the enemy force to prepare a flanking maneuver.
In the defense, they can secure bottleneck positions, stopping enemy teams in their advance, draining them of their momentum until the opportunity to push back presents itself.
Two equal-weighted brawlers engaged with each other basically push their momentum against each other until either of them yields or dies. The first to back out allows the other to drain their momentum or force them into reverse. From that point on, they can dictate the engagement, which provides a severe advantage.
Snipers:
Snipers provide counter-momentum to stop the enemy team. Their accurate long-range barrages can slow down their enemies' forward momentum, allowing their own team to increase the pressure. A well-coordinated sniper-squad can act as a dead stop at key positions, grinding enemy advances to a halt and possibly forcing them into a retreat. Important for a sniper is to know where their hard hitting shots are needed most and relocate appropriately. In the offense, the task of snipers in to keep the tip of the spear from breaking, eliminating priority targets that are engaged with the lead (likely a brawler). However, try to not exclusively shoot the target the lead is directly engaged with. Fire at targets that try to exploit their weaker sides or rear to keep them from crippling the 'Mech.
LRM Boats:
LRMs, in essence, provide a denial of area against enemy targets. Any 'Mech that does not move for cover when being hit by a hailstorm of missiles will suffer the consequences. This in turn can force enemies to stop their advance, draining them of momentum. When hitting an enemy 'Mech, the spread damage will move some of it away from the CT, but the overall armor damage will further weaken weak spots in the armor, making crippling easier. LRM boats always move with the momentum of the team, advancing when they push and retreating when they fall back. They don't operate much differently during offense or defense.
Non-Specialized Builds:
Skirmishers:
Skirmishers always move with the momentum, as their comparatively weak armor will not allow them to move too far from the allied teammates. Their fast speed and mobility allows them to use quick hit-and-run skirmishing tactics to hunt down isolated targets or to redirect the momentum of the enemy team. They carry enough firepower to deal a notable amount of damage in a short time, but retain the mobility that allows them to relocate quickly to strike from cover or behind heavier teammates (or enemies if you are daring enough).
Fire Support:
Fire support 'Mechs do not necessarily fill the traditional role of killing quickly. They usually move in the second line, providing additional fire against any targets the lead is engaging or fending off small targets that want to tear open the back armor while it is engaged.
Some 'Mechs can effectively load a variety of weapons to engage targets at any range, however most specialize either into mid to long range or mid to short range support.
Whenever possible, AMS and BAP should always be equipped when using a front line fire-supporter. The ECM breaking capabilities of the BAP and at least somewhat damage-reducing effects of AMS can provide a huge benefit to the advancing group.
Fire supporters generally reinforce the momentum of their team.
Striker:
The Striker is a (usually) Heavy 'Mech that carries an arsenal of weapons designed to kill a target in as short time as possible. The increased mobility allows them to strike from cover more efficiently and use the bullet-attracting effects of the spearhead to quickly kill priority targets. Similar to a brawler, they are intended to create a lot of forward momentum, they are however somewhat less specialized to allow for a bit more flexibility on the field.
Also keep in mind: Your Lance isn't just for fluff.
People in your Lance will be marked differently from the rest of your teammates. Stick to your Lancemates as much as possible and cover each others' backs. 3 Lances capable of working autonomously are able to take the fight to multiple fronts and can intimidate a less coordinated team by spreading their forces and quickly taking down targets with focused fire. At best, try to not form up too many 'Mechs into one cluster. Too many 'Mechs in one place will start to trip on each others' toes and that will hinder your mobility and combat effectiveness. 4's a party, 8's a crowd.
EDIT: As it came up in another discussion, the word autonomous might be a bit misleading in explaining my point. It doesn't mean that all lances are required to seperate from one another, but instead being capable of completing multiple objectives at a time. A good example would be conquest where the teams often need to split and regroup to be able to gain control on the field. When each lance is coordinated sperately, they can effectively split and link with the other lances, which will make them highly effective.
SUPER LATE EDIT: To expand on this point properly, please check out my post about potential 12-Man Lance-based tactics.
Keep moving. Seriously.
If you are a sitting duck, you become predictable. Don't stay too long in one place. Snipers have a tendency to find a hiding hole and remain there. That sniping position might even be pretty good, if you've picked up a few lessons on map awareness, but unless those snipers are redeemed by bodyguards keeping more savvy players off their backs, they will die one way or another. Keep in mind that those bodyguards aren't perfect either. Using the information gathered, those savvy players will change their strategy to surround or flank into the formation to weaken or spread their fire. Take advantage of your mobility and strike as often from as many directions as possible.
Twists and turns, the greatest enemy and best friend of any MechWarrior.
Skirmishers will enjoy the cover and sharp corners in an urban fight in River City or the sharp, irregular crystal rock formations of Tourmaline Desert. They create a lot of spaces where a pilot has very bad vision and often can't detect enemies unless they run right into them. A lot of people see these areas to be very disadvantageous but they often forget that it can go both ways. A 'Mech moving out of an unexpected corner that suddenly flanks the enemy formation from the side will create confusion, spread fire and allow his allies to start a push.
And last but not least: Read your Enemies.
This one's difficult. Really difficult because no team is immediately recognizable. Try to predict what your enemy team might have and respond accordingly. However, there are always unexpected moments when a team has 8 heavy hitting 'Mechs moving in a tight formation and the subsequent flanking strike is thwarted by a pack of 4 ECM-Equipped light 'Mechs that had hidden themselves behind cover, expecting the enemy team to attempt a flanking move (as in, took the initiative). If you see confusion or panic rising in the enemy flanks, split their forces and separate the 'Mechs from another. This will spread your fire as well but you'll deny your already uneasy enemies the ability to cover each other.
Okay, I've got one more:
If you lose a match and need something to blame, always blame yourself first.
This one is simply difficult because you have to get past your own pride. I know we all like to think of ourselves as excellent players that can perform great on the battlefield and some of us truly are and deserve all the respect they've earned. However, some let their past great performances cloud their judgement into believing that they can do anything and forget that a large part of one great performance is good cooperation from teammates in the background. You are not the center of combat and you should never expect your teammates to assist you exclusively. Everyone plays an equal part in combat and addressing your teammates as noobs because you died or because you weren't treated as the primary asset of the group, isn't only poor sportsmanship but also a bad way of communicating with your fellow players overall. If you push, tell your teammates that you're taking the lead. If you snipe, don't isolate yourself by refusing to move out of your position. Blame yourself first and then suggest your teammates a different approach or tactic for future reference.
Don't blame the Matchmaker or tonnage differences. 12 Locusts can tear apart 12 Atlas(eses). Tactics and builds make a much greater difference on the battlefield than the 'Mech classes represented. (Ab)Using the Meta can be to your advantage but if your tactics aren't sound, you might still lose.
Don't blame your teammates. Yes, there are people that are extremely inexperienced and there are some that are actively trying to hinder your team but aside from the latter, everyone is trying their best to be successful at the match. Encourage newcomers to improve and suggest ways to become better at the game. It might be painful to lose a match to an inexperienced player, but don't let that get to you. Sooner or later, those same people might be saving your back a few matches later, using the tactics you taught them.
SethAbercromby, on 28 April 2014 - 02:27 AM, said:
Even if you aren't good, if you see new or inexperienced players that are not sure what to do, a simple "don't worry, I got your back" can do wonders and will make the less positive experiences with other players seem less dramatic. Share both victories and defeats with them and compliment them on things they did right and suggest things to do differently next time (for both of you maybe). Also, if you see someone being harassed or being a bad sportsman, call the people out on it. Nonaction doesn't benefit anyone.
SethAbercromby, on 26 April 2014 - 06:09 AM, said:
CyberHawks, on 26 April 2014 - 01:08 AM, said:
I realize that some of it is role playing, and taunting to psychologically get an enemy to make an error in game. But coming from a teammate that we "are the worst team ever" is destructive, and can actually affect how people play future games.
That is a misconception in a way. So called sh*t-talking is often seen in competitive fighting games where a player tries to confuse his opponent by provoking them. But the thing is: The players aren't good. They might be better than the average Joe, but when up against a good player, they need to weaken them to be able to keep up. A really good player will just sit there and play silently, not letting anything get to them. It's a very interesting process.
Bad/New/Casual players: Usually silent or if they do complain, it's about their own mistakes. A for effort, but need some assistance or panic when things start getting hot.
Bad competitive players: Loud and very protective about themselves. Attack both enemies (sh*t-talking) and teammates (blame-shifting) verbally.
Good (competitive) players: Often silent or not very talkative, very focused. Know what to do at which situation and can process a lot of information just by seeing how someone moves.
Excellent players: Cannot only process as much information (if not more) but is also capable of communicating and leading a team. Can motivate a team by displaying both leadership and skill.
Added as suggested by CyberHawks.
I might want to add that it can be observed that the most vocal players are part of either extreme of the spectrum and unfortunately, the lower extreme is much larger than the upper one, but is still just a fraction of the playerbase that make up all the middle ground, giving every playerbase the ruputation of of being divided into the "vocal minority" that will be very loud about their opinions and will have an impact in focus testing and the "silent majority" that doesn't nessecarily support those ideals, but doesn't show up on most feedback forms, simply due to the lack of verbal communication.
Edited by SethAbercromby, 26 August 2014 - 12:37 AM.
thanks for emphasizing my point.
