31 replies to this topic

[Whoops]

I've seen many threads on how to help your friendly neighborhood Atlas. But ask yourself: What about that Atlas returning the favor? I've compiled a short list of things that an Atlas pilot can do to ensure a happy hunting experience for the average PUG. Note: I do NOT currently pilot an Atlas. I do, however, run with them nearly every game.

1) State your meta. This one is simple, and can avert any confusion as to what the Atlas pilot intends to get out of the match. Tell your teammates what kind of loadout you have. Are you a sniper? A brawler? Or...dare I say...a LRM boat (I only bring this one up because I've seen it a couple times lately...)? If your teammates know what you're up to, then they'll know whether to group up behind you or leave you be.

2) Lead the charge. Unless they have removed most of their armor for more weapon tonnage, the Atlas should have the most armor of any 'Mech in the match. Unless you have stated that you are NOT a brawler, you should be the rallying point for most of your 'Mechs. If you have ECM, then so much the better, but put that armor to good use. An Atlas should never be seen hiding behind other 'Mechs (again, seen it a few times recently). Also note that the same rules that apply to other 'Mechs apply to the Atlas. Stopping in choke points, with your team piling in behind you, is not exactly a good idea.

3) Call out your targets. Really, it's not that difficult to type in the beginning of the match that you will be typing the letter designation of your target. This not only allows your team to focus fire, but also lets them know where NOT to stand in relation to your 'Mech. If they then decide to walk between an Atlas in full Alpha Strike mode and it's prey...well, that's their fault.

By following these basic steps, an Atlas pilot can ensure that their PUG group is more able to support them in their mission of destruction and mayhem. Whether or not said PUG group does so is, of course, up to the other pilots, but those that see the value in keeping their highly armed and armored damage dealers alive and punishing the enemy 'Mechs will be grateful for your consideration. Happy hunting!

[Selene Lunaris]

Pretty solid tips. The third works for any heavily-armed assault or heavy, btw - let people know what you're firing at and to stay out of your lane of fire. I get much less people walking in front of my Banshee-3E's left torso now that I've started calling my targets.

[Morgoth62]

Agreed, this is a great starting point for new Atlas drivers.

thomas

[SnowdogJJJ]

I don't know how any living pilot can call a target and keep firing. I am also challenged when it comes to reading text In the heat of a fire fight. I am some what dyslexic (really), still I am so involved in moving and shooting that I don't seem to have any extra cycles to read and type. When I am dead ( on the other hand) I to try to call target if it seems appropriate. I am not sure it helps but it seems to.

[Alaskan Nobody]

SnowdogJJJ, on 12 April 2014 - 04:39 PM, said:

I don't know how any living pilot can call a target and keep firing.

Much easier with slow-fire weapons (AC/20, PPC, LL....)- but if you are dyslexic, it probably wouldn't work very well.

[L Y N X]

Do not charge with even numbers or lower numbers of mechs, instead use cover and terrain to setup firing lines and kill boxes.

Only time a charge should occur is late match, when the odds(Gods) favor your progress. otherwise you deserve your loss.

[Osric Lancaster]

Cyron Zarva, on 12 April 2014 - 06:04 AM, said:

1) State your meta. This one is simple, and can avert any confusion as to what the Atlas pilot intends to get out of the match. Tell your teammates what kind of loadout you have. Are you a sniper? A brawler? Or...dare I say...a LRM boat (I only bring this one up because I've seen it a couple times lately...)? If your teammates know what you're up to, then they'll know whether to group up behind you or leave you be.

"I have LRMs" is useful. "Flanking right" is useful. You should never, ever assume an Atlas can fend for itself entirely. Their torso twist and pitch is terrible and they will die to a lone Locust if left. Plus if there's an ECM D-DC you're not sticking near you've wasted combat potential.

Cyron Zarva, on 12 April 2014 - 06:04 AM, said:

2) Lead the charge. Unless they have removed most of their armor for more weapon tonnage, the Atlas should have the most armor of any 'Mech in the match. Unless you have stated that you are NOT a brawler, you should be the rallying point for most of your 'Mechs. If you have ECM, then so much the better, but put that armor to good use. An Atlas should never be seen hiding behind other 'Mechs (again, seen it a few times recently). Also note that the same rules that apply to other 'Mechs apply to the Atlas. Stopping in choke points, with your team piling in behind you, is not exactly a good idea.

I can not tell you how many time in an Atlas I've pulled up to the side of a choke point and watched as my friendlies mill about in / in front of it trying to take pot shots at the pile of enemies behind it. Was I hiding behind my friendlies when I should have pushed? No. I'm not fast enough to dictate my relative position to my team. If they want to use me as a sacrificial meat-shield, they should have watched what I was doing and taken the freaking cue, not pushed into the choke point to get obliterated. Atlases need to push? You couldn't make me laugh harder. A spider is a better distraction, absorbs more enemy fire and stands an actual chance of getting out of a stomp squad alive. Plus the Atlas really can't push over a hill and return fire much. It has low slung arms and awful torso pitch. Also? Try piloting an Atlas. Armor is not a selling point when you can't move fast, and the Atlas is a huge target.

http://mwomercs.com/...__fromsearch__1

Cyron Zarva, on 12 April 2014 - 06:04 AM, said:

3) Call out your targets. Really, it's not that difficult to type in the beginning of the match that you will be typing the letter designation of your target. This not only allows your team to focus fire, but also lets them know where NOT to stand in relation to your 'Mech. If they then decide to walk between an Atlas in full Alpha Strike mode and it's prey...well, that's their fault.

You know you have a map, right? Why are these people in front of the Atlas again? Oh right, they're faster. Welp. Granted people can get in your way when you're firing but they can see on the map where their team is. If you've got yourself in a cross fire then you are the one that's messed up. Plus who the hell actually shoots their team mates? That's only a problem for an Atlas if a friendly hunchback is furiously humping your legs for some reason.


How Teams Can Help Their Atlas Pilot :

Learn to fall back, watch your assaults, position behind and beside hold choke points instead of charging into them. Honest to **** , if people would just stop funneling up ramps and corridors into enemy fire then slowly milling about, slamming bumper-cars style into each-others backs and creeping up to get pot shots at the half a dozen enemies laying in wait. . . there would be fewer stomps.

Edited by Osric Lancaster, 12 April 2014 - 07:36 PM.

[Koniving]

Shar Wolf, on 12 April 2014 - 05:59 PM, said:

Psst.
Hop on Zhizhu's TS when you get a chance. I need a second pair of eyes for something tutorial-ish.

Spoiler

I need you to be an external camera for me to record Atlas or Banshee arm movement. It's part of advanced targeting and advanced arm-usage.

Edited by Koniving, 12 April 2014 - 07:51 PM.

[The Dreaded Baron B Killer]

usually I call what I spot on my radar when advancing to intercept it... usually falls on deaf ears.

I generally try and tell people I'm a brawler.. problem is no one is usually interested... they just wanna run around and shoot stuff...

[Whoops]

Osric Lancaster, on 12 April 2014 - 07:16 PM, said:

"I have LRMs" is useful. "Flanking right" is useful. You should never, ever assume an Atlas can fend for itself entirely. Their torso twist and pitch is terrible and they will die to a lone Locust if left. Plus if there's an ECM D-DC you're not sticking near you've wasted combat potential.

You're right...you should never assume anything in a game where every aspect, from weapon loadout to armor distribution, is modifiable. However, Atlai have a reputation attached to them (someone has a thread about the "Atlas effect") that makes them a natural rallying point and/or target. Players tend to have expectations when they see an Atlas on their team, and stating what your primary loadout is helps them support you and banishes the preconceptions, replacing them with facts.

Osric Lancaster, on 12 April 2014 - 07:16 PM, said:

I can not tell you how many time in an Atlas I've pulled up to the side of a choke point and watched as my friendlies mill about in / in front of it trying to take pot shots at the pile of enemies behind it. Was I hiding behind my friendlies when I should have pushed? No. I'm not fast enough to dictate my relative position to my team. If they want to use me as a sacrificial meat-shield, they should have watched what I was doing and taken the freaking cue, not pushed into the choke point to get obliterated. Atlases need to push? You couldn't make me laugh harder. A spider is a better distraction, absorbs more enemy fire and stands an actual chance of getting out of a stomp squad alive. Plus the Atlas really can't push over a hill and return fire much. It has low slung arms and awful torso pitch. Also? Try piloting an Atlas. Armor is not a selling point when you can't move fast, and the Atlas is a huge target.

http://mwomercs.com/...__fromsearch__1

This was not meant as a personal attack on any Atlas pilot, but as a counter-guide to the "Help your Atlas" threads here on the forum. Again, there is a pre-conceived notion that the Atlas is the center of the team's formation. Maybe that's a product of my ELO (which is undoubtedly lower than your own), but it's an observable fact in the matches I'm in, day after day.

You talk about your experiences in choke points, and that's good. It's also not what I was talking about. I'm not talking about teammates pushing past the Atlas to take shots. I'm talking about the Atlas pushing up behind smaller 'Mechs that were already in the choke point and blocking them from backing up. Having read several posts of rage against pilots that do this when an Atlas is in the front, I simply pointed out that the same rules apply in reverse as well.

As for the hiding behind teammates statement...I'm sorry if you took that personally. I understand you cannot dictate where your teammates go, but I was stating something I had observed on a few occasions where the Atlas, that walking tank, held back waiting for the enemy 'Mechs to either burn through his companions or to be softened up enough that the pilot had a reasonable expectation for easy kills. The other 'Mechs have a smaller amount of armor, making each hit do more of a percentage of damage to their health. It's not rocket science. Assault 'Mechs are supposed to be able to take the most damage. Why would they not lead the charge if they're outfitted for it? A spider, while agile, can't take the punishment that an Atlas can. I've killed a lot more of those than I have of the Atlas.

And yes, I expect the Atlas to push if they are in a brawler build. Keeping those weapons out of range of the enemy does nobody on your team any good. When I play my Jenner, I scout. When I play my Jager, I support the assaults and (when I can) the mediums playing light-killer near our formation. Each weight class has roles they perform well. A spider is a good distraction against a poorly coordinated team. Most of the groups I play with don't go for the "chase the light" bit, though...preferring to focus their fire on the bulk of the enemy team.

Until I get an Atlas, or one is put on Trial, I won't have the pleasure of seeing the issues you're talking about. Though I would counter that going over a hill is only one way to get to the other side, and that there are ways to make an Atlas' weapon systems count.

Osric Lancaster, on 12 April 2014 - 07:16 PM, said:

You know you have a map, right? Why are these people in front of the Atlas again? Oh right, they're faster. Welp. Granted people can get in your way when you're firing but they can see on the map where their team is. If you've got yourself in a cross fire then you are the one that's messed up. Plus who the hell actually shoots their team mates? That's only a problem for an Atlas if a friendly hunchback is furiously humping your legs for some reason.

Yes, we have a map. But you're again making assumptions, so allow me to clarify. In many matches, the team DOES stick with the Atlas, ECM or not. As a result, they're not shooting off in front of the Atlas and blocking up the choke point taking potshots. Instead they're keeping somewhat of a pace with the assault 'Mechs, trying to move in a "deathball" so as not to become easy pickings. People strafe from side to side, making the risk of friendly fire increase. I wasn't saying that people were intentionally teamkilling, but that it happens due to people's inattentiveness, and that I didn't find fault with those who were firing because it isn't their job to keep other 'Mechs out of their field of fire.

Osric Lancaster, on 12 April 2014 - 07:16 PM, said:

How Teams Can Help Their Atlas Pilot :

Learn to fall back, watch your assaults, position behind and beside hold choke points instead of charging into them. Honest to **** , if people would just stop funneling up ramps and corridors into enemy fire then slowly milling about, slamming bumper-cars style into each-others backs and creeping up to get pot shots at the half a dozen enemies laying in wait. . . there would be fewer stomps.

I agree with this statement, but there are already threads for how you can help your Atlas. Now...apply this to Atlas pilots as well, and it has a place here.

Happy hunting!

[White Bear 84]

Dont stand at the back of the group firing just one PPC or just LRM's when you could also be using other weapons in your arsenal as well, tanking for the team or even just being the balls of the group and leading a charge (because you know how many players will hide behind a rock formation until someone takes lead..). It is always painful to see Atlas's with scores comparable to a small laser locust. Actually, it is embarrassing - most of the time, it is because the firepower is not being utilised!!

Dont leave yourself stranded/alone - many atlas have died from spiders/jenners shredding them apart because the Atlas pilot is alone and cannot turn fast enough to hit them.

Most of all be an ATLAS!!!

Edited by White Bear 84, 12 April 2014 - 10:47 PM.

[LiGhtningFF13]

Try to stay in your group and don't leave ot try to look for cover! Slow speed => Nice target also for LRMs!

[YueFei]

One ironic thing I've started noticing is when an Atlas gets left behind by his team. You have both teams at a choke point, and it's a stand-off. Neither side will commit to a push because of uncertainty about enemy numbers, or caution, cowardice, whatever. Then a bunch of your guys decide to try to flank, so they leave your Atlas pilot hanging there all by himself (or maybe with a couple other Assault mechs, too). Then the enemy scouts poke over to take a look and realize it, and push and run your Atlas (and his other Assault mech buddies) over.

If your team wants to reposition to try to flank, you gotta tell them to wait. If anything, the Atlas should start to reposition first, while maintaining a sight line on the choke point so if the enemy pushes at that exact instant he can still lay fire down, and act as a meatshield for injured teammates.

Sometimes a good way to flank is actually to send your Atlas and his big boys around the side first, rather than sending your smaller, faster mechs. The lighter, faster mechs can remain behind. If the enemy pushes hard, your faster mechs have a better chance of escaping.

That, and with Artillery and Air strikes, sometimes a smaller, lighter force can hold off a bigger force at a chokepoint just by throwing a few strikes in there, to buy time for the Assault mechs to finish their flanking move. If not, then the enemy breaks out through that choke point, but at least you don't lose a bunch of teammates because they are too slow to avoid getting overrun.

Edited by YueFei, 12 April 2014 - 11:56 PM.

[MisterPlanetarian]

*Don't fit LRM's. It's wasted on the Atlas really. It has a maximum of 22 tubes for three launchers on the D-DC and insufficient backup weapons, most are 16 tubes or as low as 10. If you want to use LRM's use an Awesome 8R/8V, a Stalker or a Battlemaster 1S. SRM's are another story and hopefully by the 29th they will be pretty viable once more. Even now they are decent backup weapons for short range if somewhat unreliable on moving targets if fired in large volleys.

Your Atlas is better of as a high direct damage platform with exceptional durability or a Brawler. Example builds:

AS7-D: Pulse brawler. Can fit PPC's instead of Large Pulse just be careful and avoid combat under 90 meters at all costs.

AS7-D: PPC + UAC5 ranged.
AS7-D: Full Brawler.

They may not have jumpjets but these builds can contest the meta quite easily in terms of firepower and armor. The D-DC can run similar things but is more missile dependant, the AS7-K is not as bad as people make it out to be, it's just not as flexible. It can however run the non missile builds with double AMS.

General Atlas piloting tips:

*Positioning is everything. Avoid standing in the middle of the road and avoid open ground unless your whole team is pushing it.

*Torso twist when charing into enemy fire, use your gigantic arms and shoulders to absorb incoming fire when moving in for a brawl. Always try to torso twist between volleys to spread out damage across your entire torso.

*Always twist to the right to protect your main ballistic weapon(s). Use your left arm and torso to absorb the main damage when closing the distance.

*Never go in for a brawl in the center volcano on Terra Therma or in the caulderra on Caustic Valley unless very late in the game in terms of kills for your team.

*Avoid stopping at corners when your whole lance/company are behind you. They will almost always stop behind you and wait preventing you from backing down if there are a ton of enemies ready to shoot you to bits. In fact don't take point in situations like that at all.

*Don't hillhump. All your weapons are mounted lower than the point where the enemy can focus fire on all three of your torso hitboxes.

*Always make sure you can put your back to the wall incase you get attacked by one or more decently piloted light mechs.

*YOU ARE NOT A SCOUT MECH, EVEN IF STEINER. Leave screening into unsafe territory to smaller and more agile 'mechs that can evade fire if hostiles happen to have a good firing position aimed at where you are heading.

*The AS7-DDC is alot easier to disarm than the AS7-D, it has ECM which allows it to sneak up on people more effectively though.

*Always fit an AMS on the non DDC variants, double AMS when avalible. Your wide profile and relatively slow speed make you the ideal target for an LRM boat.

*Never overheat in a brawl, especially against a more agile opponent. Thats asking for an alpha strike in your back. Twist and use your left arm to protect your ballistic right side from damage untill you cool down enough.

*Your main brawling damage comes from the AC20 and SRM's. Remember to fire and torso twist right away. Twisting from left to right and in reverse while shooting at the CT as you twist is ideal as you have minimum exposure to enemy fire. Use your lasers when the targets armor is getting low.

Edited by MisterPlanetarian, 13 April 2014 - 01:04 AM.

[Osric Lancaster]

Cyron Zarva, on 12 April 2014 - 10:21 PM, said:

As for the hiding behind teammates statement...I'm sorry if you took that personally.

I'm not the type to take things personally, and I'm not trying to be a piss-ant I just find it all a bit silly. Soooo I provided a counterpoint to your counterpoint. People seem to expect the Atlas to behave a certain way, like a walking fortress and. . . well it just doesn't. You're right that a lot of the things apply both ways, and I doubt my Elo's worth a crap in a hat but the way I figure the main role of the Atlas outside of the D-DC is to act as a big slow destroyer with few, large guns to blow holes in flankers while it acts as chewy bait to lure out squirrels.

Look at Mr.Planetarian's post. He has the right Idea of it, an atlas is NOT a line-breaker. It's armor rarely compensates it for the extra time it spends exposed to enemy fire as it is. The Atlas is actually better a bit farther back in the form because, as YueFei points out, it takes longer to react to changes in the layout of the field, and being farther back lets it fire on the flanks more easily.

[Sarlic]

MisterPlanetarian, on 13 April 2014 - 12:53 AM, said:

*Don't fit LRM's. It's wasted on the Atlas really. It has a maximum of 22 tubes for three launchers on the D-DC and insufficient backup weapons, most are 16 tubes or as low as 10. If you want to use LRM's use an Awesome 8R/8V, a Stalker or a Battlemaster 1S. SRM's are another story and hopefully by the 29th they will be pretty viable once more. Even now they are decent backup weapons for short range if somewhat unreliable on moving targets if fired in large volleys.

*Always fit an AMS on the non DDC variants, double AMS when avalible. Your wide profile and relatively slow speed make you the ideal target for an LRM boat.

There's nothing wrong with enquipping LRMs on Atlas D. Also you don't have to get AMS on each build. I get your points, but each build is different.

In the end it all depends on the pilot, build and playstyle.

But your tips will fit for general players.

Edited by Sarlic, 13 April 2014 - 04:51 AM.

[MisterPlanetarian]

I'm just of the opinion that there are better and far faster Assault mechs out there for the purpose of using LRM's as a primary weapon system. LRM's worth 20 tubes is a minimum of 10 tons of investment assuming no artemis and discounting ammo tonnage.
This is not to mention that your average Atlas has two missile hardpoints with 10 and 6 tubes respectively. This leaves between 1-2Ballistic and 2-4Energy hardpoints for a TAG and backup weapons. Using these hardpoints effectively is hard, which is only compounded by the fact that XL's are suicide in an Atlas.

The result is that it simply does not make for a good LRM mech. Why park the biggest and heaviest mech on your team behind a hill or some cover to lob AMS bait streams of 5-10 LRM's? Why not stand up front, holding the line and using your superior close range firepower potential and protection to the benefit of your team?

This is just me speaking from experience with several hundred drops in every Atlas I own. I've used LRM's on an Atlas before but it's very hard to argue that it preforms anything but sub par compared to other Assault mechs in that particular role. Clan LRM's are light enough to justify using as a secondary weapon system on the other hand, but they are limited to the Direwolf and the Warhawk when it comes to Assault mechs.

Edited by MisterPlanetarian, 13 April 2014 - 05:10 AM.

[Navid A1]

I'm an Atlas pilot... (in a way that i never touched any other mech (for real) since CB...and have millions of XP per each variant)


Firstly, how you pilot your mech depends on your loadout but here are a few general tips (some of them already mentioned)

* As an atlas you are the prime target... THE target if you will... so use cover... not behind your team mates of course.

* An atlas is not a front line attacker... its the backbone. when you are in the brawling range with the enemy its better be the final clash of the match or a surprise attack from the enemy side.

* protect your right torso...

* load your ammo in your legs... you want more? put it in the arms...(ac ammo in the right hand and missiles in the left hand).. don't put ammo in the torsos.

* do not block chock points... or escape routes.... you are slow.

* when engaging lights, do not try to keep up by turning in the same direction as the light is circling you... do it in the opposite direction an the light mech will be in your cross hairs in no time

* do not peek over hills... you can not shoot... imagine the situation from the enemy's point of view and you know why.

* care for your teammates... this is very important.

* you are slow... do not stray far (even if you are losing a nearly dead target)... your first wrong step is your last.


these are what came to my mind for now... oh and remember... you are not invincible... in fact you are the most fragile mech. Try to think this way and you'll find yourself in a good condition when it matters the most.

GL & HF

Edited by Navid A1, 13 April 2014 - 05:48 AM.

[Sarlic]

Navid A1, on 13 April 2014 - 05:41 AM, said:

I'm an Atlas pilot... (in a way that i never touched any other mech (for real) since CB...and have millions of XP per each variant)


Firstly, how you pilot your mech depends on your loadout but here are a few general tips (some of them already mentioned)

* As an atlas you are the prime target... THE target if you will... so use cover... not behind your team mates of course.

* An atlas is not a front line attacker... its the backbone. when you are in the brawling range with the enemy its better be the final clash of the match or a surprise attack from the enemy side.

* protect your right torso...

* load your ammo in your legs... you want more? put it in the arms...(ac ammo in the right hand and missiles in the left hand).. don't put ammo in the torsos.

* do not block chock points... or escape routes.... you are slow.

* when engaging lights, do not try to keep up by turning in the same direction as the light is circling you... do it in the opposite direction an the light mech will be in your cross hairs in no time

* do not peek over hills... you can not shoot... imagine the situation from the enemy's point of view and you know why.

* care for your teammates... this is very important.

* you are slow... do not stray far (even if you are losing a nearly dead target)... your first wrong step is your last.


these are what came to my mind for now... oh and remember... you are not invincible... in fact you are the most fragile mech. Try to think this way and you'll find yourself in a good condition when it matters the most.

GL & HF

You look like me! I own also Atlas only and playing them since beta. Some good tips here. Only missing BH. But missed that sale.

[Whoops]

MisterPlanetarian, on 13 April 2014 - 12:53 AM, said:

*snip good quote*

This wasn't meant to be a build discussion, since every player is entitled to take...well, whatever they want. I'm sure there are more effective builds for my 'Mechs, too...just some don't fit my playstyle or skill level (in the case of ballistic weaponry). Instead, I'm just hoping to leave assault (and primarily Atlas, given their effect on many players) pilots with a sense of what they can do in PUGs to help make it a better experience, while still playing the 'Mechs they enjoy.

In the absence of someone giving out a plan, the match seems to revolve either around the assault 'Mechs or the shiny light 'Mechs that draw people in like a bug zapper. A Spider, as in Osric's first reply, is a GREAT distraction because people can't seem to resist trying to kill the little <insert expletive here>. But if they fail to draw the group out, I find they're much less of a problem.