19 replies to this topic

[Nikkoru]

Something I've been thinking about today. Since UAV's can be so game-changing to LRM use, swinging entire battles with a well-placed one, I was wondering if LRM boats should carry their own. It might help a lot, but then again, LRM boats simply might not have the speed and generally won't be in the right position to use them effectively even if they have them.

What say you veterans?

Edited by Nikkoru, 22 June 2014 - 08:16 PM.

[Bartholomew bartholomew]

Depends. Are you fast or slow. Fast, sure it does not hurt. Slow, don't bother.

Advanced sensors, Target decay, and Cool shot are better though

Edited by Bartholomew bartholomew, 22 June 2014 - 08:19 PM.

[Nikkoru]

Bartholomew bartholomew, on 22 June 2014 - 08:18 PM, said:

Depends. Are you fast or slow. Fast, sure it does not hurt. Slow, don't bother.

I'm in a Warhawk, so pretty slow.

[Bartholomew bartholomew]

Nikkoru, on 22 June 2014 - 08:32 PM, said:

I'm in a Warhawk, so pretty slow.

Then nah, by the time you are close enough to use it. they will be under your minimum range.

Since you have a warhark carry some long range energy fire to back up your lurms. that way you can get LOS and add potent direct fire to help keep return fire down. Plus you will rip them up faster with combined firepower.

Edited by Bartholomew bartholomew, 22 June 2014 - 08:42 PM.

[Aluminumfoiled]

Nikkoru, on 22 June 2014 - 08:14 PM, said:

What say you

Well to use a UAV you need to be under your 180m LRM min. Likely not a good idea unless you are running a fast carrier. I tried UAV and Narc with LRMs and didn't find it that effective. Spent too much time worrying about a good Narc shot and got out of position for LRMs and staying alive. A lights game I think.

I suppose Narc could be doable with a 450m IS range. Tag was much more effective for me.

ECM lights give you a wider berth when you lock them up with Tag, esp if you get a volly off on them.

Edited by MicroVent, 22 June 2014 - 08:44 PM.

[Thunder Child]

The problem with a boat using a UAV, is that the UAV has a very limited range (180m radius, I believe, but I'd have to check that). If the LRM boat is deploying their OWN UAV, it means that the enemy is already well within minimum Range of the LRMs anyway. If you're in a fast Medium or faster Heavy, I could see it being something that might be useful, as you could scoot foward, drop it where you want it, and then duck behind friendly lines again. But I wouldn't recommend this on anything going less than 80kph.

[Nikkoru]

Bartholomew bartholomew, on 22 June 2014 - 08:40 PM, said:

Since you have a warhark carry some long range energy fire to back up your lurms. that way you can get LOS and add potent direct fire to help keep return fire down. Plus you will rip them up faster with combined firepower.

This is what I'm currently using, does it look good to you?

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...1ede42acca12d14

[Bartholomew bartholomew]

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...efb3e7c045e205e

I would probably run this instead. Just me though.

And possibly ditch 2 tons of ammo for another heat sink.

Edited by Bartholomew bartholomew, 22 June 2014 - 09:04 PM.

[Martin Oberhofer]

I have one on my cat, just in case of...
most usefull if you are 1on1 in a match deciding duell,
in normal gameplay not so much

altough i use it a lot (as narc) on my IS lights
fast enough to place them and get of again

for Narc, make sure you place only 1 at a time, do not spam them around, otherwise LRM boats will split thier damage to more targets

[wanderer]

Generally, I tell people if they're 55 tons or less and relying on LRMs...yeah, you're fast enough to UAV reasonably safely.

Heavies and assaults, not so much. Getting a good UAV up means being in the midst of a group, and you REALLY want an out in that regard. Slow 'Mechs don't get one.

[Tarriss Halcyon]

NO. If you're in a large LRM boat, do NOT carry your own UAV. I always keep a module slot free in my IS lights for one, so if I see anyone on my team mentions that they have LRMs, I vow to find the biggest mob of enemy mechs and drop an UAV on their heads.

As Wanderer said, though, if you're 55 tonnes or less and mainly using LRMs, then carrying your own UAV is a good idea as long as you can escape from the combat zone alive to take advantage of it. HBK-4J, for example, should not do it. Kintaro is iffy as to whether or not it's a good idea. Trebuchet and Centurion, it comes down to their speed, and so on. It's really more of a team support gear than an LRM dropping one for themselves, because of the risk involved in anything slow or easily targeted getting into range to put one down then getting out again.

[Danghen Woolf]

Mechwarriors,

Having a UAV available is helpful for every mech, even slow mechs that cannot get away from the front line quickly. Sometimes support mechs are left by themselves as faster mechs run to the front and have the potential to get ambushed. Being able to dump off a UAV in the event of a swarm can help to let your company know that there are mechs coming around them.
Modules are each mechwarriors' preference, I run every mech with a UAV just in case, besides, they may be inside of your minimum range but I am sure that they will be outside of someone elses.

Good luck.

Mechwarrior Woolf signing off...

[Pekiti]

To me, carrying the UAV is useless as an LRM boat. As mentioned by other folks, by the time the UAV detects a target for you, they are already way closer than you want them to be. There are better choices for modules for you. Having said that, if you haven't unlocked anything else (like Seismic, Target Decay, etc) then it's better than nothing, but as soon as you can get the more useful modules unlocked, don't bother with the UAV.

I use UAVs on all my ECM mechs (including the DDC), and on anything that's fast (so I can spot/report for the team). I will never carry one on a LRM boat.

Edited by Pekiti, 23 June 2014 - 05:44 AM.

[B0oN]

To OP´s question :
Yes .
Get creative with it, it´s bout time ...

[ManaValkyrie]

If you have the space, it can be handy, If on a rare occasion I run my DDC, which is a mix build with some missile support as I close in, the extra module slot I use for a UAV, its very handy for missile platforms to knock down ecm on lights trying to crawl over them. But it is situational, and on most other mechs I find there isnt the space for the module.

[Napoleon_Blownapart]

uav works like youre a kid who let go of his baloon it only goes up not away from you,it can pad your score but wont target the mechs far enough away to lrm,which seems odd for future tech.

[Rascula]

It can be very handy if you have the space.. generally though there's more useful modules to get like Advanced target decay/sensors..

Get a tag though.. You will learn to love it.

[Sug]

I think carrying a UAV with the intention of running into the middle of the enemy formation, popping the UAV, then running back to your team to start launching LRMs is a bad plan.

I typically carry Target Delay, Seismic, and Sensor Range. Not sure how useful Target Delay is now that mechs are using the new Radar module to break locks as soon as they're LOS. Seismic is always good to see lights sneaking up behind you. Longer sensor range isn't too relavent.

If I take a UAV on my LRM boats it's to use as a distress signal in case I get jumped by some ECM lights.

[Denolven]

Nikkoru, on 22 June 2014 - 08:14 PM, said:

I was wondering if LRM boats should carry their own

There are two major use cases for a UAV:

• offensive: as a scouting tool to provide locks
  
• defensive: when something attacks you and you need to inform your team

Fast mechs care more about the first one, as they can reposition quickly anyway to avoid light mechs. Slow mechs care more about the second part, as they tend to be a bit further away from the faster team and tend to get jumped by ECM lights.

If you want a UAV or not depends on how much of the above you expect. If you are slow and big, you probably won't go scouting alot. If you are fast, you have less problems with lights.
I use them in my LRM Trebuchets because there are times when I need to do some scouting. I use TAG as well.

Edited by Denolven, 27 June 2014 - 02:51 AM.

[Ovion]

No.

UAVs ideally need to be dropped closer to the enemy than the Missile Boats should be for effective combat.

Preferably, the scouts would have them.
A scout really should have a BAP, Target Info Gathering, a UAV and TAG/NARC, ECM being a definate bonus.
Of course there's ****** all rewards for doing this, but that's the ideal.

Missile Boats should be near the main group, but slightly back, able to launch from around 600-900M, preferably with a medium or two for protection, with the heavier hitting heavies / assaults moving up to engage, again with 1-2 mediums for support and to counter enemy light hunters.