62 replies to this topic

[Catalina Steiner]

You can use ONE air strike and ONE artillery strike on every map you drop. So you can use two strikes in one match.

A short time after I wrote this thread, PGI patched the game. Now you can carry only one strike, air strike OR artillery strike.

This has nothing to do with "auto-refill". Auto-refill just take care that you have new strikes without refilling manually if you used them in the previous match.

There is no possibility to counter strikes (at the moment).

Edited by Catalina Steiner, 14 September 2014 - 06:50 AM.

[Garegaupa]

Great guide, thanks for posting this!

[Koniks]

Catalina Steiner, on 13 August 2014 - 11:38 AM, said:

It's in the second post.
And I'm not sure if it's really a big difference but a decrease of 20% is a lot if you want to hit a point.
It's not NEW module, it's an improvement to your current module.

I meant more about where the smoke drops. When you have your crosshairs on a UAV, it will drop the smoke directly below the UAV.

Also useful to point out what happens when you drop a strike under cover (e.g. beneath the HPG or in the Crimson Straits Tunnel).

[Mr D One]

Good guide sir o7

If I ever need to use art or air I know where to go.

[ExoForce]

Air and arty can not be fired both at the same time to create (+ shape) hell area, right?

[Satan n stuff]

A couple of additions that might be useful:
You can place strikes below a platform if there is an enemy on top of it, the strike will then hit whatever is on top of the platform, assuming there is nothing else above the target. If a target is below a platform it can't be hit by strikes, though it might still take some splash damage from shells hitting beside the platform.
It's also possible to direct strikes over cover if you know a target is behind it, by placing it on the cover as close to the target as possible, this works best with airstrikes and doesn't work well if airstrike accuracy is used.

Strikes are also a good way to throw an organized assault in disarray, drop a strike somewhere in the middle of the attacking force, preferably near the front, and watch as the ones in the rear stop to avoid getting hit while the rest keeps going. This serves to break up a powerful blob into smaller manageable groups that are almost guaranteed to take severe losses because half of them is committed to the assault and half isn't. The damage and screen shake the strike itself causes further increases the mayhem, and might keep several hostiles distracted long enough for some of their buddies to go down.
I believe this is the single best use for strikes, unless your team is severely behind this is a game ending move.

Edited by Satan n stuff, 17 August 2014 - 04:02 AM.

[Catalina Steiner]

Catalina Steiner, on 13 August 2014 - 11:38 AM, said:

It's in the second post.
And I'm not sure if it's really a big difference but a decrease of 20% is a lot if you want to hit a point.
It's not NEW module, it's an improvement to your current module.

I need to explain this statement. If you unlocked the accuracy skill, you do not get a "new" strike consumable module.
But you get a new mech module (and you have to buy it for C-Bills) and additional to your consumable module you can put in this mech module "accuracy". Therefore you are using two different module slots for one strike (the one who will be consumed on use and your permanent mech module).

[wanderer]

xeromynd, on 12 August 2014 - 11:01 AM, said:

Eek thanks for the info, I'll hold off on buying then. That's something they really should make you aware of in the store.
I'd argue that spread shells vs. accuracy-upgraded shells both have their uses.

Note that the spread vs. accuracy is a matter of modules.

Simply blowing the GXP for Improved means you get 4 extra shells/bombs in the string- buying and installing the accuracy module puts them into a smaller AoE. It's always worth the GXP for Improved, but the accuracy modules eat up a module slot AND obviously make you choose between hitting a broader area or saturating a smaller one, where there's plenty of other modules that would be far less situational than upgrading one shot per match.

ExoForce, on 15 August 2014 - 10:01 AM, said:

Air and arty can not be fired both at the same time to create (+ shape) hell area, right?

Correct. Triggering one will start the global cooldown, meaning you can't fire both.

It's also notable that we'll see people reduced to a single airstrike OR single artillery consumable soon, rather than being able to carry both at once.

[xeromynd]

wanderer, on 17 August 2014 - 09:35 AM, said:

Note that the spread vs. accuracy is a matter of modules.

Simply blowing the GXP for Improved means you get 4 extra shells/bombs in the string- buying and installing the accuracy module puts them into a smaller AoE. It's always worth the GXP for Improved, but the accuracy modules eat up a module slot AND obviously make you choose between hitting a broader area or saturating a smaller one, where there's plenty of other modules that would be far less situational than upgrading one shot per match.

Yeah, this was before he clarified that Accuracy IS a module, I had thought it was a direct upgrade, meaning there was no option to change it after the fact. Not the case tho.

Edited by xeromynd, 18 August 2014 - 06:40 AM.

[Son of the Flood]

Good summary here. Thanks for putting this together, very helpful!

[MikeEcho]

I'll start off by saying great guide, learned a few new things.

I was also wondering if anyone might know the AoE (or approximate size of) of the air and artillery strike? I could see this being useful by closing off a choke point with artillery or hitting a line of enemy Mech's in a tight corridor.

[Marvyn Dodgers]

Dar1ng One, on 13 August 2014 - 08:13 PM, said:

Good guide sir o7

If I ever need to use art or air I know where to go.

Again, or even ma'am

[Ayrmoon]

Dar1ng One - If you can't tell the difference between a man and a woman, I think I feel safe in a 90 ton Mech with you on the other team

Just saying (and just kidding.... lol )

Happy Hunting

[Catalina Steiner]

I got feedback that some users never noticed an airplane on the sky. I really believe that because I'm the first in a match who calls out that there is an enemy UAV in the sky. Watching the sky has gotten more important.

Nevertheless I tried to catch some nice screenshots for you. Just one out of ten screenshots were useful but here they are:







Unfortunately I'm just able to play with medium/low video settings. It would be nice if you have other high quality plane pictures. Just add them here.

[ExoForce]

This is beautifull !!! Thanks Catalina. Right trail is weird... From now on I WILL watch the sky.

Tip: If You see a red smoke forming under Your feet and you are in a slow mech - jump if You can after 2 secs, as high as You can.

Edited by ExoForce, 21 October 2014 - 06:15 AM.

[JonahGrimm]

Couple of addendums:

the PRIORITY airstrkes are ready sooner than the normal/improved versions. That is their only difference - but it works both in the initial cooldown and in any subsequent cooldown.

The airstrikes literally target the center pixel of the arm crosshairs. The thing is - that center pixel can be very difficult to place precisely, and can go all over the place if you're trying to place it at range on a mech. For best results, always aim at the ground somewhere.

[ExoForce]

TIp:

IF You use accuracy, the enemy has more chance to survive running away from the smoke (less distance to run away) ?

Edited by ExoForce, 21 November 2014 - 07:09 AM.

[Satan n stuff]

ExoForce, on 21 November 2014 - 06:30 AM, said:

TIp:

IF You use accuracy, the enemy has more chance to survive running away from the smoke (less distance to run away) ?

But it will also hurt a lot more if you hit.

[Ano]

Just wanted to add a thankyou. Have been sitting on some strikes since the trick or treat event not really knowing the best way to use 'em.

Kudos.

[William Slayer]

I agree this tool on the battlefield works most effectively on the "Deathball" groupings that happen, often around a few Assault mechs as they push the enemy line. I know that I certainly back up when that red smoke appears.

This can also be a great tool to "soften up" an enemy when at the opening minutes of a match. With the CRAZY range that you can throw these strikes (literally right across the map) as a Light mech maneuvering into a position to Snipe or Scout, you can often catch the other team gathering at a "safe point" which hides them from LRMs line of sight. Dropping Arty into that group is really worth it, and there is no trace as to where it came from. It can be extremely demoralizing to them to get nailed so early, and in what is generally considered a "safe" area.