62 replies to this topic

[RedEagle86]

Very effective on all maps. I've dropped (back when 2 were allowed) an Arty from 2.5 KM away on Alpine, followed up by an Air Strike. The group started firing at random directions. The group I was with killed 5 'Mechs that way, before we closed and brawled.

[Ano]

Actually, I thought of a question

If you place an artillery strike then, AFAIK, where you target is the centre of the strike area.

How does that work with airstrikes? Is it the centre of the "strip" or the start?

[Void Angel]

The starting point of the Air Strike bombing run is your smoke marker; the bombing run starts there, and moves in a line directly away from where you were when you dropped the strike.

A point: I've not found the accuracy consumables to be worthwhile compared to extremely valuable modules like Radar Deprivation, Seismic Sensor, etc. You guys may get different mileage, but I don't know that it gets used a lot - and I regret accidentally spending GXP on what I'd misread to be a passive upgrade skill. =)

Also, I've been noticing that my strike gets caught on objects that are not in my line of aim. This has happened to me recently in my Atlas and (I think) other 'mechs. Once I was right next to a wall in HPG; another time, it was just a low hump of terrain. This leads me to believe that there is an invisible line of sight drawn from some point on my 'mech to the target area - like a laser - but I haven't done any testing. Food for thought!

[Ano]

Thanks -- good to know.

[Satan n stuff]

Void Angel, on 22 November 2014 - 09:06 PM, said:

The starting point of the Air Strike bombing run is your smoke marker; the bombing run starts there, and moves in a line directly away from where you were when you dropped the strike.

A point: I've not found the accuracy consumables to be worthwhile compared to extremely valuable modules like Radar Deprivation, Seismic Sensor, etc. You guys may get different mileage, but I don't know that it gets used a lot - and I regret accidentally spending GXP on what I'd misread to be a passive upgrade skill. =)

Also, I've been noticing that my strike gets caught on objects that are not in my line of aim. This has happened to me recently in my Atlas and (I think) other 'mechs. Once I was right next to a wall in HPG; another time, it was just a low hump of terrain. This leads me to believe that there is an invisible line of sight drawn from some point on my 'mech to the target area - like a laser - but I haven't done any testing. Food for thought!

The upgrade modules are best used on mastered mechs with at least 2 mech module slots by default, you'll normally want at least one mech module that isn't a consumable upgrade and depending on what your build needs you might want two.

The target marking is hitscan and is aimed at your arm reticule, if there's an invisible wall between your cockpit view and the target, the invisible wall will be marked instead. If you're aiming for a surface that isn't facing upwards or anything that isn't part of the map, the smoke will appear directly below your marked location on the first upwards facing surface encountered ( again using hitscan ) .

In my opinion the shells should be proper simulated projectiles that can be heard shortly before impact, not necessarily for balance but mainly for dramatic effect.

[Void Angel]

Er, shells aren't really heard shortly before impact - they're heard after they pass overhead. The difference is that while people who have been missed by the shell will know it shortly after the fact, you never hear the shell that kills you.

As for targeting strikes, I know they're hitscan - but the issue I encountered was that I was able to shoot weapons and see, but the strike landed... oddly. The incident in HPG was in an Atlas. I was well out of cover, and could shoot weapons at my target - but no smoke appeared, and when I backed away behind cover, I found that my smoke dropped actually behind the wall, to my left. Atlases are really broad 'mechs, so this kind of thing happens with weapon fire all the time - I like killing things with SRMs that I can't actually see around a corner. So I'm thinking that the hitscan beam may be drawn from a point on the 'mech, and not from the pilot's PoV. It makes sense; otherwise, how would you work strikes in third person mode?

[TooDumbToQuit]

I'm a little confused. I think I've been hearing people calling grid numbers then calling something in (I just got Air Strikes etc)

So do I target the map (pressing for do I somehow target a spot with my mech?

Here is why I want to use it. We have been trying this invasion and killing wiped out. They will set 4-6 Mechs inside the gate and simply mow down one by one the ones that come in. So my thought was, if we could we hit them sitting there, we might have a chance.

Another question is if I use a strike, do I receive the damage from it's use?

Catalina Steiner, on 11 August 2014 - 06:08 PM, said:

Important things to know about the strikes:

1) How to aim:
It's easy to trigger a strike: you aim on a point and press the key you have chosen in your settings menu.
You should consider that the strike will be placed where you aim at with your arms (not the torso).

Here is a screenshot. The strike is placed on the circle, not the crosshairs.



2) Both strikes are available one minute after the match has started. Betty will tell you if the strikes are online and ready to use.


3) Strikes have a maximum range to place them. You can aim a maximum range of 2,500 meters. If you aim at a point that's further afar, you can see the symbol of infinity ().
You can aim at this point but the strike will be placed at a point with a maximum range of 2,500 meters away from you (mostly in front of the aimed point).





Thanks to Mr Everything (Youtube Guide)

Do you have to able to see where you shoot it?

And do i need to make a button on my keyboard to fire it?

[TooDumbToQuit]

P.S. everytime I search for something, I just get sent to the forums.

Is there ANYWHERE all this is written down?

[Koniving]

LikeUntoGod, on 05 May 2016 - 04:49 PM, said:

I'm a little confused. I think I've been hearing people calling grid numbers then calling something in (I just got Air Strikes etc)

So do I target the map (pressing for do I somehow target a spot with my mech?

Can't.

Quote

Here is why I want to use it. We have been trying this invasion and killing wiped out. They will set 4-6 Mechs inside the gate and simply mow down one by one the ones that come in. So my thought was, if we could we hit them sitting there, we might have a chance.

Another question is if I use a strike, do I receive the damage from it's use?

If it hits you.

Quote

Do you have to able to see where you shoot it?

And do i need to make a button on my keyboard to fire it?

Yes you need to be able to see where you shoot it, because it converges where the "o" crosshair points. Just like arm-mounted LRMs would.

There's some default buttons; check your inventory.

And

LikeUntoGod, on 05 May 2016 - 05:10 PM, said:

P.S. everytime I search for something, I just get sent to the forums.

Is there ANYWHERE all this is written down?

Yep, it's written here.... in the forums.

Btw, MWO's search function is for -- the forums.

[Void Angel]

No, sadly. We do need an official game-rules database - I'll have to put another thread in the Features Suggestion forums.

As for strikes: no, you cannot target a grid square - I'll explain that in a bit. Strike consumables are targeted wherever your arm reticle (not the torso crosshairs) is pointing when you trigger the strike - there are default buttons, of course, and you can re-set them in your keybindings. Strikes literally fall from the sky, so you can use this to your advantage with such techniques as hitting people on the other side of tall buildings with airstrikes (they can't see the plane or the smoke) - this is one of the few times an airstrike is not inferior to artillery. My personal favorite trick is to target a UAV hovering over a camping enemy force.

Grid identifiers are used to give clear locations in combat, where "left," "right," or "in front." may be useless terms. If the team is together and all facing one direction, you can get away with "flank left" if you're in a hurry, but "flank left through Golf Seven" is still superior.

In order to answer your primary problem, however, there's a few things you can do to break the lines of enemy forces camping the gates in Faction Play:

• Communicate. Use a mic and headset with your speakers off (line splitters are cheap as dirt and will let you plug a headset and speakers at the same time.) Don't chatter, remember that people aren't actually obliged to listen to you even if you're right - and realize that no one is more despicable than the guy who only communicates to complain - but talk to your team. Voice communication is a resource too valuable to ignore.
  
• Tactically, don't just stream in. Group up, and have a plan. If you're storming Boreal Vault, for example, you can't just push the gates - you have to clear the firing lines from the hills and base, and ASAP. So make sure everyone knows where you plan to go, and group up for the push.
  
• Call targets with letter designations to focus the enemy down. If you can't see the letter, use a description - both is optimal ("Hellbringer Alpha on the left!") If you are not able to identify a target that has been called, either shoot someone multiple other people are shooting, or call a secondary target ("Secondary Alpha, Dire Wolf.") Even if you're the one getting shot at yourself, don't get distracted; twist and mitigate damage as needed, but don't waste heat just flailing at the enemy team.
  
• Now we're ready for strike assets. The first people through the gate should be looking for groups of enemy 'mechs and dropping artillery on them; they should also be putting up UAVs to burn through enemy ECM if appropriate.

That's really all there is to the bare bones of the push. I've put a couple of guides I wrote on general tactics into my signature, and of course I cannot recommend This Awesome Tactical Illustration Guide enough.

Dangit, Koniving.

Edited by Void Angel, 05 May 2016 - 06:22 PM.

[TooDumbToQuit]

OK, I've used it a few times now. What I meant by damage btway was would I get the XP? Which I do and as long as I get 50K XP for each one, i'm good with it. The way it pays (beside helping) is "assist", i'm getting 50K plus on that alone.

Edited by LikeUntoGod, 05 May 2016 - 08:46 PM.

[Void Angel]

Ah, I see. UAVs are also excellent for experience gain if placed well (and not destroyed.)

Damage of any kind gets you an assist though - strike damage counts for your damage, but their primary use is to turn the tide of battle, not to farm XP.

[Audacious Aubergine]

If I have my arm reticule aimed at an enemy mech and trigger the strike, where is the actual target zone? I sometimes use artillery strikes as a panic button when I see a horde of enemies but more often than not I'm aiming at the centre torso of someone when I call it in - where am I actually telling them to drop some boom booms?

[Rogue Jedi]

Audacious Aubergine, on 05 May 2016 - 10:01 PM, said:

If I have my arm reticule aimed at an enemy mech and trigger the strike, where is the actual target zone? I sometimes use artillery strikes as a panic button when I see a horde of enemies but more often than not I'm aiming at the centre torso of someone when I call it in - where am I actually telling them to drop some boom booms?

the strike drops where the arm reticule (the O ) is pointed, if you are aimed at the Mechs torso then the strike will fall at the Mechs feet, however if you are aimed at the gap between the torso and the arm the strike will fall on the ground where it is aimed, perhaps 1km behind the Mech you thought it was targeted on, for example you can drop a strike by aiming at a UAV, and you can aim under the platform on Crimson to drop a strike up top.

[Audacious Aubergine]

Rogue Jedi, on 05 May 2016 - 11:05 PM, said:

the strike drops where the arm reticule (the O ) is pointed, if you are aimed at the Mechs torso then the strike will fall at the Mechs feet, however if you are aimed at the gap between the torso and the arm the strike will fall on the ground where it is aimed, perhaps 1km behind the Mech you thought it was targeted on.

This explains a LOT

[Satan n stuff]

LikeUntoGod, on 05 May 2016 - 04:49 PM, said:

Another question is if I use a strike, do I receive the damage from it's use?

Since it seems Koniving misunderstood this part, yes the damage dealt by the strike will be added to your total damage and match score, it will also count for any damage related rewards and/or penalties ( if it hits friendlies ) .

Edited by Satan n stuff, 06 May 2016 - 05:25 AM.

[Void Angel]

Audacious Aubergine, on 06 May 2016 - 03:26 AM, said:

This explains a LOT

Yes, that's one of the things it takes a bit to get the hang of. However, once you do, it opens up a lot of possibilities since you can drop the strike on any object that interacts with weapon collisions - such as UAVs. Most such objects will also block the actual strike "projectiles" as they fall from the sky; there's no actually rendered projectiles, but the game draws a line from the sky straight down to wherever the explosions will land. This allows you to hit people standing above you, and to drop smoke on towers and the like without warning the enemy. Conversely, if they're standing under a bridge (or the dropships on Scouting mode) don't waste the 40,000 c-bills.

[Tin Roof Rusted]

Didn't read entire thread so IDK if it has been noted.

I reported this issue tonight with the time it take these STRIKES to become active.

On different mechs and different maps, I started noticing that the opposing teams are dropping Art or Air strikes while my timers aren't even half way loaded!

I've seen it many times since I started paying attention and of course when I'm playing a mech that is using them. Primarily I use Art over Air..No reason in particular although as pointed out by the OP, it seems the Art strike is a better option since it hits in more of a circle that dropping shells in a line (which to me would seem it would miss many opposing team members in that area).

Just tonight in Grim Plexus, I got to top in my Flea to start map capture timer, a few seconds later I noticed the smoke from someone's strike.
I looked at my display and my 2 (Artillery timers) weren't even half-way finished/loaded.

[Tin Roof Rusted]

Just learned something else/new to me about strikes from a team mate in last game.

If you press your assigned button to launch a strike, and someone else is launching one (or just launched one), one of you won't launch. Instead, your 1 minute timer gets reset and then you are able to try to launch one again.

Not sure if it was an entire minute reset, it could have been less, not sure.

In game I just finished, I tried launching 3 times and every time it did this. The other guys said it used to NOT do this but they changed it in game to prevent (I guess) too many strikes at once..

That's kinda dumb really IMO.

[martian]

Barely Good, on 16 January 2021 - 07:51 PM, said:

Just learned something else/new to me about strikes from a team mate in last game.

If you press your assigned button to launch a strike, and someone else is launching one (or just launched one), one of you won't launch. Instead, your 1 minute timer gets reset and then you are able to try to launch one again.

Not sure if it was an entire minute reset, it could have been less, not sure.

In game I just finished, I tried launching 3 times and every time it did this. The other guys said it used to NOT do this but they changed it in game to prevent (I guess) too many strikes at once..

That's kinda dumb really IMO.

Yeah, they changed it about five years ago.

Imagine that your team is pushing through some narrow gap or it is pinned down in some tight spot, and it is being targeted not by one, but with multiple strikes concurrently.