219 replies to this topic

[Lefty Lucy]

You hear it all too frequently in game.

"Hold locks."

"LRM boat here, press R to target."

And then they do little damage and die last, complaining that their team didn't hold locks.

Why is this? Are they truly gods of support walking among mere mortals with plebeian direct-fire weaponry?

No, they simply don't understand that "hold locks" also means "take fire from enemy mechs."

And then when they're out of position to provide effective support fire, people don't bother trying to hold the lock when it takes >10 seconds for the rain to actually come, because if they do they're going to die. A good LRM boat should only be firing indirectly when they *know* they have a dedicated spotter who is calling targets for them. If they don't have this, they should not be relying on IDF as a primary tactic, especially as this puts more enemy focus on their team mates with direct fire weapons.

So, to wrap up: if someone on your team is willing to hold locks, you need to be in position to take advantage of these locks or they take damage for no reason. Also, rely less on IDF, you're simply putting your team mates at a disadvantage.

[MechWarrior849305]

When I see in PUG match something like "Hold locks for your LRM support" I just reply "How bout getting in front and hold locks for yourself?" and don't bother myself anymore

[Triordinant]

I wonder if "high-level" players and teams even use LRMs. They seem more like a nuisance weapon system or pre-assault bombardment tool than a match-winning threat in the solo queue (I've never played in the group queue).

[C E Dwyer]

exactly left the good lurmboat pilots are those that are slightly behind the main group and can see the mech they're shooting at.

Then there are the rest that whine abd blame everyonre else for hiding at the back and getting picked off by lights, though how a teams supposed to hold locks and protect this one trick person is a mystery yet to be solved.

Triordinant, on 10 August 2014 - 09:36 AM, said:

I wonder if "high-level" players and teams even use LRMs. They seem more like a nuisance weapon system or pre-assault bombardment tool than a match-winning threat in the solo queue (I've never played in the group queue).

Most top pool pilots don't use them but when they do, for a laugh, the results have been stomp in their favour, most of the time from what I've read, this surprised me, as I thought it was all about the poptart

[Adiuvo]

Triordinant, on 10 August 2014 - 09:36 AM, said:

I wonder if "high-level" players and teams even use LRMs. They seem more like a nuisance weapon system or pre-assault bombardment tool than a match-winning threat in the solo queue (I've never played in the group queue).

Depends on the map. You see them on stuff like Caustic and Alpine.

[Lefty Lucy]

Triordinant, on 10 August 2014 - 09:36 AM, said:

I wonder if "high-level" players and teams even use LRMs. They seem more like a nuisance weapon system or pre-assault bombardment tool than a match-winning threat in the solo queue (I've never played in the group queue).

I haven't participated in any official matches with the SLDF, but when we scrim I haven't seen any LRMs yet.

We do see them in the group queue, and if we don't have sufficient ECM a good NARC spotter can make them nasty.

Edited by Lefty Lucy, 10 August 2014 - 09:41 AM.

[Sandpit]

this entire thread shows how a team mentality suffers when the "team" is more concerned about "take your missiles out in the front and get shot while holding locks"

You don't see ANY group or competitive unit saying anything even remotely like that....

[Bishop Steiner]

Yup. When I run LRM support, I am usually just behind the front lines, raining LRMs on whoever is being narc'd or TAG'd, or I get lock on with LRMs, while using my pinpoint weapons to engage other targets. A Good LRMboat can and should contribute directly whenever possible, and IMO, would be in a position to shift targets to support fire whenever a push is needed, or a salient needs to be contained.

My best matches are with a fellow GB, named Cavendish. Dude is a NARC GOD, and it's pretty common for me to be raining LRMs on his targets while fighting 1-2 others of my own, in CQB with me 4 ER MLasers.

[Helsbane]

Half of the issue is a big, slow, Lurm boat that thinks devastation can only come from 50+ tubes. Fast, mobile (preferably jump capable) Lurm units with the ability to stay in range and flank are far superior to the lumbering field battery that gets shut down when a single light mech comes calling. Griffons, Kintaros, Catapults, etc make better Lurm units than Stalkers or Battlemasters simply because they can reposition and keep the fire hitting by rotating around their enemy's cover, thereby eliminating its effectiveness and often driving them into the open for other friendly units.

[Satan n stuff]

Sandpit, on 10 August 2014 - 09:47 AM, said:

this entire thread shows how a team mentality suffers when the "team" is more concerned about "take your missiles out in the front and get shot while holding locks"

You don't see ANY group or competitive unit saying anything even remotely like that....

You also don't see any group or competitive unit asking other players to facetank for them, which is what that request typically means.

[Bishop Steiner]

I always think...if I could get every mech on the team to carry a single LRM10 (especially Clan MEchs, for all of 2.5 tons) then you would have the equivalent of 2-3 LRMboats, without actually having the dead weight that 2-3 dedicated LRMboats can become with just a little ECM on the OpFor.

[Sandpit]

Satan n stuff, on 10 August 2014 - 09:50 AM, said:

You also don't see any group or competitive unit asking other players to facetank for them, which is what that request typically means.

there's a big difference in spotting and facehugging, which again shows how a team based game suffers when you throw in the "it's all about me and my KDR" mentality

it's called teamwork...

[Lefty Lucy]

Sandpit, on 10 August 2014 - 09:55 AM, said:

there's a big difference in spotting and facehugging, which again shows how a team based game suffers when you throw in the "it's all about me and my KDR" mentality

it's called teamwork...

But the problem is often not the spotter part of the team, but the LRM part of the team.

[LauLiao]

Lefty Lucy, on 10 August 2014 - 09:19 AM, said:

You hear it all too frequently in game.

"Hold locks."

"LRM boat here, press R to target."

And then they do little damage and die last, complaining that their team didn't hold locks.

Why is this? Are they truly gods of support walking among mere mortals with plebeian direct-fire weaponry?

No, they simply don't understand that "hold locks" also means "take fire from enemy mechs."

And then when they're out of position to provide effective support fire, people don't bother trying to hold the lock when it takes >10 seconds for the rain to actually come, because if they do they're going to die. A good LRM boat should only be firing indirectly when they *know* they have a dedicated spotter who is calling targets for them. If they don't have this, they should not be relying on IDF as a primary tactic, especially as this puts more enemy focus on their team mates with direct fire weapons.

So, to wrap up: if someone on your team is willing to hold locks, you need to be in position to take advantage of these locks or they take damage for no reason. Also, rely less on IDF, you're simply putting your team mates at a disadvantage.

I frequently run LRM boats and I approve of this message.

The other thing that gets me is the LRM boat with no BAP, no TAG, and will stay WAY behind the lines then complain that no one gave him locks when half the enemy team had ECM.

[Sandpit]

Lefty Lucy, on 10 August 2014 - 09:59 AM, said:

But the problem is often not the spotter part of the team, but the LRM part of the team.

look through the responses in this thread

THAT'S the problem, not LRM boats needing support from their teammates to be used effectively. There's a reason you see 2-3 LRM boats able to wreck face when they're on a team that actually helps support them instead of saying "run out there and get your own locks loser"

that's called teamwork

[Lefty Lucy]

Sandpit, on 10 August 2014 - 10:02 AM, said:

look through the responses in this thread

THAT'S the problem, not LRM boats needing support from their teammates to be used effectively. There's a reason you see 2-3 LRM boats able to wreck face when they're on a team that actually helps support them instead of saying "run out there and get your own locks loser"

that's called teamwork

One person said that. One. Not the whole thread.

LauLiao, on 10 August 2014 - 10:00 AM, said:

I frequently run LRM boats and I approve of this message.

The other thing that gets me is the LRM boat with no BAP, no TAG, and will stay WAY behind the lines then complain that no one gave him locks when half the enemy team had ECM.

Yeah, LRM boats often have energy slots for a reason

[Kyle Wright]

If you chose to run LRMs thats on you in my opinion. You are responsible for finding and holding your own targets as there is no way to communicate for to people. As a pilot who brawls and snipes I am constantly bouncing between targets trying to take people out of the fight and give my team the edge.

[Titus Ryan]

I actually had someone ask nicely for targets. It was something like "lrm support here, please hold locks if able, thank you"

[Sandpit]

Lefty Lucy, on 10 August 2014 - 10:05 AM, said:

One person said that. One. Not the whole thread.

point taken, that one quote? that represents a lot more in the solo queue than you might care to admit. I've seen it, I've experienced it. It's a teamwork culture versus a "me" culture and the average "casual" player in the solo queue falls right into

DuoAngel, on 10 August 2014 - 09:33 AM, said:

When I see in PUG match something like "Hold locks for your LRM support" I just reply "How bout getting in front and hold locks for yourself?" and don't bother myself anymore

Kyle Wright, on 10 August 2014 - 10:06 AM, said:

If you chose to run LRMs thats on you in my opinion. You are responsible for finding and holding your own targets .

case in point

[Goose]

DuoAngel, on 10 August 2014 - 09:33 AM, said:

When I see in PUG match something like "Hold locks for your LRM support" I just reply "How bout getting in front and hold locks for yourself?" and don't bother myself anymore

And you, Sir, is what is wrong with this game …