6 replies to this topic

[Saroxis]

I play mostly mediums but recently picked up some king crabs while they are on sale for CW drop deck. So far the King Crab is awesome and I have really enjoyed it but I keep running into an issue. If I attack a position I do great, but If I dig in and wait for the enemy to come to me it normally ends poorly. In heavy's and mediums while defending I can back out or re position while playing defensively, but in the assault it feels like if I need to re position or retreat its way too late and I die. I am absolutely sure this is a learn 2 play issue, so any input is welcome.

[Ingga Raokai]

I think also because of you jumping in straight to 100tonner, i felt that assault kinda sluggish when compared to med/heavies. I also think they want the pilot to be more decisive and consistent, as in if you want to attack then move-attack-get to cover, not peek a boo over and over. like in Mining map (was it the name, or something like that) I was in Atlas S, fullthrottle heading to a cover, mean while if there is an enemy i can shoot then shoot and keep moving to cover. "Usually" the med/heavies will follow the assault's heading.

[Eaerie]

Most assaults are to slow to wait to move like a heavy or medium, you have to plan your actions in advance and anticipate where you should be and when you need to move, cause once you start you are committed. if you wait to long to move you get swamped by enemies, if you move at the wrong time you get focus fire from the enemy and heaven forbid you end up apart from the team at that point you are like a baby sheep waiting to be eaten by some lights.
The main problems i see when people decide to try and hold a position they
1. do not get the help of a couple teammates and get left alone
2. they start trading shots in a peek a boo fashion, the enemy start suppressing the area, you keep attempting to peek out once in a while while the enemy team moves in 3 or 4 mechs to wipe you out.
3. Can't decide on a course of action. commit to a move then get out in the open, start taking shots and decide to stop, turn around and run back to cover. It never works for an assault, you are way to slow and a big target. this not only is a good way to get you killed but the other mechs that saw you move and committed to the move along with you cause they know they should support the assaults when they push. (i know in pugs it is an iffy situation when an assault pushes if the team follows)

[Mannson]

I've been playing king crab on trial 'till the day I started and I too bought my own king crab.

Peekaboo style is not for assaults, especially king crab. Before you can even come around a corner to shoot at something, your arm and sidetorso has been peeking out for quite awhile.. Long enough for gauss rifles to make solid hits.

So, as engagement starts and everyone, even your mighty king crab has scuttled for cover. Start making assesment, look at the minimap, listen to the potential voiceIP and be patient. If you peekaboo, you must do it when no guns are trained on you. Yes, assaults can take whole lotta beating, but taking inecessary damage doesn't help your team.
If you got bunch of allies nearby, looking for good shooting spots then do call out your intent to push and do so, move towards enemies or better bunch of covers, acting as not only a meatshield for your nearby allies, but returning fire whenever you feel like can.. Otherwise, use your arms as shields. IF all goes well, you allies have succesfully followed you, shooting while you take the brunt of force and thus you have delivered firepower where it is needed.
Even better scenario is if you are intact enough to even deliver that awesome firepower of your own. So you have just broken out from supression and taken guns to a position that bring bigger threat to enemy.

On paper this is all so easy, but won't go as planned. Allies are always dependant on an assault to withstand constant barrage out in open, but assaults are always depending on their allies to not bail on their arses when assault decide something.

But here's one extra secret technique for King crab to make torsotwisting even more effective
Weapon bay door button, it opens your claws and lets your arms shield your torsi better! Must have when you need to survive and don't mind losing an arm!

[Saroxis]

Thanks guys good info in here. I have mastered the 2 king crabs I plan on keeping and am enjoying them but still get abandoned every few games. I did not realize I could open my crab claws that is excellent info. I have started playing the Zeus as well and he is a ton of fun, like a heavy on steroids.

[Atreus Ofiach]

The 3 biggest things that have been helping me with my KGC are

1)Assault. Seems simple but you have to temper aggression with map awareness and your teams willingness to actually scuff their paint to secure kills.

2)Communicate. Call out the grid you want to assault and ask for assistance. Results may vary here since it sounds like you're talking about PUG's.

3)Scream like this guy while unloading all your auto cannons

No seriously, It makes your bullets do more damage and your guns will shoot faster.

[aaykeem]

The biggest problem with public solo drops is that people will leave you for dead without a second thought. There's two ways to alleviate this:
- mount a bigger engine so you can keep up with the team - it'll hurt your firepower but will allow you to reposition better with the rest of the team so that you don't get flanked.
- communicate with the team and ask for support, insistently if you need to. Most of the times, it only takes a couple of strong voices to get the pug team moving and helping it's assaults. Sometimes, your team will just hide behind buildings, watching you get torn apart while your desperate cries echo through the battlefield

But overall, playing a 100 tonner in the solo queue is hard. I found that it's mostly a hit or miss and your success is dependent on a lot of different factors (of which not all are under your control), but most of all it is dependent on whether the rest of the team sticks with you or not.

You will have a lot more fun playing with an organized group, as the 100 tonner has a very specialized role on the field.

Another option is to drop down to a 80-85 ton assault and get it to move as fast as the heavies (65/70 km/h). It will behave closer to a more armored heavy, than an assault, but is a lot easier on the morale

Edited by aaykeem, 26 January 2016 - 05:09 AM.