41 replies to this topic

[Hex Pallett]

Piloting a Direwhale in PUG is practically gambling.

There's nothing more dangerous than a Dire Wolf when the enemies do not see it there, because their visions are just packed with a bunch of heat signatures/target indicators. It goes without saying that nothing beats Dire Wolf in firepower - IF the teammates don't forget to circle around you.

And you have no idea if your teammate's gonna do that.

And there's nothing more pathetic than being gangbanged alone in a Direwhale, while the teammates 300 meters ahead remain oblivious of my situation. Oh wait, there's one thing - charging into a position, notifying teammates beforehand, and nobody follows you.

In a way, running a 35-tonner Light is way easier than running a Direwhale. The worst that could happen to a 35-tonner is when you run into a Clan Streakboat - who still cannot kill you in a single alpha, and you know it would become totally useless in any sort of real combat. If you screw up, it's yourself to blame.

But in a Direwhale, even if you're the best in the world, there's nothing you could do when your teammates screw up.

[The Boz]

Helmstif, on 30 November 2014 - 12:05 AM, said:

In a way, running a 35-tonner Light is way easier than running a Direwhale.
But in a Direwhale, even if you're the best in the world, there's nothing you could do when your teammates screw up.

These two points hold true for all Assault mechs.

[aniviron]

The Boz, on 02 December 2014 - 12:09 AM, said:

These two points hold true for all Assault mechs.

Yep, OP's frustration is not unique to piloting a DWF. The DWF, however, still has more firepower than any other mech in the game.

[xXBagheeraXx]

yeah its gonna happen. Direwhales get focused. if im in one and i see an enemy dire whale its getting my full attention. Expect to get gangbanged and stay in front of, or in the midst of the group. but don't nessiarly push. Get your side torsos ruined too quickly and you will lose half your firepower early in the game, which is why my best two direwhales are long range high alpha builds...brawler direwhales are nice when you can pick off targets one by one and just murder them under a hail of uac fire, but that rarely happens. Ranged direwhales are usually in the middle or a rear of a group and just as effective at short range as well as long with the crazy one shot alpha these things can toss out. Especially late game when there's a lot of ct cored mechs. you can easily go around just one shotting 2, 3, 4 mechs in a row if you have kept your armor up.

Dont let all the armor and dakka fool you. There are just as many enemy dire whales most games that can wreck your armor in seconds. Play it cautiously till later in the game with ranged configs then move in for the kills/damage soaking late game and you can have awesome matches. I usually rock hump like its a jager mech and go "Oh hey you arent paying attention to me, here have 80 points of damage!" They get hit go reeling into cover and im already ducking, cooling off, and waiting for another distracted target.

[xXBagheeraXx]

sneeking, on 02 December 2014 - 01:02 AM, said:

Been caught looking the wrong way by one is the only thing I fear them for ( can be devastating ) once you know where they are its all good

You are one of the smart ones. Evey one else i see in pug games usually wants to have a staring contest in the effective range of an 80point alpha...LOL

[Star Witch Esperanza]

the direwolf reminds me of when i ran a 30kph 6 lrm5 catapult. (for funsies not as a particularly serious build)

the damage i could put out was excessive, but i was extremely dependant on my team to be able to do -anything-.

It was pretty much gambling with pugs and i imagine a direwolf is pretty much in the same boat.

[Remarius]

TBH, despite having a Golden DWF I rarely use it. Just can't stand the slow pace and lack of manouverability. Amusingly I do enjoy the AS7-S but I run it with a 350 STD.

I know its frustrating when you get left behind and the other day I died trying to save 2 assaults left behind by the inevitable stormcrow trio and Firestarter A's that all rotated away at max speed. On the other hand the reason most people play DWF's in the solo queue is just to max their kill/damage amounts so lets not pretend its out of being a "team player".

Coincidentally Helmstif try not to sound so whiney and entitled - "if you (Jenner) die its because you screwed up, if I (DWF) die its because you (Jenner) screwed up". Wow.....

Edited by Remarius, 02 December 2014 - 01:50 AM.

[Kmieciu]

That's the reason I never use my Direwolf in solo queue - a Timberwolf is much more dependable. 25% less armor but 66% more speed and agility. In my opinion a TBR is harder to kill than a DWF.

[xXBagheeraXx]

Remarius, on 02 December 2014 - 01:50 AM, said:

TBH, despite having a Golden DWF I rarely use it. Just can't stand the slow pace and lack of manouverability. Amusingly I do enjoy the AS7-S but I run it with a 350 STD.

I know its frustrating when you get left behind and the other day I died trying to save 2 assaults left behind by the inevitable stormcrow trio and Firestarter A's that all rotated away at max speed. On the other hand the reason most people play DWF's in the solo queue is just to max their kill/damage amounts so lets not pretend its out of being a "team player".

Coincidentally Helmstif try not to sound so whiney and entitled - "if you (Jenner) die its because you screwed up, if I (DWF) die its because you (Jenner) screwed up". Wow.....

I play them because two or 3 shotting assault mechs makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside...lol

It doesnt happen often, but when it does. Its totally worth those 10 games before where your team left you behind and you got soloe'd by a firestarter.

[meteorol]

Yeah, the DW in PUG queue. (well even in group queue, because being in a premade of 6 doesn't actually mean you are smart or can play) can be a pain in the @ss to play.

I still love my DW, but sometimes you really want to punch your teams face over the internet. I have noticed (dunno since when this is the case) that all assault mechs always spawn in the same lance in solo queue. Every singe time i drop in my DW (which is currently, every time i drop) i end up with all assault mechs in my lance.

Now, common sense should (but doesn't) tell everyone to rotate towards that assault lance on most maps. But nope, lets play ring around the rosy no matter where all our assaults spawn. Which often leads to the assault lance being picked apart by the 8 fast enemy mechs OR your teammates hitting the main enemy force without the assaults, getting shot to pieces.

Just had a game a few days ago where all assault mechs spawned close to epsi on canyon. One guy said "ignore epsi" everyone was rotating around kappa (despite me begging them not to do so), no enemy there, they kept rotating towards the enemy spawn, while the enemy team cut off the path of all assaults that tried to make their way from epsi to the team. Needless to say, this ended in a 12:0 bash.

There are maps where it is not beneficial to rotate into a certain direction, but those aside, i would love if guys would just press Q and look where their assaults spawn. Nothing like having 8 of 12 mechs on H9 Hill (alpine) obliterated before the assaults even made it into battle from the far spawn.

[Remarius]

A few patches ago they changed that to cluster weights in the solo queue - 6 weeks maybe?

Agree on the rotation direction as what gets me is when mediums rotate but don't announce it while the assaults are engaged or taking fire already.

However, imo the example you use is poor as if you wait for the assaults to attack that hill the enemy gets their own assaults on top to fight you off as well and you have to attack in the open up the slope against their entire company. In many ways thats a good use of lights and mediums to hold down the enemy and slow down the other sides forces while the heavy firepower comes in. Of course that presumes an organised attack.

Coincidentally most assaults seem to get to that slope and just camp the bottom with their long range weapons anyway in the solo queue so a handful of lights, mediums and heavies get hung out to dry.

One reason people get very frustrated and post "Assaults should assault" threads.

PS: Atlases.... stop with the LRM's you're a lot better with other weapon systems.

[bluepiglet]

Hell, playing PUG itself is gambling....

Random drop is like a box of chocolate/poo, it feels worse than it actually is because it's always the later leaves a strong impression.

[Ulketulke]

Sure it is a gamble, but you can decide whether you want to gamble or not ^^ (take another Mech)

Edited by Ulketulke, 02 December 2014 - 03:22 AM.

[Myke Pantera]

Well, must have some disadvantage right?

As a light pilot you can more or less do your own thing, and you can decide when and where to fight most of the time. On the negative side, you get oneshotted or at least one-shot legged by good AlphaWarriors.

As a medium pilot you can outmaneuver some assaults, but you are almost as big as a heavy, but don't have it's firepower or armor or a lagshield on your side, so especially with all the quick clan mechs out there you better know what you are doing. On the plus side you won't get left behind easily and you are agile enough to be able to help out wherever you see fit.

Heavies are pretty much in the sweet spot between firepower, speed and armor, hence they are the most popular class.

In your Assault you are really depending on your team not to get isolated, BUT if you find another Assault (which can't outmaneuver you) in your DPSMonsterWhale or AlphaWhale and you aren't hindered by the map you will win every single time, unless you suck (given both mechs are fresh, and your build doesn't suck). I didn't notice Direwhales too much in my light/medium mechs, but in my VTR-9S(C) there isn't much you can do against a Direwhale once you are in a duel unless you can use the map/JJ to your advantage. What i'm trying to say: If maneuverability wasn't your weak spot, you would be ridiculously overpowered.

Edited by Myke Pantera, 02 December 2014 - 03:42 AM.

[STEF_]

I will never understand why ppl like so much dires.... firepower, and that's all.
True what OP says about team play and pugland... but let's face it: there are few problems to fight vs a dire with a heavy or with a good medium too (depending on pilots, of course)
I can twist and spread the dmg I'm receiving, meanwhile I can go on pounding that enormous nose that cannot twist and cover when it's the case.
One of most overvalued mech, imo

[Kiiyor]

aniviron, on 02 December 2014 - 12:43 AM, said:

Yep, OP's frustration is not unique to piloting a DWF. The DWF, however, still has more firepower than any other mech in the game.

QFT.

Out of all the mechs I have ever owned, it is also by far the easiest to simply pick up and do well with.

[LordKnightFandragon]

The Boz, on 02 December 2014 - 12:09 AM, said:

These two points hold true for all Assault mechs.

Which is kinda sad...every game makes Assaults so...vulnerable, when in fact they should be the most powerful and fearsome on the field. The Locust should fear the Dire Whale, not the Whale fears the Locust....but every game has to make the small stuff good so people want to drive it......when they should make small stuff vulnerable and weak, but design the game to more or less require it in order to really accomplish the game.

[Necromonger Commander]

When the Dire Whale came out it became much easier to play the Atlas DDC. Now everyone focused on the Dire Whales and left you alone.

[Shae Starfyre]

Bait Whale; 10 armor front, the rest in the back... no one's doing this?

Had a firestarter dancing around my rear for like 4 minutes while I continued to snipe the enemy engaged with the rest of the team (you have to make some micro movements to make the enemy thing you are trying to turn around in between Gauss charge-ups).

Edited by Aphoticus, 02 December 2014 - 05:03 AM.

[151st Light Horse Regiment]

Im with the OP.

Yesterday I played a PUG on HPG. All of our lights and two mediums ran after a single firestarter. That's 6 mechs chasing one... The FS wasnt even going for the base or anything.



So all our light cover and ECM cover ran off, and our assaults, including my DWF got smashed up straight away.

The only positive with being alone in a DWF, is that with the right firepower/fear factor, it cant drive some enemies away, whereas wiuth an Awesome or Stalker, they'd keep attacking.