This is an oddly not very clan like tactic but very effective.
The structure seems to be taking extremely fast medium and heavy mechs like the Ryoken(StormCrow) and MadCats(TimberWolfs) only into battle, and disregarding heavier mechs like Daishis(DireWolf).
The first rush is destined to fail which is why this tactic is so dangerous to beginners who think that racking up 12-0 means that you are winning. But usually the first rush will take 1 or 2 generators in addition to opening the door, which leaves one generator and the main objective.
Someone yelled at the team demanding that they stay at the omega objective and counter the rush by holing up there where all the 12 mechs can hope to hold the rush.
This could not be a worse decision.
We did that at Boreal Vault and what ended up happening was that the entire clan team would mostly ignore our mechs and go straight for the defensive cannon. And while we killed 34-12 or something like that it didn't matter because they killed the cannon and won.
the next game i warned everyone that the clanners seem to be adopting this rush tactic and this time it was on Sulfurous Rift. I changed my long range sniping mechs for 2 brawlers (Atlas trial and an SRM Centurion)
Now Sulfurous rift is a much harder map to defend against this rush because of the three gates.
The clanners had ECM and gates alpha and gamma were being attacked but 10 mechs went Alpha and 2 mechs went Gamma. The clanners streamed right through the gates and took 2 generators and lost most of their mechs 12-1.
It was looking like the same scenario all over again....
Instead, after the rush, I persuaded to the entire team we couldn't hole up at the base, if we did there was no way we could DPS down the mechs before they would kill the objective so we HAD to move out.
Luckuly the entire team aggreed and instead of holing up at the generators pushed out at the open alpha gate far from the main objective.
What ended up happening was the clanners were FORCED to engage us or be killed well before they ever got near the objective. Some less organized groups would feel the need to duke it out rather than running past us which may have been the smarter thing to do.
Someone had the brilliant idea on our team is if you were in a slow mech and they ran past, you could simply eject and meet them back at base. Which while counter intuitive to waste a perfectly good atlas is what you NEED to do if you want to win.
After the 2nd wave it seemed like the clanners found out what we were doing and instead regrouped for a surprise rush.
1 Mad cat was trying to cap the Beta gate that was still closed so all of our team holed up there expecting a huge rush at Beta. I ran my centurion to WAY past alpha to check on one my of lance mates that was scouting. Suddenly 12 mechs starting marching right down to Alpha gate, and while I lost my mech, i was able to warn and reposition the entire team to Alpha.
We held off the 3rd wave, but it wasn't over since all 3 gates were open now, and the Omega power generator was exposed for attack and is at 80% health.
The score was 34-20 in our favor and I thought it would be best to rush out to their spawn now splitting in 3 directions of alpha beta gamma, since we had lives that we could eject and get back to base if it was really needed.
Was in the Atlas Trial mech and extended myself out to beta gate, only to find the entire clan team out at Beta gate, warned all of the team and was taking fire from all directions from 10 different mechs.
The thing was that this was good, REALLY GOOD since instead of rushing for the objective, nearly 75% of the team were trying to shoot at this Atlas while the team regrouped to defend the objective at gate beta.
Finally we were able to kill the rest of the clan mechs with the main objective being barely touched.
So after my experience I have a couple of tips for you guys if you see this rush, I think this only works with Clanners since they are the only ones that have mechs that are fast, armored, and armed enough to make this tactic work. IS mechs like most of the Centurions, and Hunchbacks can't go nearly fast enough to make this tactic work.
Tips:
- You are going to win the first engagement, don't get cocky
- Realize that they are using this tactic in the first wave,
- After the first wave, PUSH PUSH PUSH right out the gate, Make them engage on your terms and not theirs, If you hole up at base YOU WILL LOSE gauranteed
- Push at the point where they came from since they most likely will come from that position where the gate opened
- Eject if you are out of position (This is fine since you will inevitably have more mechs than them, since they will lose theirs in the process)
- Brawler mechs are necessary to defend. Don't get me wrong, Gauss and LRM mechs are good for CW defense but if they are using this tactic you may be fighting close up so bring a mech or two that can fight close
- If you are in a fast medium or Light mech, be the ones on the outskirts or defending unlikely positions, You can always reposition yourself quickly to defend the 12 man rush.
- Scout after the 2nd wave, most people will find it too predictable to come from the same location a third time.
- After the 3rd wave push right out to the spawn splitting up the team. If they are out of position tell them to eject.
- Remember that you have the Mech numbers advantage, You can always afford to eject to reposition, it's not about your kill ratio it's about WINNING.
Edited by Bubblewhip, 02 January 2015 - 01:34 AM.