YCSLiesmith, on 14 March 2015 - 07:26 AM, said:
Not really. LRMs are trash for the reasons i mentioned, and no one in CW uses them. Really there isn't a great place for spotters in this game, but if you DO want to be a scout, be a scout sniper. If you're getting in close to multiple enemies or using tag you are exposed and will soon die. if you're poptarting over a hill that only you can reach and you've got ECM up and are prepared to book it as soon as they start returning fire, you'll be in a position to help your team and do damage both.
G'day,
It pretty much depends upon what your views are on the role of a "forward observer" and what is that of a "sniper". To me, both are specialist occupations, to which I concede, both could be combined, especially in MWO. We both agree that a pure "forward observer" mech would be limited in the game, apart from maybe community warfare, where you drop with four mechs. My concern is that when the actions of sniping and observing are combined, whether undertaking one role will seriously damage or impact upon the successful functioning of the other role?
My basis of using a lighter, under armed mech, stems from precedence of WW2 combat. In this conflict, if forward observers were placed in a vehicle, it was usual practice to use a half track or jeep, not a gun tank. Even when a tank was used, like in NW Europe 1944/45, it was common to use a M5 Stuart with the turret removed. From what I've read, there was a valid concern that the completion of a successful reconnaissance mission was occasionally compromised by direct combat when a fully armed gun tank or armoured car was used. There is the temptation to use the heavy armament, even when a successful mission, means to silently observe and report. Even when a forward observer is on foot in the front line with the infantry, he's not normally armed with a bazooka, heavy machine gun or sniper rifle. His role is to observe and report on the enemy, not to fire upon them or give his position away by doing this.
However, we are talking about MWO and maybe the sniper can be used. After all, a good sniper normally relocates to another preplanned position after firing. Is all a matter of perspective and probably no right or wrong answer to this.
Regards,
Draughluin
Edited by Draughluin, 14 March 2015 - 11:30 PM.