As primarily a PUG and an occasional part of a two man group, CW isn't really for me. I love the idea and the concept and, for the most part, the implementation. But I'll be the first to admit that CW is primarily for groups. While I wish it weren't so, and I wish that there would be some incorporation of PUG life into CW, I understand that's not a priority. That said, I have on occasion dropped into CW as both a PUG and in my two man, to very mixed results. I've found that generally, even as a two man, we're little more than filler, making up just one small group in a team of small groups or, more rarely, the final two pilots in a ten man team. So: Filler. That's all well and good. As I've said, I have enjoyed the few drops I've done - I usually stop before the feeling of futility of constant routs sets in, which is what happens (my CW W-L record is no doubt abysmal). I like that it feels more important contributing to a group effort than repeated solo drops (I'll confess to being frustrated even with the group queue lately, which is why I've gone back to almost exclusive solo drops).
My issues with CW are my own, and understanding the nature of CW as described above makes it not a big deal for me. I'm primarily a solo player - this being literally the only multiplayer game I play - or I play with one friend. I'm just not terribly social and, if I join a group (which I'm not interested in) I always feel like I'm letting that group down when I don't participate in training or group events and the like. I did join Robinson's Rangers for a spell, but the level of involvement was more than I was willing to continue. I'm sure there's a group for me out there, one that would be amenable to my infrequent participation. It's just sometimes hard to meet others' expectations when I have four kids at home. That said, I haven't tried the integrated comms yet, so perhaps once I have a chance to experience 12 pilots on comms, I'll be more willing to join a group.
I also have a hard time with the drop deck thing, which I think is mostly an interface issue - one that would probably be rectified if I played CW more. I like to change my mechs semi-frequently, and it's a pain for me to keep my four CW dedicated mechs full of modules and the like. Laziness on my part, but the effort sometimes seems inconvenient.
My last issue is one that's been discussed pretty regularly around here: Spawn Camping. I loathe it. I don't want to do it, and I don't want it done to me. I understand that at the point where spawn camping can take place, my team has lost the match (most likely) but I do not enjoy the utter hopelessness of having two or three mechs left only to know that you'll wait only to drop into a maelstrom of death. It's just not appealing to me, to spend that amount of time only to be vaporized, two or three times, in the span of four or five seconds. I get it; my team lost. But I'd rather the opportunity to at least turn around and attempt to engage the enemy. Give me just a glimmer of hope. The current set up doesn't. From my perspective, if the team has lost that much that it's tactical situation is untenable, then let me decline to continue wasting my assets (i.e. my million c-bill mechs). No competent commander would tell his last pilot, "Well, everyone is dead, the enemy has formed an L-shaped ambush around our drop zone. I know you've got three mechs left. Go get 'em!" It's just stupid. If we're pretending to play a military force, that sort of thing is immersion breaking for me (and yes, I know enough military history to know that this sort of nonsense has happened...).
That's pretty much why I won't be a regular in CW. Love it. Want to. Just not enough, I suppose.
Edit: I've been away from MWO for about two months and so while I usually keep up on events, I was unaware of the mech reward. Not sure if I'd have found that incentive enough, but it's cool for those who did.
Edited by Josef Koba, 16 April 2015 - 02:41 PM.