32 replies to this topic

[sbogo]

I don't know how strategic the use of recon will be used in this game but I'd like to see it's role more desirable. I guess I don't have any specific scenarios to lay out for you but perhaps certain game types could rely on recon over brute force or greater benefits for those piloting a recon mech, especially when it's a recon mech in an assault mech match.

I for one truly enjoy the recon mission and tried in previous MW games but there was never really an emphasis placed on them. I would love to see clans and groups wanting a recon pilot on their team and that pilot to contribute greatly.

So can we get some discussion and suggestions going on how to improve the recon experience?

Also, is there going to be a emphasis put on long range mechs needing a recon mech? Specifically those using LRMs and Artillery. Direct fire weapons wouldn't necessarily rely on a scout but the arty should.

I like how WoT does with their light tanks and radio range system. A recon mech could be used to remove the fog-of-war and relay finds to it's team, but if all mechs have the same area of vision then or communications, the recons wouldn't be necessary.

[CutterWolf]

Should just table these kinds of questions until we can see for our self's how the Dev's have set them up. Right we can only guess so its a little early to suggest that they won't be desirable........

[Tincan Nightmare]

Lol, from the various posts around the forum they are extremely desirable already. Right now the only way to know where your enemy is at is if you have eyeballs on them, so fast light mechs will rule as scouts. And yes scouts can pass targeting data back to LRM equpped units to call in friendly fire.

[Da Ugh 1701]

Tincan Nightmare, on 01 July 2012 - 07:30 PM, said:

Lol, from the various posts around the forum they are extremely desirable already. Right now the only way to know where your enemy is at is if you have eyeballs on them, so fast light mechs will rule as scouts. And yes scouts can pass targeting data back to LRM equpped units to call in friendly fire.

very true, I believe that the Light mechs will be needed & sought after. so that means a person who likes speed and can handle the pressure will be at home in a recon mech

[sbogo]

CutterWolf, on 01 July 2012 - 07:29 PM, said:

Should just table these kinds of questions until we can see for our self's how the Dev's have set them up. Right we can only guess so its a little early to suggest that they won't be desirable........

I'm not suggesting they aren't, well at least that's not how it was intended. Since there is little info available right now and it's a suggestion forum I just added my thoughts. That's the point of these forums, to ask questions and suggest ideas. My point is to start a discussion on ways the recon mechs can be utilized so hopefully the devs take it into consideration if they haven't already.

[CutterWolf]

sbogo, on 01 July 2012 - 07:49 PM, said:

I'm not suggesting they aren't, well at least that's not how it was intended. Since there is little info available right now and it's a suggestion forum I just added my thoughts. That's the point of these forums, to ask questions and suggest ideas. My point is to start a discussion on ways the recon mechs can be utilized so hopefully the devs take it into consideration if they haven't already.

Well that's how it comes a crossed. A better way of stating your topic would of been as you stated in this post, "Ways to utilize Recon Mechs" which I think would of landed you the responses your looking for

[Bad Syntax]

Capture the flag missions. A heavy would never make it back with a flag.

Hunt the baddies mission, scouts have longer sensor ranges, and can cover more ground and find the baddies. As long as a baddie is in sensor range you get a point every X time increments, the goal of the other side is to destroy the scouts, or hide.

I don't think there is respawning, but if so, lights could have say a 10 second, mediums 30, heavies 60, assaults 120, etc

Catch/defend a convoy mission, gotta be able to keep up.

But I hope they don't make it like world of tanks, the lights running out there to spot, soon as stuff is spotted everybody fires missiles at it. Then the lights would die and stuff would no longer be rendered, even if visible, that was uber lame. Right up there with ramming tactics.

There are plenty of ways to be creative and make people play lighter designs, I sure hope I see their creativity and not just a direct copy of WOT.

[Damion Sparhawk]

narc beacons. nuff said.

[Damion Sparhawk]

also, smaller mech, smaller profile, and enhanced ECM can make a good light mech pilot if not outright invisible at least nearly impossible to hit even when they're not speeding across the landscape. some mediums can match the speed of a light but the ECM packages are harder to come by.and bigger mech also means more of you to hit. I suspect every lance will need at least one high speed light recon mech at the very least, maybe with a medium support to help dig them out of trouble if they get pinned. I doubt you'll see too many teams running with nothing but assault and heavy mechs, even a defense mission is going to be over fast if you just stand around and take it, with only one 'spawn' per pilot there's going to be plenty who'd prefer to keep their heads down and sprint than to lumber across the field relying almost entirely on their armor to keep them running. I think ECM is going to play a huge part in the choice between going light over medium, I'm sure mediums will be able to get some ECM packages, but I'd also imagine they'd be less effective with the larger mechs for the most obvious reasons, more to hide=harder to hide.

[InPhase]

I hope a portion of the Kill gets awarded to the spotter. That would certainly beef up the desire to strap a scout mech on

Edited by InPhase, 01 July 2012 - 10:25 PM.

[Damion Sparhawk]

recon mechs should also get rewarded for surviving the fight, it's tough when a glancing blow from any serious weaponry can be a kill shot

[Adridos]

If you ever played DotA and saw how 5 carry teams got crushed, even though the carries are the strongest heroes in the game, you should have a basic idea of why would people actually use a light mech.

[Bru1zer]

C3 and BAP.

[sbogo]

Bad Syntax, on 01 July 2012 - 08:51 PM, said:

But I hope they don't make it like world of tanks, the lights running out there to spot, soon as stuff is spotted everybody fires missiles at it. Then the lights would die and stuff would no longer be rendered, even if visible, that was uber lame. Right up there with ramming tactics.

I agree but if the recon mechs are made to find the enemy and relay that information to the team it inevitable that this situation may happen and most likely will. If the recon mech can only relay to a certain range that would force the team to all stay within that range at least to be able to do mas fire arty or lrms at the spotted target. I can't see how making a true recon mech and mission can avoid this. There could be a limit on the amount of long range mechs allowed per match or perhaps a balancing system to match each team before even starting the match.

[Spleenslitta]

Are you worried about longterm survivability in a recon mech? If you are then you should concider this-

Load up with either an ER PPC or an AC 2 with CASE and plenty of ammo. Make certain that you'r speed is enough to outrun all the brawlers out there. +110 to 130Kph.
Use an XL engine if you need to. This survivability method relies solely on speed and range.


You do your usual recon job at the beginning of the match. But when the two sides clash togheter you hang out on the outskirts of the battle.
But your legs are pointing towards a piece of cover while you use torso twist to face the battle- That's important!

You shoot from maximum range and target mechs that are already damaged. When you manage to get somebodys attention you run behind cover or maybe you'll run away.

Thing is that you have now distracted an opponent who is most likely bigger than yourself but slower. Lead him into an ambush.
After the ambush is sprung you should run away and start over again.

Remember that if you can determine the range, place and time of engagement as often as possible you will come out victorious more often.
For that you need speed and long range firepower.

Long range firepower isn't all about having lot's of firepower and armor. It's also about having enough speed to stay at long range where you have the advantage.

[Eyclone]

360 torso twist makes the raven desirable enough for me

[sbogo]

Eyclone, on 02 July 2012 - 02:04 PM, said:

360 torso twist makes the raven desirable enough for me

I don't know what mechs are in the game yet and I probably need to do some more research or
wait before I start spitting out names. I hope there are different dedicated recon mechs and not just be light mechs modified into recon mechs. The raven is a good example of dedicated recon mech though.

[Syllogy]

Awarding points for spotting mechs sounds like a good idea, but I also lean against a level playing field for Recon Mechs when it comes to a standup slugfest with Mediums, Heavies, and Assaults.

Recons, in my humble opinion, should be employing Hit-and-Run, Ambush Attacks, and straight Spotting roles, not out of choice, but out of necessity.

As an asset to the team, Recons are invaluable for collecting data on the enemy, harassing enemy forces, and drawing the enemies out of formation, not by dominating the battlefield. (Not that Recon mechs shouldn't be able to damage heavier chassis, it would be dumb to be like WoT, and not allow lighter mechs to damage heavies.)

[Damion Sparhawk]

Syllogy, on 02 July 2012 - 04:19 PM, said:

Awarding points for spotting mechs sounds like a good idea, but I also lean against a level playing field for Recon Mechs when it comes to a standup slugfest with Mediums, Heavies, and Assaults.

Recons, in my humble opinion, should be employing Hit-and-Run, Ambush Attacks, and straight Spotting roles, not out of choice, but out of necessity.

As an asset to the team, Recons are invaluable for collecting data on the enemy, harassing enemy forces, and drawing the enemies out of formation, not by dominating the battlefield. (Not that Recon mechs shouldn't be able to damage heavier chassis, it would be dumb to be like WoT, and not allow lighter mechs to damage heavies.)

I don't think you need worry about that Syllogy, while it's true a medium laser on an Atlas does the same damage as a medium laser on a Raven there's only so much space and weight allocation on a light mech, a lot of the time you'll be forced to decide between speed and ECM or stopping power and trust me, if ECM works like it should, noone is going to want to sacrifice it on the light mechs, you just can't put enough armor on them to make it worth being spotted at long range by radar, might as well jump up on a hill light off a string of flares that spell out 'shoot me I'm over here!'

[Wildcat]

1st as its been said, we should try the game out first to see what its really like to play scouts...

However Scouts need tools, just like the bigger mechs have their own tools as in a variety of different kinds of weapons... for Scouts to make them more desirable, they too need Tools But of a different kind, the Scouts need a variety of different Electronic Packages to keep them selfs out of harms way so that they can get in close and Target Paint, Jam, Confuse Enemy radars and Jam the Enemys Electronic Equipment

And this could in fact be a role for Light mechs to hunt down and destroy Electronic Warfare Boats

Edited by Wildcat, 02 July 2012 - 08:34 PM.