102 replies to this topic

[Steffenximus]

It has AC20. Gee, I wonder what tactics should you use... close combat ?

[Vasces Diablo]

Tactic 1: don't pilot a Hunchback
Tactic 2: get rid of the 20 for something with some range. That mech gives up much for the 20 and everyone knows its there, which makes you a prime target at range.
Tactic 3: hide behind something solid (large rock, building, mountain of PGI cash from founders program) and wait for them to come to you.

[Glythe]

Nik Van Rhijn, on 02 July 2012 - 10:19 AM, said:

They've taken out the minimum range for AC's and Gauss Rifles as they couldn't come up with a plausible explanation for shells not existing until 60m from the muzzle :0

Don't suppose you can provide a quote for that? Also is there any word on PPC? I mean the one reason to bring an ER PPC is because the regular PPC has a minimum range (and you pay for that min range with extra heat costs)

[Nik Van Rhijn]

[DAVID] With minimum ranges, it depends on how justified we can be in putting them into the game without them being silly. For PPCs, there’s mentions in the lore about they don’t reach a full charge at close ranges so as not to damage the attacker’s own electronic systems. LRMs, being meant for long range, do not necessarily arm before they clear a certain distance. But it’s harder to justify why you can’t accurately fire an Autocannon/2 or Autocannon/5 up close, other than it was a balance to their long range in the tabletop game, so they won’t be affected by any sort of minimum range. The tabletop long ranges, on the other hand, we’re interpreting as the maximum effective range. Lasers, AC slugs, and whatnot will travel past this range, but will begin to do less and less damage, and the effects of gravity on any sort of physical projectile will make it harder to hit your target. Missiles reaching the limits of their range will automatically detonate.

[Bodha]

Hunchbacks are a guy with a big shotgun basically. You should ideally find a key chokepoint and sit on it. Make the enemy pay heavily if they press that chokepoint. Alternatively you can hang back near the LRM support guys and protect them, but that seems a lot less useful for the team.

Think of yourself as operating under the MAD principle. You sit somewhere that makes the big enemies hesitate b/c they KNOW you will hurt them if they get close to you. Sure they will probably kill you with an assault, but if you cause them to hold back for a few minutes and support softens them up you will WIN the fight if they push late.

Whatever you do, DO NOT rush with this mech. You are too lightly armored to be an effective early engager. Instead consider yourself a corner holder and finisher. Once heavier mechs are badly hurt they will try very hard to avoid engaging you in close. Use that to your teams advantage to hold key locations.

[Ensidious]

SinnerX, on 02 July 2012 - 05:02 AM, said:

Ambushing scouts would probably be a good tactic, as long as you can find a good hiding spot.

My suggestion would be to learn the maps as fast as possible, and find flanking routes. If you can "sneak up" on a Catapult, they're pretty much at your mercy unless their teammates can chase you away.

For the Atlases, I would imagine hit and run tactics would be the best. Every played TF2 and taken on a Heavy as a Scout? Same concept, use your mobility to stay behind cover as much as possible, then hit it from behind while he's shooting at something else.

Another alternative would be adjust your load out for longer range, i.e. switching out the AC20 for an AC10.

Just my two cents. Remember, no plan survives contact with launch

Good tactic or plan and yes, had to comment with my favorite quote from the philosophical genius (pun intended) Mike Tyson, who said, "Everyone has a plan until they get hit" stated with best Tyson imitation

Edited by Ensidious, 02 July 2012 - 11:20 AM.

[Glythe]

Thanks for that Nik. Well I see myself as never using the AC 20 on my Atlas... going to go straight for the Gauss rifle!

That being said I think the hunchback would do well with the Gauss rifle as well.

[Grimarch]

as a comment lances have roles rather than individual mechs, stick with what the mech was supposed to do, taking a Hunchback and changing it to something else means you have the wrong mech.....

[Elizander]

For those who prefer to not be the lumbering thug, you can easily achieve 6/9 speed (Jenner fast). If Endo Steel and Double Heatsinks are available, you won't have to go XL and still have full armor. You would then have around 12 tons to play with for weapons like getting 5 Medium Lasers and an AC/2 for long range.

It all depends on what is readily available once we start playing the game.

[Wildcat]

Elizander, on 02 July 2012 - 12:00 PM, said:

For those who prefer to not be the lumbering thug, you can easily achieve 6/9 speed (Jenner fast). If Endo Steel and Double Heatsinks are available, you won't have to go XL and still have full armor. You would then have around 12 tons to play with for weapons like getting 5 Medium Lasers and an AC/2 for long range.

It all depends on what is readily available once we start playing the game.

Thats easy

http://mwomercs.com/...-devs-1-answer/

[Elizander]

Wildcat, on 02 July 2012 - 12:33 PM, said:

Thats easy

http://mwomercs.com/...-devs-1-answer/

Garth Erlam, on 08 May 2012 - 09:05 AM, said:

Obviously not all of this will be stock, and some things will be harder to get than others.

I was referring to the fact that some of these items might be locked until you can achieve whatever is needed to achieve to unlock them. Not everything might be readily available when we start playing.

[Wildcat]

Elizander, on 02 July 2012 - 12:40 PM, said:

I was referring to the fact that some of these items might be locked until you can achieve whatever is needed to achieve to unlock them. Not everything might be readily available when we start playing.

oh right, sorry /faceplam lol... well ya Dev did say some maybe locked... but as with everyone else no clue what is unlocked at launch... also wonder what it will take to unlock them

[Pililliilllilililili]

um... to be able to follow this: what is TT and VG and uhm.. ja those two..

[Elizander]

Pililliilllilililili, on 02 July 2012 - 12:56 PM, said:

um... to be able to follow this: what is TT and VG and uhm.. ja those two..

TT means Table Top usually. It refers to the original Battletech rules. VG I have no idea.

[AlmightyTundra]

well you couldt try to stay in range of your firesupport mates and let the enemy come to you ?

or?

[Elizander]

Wildcat, on 02 July 2012 - 12:45 PM, said:

oh right, sorry /faceplam lol... well ya Dev did say some maybe locked... but as with everyone else no clue what is unlocked at launch... also wonder what it will take to unlock them

I was thinking you'd unlock them through Community Warfare with the houses and factions, but since that's not going to be here for launch (90 days or so after open beta they say) then I have no idea. They didn't mention unlocking items through pilot levels (at least I don't remember them saying so). Other than pilot levels, all that is left is mech levels. I really have no clue at this point and I think I'll just wait instead of speculating about it.

[Bodha]

Roles in lances will be vary a lot. The generic ide

Darq, on 02 July 2012 - 09:43 AM, said:

I picture the rolls of a Lance as:

• A Scout (to find the bad guys and light um up for the long range support)
  
• Long Range Support (Rain hell on whatever the scout finds / bad guys hiding around corners)
  
• Assault (Kill bad guys)
  
• Medium Security (Keep the bad guys scouts from lighting up YOUR friends and keep more manueverable Mechs off the back sides of the Assault / Long Range Support guys - this is the job I picture a Hunchback excelling in).

Thats one format of the lance roles, but there are a bunch of other options.

One that I think will come into play will be reversing the heavy and medium roles. Basically run a light as a scout, bring a trebuchet (50 ton medium with LRMs) for long range support, and then use the heavy for closer in firepower to escort the assault. You could get a different heavy, OR just retool the catapult with SRMs.

Generally though I think people will have 1 scout, 1-2 long range shooters, and 1-2 short range shooter/brawlers. If a lance goes for more long range they will want to keep the distance open for as long as possible, while a more brawler oriented force will want to close in. Either style though will likely benefit from have 1 guy in the other format. Brawlers need a support to suppress the enemy as they close in, and the support need at least 1 brawler to delay the enemy from closing the engagement range.

All support or all brawler lance formats will likely have more issues, but could also be a lot of fun if the enemy doesnt react to them correctly or they get a favorable map. What I don't think people will do much is skip the scout. A light that is too much gun happy could easily cost their lance the match. On the other hand a good scout can easily finish a heavier mech that is crippled if he stays alive and well until the late game.

Elizander, on 02 July 2012 - 01:18 PM, said:

TT means Table Top usually. It refers to the original Battletech rules. VG I have no idea.

TT - table top
VG - video gaming methinks

[ManDaisy]

Master the Ballistic Arch, turn you hunchback into indirect fire support.

[PewPew]

I don't think the Hunchie has any missile hardpoints, so it wouldn't be indirect fire support. If anything, direct fire support, but I wouldn't recommend it.

The hunchie is kind of slow and has mediocre armour, but what it does have is potential for HUGE burst damage. You may not win toe-to-toe with a heavier mech unless you have spot-on aim with whatever's on your right torso, but who cares.

So, what can you do with enough burst damage to deal some serious hurt, but not enough sustainable damage/armor to win a duel? Take out arms, legs, and weapon pods within seconds. Upon engagement, you can reduce your enemy's firepower instantly with a well aimed alpha strike. From there on, you can either engage after you've evened the footing a bit, or disengage. Hit, cripple, and run.

Edited by PewPew, 02 July 2012 - 01:55 PM.

[Kraven Kor]

All tactics for battletech basically break down as follows:

1. Is it bigger than you?
1a - Yes: Don't stand in front of it
1b - No: Probably still shouldn't stand in front of it

It is all about being able to apply damage while taking as little as possible yourself. Hunchback is a brawler, but it won't stand toe to toe with larger mechs for long. You want to get in, strike, and get out in almost every situation. Use trees, hills, and buildings for cover, and then come at your target from the side or behind. Get your lancemates to draw them into your field of fire.