192 replies to this topic

[Nightmare1]

One of the best and simplest explanations I've seen for this game. Would you be willing to let me use it for new pilots? I'd like to post it in my Unit's New Pilot Training Thread, with your permission.

[Almond Brown]

Well done sir. The "commentary" was just Gold.

[fat4eyes]

New comic! This one's on feints:

Spoiler

A feint is pretending to attack in one direction, but actually pushing in another direction. This allows you to surprise your enemy while they're dealing with the fake attack.

The fake attack force must be convincing enough for the enemy to commit their force to deal with them. They must also stay alive long enough to keep the enemy's attention while your main force does the actual attack. To defend against feints, always check the actual size of the enemy's attack before committing your entire force, or position yourself so that you can still handle attacks from other directions if an enemy attack turns out to be fake.

This tactic is useful when trying to get into areas with multiple well-defined entrances like Terra Therma, or the Community Warfare maps.

[Duke916]

Great job Fat4eyes,
You obviously put a lot of thought and work into this. It will be very helpful for all who read it. The PUG matches should be even more enjoyable now if all use your instruction here. We've got it linked.
regards

[fat4eyes]

New comic! The one on fake basecaps:

Spoiler

When playing Assault, you can trick your enemy into splitting their forces by pretending to cap their base. Once their forces are split, your team can then use their numerical advantage to defeat your enemy. This is most effective when both teams are already engaged, to split the enemy's attention and give you an advantage.

To avoid falling for this trick, wait for a few seconds when you hear the "Base is being captured" message. Watch how fast your base's health is going down, you can guess how many enemy mechs are capping your base from that. Only go back to your base if you're fast enough to get there in time, or if you estimate your current combat will take a longer to finish than losing your base. If you're an assault or heavy already in combat with the enemy, DO NOT RETURN TO BASE until you've finished your current fight.

A little tidbit: This tactic is one of the Thirty Six Strategems. A good read in itself.

Edit: Thanks for the pin mods!

Edited by fat4eyes, 12 November 2015 - 06:18 PM.

[fat4eyes]

New comic, a basic one on pushing:

Spoiler

When your team decides to push, you must do it as a team. Charging forward one at a time will just get your team killed one by one. When you see one of your teammates pushing (especially if he's piloting an assault), go and support the push.

[Void Angel]

(This message has been paid for by the Terra Therma Widow's Society)

AHahaha!

[fat4eyes]

New comic! A simple one on how to use crossfire to herd your enemy.

Spoiler

A pilot's first instinct when taking fire from an unexpected direction is to take cover. You can use this to herd an enemy into a bad position by putting them in a crossfire. Go to a good piece of cover on the enemy's flank and fire at them at medium to long range. The enemy that is now taking fire from you will most likely go into cover and try to shoot at you. Your goal is to take the heat off your teammates on the front lines, and try to herd the enemy into a disorganized ball behind their cover. Your teammates will then use their advantage of position to defeat the enemy.

[Zainadin]

Thanks for the comics, they are a great reference and reminder.

[fat4eyes]

Here's another one! This one's on how to place UAVs.

Spoiler

A UAV is a consumable (cost: 40k cbills) that allows your entire team to see all enemies in the UAV's sensor range. It has a sensor range of about 250m and hovers 150m above the battlefield for about 30-40s. This combination of factors means that the best place to put a UAV is very close to to the enemy, so that it will have as many enemies in its sensor range as possible, while its vertical angle to the enemy so high that they won't be able to shoot it down.

The best place to put a UAV is just behind the enemy. This will allow it to detect as many enemies as possible while keeping it away from the enemy's sight. This is best done by a light mech with ECM to reduce the chance of detection. Knowing where the enemy is will enable your team to plan their attack, as well as allowing LRM-armed teammates to fire at the enemy without getting line of sight.

Another good use of a UAV is to warn your team of an incoming push. There's nothing better at getting your team's attention than 12 radar contacts suddenly appearing at 300m.

Conversely, it is also a good idea to pop a UAV just before getting into a brawl, particularly in an urban area. It gives your team an informational advantage and will help all your teammates make better targeting and movement decisions while brawling.

[fat4eyes]

Here's a quick little comic on where not to place a UAV:

Spoiler

Though UAVs can't be detected on radar except at close range, they can still be spotted by eye and shot down. Do not deploy UAVs in full view of the enemy, you'll just be wasting 40k cbills.

If you want to link to the comics for training purposes, you can do so. Just put a link back to this forum topic and give due credit.

Edited by fat4eyes, 18 November 2015 - 06:00 PM.

[fat4eyes]

I've briefly crawled out of the oddly Fallout-4-shaped hole I fell into last week to make a new comic! This one's on delaying actions:

Spoiler

A delaying action is when a weaker force attacks a more powerful force to slow them down. This can be useful in some situations, and this comic shows how a delaying action can be used to slow down enemy reinforcements. The goal of the delaying force here is to keep the reinforcements separated from their team so the rest of the team can win the current firefight. Once that fight is won, the entire team can then defeat the reinforcements.

If you're in the delaying force, remember you are there to slow down the enemy. Killing them is secondary. You have to stay alive as long as possible to keep them occupied long enough for the rest of the team to win the current fight. Be ready to move at a moments notice, always have an escape plan and don't get trapped by the enemy you are delaying. Fast moving light and medium mechs with medium to long range weapons are best at doing delaying actions. Their range and mobility allows them to avoid getting pulled into a brawl they can't win.

[Nathaniel Hawk]

As a longtime Battletech player but new MWO player I find these fantastic. Thanks for putting them together.

[Sereglach]

fat4eyes, on 24 November 2015 - 09:28 PM, said:

I've briefly crawled out of the oddly Fallout-4-shaped hole I fell into last week to make a new comic! This one's on delaying actions:

I know that feeling. I'm leaving 2278 Boston (give or take) to jump into 3050 Inner Sphere Battlemechs for the weekend.

Also, you continue to make awesome comics. Keep them coming. You've covered quite an impressive array of combat tactics so far. I look forward to seeing what you've got coming up.

Edited by Sereglach, 25 November 2015 - 10:02 AM.

[fat4eyes]

New comic! Another one on delaying actions:

Spoiler

Another use for a delaying action is to slow down an enemy team so your team can get to a strategically important location first. Some maps, like Alpine Peaks or Terra Therma, have terrain features (the top of the mountain at Alpine and the central crater at Terra Therma) that give a big advantage to the team that is first able to hold it. Slowing down the enemy so your team controls the location first will improve your chance of victory.

Remember, though, that your goal as the delaying force is to slow down the enemy, not kill them. You can't slow them down if you're dead. Stay alive as long as possible and keep the enemy guessing where they'll be hit next.

I'm coming close to the end now, only have a few comics left until I wrap this up. Thanks for all your comments and suggestions.

[Sereglach]

fat4eyes, on 30 November 2015 - 04:10 PM, said:

*snip*
I'm coming close to the end now, only have a few comics left until I wrap this up. Thanks for all your comments and suggestions.

Close to the end or not. These are amazing comics that hopefully everyone reads. Besides being pinned here, hopefully it's something that gets circulated around the Steam crowd when they start pouring in.

[Clint Steel]

Nice read

[fat4eyes]

New comic on screening:

Spoiler

A screening force is a small number of fast, mobile mechs that act like a 'buffer' between your main force and the enemy. Their main tasks are to prevent the enemy from scouting your team, and to make sure that your main force is not surprised by enemy maneuvers. They go after enemy scouts, deal with enemy light forces on the flanks so that your heavies and assaults can concentrate on fighting the enemy's main body, and warn of enemy flanking maneuvers.

Fast lights and mediums are the best at screening work because of their speed. They can react quickly to enemy movements, and are fast enough to escape contact with a superior enemy force.

Screening is different from scouting in that screening forces usually stay near the main force. A screen's main task is to protect the main force from surprise, not to gather information on the enemy.

[Mr Hunter]

Sereglach, on 30 November 2015 - 04:18 PM, said:

Close to the end or not. These are amazing comics that hopefully everyone reads. Besides being pinned here, hopefully it's something that gets circulated around the Steam crowd when they start pouring in.

Agreed, now we just have to hope that no toxicity flows in with the steam crowd. Also Great Work Fat4Eyes the comics are amazing.

Edited by B8hunter, 05 December 2015 - 02:05 PM.

[Dirus Nigh]

Great threat. Every one should read this comic.