27 replies to this topic

[Morggo]

Looking for a training guide, manual or post (I know there has to be a good one out there) to help a heavy/assulty like myself when you crazy lights get on my tail.

Option #1 - Call out your need on VOIP or chat and hope a teammate is nearby to chase him off. I got that one and sometimes works, more than once I thought I was toast and all the sudden the smoke clears and a friendly Medium is crusing past the now smoking wreck of the Light that was hitting me. Nice.

Option #2 - ??

So, IS there really anything you can do at this point? I've tried the Dance, of course even with good torso twist and arm unlocked there's not much I've been able to do to plink the rabid little guy zipping around me.

I've tried backing up against a wall or obstacle to at least protect my rear, and last a little longer but yeah, death is coming even then it seems.

Sometimes it's my fault for hanging my tail out and getting separated, sometimes it's just being slower and left behind, etc... but is the answer simply... too bad, enjoy the spectator session that's about to come?

Edited by Morggo, 29 October 2015 - 02:10 PM.

[Kotev]

Equip streaks and problem solved.

[Poonbahbah]

Not sure about a guide but you'll find it helps if you can get your back up against some cover that way they can't just run round you willy nilly. After your back is against a wall you'll at least have an easier time keeping them in your sights.

[Xbwalker]

Poonbahbah, on 29 October 2015 - 02:16 PM, said:

Not sure about a guide but you'll find it helps if you can get your back up against some cover that way they can't just run round you willy nilly. After your back is against a wall you'll at least have an easier time keeping them in your sights.

This ^^

[DemonicDonut]

The dance is hard to master and it still doesn't promise victory.

The key is to damage them (obviously) but the problem is that most good light pilots will be able to kill you still. Granted you might strip most if not all of their armor, they can still win the duel. If your team helps you you'll be fine.

Make sure you are moving those legs while dancing.

Also depends on your weapons. Most lasers burn to long to do enough damage the short time you can keep them targeted. SRMs, ACs, gauss, erppc and pulse lasers (mainly small) will work. Ping also plays a role.

Let it be a reminder to stay with the group, and perhaps get seismic sensor.

Practice makes perfect. Perhaps find someone who is willing to circle you in a light in some private matches. You'll both need premium time though.

I'd be willing to help for a bit, but this weekend I'm going to be trying for that free timber.

Edited by DemonicDonut, 29 October 2015 - 02:22 PM.

[Morggo]

Sounds like the answer is stay calm, aim better, and keep tying then... at least my instincts are good in that I do try to back up against a wall. Just need to do better at fending him off it sounds like... practice, practice and more... (still haven't played with the Streaks, may need to give them a try once I'm better with my current loadout I'm learning).

I do tend to run pulse lasers (usually MPL's) and I get hits... just not enough.

Edited by Morggo, 29 October 2015 - 02:24 PM.

[Famous]

Leone posted this up under Guides and Strategies http://mwomercs.com/...ting-thy-enemy/

It's more general how to play an Assault, but there's videos and stuff too

EDIT: As a Light pilot myself, shoot the legs if you've got lasers. I know the torso is easier, but take a single leg out and they're toast

Edited by Famous, 29 October 2015 - 02:24 PM.

[KamikazeRat]

Famous, on 29 October 2015 - 02:23 PM, said:

EDIT: As a Light pilot myself, shoot the legs if you've got lasers. I know the torso is easier, but take a single leg out and they're toast

THIS... *sweep the leg*...... with lasers...get em open they'll know you ain't goin down easy, and most lights will scamper off and look for a softer target

EDIT: ok...so "sweep the leg" is a movie quote...i don't advocate a random sweeping motion, actually try to aim at a specific leg. "aim small miss small" (another movie quote. but its VERY descriptive) If you're aiming at one leg, and kinda miss you'll still do a sweep, but if you're trying to sweep, you're INTENTIONALLY missing...

Edited by KamikazeRat, 29 October 2015 - 02:57 PM.

[mailin]

What I find works for me is have one weapon group set with pulse lasers and set that group to chain fire. You don't do all of your damage at once, but you wind up doing more damage over a shorter period of time.

[Ryokens leap]

Half the problem is lights don't fight lights anymore. They have a big enough alpha to rear core at will and kills matter. Your lights are rear coring their assaults and vice versa.

[1453 R]

Lights were never really meant to fight lights. A twigweight duel is a complete waste of time for both players.

Generally you want mediums going for lights, not other lights. There are occasional exceptions, but for the most part lights arn't much better than assaults at keeping their guns on other lights. mediums are steadier, still quick enough to keep the buggers in their front arcs, and sturdy enough to be pretty guaranteed of winning any proper duel.

There's a reason lights in generally have gotten it down as an instinct reaction to give Stormcrows a really wide berth, after all. Streakboats or not, a Stormcrow is about the best anti-light predator you're going to get.

As for dealing with them in fatbros? Always going to be problematic. That's what you get for being able to eat heavies without much issues, unfortunately. To some extent you'll always be reliant on your team to help deal with lights, but any improvements to your ballistics aim will be a big help. Light pilots tend to sneer at laser sprays, but they pay real close attention when someone pegs them with a gauss shot or a few autocannon shells.

[S 0 L E N Y A]

Calling for help is never a bad move. Im mostly a LRM guy, so even in my lighter builds often I cant fend off a light on my own.

Even if you get really good at the "dance" some mechs are just so slow and have such limits on their torso twist that a good light pilot is just always going to be able to get your flank

[Ryokens leap]

Ya but everyone always leaves the assault lance behind and the lights are the only ones fast enough to go to their rescue.

[jper4]

back to a wall and aim for the legs if you can. as soon as a light starts taking leg damage he'll find someone else to play with. but if you shoot anywhere else he'll haunt you the rest of the match unless someone else drives them away.

[Eggs Mayhem]

To supplement the "sweep the leg" advice make sure that you're aiming at the pivot point of a light's legs, where the leg's axis meets the hip. The rest of the legs swing all over the place but the pivot point of the legs stays nearly constant relative to the body so you'll keep the majority of the beam on target as they attempt to circle you.

[bayoucowboy]

Agree with some of the above:

1. don't panic - try to protect your back, you usually can survive a few alphas to the front in an assault
2. call for help - map grid is important
3. switch to chain fire if possible - lights don't have a lot of structure/armor, so better to hit with 1 or 2 weapons than miss with all of them
4. aim for the legs - legged light is a dead light
5. lead with AC's - nothing is more satisfying than killing a light with an AC20
6. don't play on oceanic servers - nothing like a 5 ping oceanic player in a light running around you when you can't see them
7. complain about how Arctic Cheetah's hit boxes suck and how OP ECM and 7 energy hard points is

The streak idea doesn't usually help with IS mechs. Our streaks are heavier and limited to SSRM2's - so you have to have a lot of missile hard points to get enough to make a difference. Since there is so much clan ECM now, you also need to have either ECM or a BAP to counter and get locks (admittedly, I am trying this on my Zeus with 3 SSRM2's though - mixed results so far)

Good luck

[Tesunie]

Morggo, on 29 October 2015 - 02:08 PM, said:

Looking for a training guide, manual or post (I know there has to be a good one out there) to help a heavy/assulty like myself when you crazy lights get on my tail.

Option #1 - Call out your need on VOIP or chat and hope a teammate is nearby to chase him off. I got that one and sometimes works, more than once I thought I was toast and all the sudden the smoke clears and a friendly Medium is crusing past the now smoking wreck of the Light that was hitting me. Nice.

Option #2 - ??

So, IS there really anything you can do at this point? I've tried the Dance, of course even with good torso twist and arm unlocked there's not much I've been able to do to plink the rabid little guy zipping around me.

I've tried backing up against a wall or obstacle to at least protect my rear, and last a little longer but yeah, death is coming even then it seems.

Sometimes it's my fault for hanging my tail out and getting separated, sometimes it's just being slower and left behind, etc... but is the answer simply... too bad, enjoy the spectator session that's about to come?

Some advice has already been given, but I'll cover it just for completeness sake:
- Call for help. Grid location is important. A random "I need help!" doesn't actually help anyone. However, "Help D3" is far more helpful.

- If there is cover readily available, you can press your backside up against a (tall) piece of cover. This keeps them in your front arc as long and as much as possible.

- There is a way to defend yourself from a (single) light in open ground. If you just hit reverse and constantly try to turn them into your sights, they will our pace your twist and stay in your blind spot. The trick here is to hit the reverse and twist with them, when you can no longer keep up with them and they escape your sights, quickly snap your mech forwards (or even stay in reverse sometimes) and twist/turn your mech in the opposite direction. You should, even a good light pilot, catch them on the other side. Chancy, but it's better than nothing at all.

- If they don't have exposed torso components (or you can't tell), aim for the legs. If a light mech pilot starts to see their leg armor becoming quickly depleted and your rear/front armor isn't breached yet, they usually start to panic and will run away (typically to strike at a different time though).

- Another tip, when possible stay with the group. If's easier for your teammates to protect your rear, if they are already beside, behind, or around you. A light mech is less likely to try and rush a large group, or continue to fight within a large group. If your teammates run away from you (which the often do in PUG groups), then there isn't much else you can do. Request a regroup point, or ask for people to hang back in a form of chat. It sometimes works.

- BAP and 360 target retention module (very situational and probably not the best module to equip) can help not only cut through ECM, but can make a harassing light mech appear on other people's radar better and longer, letting them know where the "red Dorito" is. Many players will charge at a red marker in force, even if it isn't always the best concept at the time... Use this to your advantage here. (BAP cuts through ECM, 360 target retention makes it so you wont lose your lock on the light mech even if they are behind you.)

- Find other similar speed mechs on your team. Stick with them. Through thick or thin. They will be less able to abandon you, and will be more likely to help peel that light mech off your rear, but remember to return the favor! (Careful of friendly fire, as it still hurts!)

- SSRMs can help if the lights are really giving you trouble, but will be of limited use on other targets. Combine with Artemis upgrades for a tonnage and crit slot free boost to your SSRM targeting speeds.



I think that about covers the basics?

[Chados]

And if you have a 40+ laser alpha let him have it right in the face if you can and you got a shot at a kill.

[Morggo]

As always, much appreciation for all the advice. I'll be putting it to good use.

[DannDruid]

ac20 does wonders,especially to their legs