SCHOOL IS IN SESSION BEOTCHES 
Envisage, on 05 December 2015 - 08:23 AM, said:
Whats your opinion on LRM's in detail. If you have to use them, how do you use them? If you're in command and designing a 12 vs 12 skirmish, how do you place lrms?
LRMs are second rate weapon systems that I would not bring to a 12v12 skirmish. The reasoning here is that:
A ) LRMs do not deal direct damage, as in they are unable to hit specific components of a target mech and that they take significantly more time to reach said target in order to deal damage. In a 12v12 situation where I get to build a team I'm taking direct fire weapons over LRMs since I can have my team focus fire not only specific mechs, but also components such as CT, Legs, or ST in case of an XL mech. With direct fire we can focus fire any of those components off much quicker than if we used LRMs which is a priority in any fight since quickly gaining a mech advantage is more valuable (generally) than having dealt more damage but having it spread out all over the target(s) that we decide to devote resources and time towards downing.
B ) LRMs are easily neutralized. In a pre-made 12v12 game we are going to have ECM coverage and usually a lot of it since it helps out with long range trading by not giving the enemy the ability to see our paper dolls (unless they scout us but we can focus fire that scout down quick), allows us to more easily flank since no red Doritos will be giving away our position (unless, again, scouted but we can put down that scout quickly), and because it negates missile lock-ons which helps protect against LRMs and SSRMs. But only 90m radius on ECM? So what in a pre-made we are organized and we stay close. That 90m radius we can work around and it will limit your LRMs effectiveness. Also, any competent player can take cover from LRMs and if Radar Deprivation is taken is nearly as effective as ECM. A well set up firing line will be able to deal consistent and accurate damage against your LRM team with minimal return damage if ECM and or cover are present. Lastly, we can simply close on you. IS LRMs have a minimum arming range of 180m and Clan ones drastically drop off in damage output within that range. With cover and or ECM we can simply get in your face and tear you apart since you won't be able to hit us within that range nor effectively escape us once we are on top of you.
C ) Teams without LRMs can spread damage out among the team more easily. The reason why here is because due to the LRM boat's inherent weakness to direct fire their best option is firing missiles from behind cover to hit the enemy. This means that these mechs are not rotating in to absorb any damage with the rest of the team to allow crippled mechs a breather. Because of this fact you have one of two scenarios that will play out; 1) you have some direct fire mechs but since they are at a large disadvantage against a full team of direct fire mechs they will be knocked out with very little damage returned to the enemy team at which case the LRM boats are rushed and killed. 2) you have gone almost entirely LRM boats at which case you go straight to the second phase and meet your assured demise once the enemy team sets up a firing line on you and or rushes you.
Envisage, on 05 December 2015 - 08:23 AM, said:
Joined question. is AMS valuable, if no, why, if yes, why.
AMS can be valuable but only if a majority of the team takes it and if the enemy takes a significant amount of LRMs. AMS only works effectively in large groups since each AMS shoot down only a few missiles per salvo. But again, this only matters if the enemy team devotes a significant amount of tonnage to LRM boating. When you combine that fact with the fact that ECM and cover can both neutralize LRMs the overall usefulness of AMS is diminished even further. Why devote a minimum of 1.5-2 tons (.5 for AMS 1-1.5 for ammo) to AMS when I have the options to take an ECM suite for equal to or less tonnage, can use cover for free, or could tack on an additional weapon system/ammo/heatsink(s)/larger engine and still be just as effective if not more than if I had taken an AMS system? Basically, AMS is useful in specific scenarios but is ultimately not useful/valuable overall because other options are just as capable in its specialized scenarios and are also useful in nearly all other ones too making them the better choices.
Envisage, on 05 December 2015 - 08:23 AM, said:
Is Tag useful? Whos should carry it if yes?
TAG is useful in that it shortens the lock on time required for LRM and SSRM boats, thus allowing them to deal damage quicker. Unfortunately, since LRMs have been explained to be sub-optimal weapons (especially in a pre-made 12v12 match) the use of TAG with them is ultimately a waste also since you are devoting even more tonage towards a flawed system. This leaves TAG with its only practical use in these situation, helping the SSRM boats. SSRM boats are very effective Light/Medium mech hunters since they deal alot of damage that, although spread out, is enough to punch through any Light/Medium in only a few salvoes. Because of SSRM's effectiveness in being used like this TAG is basically a necessity since it allows you to increase your DPS by reducing lock on time. I would definitely take a few (1-3) Streak boats with TAG in a 12v12 depending on the tonnage restrictions. If a lot of Heavy/Assault mechs and very few Lights/Mediums then maybe only 1 if at all since their effectiveness against the larger mechs is not as optimal as a good direct fire build with accuracy.
Envisage, on 05 December 2015 - 08:23 AM, said:
Is Narc useful. Who should carry it if yes?
Again, in certain situation yes. But the problem with NARC is that it caters to LRMs which are very ineffective in a pre-made 12v12 game. Add in that it weighs 2 tons, requires ammo, and does not have long range, ultimately it is a disadvantage to take. Only Lights are effective at employing NARC but I would rather have a specialized Sniper or Hunter Killer Light than a NARCer because they are able to actively help the team deal damage which is what gets you the mech advantage and wins you the game. If you aren't contributing damage you aren't helping your team win.
Envisage, on 05 December 2015 - 08:23 AM, said:
If you have answered NO to all of this. why?
And yes. This is a direct test of the meta, and how you engage it. You want to talk about optimised builds. Let me see a glimpse at your idea of optimization and where you draw your opinions from before we go any deeper. The LRM's are an EASY one.
Direct fire builds all the way whether long range, medium range, or short range. Whatever one you pick the team absolutely must focus primarily (but not necessarily entirely) on that direct fire range bracket, if you mix and match your team is at a disadvantage to all the specialized ones. SSRMs are an exception to this when it comes to hunting Light/Medium mechs. SRMs are counted as direct fire.
Focus your builds around 1-3 weapon systems that work well together. Having a wide range of weapons or weapons that don't sync well will limit your damage output. In your build for example ER PPCs and Small Pulse Lasers are not entirely optimal due to the heat output. A Gauss or LPL instead of the ER PPCs would be better.
Aim for 1.3 heat efficiency on all builds except laser vomit, which you can go down to 1.2 on even. Anything less and you will overheat much too quickly limiting your contribution to the team, especially on hot maps such as Terrible Therma.
When you "sword and board" (have a shield side) you almost always do so on the right side of the mech, not the left, since most mechs are right sided. This means that if you want to be able to effectively help your team you need to trade with them not running an extra 20m out to expose the left side of your mech. The ONLY time you do it on the left side is if the mech is INCAPABLE of running something similar on the right. I don't care if it has 1 less Energy hardpoint, fit that f*cker on the right side.
Mechs should use as many high mounts as they can with the longest ranged weapons having priority over shorter range ones. This is so that you have to expose less of your mech in order to fire. For example your Ebon should have the ER PPCs up top on the left torso but instead you have them in the arms limiting their effectiveness.
Don't waste tonnage on less important aspects. Running full armor isn't always needed, don't be afraid to shave off or even remove armor entirely off of limbs that are less important. Also, don't waste tonnage on Targeting Computers or Command Consoles unless the build has sufficient heat management and damage potential. If you limit either of those you are hamstringing your DPS and Alpha capability. Lastly, if you have a bit excess heat management you can shave off an extra heatsink or 2 to get more ammo/weapons/or armor depending on the build.
There are others but I think this is enough for now. If any of my fellow comp players would like me to edit some stuff or add some I will gladly do so.
Source of Opinions:
Unlike you I have participated in competitive games in MWO. My team won NA Division B in MRBC League and I also personally won 2nd place in a 1v1 tournament so I have a fair bit of knowledge when it comes to the game dude. Now there are many others that play this game that know more than I do so seeing as I know way more than you I would definitely be seeking their advice and following it as opposed to being stubborn, arrogant, and plainly insulting to them by refusing pretty much all they say to try and help you.
If you would like to have a real example of all this then I suggest that you go and get 11 other players, run your LRMs, and I'll grab 11 direct fire ones and we'll run 10 games. If LRMs are optimal/viable then they should win 4-6 of those matches at least. If you prefer not to then that is ok too man. I just hope that you actually listen for a change and humble yourself before someone else has to.
Edited by TheSilken, 05 December 2015 - 06:27 PM.
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