At least on larger maps, I feel the scout role is terribly underutilized. You'll know a good scout when you have one; we won't shut the F up about enemy locations and conditions and so on.
agreed, and there is a good reason why scouting is under used, scouting is high risk (you are usualy in a Mech which heavies or assaults can kill with a single alpha strike) and low reward (getting 100 damage usualy brings in more cbills than spending the whole match spotting and scouting)
I still scout early if I am in a light Mech (about half the time) but after I have figured out where the enemy are and relayed their position I move into position to flank when my team pushes on them, unfortunately this does occasionally lead to me being noticed by someone who is a good shot resulting in a 0 damage game
Hey folks, updates in the works - just a busy weekend, plus event, plus I have to dig myself out of the black pit of despair caused by my disastrous foray into the world of Assaults... but I shall return!
GotShotALot, on 19 December 2015 - 12:55 PM, said:
Hey folks, updates in the works - just a busy weekend, plus event, plus I have to dig myself out of the black pit of despair caused by my disastrous foray into the world of Assaults... but I shall return!
do not worry, not everyone can pilot an Assault Mech or a Light Mech effectively, but most are OK with 3 of the 4 weight classes.
assaults are a lot less forgiving due to low speed and a team who do not always notice that they are leaving you behind.
Lights are less forgiving because some Mechs are able to kill you with one Alpha strike
GotShotALot, on 19 December 2015 - 12:55 PM, said:
Hey folks, updates in the works - just a busy weekend, plus event, plus I have to dig myself out of the black pit of despair caused by my disastrous foray into the world of Assaults... but I shall return!
It's okay.
Assaults, and lights, are the hardest classes to pilot in this game, because they are on the extreme ends of the mobility - armor spectrum.
An Assault pilot needs to be very familiar not just with the maps, but also with the common engagement locations, and how to deal with them, since you're so slow you need to plan what you're doing 4 minutes from now, and if the team does something erratic, that could throw a massive wrench in your plans. You also need an escort most of the time, and need your team to support you in order for you to win the battle for them.
Edited by IraqiWalker, 22 December 2015 - 02:38 AM.
Battles 13-15 feature the mighty Atlas-RS, Assault Mech: 1 AC/20, 2 SRM6, 4 Medium Lasers. With this much armor and firepower, surely someone is going to GetShotALot!
So strap in and brace for impact! This is gonna be a rough drop...
-Some good comms and (simple) direction calls in this one, voice/text both, helped the team a lot.
-Enemy spotted early, our team approached them as a group, decent focus fire.
-I stuck with the other assaults until we started to get flanked from a depression to the left of group. I turned with a heavy to face them, we both got focused down but did a fair bit of damage and gave the team time to regroup and take them out.
-As expected, I found that 3 weapons systems with different fire buttons, ranges, lead times slowed me down in battle. Practice would help this but it wasn't ideal for me.
-The slow speed and turn rate of the Atlas was difficult for me to account for.
-1 kill, 352 damage, survived 4:14 - which doesn't sound long but was almost 80% of the battle.
-South spawn, pack headed east, whole team pretty much dropped into the east depression. Had to follow or be left at rear and alone.
-Nothing spotted, no flanking opportunities, just walked around a large spur of cliff and then up another set of stairs. Basically, took us a long time to reach nowhere useful.
-Atlas speed meant I was towards the rear of pack. When their heavy/mediums came around the big plateau to our left (where we came out of depression), I was the first thing they saw.
-Turned to face them, fired weapons, twisted so right arm took damage, started backing away while twisting back for next shot.
-4-5 mechs firing at me, cockpit rocking like crazy, explosions blinding my window view, I doubt even 1/2 my second salvo hits.
-Even with the twisting back, right arm blows off, Rtorso blows off, center torso blows pop-pop-pop.
-0 kill, 116 dmg. Dead in 3:48, most of which was walking through that gully.
-Pretty much feel like I threw away one of our assault slots for the team.
-Despite my early loss, the battle is fierce; we are down 4-6, then up 8-6, then up 10-8... unfortunately our last 4 are already shot to heck and it ends 10-12.
-A few text-comms early, mildly helpful. I suggest forming a firing line arced in front of base again. Several 'roger, OKs'.
-Unfortunately, the first red triangle causes the middle of our firing line to stream out in a line after him - he pulls back, our guys get focused. 3 mechs down.
-I move to fill that gap in the center, still too slow, get there just as their heavy/med group showed up.
-Start backing off while firing, same deal as previous fight. I get one good shot off, twist to shield with left, start
twisting back, left arm comes off, I fire remaining weapons, left torso goes, I fire another weapon (still twisting), center torso goes and I'm down.
-0 kill, 153 dmg, survived 4:25. Still feel like I wasted an assault slot.
-I find the amount of cockpit shake and window-explosion-blinding a bit unreasonable, given that they are mostly firing U/AC/5s at a 100-ton Atlas and it ain't all hitting my windows...
3 matches, 2 losses for the mighty Atlas. I didn't feel at all like I was doing 'Assault class' performance. Obviously no mech is going to survive long facing 3-5 heavies and mediums, however I didn't expect to go down like a cheap pinata.
Well, live and learn I guess; or in this case, die and learn. Surely things will get better in the monstrous KING CRAB!
Totals: 16,843,000 C-Bills, 8,571 GXP.
Edited by GotShotALot, 23 December 2015 - 08:23 AM.
No worries there. While you DO need to keep up with the team as best the mech will allow, they also need to keep you with them. NO mech is going to last long when being focused by 3 or more enemies, no matter the mechs. Or at least, it's rare and a BIG accomplishment for the lone mechwarrior, and should probably have a highlight replayed on ESPN tonight.
What I'm reading, is that you're getting this torso-twisting thing. Losing the arms first, then the side torsos, and THEN the mech. Means you're spreading damage, lasting longer. NOW, that just leaves two things:
1.) Not getting left alone against multiple enemies (that's on many of your teammates as well as you, depending)
2.) Being decisive and putting the shaking-blinding damage on them first
Really, it's as much timing as skill. And I suck at the timing thing, CONSISTENTLY.
Looking forward to reading about your KGC exploits!
Hey, it's GotShotALot with some more cool reports! (somehow you make even your quick bites into the dust seem interesting)
Well, I guess these games illustrated why Assaults are considered to be unsuited to most new players. Excellent map knowledge and commitment to a solid plan are needed, as well as constantly being able to adapt to your weaknesses (for instance, when being jumped by multiple mechs you immediately need to back-up to the nearest piece of suitable cover you just KNOW is there, suitably twisting and returning fire all the time of course).
Yes, when things go well, when you're not ignored and when enemies walk ignorantly around corners on their own you are an absolute power house. But the rest of the time being an assault is hard work. And getting shot a lot.
Especially a short range build like the Champion RS. I think you'll do better with the King Crab. It's slower than the RS but has awesome weaponry that reaches beyond short range.
Battles 16-18 are fought in the monster KING CRAB, 100 ton Assault Mech: 4x UAC/5 and 3 Medium Lasers. Time to redeem my sad performance in the Atlas-RS I think!
Strap yourselves in for the next thrilling episode of: Meeeech Noooob!
(first 10 seconds give you the proper intro style)
-No comms in this one, unfortunately the team heads out in 3 directions, I stick with the assault lance.
-Med/heavy lance starts chasing 2 lights that spot them, the light/med lance crosses through middle towards them.
-1 medium (think it was a Hunch) and a light get shot down crossing the center area, I catch up to where the assaults are closing in on the fight zone.
-Med/heavies get flanked while fighting the lights and the reinforcements, 2 heavies down.
-I get to battle area and start pumping out the UACs and MLs. Unfortunately other team seems pretty mobile (lots of jump jets) and I am very quickly getting shot from 3 sides. Most of the fire is from the front though, and again while twisting I lose RA, RT and center torso in quick succession.
-0 kill, 498 damage, dead in 3:35.
-First time I notice, 'Welcome to MWO European Servers'. Ping 127. May have gotten this before just not noticed.
-Our 3 lances head straight toward each other, roughly towards center of map.
-We have 2 ECMs which is handy as other team seemed missile heavy. We have more lasers and ACs as far as I can see.
-Fairly straightforward slugging match, we march towards them in a ragged line, they try to flank a bit.
-I get some good hits in, and we sorta focus the first 3 mechs down before people start to split up.
-Once we aren't so grouped up, they pretty much focus all return fire on me.
-I try turning to head for some cover; once again, RA, RT, CT pop in quick order. This time I hear the computer voice say something about ammo destroyed though, so an ammo explosion may have helped that.
-2 kills, 337 dmg. Died at 6:56, but lasted most of the battle due to being a little more cautious with exposing.
-Move out, team splits in 2 groups, going both sides of some large central outcrops facing the 2 platforms you can climb to.
-Other team gets onto both platforms first and sends a lot of laser, PPC and LRM fire down on us.
-Our guys start circling around the climbable platforms, I guess to get to the stairs or just away from the LRMs.
-I get left somewhat behind, go around a big shell thing and walk right into another King Crab.
-Staring match slugout begins, I either twist a bit better or get lucky with CT shots: evil Crab goes down, good Crab strikes victory pose!
-Unfortunately, bad Timberwolf drops right off the cliff behind me, and blows out my rear CT in < 5 seconds.
-Check score screen, 2/3 of the team has dropped while I was fighting that KC.
-1 kill, 315 dmg, survived 3:57. Definitely felt like I could have made better use of the KC's UAC/5 power, just not sure how.
Another 3 match, 2 loss turnout for the Assault class. Not only was it 3/2, but I just didn't feel I was doing anything like Assault level, "4x UAC5 with ML backup" damage. Obviously I am not clicking here with Assaults - at least at this stage.
I will have to ponder this, and deliver some thoughts later (after I think up some really good excuses).
My sad, bad performance with Assaults means the company commander has busted me down to Scout mechs. Itty bitty lights. TINKERTOYS practically, with legs like pencils and cardboard armor.
I've got a bad feeling about this...
Totals: 18,436,000 C-Bills, 8,779 GXP.
Edited by GotShotALot, 24 December 2015 - 03:24 PM.
I ran into a GetShotALot in a normal crab earlier today. I was rather confused as I was expecting King Crab goodness, until I checked back in an saw the name variation.
Good luck out there with the lights, just remember, Never stop moving. Speed is life, run perpendicular to whatever's shooting you and most folk will just lightly splash lazers over you. Stay unpredictable, and you'll do alright.
not everyone clicks with all weight classes, there is nothing to feal bad about, I my self tend to do much better in lights, mediums, and fast heavies than assaults. my most successful Mech build to date is a MAD with a standard 350 engine taking up almost half its weight
Before moving on with the Light trials, I wanted to take some time to reflect on what I (think I) learned from my Assaults experience.
I specifically left Assaults and Lights to the end because from reading, I had gathered they would be the trickiest classes to play.
My previous experience in the mediums, some reasonably mobile heavies, and even from other games, had me in this mindset:
"Watch the map, try to spot vulnerable targets or decent shooting angles/positions, get in position, take shots, continue until return fire starts to come back, retreat, look for next position."
This worked decently with the mediums and okay with the heavies. With the assaults it was pretty much a formula for 'arrive too late, just as the fighting is hot, become a priority target, get focused down'.
As posters here have said, for Assaults I need better map knowledge, more experience with how PUG team 'flow of battle' is likely to shape up, and to be thinking 2-3 minutes ahead as opposed to 'where do I want to be now'.
Also, if/when I do play my own assaults, I will be configuring them for max armor on arms and torsos, obviously. My other lesson was 'No matter how much armor your assault has it will disappear fast if you are in the wrong position'.
With these lessons in mind, here is my plan for the Lights segment:
-Have my torso pointed in the direction I want to Shoot, my legs aligned to the direction I plan to Scoot.
-First mech spotted is the first mech shot at... minimize early visual exposure time.
-When taking fire, back off/cover first - figure out where the shots came from later if needed.
-When heat is high, disengage, re-position while cooling down. Squeezing off that one last shot when your heat is high often means Shutdown while in someone's crosshairs.
-Stalk the outskirts of battle while looking for targets - avoid being targeted by multiple mechs.
-Don't keep taking shots from one side - run/circle/reposition so enemy fire comes in at different angles on different components (like twisting/rolling damage on larger mechs).
(Most of these apply to any mech class, of course, but I am planning for light armor and mobility here.)
Okay! So, if the theme song for the Assaults was:
then the planned theme for Light Scouts is gonna have to be:
(the first 1:10 is the appropriate portion, reasons for which shall be revealed in the next daring eposide of... Meeeech Noooob!)
Edited by GotShotALot, 26 December 2015 - 10:34 AM.
My favorite Jenner track for he old Forest Colony map.... Feels appropriate, somehow, except for that one time I got one-shotted in the head by a dual-Gauss somethingorother. But that was a rare feat. Anyhow, enjoy! And keep the updates coming! (The spice must flow!)
GotShotALot, on 26 December 2015 - 10:30 AM, said:
Reflections
Before moving on with the Light trials, I wanted to take some time to reflect on what I (think I) learned from my Assaults experience.
I specifically left Assaults and Lights to the end because from reading, I had gathered they would be the trickiest classes to play.
My previous experience in the mediums, some reasonably mobile heavies, and even from other games, had me in this mindset:
"Watch the map, try to spot vulnerable targets or decent shooting angles/positions, get in position, take shots, continue until return fire starts to come back, retreat, look for next position."
This worked decently with the mediums and okay with the heavies. With the assaults it was pretty much a formula for 'arrive too late, just as the fighting is hot, become a priority target, get focused down'.
As posters here have said, for Assaults I need better map knowledge, more experience with how PUG team 'flow of battle' is likely to shape up, and to be thinking 2-3 minutes ahead as opposed to 'where do I want to be now'.
Also, if/when I do play my own assaults, I will be configuring them for max armor on arms and torsos, obviously. My other lesson was 'No matter how much armor your assault has it will disappear fast if you are in the wrong position'.
With these lessons in mind, here is my plan for the Lights segment:
-Have my torso pointed in the direction I want to Shoot, my legs aligned to the direction I plan to Scoot.
-First mech spotted is the first mech shot at... minimize early visual exposure time.
-When taking fire, back off/cover first - figure out where the shots came from later if needed.
-When heat is high, disengage, re-position while cooling down. Squeezing off that one last shot when your heat is high often means Shutdown while in someone's crosshairs.
-Stalk the outskirts of battle while looking for targets - avoid being targeted by multiple mechs.
-Don't keep taking shots from one side - run/circle/reposition so enemy fire comes in at different angles on different components (like twisting/rolling damage on larger mechs).
excellent, you have learned from what went wrong in the Assaults (the fact that you picked 2 of the slowest available Assaults did not help)
you also have a good plan for starting in Lights, all you need to do is put that into practice and you should do better than at least half the Light pilots in game.
Battles 19-21 feature the tiny Raven-3L! ECM Mech with 2 Extended Range Large Lasers. I'm a bit surprised there are no jump jets on this little guy, but perhaps his small profile and high speed (and ECM) will be enough to keep us out of trouble.
-Our team balls up, they spread out and try for an early base run.
-Even without comms, our team reacts quite fast, turns as a group, heads back to base.
-Taking them out in 1's and 2's on way back to base, leaving their slower assaults exposed and without support.
-Even though outnumbered in each area, they put up a good running fight which takes time.
-The fact that the team mostly stuck together allowed my ECM to provide a decent bit of cover, I felt.
-0 kill, 198 damage, survived.
-Exiting battle, got a couple "Error unknown failure" messages, also "@eResult: unknown" error, all of which kicked me out of game to log-in screen. Re-logs from there repeated the error/crash, had to exit entirely and restart to get back in.
-European servers again, 118 ping. Slightly noticeable lag but no real problem.
-I text 'ECM Raven covering assaults'. They stick together and I keep ECM on them as they cross the open areas.
-I think the 'ECM assault' message had some bonus effect of having other mechs head towards us also.
-They spread out a bit more than we do, I keep an eye on mini-map and adjust pace to cover the most mechs I can.
-Snipe while providing ECM cover, wasn't going hard on it but still overheated noticeably when foes came in close.
-We focus fire a lot more than they do, mostly taking them out in pairs as they come in from different angles.
-0 kills, 312 dmg. Survived.
-Euro servers, 116 ping.
-Our light lance (with one fast med) moves out as a wolf-pack with one guy voice-calling directions and targets.
-The med/heavy/assualt lances stay fairly close together and focused.
-Heat management much better here of course, manage to get some nice support damage in.
-Heavies and meds engage their first spotted mechs, assaults and an LRM Cat supporting, our wolf pack runs around the edges focusing rears, arms or legs of whatever we see then run away again.
-Couple of their mechs chase us each time which reduces their front line a bit.
-They did better on resources (360-472) but it cost them the battle I think because too spread out. Our light lance often capped (or canceled) a resource point between strafing runs or we would have been even farther behind - the big guns fought 100% of time.
-2 kill, 393 dmg, survived. Overall damage a bit low because of maneuvering, but did good damage when we had a target.
3 matches, 3 strong wins for the Raven! Whoda thunk it? I definitely liked having the ECM on me, and being able to cover parts of the team. The overall damage and kills were not very high, but survival was good because I was playing more cautiously. A good mech and fun matches, better than I had expected from Lights.
Good runs with those Raven, using two separate Light tactics, ECM support (only given to a few lights) and running in a wolf pack (not for slow Lights).
Both team tactics, and solid ones, but there's also the far more dangerous (for him) lone wolf Light. The close infighting strafer, or the ECM sniper (usually a role inferior for the team when compared to providing ECM support).
You'll be using the Arctic Cheetah next right? I'm looking forward to your look on the full on manic close range combat role!
I had originally said I would go with the Jenner next. However, I enjoyed having and using the ECM on the Raven, and I haven't tried anything short range so far, and those Cheetahs do seem annoying whenever they pop up...so yes, the Lights wrap up (next episode) with the Arctic Cheetah!
After that, battle #25 completes the set in... the mystery mech! (My choice for which chassis to start out in as 'my very own'.)
(Hint: someone has already mentioned it... MORE psychic powers at work!)
Nice write-ups. Keep in mind that whatever your 'first mech' is, you really need to be able to afford 3 of them to get the proper bonuses etc. on them.
1
TheRAbbi, on 17 December 2015 - 02:24 PM, said:
