Jump to content

- - - - -

New Player: First 25 Battles, First Mechs

New Player Feedback

68 replies to this topic

#21 Rogue Jedi

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Overlord
  • Overlord
  • 4,908 posts
  • LocationSuffolk, England

Posted 17 December 2015 - 03:07 PM

View PostTheRAbbi, on 17 December 2015 - 02:24 PM, said:

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)

#22 Not A Real RAbbi

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Survivor
  • Survivor
  • 1,688 posts
  • LocationDeath to Aladeen Cafe

Posted 17 December 2015 - 03:52 PM

I noticed. And I have therefore largely abandoned any attempt at it. Kinda hoping the 4v4 revives it a bit. :-/

#23 Rogue Jedi

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Overlord
  • Overlord
  • 4,908 posts
  • LocationSuffolk, England

Posted 18 December 2015 - 12:45 AM

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

#24 GotShotALot

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 125 posts

Posted 19 December 2015 - 12:55 PM

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!

#25 Rogue Jedi

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Overlord
  • Overlord
  • 4,908 posts
  • LocationSuffolk, England

Posted 20 December 2015 - 03:10 AM

View PostGotShotALot, 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

#26 IraqiWalker

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • FP Veteran - Beta 1
  • FP Veteran - Beta 1
  • 9,682 posts
  • LocationCalifornia

Posted 20 December 2015 - 03:19 AM

View PostGotShotALot, 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.


#27 GotShotALot

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 125 posts

Posted 23 December 2015 - 08:20 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...

Battle 13 - Tourmaline Desert, Assault
46 seconds matchmaking, 20 voting, 29 map load, 53 sec in Drop Prep screen. 5:38 battle time. 12-3 win.
Cadet Bonus 13: 500k C-bills, +130K match, 1,576 XP.

Impressions:
Spoiler



Battle 14 - Viridian Bog, Skirmish
18 seconds matchmaking, 20 voting, 24 second map load, 50 Drop Prep screen. 8:06 battle. 10-12 loss.
Cadet Bonus 14: 475k C-bills, +64k match, 225 XP.

Spoiler



Battle 15 - Forest Colony, Assault
16 seconds matchmaking, 20 vote, 58 map load, 12 seconds Drop Prep screen. 6:53 battle time, 5-12 loss.
Cadet Bonus 12: 450k C-bills, +58k match, 180 XP.

Spoiler



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.


#28 Not A Real RAbbi

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Survivor
  • Survivor
  • 1,688 posts
  • LocationDeath to Aladeen Cafe

Posted 23 December 2015 - 08:44 AM

^^^ Re: Atlas woes

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!

#29 SnagaDance

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Little Helper
  • Little Helper
  • 1,860 posts
  • LocationThe Netherlands

Posted 23 December 2015 - 09:44 AM

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. Posted Image
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.

#30 GotShotALot

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 125 posts

Posted 24 December 2015 - 03:21 PM

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)

Battle 16 - Canyon Network, Skirmish
12 seconds matchmaking, 20 voting, 39 map load, 40 sec Drop Prep screen. 5:25 battle time. 6-12 loss.
Cadet Bonus 16: 425k C-bills, +88K match, 308 XP.

Impressions:
Spoiler



Battle 17 - Tourmaline Desert, Skirmish
26 seconds matchmaking, 20 voting, 32 second map load, 50 Drop Prep screen. 7:25 battle. 12-7 win.
Cadet Bonus 17: 400k C-bills, +191k match, 3,030 XP.

Spoiler


Battle 18 - Viridian Bog, Skirmish
9 seconds matchmaking, 20 vote, 50 map load, 85 seconds Drop Prep screen. 5:02 battle time, 3-12 loss.
Cadet Bonus 18: 375k C-bills, +114k match, 848 XP.

Spoiler


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.


#31 Leone

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Ace Of Spades
  • Ace Of Spades
  • 2,693 posts
  • LocationOutworlds Alliance

Posted 24 December 2015 - 03:59 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.

~Leone

#32 Creag

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPip
  • The Defiant
  • The Defiant
  • 419 posts
  • Locationadelaide Australia

Posted 24 December 2015 - 04:02 PM

Welcome back and great editorial of your experience during the cadet bonuses. Nice job sir

#33 Rogue Jedi

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Overlord
  • Overlord
  • 4,908 posts
  • LocationSuffolk, England

Posted 25 December 2015 - 02:39 AM

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

#34 GotShotALot

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 125 posts

Posted 26 December 2015 - 10:30 AM

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).

(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.


#35 Not A Real RAbbi

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Survivor
  • Survivor
  • 1,688 posts
  • LocationDeath to Aladeen Cafe

Posted 26 December 2015 - 12:08 PM

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!)

#36 Rogue Jedi

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Overlord
  • Overlord
  • 4,908 posts
  • LocationSuffolk, England

Posted 26 December 2015 - 12:14 PM

View PostGotShotALot, 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.

good job

#37 GotShotALot

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 125 posts

Posted 29 December 2015 - 11:43 AM

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.

Battle 19 - Crimson Strait, Assault
12 seconds matchmaking, 20 voting, 45 map load, 33 sec Drop Prep screen. 9:26 battle time. 11-3 win by base cap.
Cadet Bonus 19: 350k C-bills, +131K match, 1,650 XP.

Impressions:
Spoiler



Battle 20 - Tourmaline Desert, Skirmish
44 seconds matchmaking, 20 voting, 30 second map load, 45 Drop Prep screen. 6:12 battle. 12-4 win.
Cadet Bonus 20: 325k C-bills, +142k match, 1,730 XP.

Spoiler



Battle 21 - Frozen City Night, Conquest
27 seconds matchmaking, 20 vote, 29 map load, 11 seconds Drop Prep screen. 5:20 battle time, 12-4 win.
Cadet Bonus 20: 300k C-bills, +169k match, 1,670 XP.

Spoiler


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.

Totals: 19,852,324 C-Bills, 9,029 GXP.

#38 SnagaDance

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Little Helper
  • Little Helper
  • 1,860 posts
  • LocationThe Netherlands

Posted 31 December 2015 - 06:45 AM

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! Posted Image

#39 GotShotALot

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • 125 posts

Posted 01 January 2016 - 10:43 AM

SnagaDance psychic powers... confirmed!

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!)

#40 Scyther

    Member

  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • 1,271 posts
  • LocationOntario, Canada

Posted 01 January 2016 - 05:48 PM

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.





5 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 5 guests, 0 anonymous users