Edited by Archang31, 17 December 2015 - 07:53 AM.
Unsure On Tactics
#1
Posted 17 December 2015 - 07:53 AM
#2
Posted 17 December 2015 - 08:11 AM
You haven't got enough missile power for getting kills. You have the Stalker with 5 missile hardpoints, use them. Drop endo steel, trade LRM-10s for LRM-5s and fill ALL the slots! Faster firing rates (ditch the Artemis) and more swarms with tighter impacts. Next, load up ER LLs instead of PPCs, and back them up with either MLs or SPLs for emergencies. Probably MLs as a novice until you get more suited (since SPLs are incredibly short ranged).
Use ER LLs for long outreaches. When they start getting too close DROP use of ER LLs and spam the MLs.
Try a combination of 2 ERLLs (arms) and 3 MLs for your laser weaponry.
Good luck, let me know how you do.
(OH! Go into "Skills." Unlock everything. Once you get Speed Tweak you won't have the problem of getting left behind. Acceleration's also a must.)
#3
Posted 17 December 2015 - 08:13 AM
On the same note, you don't want to be the front person on your team, as you have two weapons with minimum ranges on them. Let a couple teammates be just in front of you, and fight from there.
As far as other game play advice, aim for the right targets. Most of your weapons will favor slow targets. If you have a choice between a light/medium or a heavy/assault, shoot at the larger target. Your LRMs will be more likely to hit. This is, of course, dependent upon lock strength (how likely the lock is to be broken). LRMs require a lock for it's entire flight duration to actually be useful.
If you are being left behind by your team and you can't catch up... That honestly isn't your fault. There will be little you can do with a team that leaves you behind. Just try to keep up, and hope for the best on those matches.
Some build suggestions if you don't already have it: BAP. It shuts down a single ECM unit nearby, so it will keep enemy ECM from shutting down your missiles. Maybe (if it has the energy points, which I believe it does) drop the MPLs for double the MLs? This will help if an enemy rushes into your 90m minimum range of your PPCs (and your 180m range of your LRMs). This is preference as well, and only a suggestion. Do what works for you.
If you are looking for guides, I have a few LRM guides. A bit dated, but the information is still relevant. (Newest to oldest)
MWO: Forums - Lrms, Spotting, And You 6/20/13
MWO: Forums - Guide: How To Spot
MWO: Forums - Lrm Guide: Lrms Require Skill To Properly Use
And a guide on balanced mech builds (which is what you seem to have).
MWO: Forums - Guide: A Balance Concept To Mech Building
#4
Posted 17 December 2015 - 08:18 AM
1) Remember that LRMs (and non-ER PPCs) have a minimum range to deal damage.
2) Remember that after the maximum range the missiles will detonate in mid air if they have not reached a target yet. Maximum range is the travel path of the missile (including chasing a moving target to a point as long as you have lock), not just the distance from you to the target when you fire, so riding that max range too close can result in missiles being wasted before they ever reach a target.
3) Watch whether you are actually hitting a target or if your missiles are being wasted on terrain. The hit indicator helps with this a lot is you do not have a clear line of sight on your target.
4) Even within range, missiles (and PPCs and ballistic weapons) have a projectile velocity to them. The further away your target is, the more time they have to seek cover when the get the "Incoming Missiles" warning before your missiles get there. because of this, the most effective range for LRMs is really about 300-600m away. Mechs with quirks to increase LRM velocity help reduce this effect.
5) If LRMs are your main weapon (which many will argue they should only be a secondary weapon, but that's a different argument) stay about ~150m behind your main group. This way they are close enough to help you if an enemy group flanks you, and at the same time you are close enough to have a good range on targets to assist them without being so close that you prevent your allies from backing up if they need to (or shooting your missiles into their backs).
6) Missiles spread as they travel. Larger launchers have more spread than smaller ones. Because of this many people prefer multiple LRM 5/10 launchers instead of 15s or especially LRM 20s. Because of the spread, your damage will get spread out over several components instead of all in the same place on an enemy like most weapons. You can still get kills with LRMs, but they are really better at softening up opponents for when the fight gets closer or for teammates at closer range. Just like LRm velocity, some mechs have quirks to reduce the spread of LRMs to keep them in tighter groups.
7) Like other weapons, your LRMs will hurt allies, so firing at an opponent too close [in each other's faces] to allies will result in some team damage as well.
8) If you are going to run a LRM boat, I would suggest loading TAG on your mech. This can help eliminate the effects of ECM on your missiles, speed up target locks, and improve missile accuracy. In group, you can sometimes could on a teammate (usually a light scout mech) having NARC or TAG to help you with this, but in solo drops bring your own. NARC has a really low ammo count per ton and takes one of your missile launchers (but stay active on the target until it expires). TAG requires you too keep the beam on the target for a lock and has a max range of 700m, but uses an energy hard point instead of one of your missile slots and does not require ammo.
I played a LRM boat a lot when I first started the game (Trebuchet-7M for me), and I still pull it out from time to time. I also have LRM launchers on my King Crabs to deal some damage while I close range on a target (especially since the KGC is so slow, even for an assault mech). The Quickdraw has some nice LRM quirks as well as obviously the Catapult.
A player than really knows how to play a LRM boat to support your teammates can be a great benefit to a team, but in solo drops (unless you have a group that is much better than average about communicating during a match) you will likely be stuck in the lower skill tiers using LRMs as your main weapon.
#5
Posted 17 December 2015 - 08:19 AM
I hope this is starting to make sense already!
http://mwomercs.com/...t/page__st__300
Firstly, go check out that link in my thread on tactics - then watch some of my old videos on tactics (mixed in with tier lists and mech design).. I'll be doing videos soon over Xmas going through tactics.
Finally, go to http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/equipment and look at the weapon details of each of your weapon systems: lasers are hit-scan (instant), PPCs have travel time, LRMs have travel time... compare these to other weapons...
In general you want similar weapon properties used together and no more than 2 different weapon systems in a build (until you're a high-level veteran and only then if the build truly requires 3... which most players avoid).
Good luck!
PS: Lrms are bad - avoid.
Edited by MavRCK, 17 December 2015 - 08:19 AM.
#6
Posted 17 December 2015 - 08:45 AM
If you're going for longer range support, lasers are a better bet than PPCs unless ER PPCs, but using an LRM-style support mech does NOT allow for good use of PPCs or ER PPCs due to excessive heat issues.
While I'm quite anti-meta, I highly agree with MavRCK in this instance. The three very different styles of weapons have three very different mechanics and this is not good, you're still learning. Using ER LLs or LLs with MLs will still compliment each other in emergencies with similar mechanics, while the LRMs let you shower enemies you can't always see.
If you do sport a twin PPC rig, back it up with MLs (I prefer SPLs) and SRMs. Not LRMs.
Sample concept. ER LLs, MLs, LRM-5s (for spammy suppression).
My actual design. (Note armor has been removed from this purposely, I like to keep my armor allocations to uncommon mechs a secret so that people remain unaware of weak and strong points in my armor.)
Which is a derivative of this tanky brawler design.
Twin PPC sample concept. ER and standard PPCs can be swapped out at your leisure. They should always be arm-mounted even if there's an option to mount them in the STs.
Edited by Koniving, 17 December 2015 - 09:04 AM.
#7
Posted 17 December 2015 - 10:09 AM
Archang31, on 17 December 2015 - 07:53 AM, said:
i know it's been said before, but.. it bears repeating:
http://mwomercs.com/...ics-101-comics/
( we try to show this to as many new players as possible )
#8
Posted 17 December 2015 - 02:45 PM
Mercier, on 17 December 2015 - 10:09 AM, said:
http://mwomercs.com/...ics-101-comics/
( we try to show this to as many new players as possible )
Quickly gaining the appreciation it deserves so richly, as a ridiculously valuable guide!
I want to reiterate what Tesunie said above about not getting TOO far from your team. I'm generally a light mech fan. I LOVE being sneaky and getting behind the enemy, then stalling his push by cutting into his mechs' soft back armor. Makes me very warm and happy inside. What you describe, a long-range STK getting left behind by the team, is one of the EASIEST ways for a sneaky light pilot to grab a quick kill in a match. I get in too close for your LRMs, or use ECM to keep them off of me (you might consider Beagle Active Probe as a counter-ECM device), move too quickly for you to train those ERPPCs on me, and cut off slabs of back fat from that big ol' Stalker of yours. Five Clan Small Pulse Lasers do 30 points of damage every few seconds, and they throw it out QUICKLY. A better light pilot than me, will have that thing dead in 10-12 seconds, without even breaking a sweat. Sound scary? GOOD!
So, more important than figuring out which weapons to load out, is figuring out how to stay with the pack so that someone has your back when some sneaky ankle biter like me comes to nip at your heels. THEN, you can feel free to be all long-rangey. (Also, you'd be foolish to not use one of Koniving's recommended builds there. Dude knows what he's talking about, I assure you. REALLY.)
#9
Posted 17 December 2015 - 03:22 PM
Koniving, on 17 December 2015 - 08:45 AM, said:
If you're going for longer range support, lasers are a better bet than PPCs unless ER PPCs, but using an LRM-style support mech does NOT allow for good use of PPCs or ER PPCs due to excessive heat issues.
While I'm quite anti-meta, I highly agree with MavRCK in this instance. The three very different styles of weapons have three very different mechanics and this is not good, you're still learning. Using ER LLs or LLs with MLs will still compliment each other in emergencies with similar mechanics, while the LRMs let you shower enemies you can't always see.
If you do sport a twin PPC rig, back it up with MLs (I prefer SPLs) and SRMs. Not LRMs.
Sample concept. ER LLs, MLs, LRM-5s (for spammy suppression).
My actual design. (Note armor has been removed from this purposely, I like to keep my armor allocations to uncommon mechs a secret so that people remain unaware of weak and strong points in my armor.)
Which is a derivative of this tanky brawler design.
Twin PPC sample concept. ER and standard PPCs can be swapped out at your leisure. They should always be arm-mounted even if there's an option to mount them in the STs.
Thank you for your repeated help concerning the the FUN ( Fracking useless noob) in the room. I've found that ppc's are hilarious to use against light and mediums. I have no problem leading them and smashing a leg out from beneath them. However I want to continue to use the LRM's ( this is where my stubborn side comes in, I notice while writing this) mostly out of the ability to hit targets at rediculous ranges before following up with the PPC's and mediums if they get too close. The SRM's just seem like such a brawling weapon. (Which I preferably don't want to do.) idk, the noob side of me just springs so hard to keep the long range missiles yet still have the punch that the PPC's carry. I'm still a cadet so with those bonuses rolling in I can try out these builds. Considering you're also a much more experienced I'll definitely give it a shot. (I hope none of this come across as dismissive. I really do value the help I receive and have changed the build several times due to yours and other's suggestions. It's hard to convey why exactly I want to keep the weapons I do over a computer.)
Mercier, on 17 December 2015 - 10:09 AM, said:
http://mwomercs.com/...ics-101-comics/
( we try to show this to as many new players as possible )
Thank you for the link to this post, It's hilarious and very informative. I'll try to keep this in mind as I play. I think the biggest thing I'll have trouble with is how not to get the crap cored out of me.
TheRAbbi, on 17 December 2015 - 02:45 PM, said:
So, more important than figuring out which weapons to load out, is figuring out how to stay with the pack so that someone has your back when some sneaky ankle biter like me comes to nip at your heels. THEN, you can feel free to be all long-rangey. (Also, you'd be foolish to not use one of Koniving's recommended builds there. Dude knows what he's talking about, I assure you. REALLY.)
I like the way you write... definitely taking that into account lol
#10
Posted 17 December 2015 - 03:50 PM
#11
Posted 17 December 2015 - 04:18 PM
Archang31, on 17 December 2015 - 03:22 PM, said:
You're welcome. You ~Can~ still use the PPC/LRM combination. The issue has to do with the heat caused by the weapons. It'll force you to be more tactile with when you shoot and don't. So long as you can manage that you could work with that setup.
Far as PPCs and SRMs, the trick is that the PPC is more range-oriented, and the SRMs are a death sentence up close. Soften up the heavies and assaults at range and when they get close, "WHOOSH" "KABOOM!" And lights? That assortment delivers a 30.1 damage alpha in a heavily focused blast (hence why it's SRM-2s and SRM-4s, the 2s have virtually no spread and the 4s are pretty low spread), and if you keep them firing the launchers will desync, making "Twisting" defenses difficult to near impossible, allowing you to just hammer in relentlessly.
Perhaps this Misery could be a decent demonstration, even though it only has a single SRM launcher?
Do forgive my kinda bad aim, I was using the arm of my couch for the mouse. "He's lucky I'm not tracking too well." The mouse wasn't being very cooperative.
Using a joystick, this video is a good one although it uses a medium mech. In place of SRMs, the secondary is a plethora of medium lasers (primary being twin PPCs). Includes the rebuild from 3 PPC Hunchback to 2 PPC Hunchback.
This uses a Highlander and the video is time skipped so it will require a new window. The Autocannons are used in place of PPCs for long range damage and up close, it boils down to 2 streaks and 3 medium lasers to do impressive feats.
I know the weapons on this Flamer Stalker are far from the same, it runs on a similar premise to the PPC/SRM idea. In this case it uses a large laser and plethora of streaks.
Second match is better than first, but both are quite epic. However, remember that flamers are one of the most forsaken weapons in MWO. The damage is coming from the missiles.
#12
Posted 17 December 2015 - 04:51 PM
TheRAbbi, on 17 December 2015 - 03:50 PM, said:
Thanks I really enjoy the game, and this helps immensely.
Koniving, on 17 December 2015 - 04:18 PM, said:
Far as PPCs and SRMs, the trick is that the PPC is more range-oriented, and the SRMs are a death sentence up close. Soften up the heavies and assaults at range and when they get close, "WHOOSH" "KABOOM!" And lights? That assortment delivers a 30.1 damage alpha in a heavily focused blast (hence why it's SRM-2s and SRM-4s, the 2s have virtually no spread and the 4s are pretty low spread), and if you keep them firing the launchers will desync, making "Twisting" defenses difficult to near impossible, allowing you to just hammer in relentlessly.
Perhaps this Misery could be a decent demonstration, even though it only has a single SRM launcher?
Do forgive my kinda bad aim, I was using the arm of my couch for the mouse. "He's lucky I'm not tracking too well." The mouse wasn't being very cooperative.
Using a joystick, this video is a good one although it uses a medium mech. In place of SRMs, the secondary is a plethora of medium lasers (primary being twin PPCs). Includes the rebuild from 3 PPC Hunchback to 2 PPC Hunchback.
This uses a Highlander and the video is time skipped so it will require a new window. The Autocannons are used in place of PPCs for long range damage and up close, it boils down to 2 streaks and 3 medium lasers to do impressive feats.
I know the weapons on this Flamer Stalker are far from the same, it runs on a similar premise to the PPC/SRM idea. In this case it uses a large laser and plethora of streaks.
Second match is better than first, but both are quite epic. However, remember that flamers are one of the most forsaken weapons in MWO. The damage is coming from the missiles.
Liked the videos and gives a percpective on what does what. As a quick update, played a couple matches using my current getup, http://mwo.smurfy-ne...d05274e9be2490e , managed to land a 502 damage game with 1 Kill and 9 assists (lol) and a different game making 3 kills.
Wanna say thanks once more, to both of you, wouldn't have ever changed my loadout if noone had told me about this. I'll try switching around and see how I like some of your loadouts.
#13
Posted 17 December 2015 - 05:04 PM
#14
Posted 17 December 2015 - 05:10 PM
Cool thing about that mech is, that it's fairly versatile. You can build it for shorter range destruction with a bunch of SRMs. You can stay long-range and do some other interesting things with it, too. The quirks aren't outstanding on it, and the biggest of them (15% missile range) is kinda pointless on your build (would be good with SRMs, but even 900m is really too far for LRMs to be effective).
Be aware of that torso twist radius. It's NARROW on Stalkers, and as such it's tough to brawl with them. You've got the spirit of the STK chassis, with providing long-range support. But be sure to get into the front a bit with your teammates, and soak up some damage for them while they cool down. You can still spread damage on that torso by twisting. The arms aren't great for shielding, but then, it's a VERY narrow target from the front, so there's that.
Enjoy that big rig!
#15
Posted 17 December 2015 - 06:11 PM
LadyDanams, on 17 December 2015 - 08:18 AM, said:
Just wanted to give a correction on this one with a strange and little known fact of LRMs. They actually don't care what the range was when you fired, they only care what your current range is as they travel. (Unless PGI fixed this in a ninja way.)
Example: Get a target that is stationary (for testing purposes). Get a lock and shoot. Then, move inside your 180m minimum range. You'll see your missile bounce even though you were originally outside the minimum range when you fired.
You can also test this the other way. Get a target that is stationary just inside 1000m. Then get a lock and shoot. Back up while the missiles are in flight, and move to outside the 1000m maximum range. Your missiles should detonate well before they reach their targets.
I think the program does this to counter/ignore the arced flights taking any range from the weapon.
(If this is proven false, I'll just have to test it again. It use to work this way, and it took me a long time to figure it out.)
#16
Posted 17 December 2015 - 06:21 PM
-LRMs aren't actually a 'ridiculous range' range weapon, or a 'shoot over hills' weapon. At least, they're not a GOOD weapon in those cases. The farther away you are, the more time targets have to get in cover, and missiles to get shot down. The less direct your fire, the more chances your missile power will be frittered away on things you can't even see (outcrops, trees, even friendly mechs).
-Your Artemis works best when target is in your direct sight, and even better when you TAG them. Plus, Artemis affects only you, TAG is for everyone. You don't NEED Artemis, but since you already paid for it, it is more efficient on fewer, larger launchers.
-While ERLL's are nice, you aren't a sniper, and you shouldn't be engaging (even with missiles) too far beyond a Large Laser's range. Plus LLs are more heat efficient, which you will need.
-So lets picture a 5M with Artemis, TAG, fewer larger launchers, and Large Lasers, walking 150 metres ish behind your front lines, using your Artemis/TAG LRMS to rain pain OVER your front line and down on the foe, and LLs to zap anything that you have a good shot at.
Something like: http://mwo.smurfy-ne...3d12fa4f35a7070
(This is probably a poor build, just there for concept, adjust to taste)
Of course you can de-Artemis and go for more, smaller launchers - TAG will still help. Could also lose the Artemis, add a BAP and 1/2 ton LRM ammo. Or more DHS. Whatever floats your boat!
(PS: Looking it over, I think you even have room for Ferro-Fibrous in there, which would allow for a couple tons more ammo or another DHS. Or ammo AND a BAP! What an amazing build!)
Edited by MadBadger, 17 December 2015 - 06:30 PM.
#17
Posted 17 December 2015 - 06:52 PM
It has two ALRM15s, with plenty of ammo. This is matched with 2 SSRM2s, which work with the Artemis for free and is supported by BAP for anti-ECM. Then it has 4 medium lasers for more precise work when needed. It also sports a TAG unit.
I have TAG on a third weapon group (I made shift a weapon fire button for me, and place TAG on that usually, or LRMs). Then I place my LRMs on another group. My last group are the medium laser and SSRMs. Only shoot those within 270m, unless desperate.
This build was once a huge killer, with my best stats on it. In today's MW:O? Not sure. However, just remember it is a mixed build. You want to engage your opponent where they are weakest. This build was actually designed to be a guard, to protect other mechs (particularly LRM boats) from the stray light mech.
#18
Posted 18 December 2015 - 06:49 PM
#19
Posted 19 December 2015 - 08:47 PM
http://mwomercs.com/...87#entry4879387
Edited by MavRCK, 19 December 2015 - 09:03 PM.
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