14 replies to this topic

[Frosty7]

Alright chums, it's been a few days now and we've all got some experience in the Polar Highlands, but I'm seeing a LOT of bad advice being given out in chat. I'm here to fix that by listing the things I've learned playing (and dieing) in the Polar Highlands.

1) DO NOT RELY ON COVER! Specifically, do not sit around with zero visibility because you're so deep in one of those roadway valleys that you can't see the AC20/SRM6x3 Atlas who is only 20 meters away from you on the top of the hill. Every single game has someone insisting we stay hidden and every single time they got literally stepped on and killed by a Dire Wolf and his swarm of medium buddies. Keep your cockpit, and preferably high mounted guns, above the horizon of those hills as long as you can. if you are taking mad fire then take cover, of course, but situational awareness = victory. Nothing else matters on Polar Highlands.

2) See those more crowded and cramped bits of terrain to the north and south? If you are a medium or a light, use those bits of terrain to walk right past the entire enemy formation and fast capture that juicy undefended base. Seriously, I've won or lost a number of games because nobody had the speed to run back to counter that maneuver, or the foresight to block it in the first place. Bring an ECM if you can because someone on the other team might just be doing the same thing and could possibly detect you by chance. Move in a lance of four if you can and victory is assured.

3) Move, move, move, and keep moving. Seriously, there's a lot of space on this map and you want to take advantage of that. Notice how there are so many valleys and dips and holes? Keep lesson 1 in mind as you follow those paths to close distance with the enemy. If you do it right you should end up behind your foes, or at least in a spot they can't defend from very easily. If you need to engage at long range because you're packing tons of gauss and ERLL, you can always do so once your brawling buds get into the enemy trenches, so to speak. You'll know what to do when it happens.

4) Dat missile boat. Remember how missiles are so unreliable because of all these buildings and crap getting in the way all the time? Yeah, this map almost makes missiles 100% viable again. ECM and hiding behind hills still counter LRM boats for the first little bit, but once the main battle begins the skies will blacken and burn with rockets galore. This typically occurs when your friendly neighborhood brawler is face to face with his prey and thus has perpetual scan of all who oppose him. LRM boats need to focus on assault mechs because there's nothing for them to shield behind during a brawl, so assault mechs which are notorious for mopping the floor become incredibly vulnerable incredibly fast. I almost hate bringing my King Crab into this map because of the low survival rates mechs like that have.

5) For the love of god, DO NOT IGNORE LRM BOATS! This is mostly for the light and medium mechs: Please try to hunt them down if you can. They are soft and squishy and typically end up standing around clue less to what's happening because they are so focused on getting lock ons. Either protect your assaults from the perpetual flanking that is Polar Highlands, or go poop on those unprotected LRM boats. For that matter...

6) Flanking is life. This map has a thing for making opposing teams get lost and lose track of each other all the time, meaning it's all too common for enemies to more or less dance circles in and around each other. There are no identifiable front lines because half of the time you all end up occupying the same spot anyway, and the other half of the time you will somehow end up behind each other facing the other direction. It's basically like that Scooby Doo scene where they run in and out of doors for five minutes. Because of this, refer to lesson 1 every five seconds or so, please and thank you, and watch your back.

7) This map loves mediums, lights, Timber Wolves, and Ebon Jaguars. Basically anything that can travel 80 kilometers an hour or faster will be in heaven: So much space to flank, so much room to maneuver, so much opportunity to hit a fool in the back armour. So much time to run away and bait idiots into obvious ambushes. Everything that defines light and medium mechs are essentially to victory on Polar Highlands. Consequentially...

8) This map despises heavies and assaults. Especially Atlas, King Crab, Dire Wolf. If you can't hit 70km/h, expect a swift death. You cannot use terrain to block incoming missiles. You cannot peekaboo with Gauss. You cannot snipe. You cannot protect your back from packs of hungry hungry lights. You. Cannot. Live. The best advice I have to give you is this: Murder ball. It was important before and it is mandatory now. You're only hope of survival is numbers. You have big guns and lots of armour. When you group up into a ball you will exponentiate that force. Do it.

9) ECM and AMS, for the love of all that is good and righteous. I don't think there is a single more important time in all of MWO to stuff tonnage full of ECM and AMS because of how essential murder balling is. I like bringing these things when I can regardless, but on Polar Highlands you will seriously hate yourself if you neglected them.

If anyone else has any observations feel free to add them.

[Zolaz]

Hellbringer <3s Polar Highlands.

[grendeldog]

The only point I would take issue with is the thing about speed - I've quite successfully run 55 to 60 kph assaults on this map just fine. I'm leveling an Awesome 8Q, and every time I see this map in the rotation I vote for it. I happily see my teammates in Stormcrows and such running at half throttle to ensure the group stays together, simmering I have never seen in public queue before.

[WrathOfDeadguy]

One interesting thing I've noticed about this map is the difference between movement before enemy contact and after. While you're still searching around for the enemy's main force, it's entirely possible to just run straight for a new position with no regard whatsoever for cover and positioning... but as soon as the first shots are traded, positioning and cover suddenly become important again. Other maps have a definite flow, but Highlands seems to be all about running in the general direction of an expected enemy position, then adapting to local cover once engaged. There aren't any big terrain features to NASCAR around, and while team movement still (annoyingly enough) trends towards the same counter-clockwise toilet swirl, it's much slower and reacts far more dynamically to flanking maneuvers and the like.

There's plenty of room to move, intelligently placed cover, incentive to bring support hardware beyond just ECM (NARC and TAG are positively lethal here, and therefore AMS has become far more important, and the long ranges make BAP relevant for its sensor range buff as much as for its ECM-canceling properties). Consumables seem less important, as well; there aren't any major choke points, so teams spread out more, reducing the appeal of strike spam, and it's harder to get into position for a good UAV placement too. I like that- tonnage-free equipment shouldn't be a thing anyway, and any map that makes it less powerful is okay in my book.

I have a feeling that good scouting and communication are the keys to successful use of big, slow assaults like the Atlas and King Crab on Highlands... if you can get eyes on the enemy early, then you can direct your fatties to where the action will be and save them a lot of time chasing the faster elements of the team. Since there are few impassable terrain obstacles, you pretty much have free license to take the most direct route to the battle as long as you're not actively taking fire (as opposed to running a slow assault on any other map, where you still have to take the same route as everybody else, but do it slower, so that shaving time off a route really just means reacting faster and turning tighter to save a few seconds). If the battle turns, you can cut the corner and close the distance more directly while everybody else is engaged and not moving very much. That's just thinking out loud, though... I haven't actually driven any of my assaults on Highlands yet. The heaviest, slowest thing I dropped in was a 75t/75kph Black Knight.

High mounts reign supreme here, moreso than usual. Urbanmechs, strangely enough, can absolutely shine here, because of their small profile, high mounts, and jets... translation: lots of safe poking as long as you brought the hardware for it. I have yet to try my AC20 Raven, but I expect it will be the same story. Even if you don't have long range weapons, there are lots of opportunities to close the distance in relative safety, and engage from what amounts to a hull-down position to maximize the advantages of your chassis. I've also seen people rocking Jaegers, Ebon Jags, Hunchbacks and HBK-IICs, and Blackjacks to great effect, and I have no doubt that the upcoming Rifleman will also prove ideally suited to the terrain on Highlands.

I think this may be my favorite map, edging out Tourmaline. I'd love to see a hotter desert dunes version.

[Audacious Aubergine]

Sniping is viable on this map, more or less, provided you have the mech for it - I took a 2x ERPPC Blackjack (BJ-3 for dem quirks) for a spin, and even with the PPCs in the torsos rather than the arms, I still managed to blob people from behind a hill 1900m away without them noticing

WrathOfDeadguy, on 23 January 2016 - 11:07 PM, said:

I think this may be my favorite map, edging out Tourmaline. I'd love to see a hotter desert dunes version.

So, kind of like the updated Caustic Valley?

Edited by FreebirthToad18999, 24 January 2016 - 12:16 AM.

[BigBubby]

Do not forget, that on conquest the lights have to cap all the time. Else you team loses for sure only by points. You can not easily take out enemy team fast on this map cause its just way to big.

[WrathOfDeadguy]

New Caustic is a shitfest. It suffers from the same NASCAR issue as Old Caustic, except now with 280% more pointless ankle-height 'Mechstopping ground clutter... and reduced visibility while simultaneously being too hot to use thermal, and too bright to use night vision! There isn't much more cover for the loss in mobility, either- since all the big rocks are angled towards the caldera, LRM fire still goes right over all of it. Overall, it has the same issues as the old map, except it's bigger, and has a whole bunch of new problems to go with the old problems. I honestly liked the old map (I don't LRM- I don't own a single variant with 'em; I run mostly brawlers with a handful of midrange direct-fire skirmishers).

What I meant was a scenario similar to what we got with Polar Highlands, only hotter- long sight lines, with rolling dunes and some small rock outcroppings and a few scattered structures for cover.

[Audacious Aubergine]

Hah. Yeah. I'm sure there was a mission in MechWarrior 2 with a map like that. Possibly this one?
https://youtu.be/0cfKZdvhqgw?t=1m

[Insanity09]

I have to say that by and large I agree with the OP, but a few refinements might be worth mentioning.

The most important, tldr point is the side that pushes in even a semi-organized way once major contact is made is highly likely to win. True on most any map, but even more so on Polar.
This map, more than many others, seems to reward skilled, organized play, and punishes, as in grinds to dust, poor play. (not counting lrms, however you may feel about them)

Long version.
1 & 2) Yes.

3) Not only is moving key, I have observed that more than any other map, the team that takes the initiative wins. Often in a big way.
What do I mean? PH is basically a rolling plain, somebody moving straight across might be visible, briefly, to another person standing on a crest. There are no choke points, and there is no real cover (a few places with buildings, but those tend to be out of the way of the fights, mostly). Okay, now think of what happens when the two sides start to clash, and get in serious trading range (say around 500m?).
Both groups will start jockeying back and forth, peeking and hill humping in a more or less disorganized fashion. If both sides do this evenly, then whoever has the best alphas wins the trade wars and the match, more or less.
The trouble is that when somebody peeks or humps, they tend to be visible to more than one mech on the opposing team, especially if hill humping. You might, might be in a good spot for a moment where you trade well, but since the other team shifts around, especially if you poke them successfully, that spot won't last.
So, the folks who are the most impatient/aggressive will basically get themselves killed by bad trading.
However, the reverse is also true to some degree. If you crest a hill, you are likely to be visible to more than one enemy, but probably not a large number of the enemies (say 2-4, on average). So, if your team is semi-organized, and even half of the team all pushes over the same hill at once, you will locally outnumber the enemies, and can squash a few. Then it is simply a matter of finding the next enemy, and continuing even a ragged push.

4 & 5) This map is all about the LRM. Goodness help you if you are narc'd, your only choice then is power down and pray. If this map comes up, you'd best hope the other side doesn't have decent LRM support, because it will hurt. Badly.
Which is why I say again. Organize and push. don't wait for your lighter forces to kill the lrm boats, everyone should get in there and do the job.

6) Yes, with complications.

7) Well, I'd say it is a love/hate relationship for lights and mediums.
Scouting is crucial because it is so easy to be out of position on this map, so lights can shine. But scouting can lead to sudden death more easily here than elsewhere.
Yes, the terrain allows you to move around almost at will. Almost. Even fast lights, in order to flank, often end up far out of position, and if the enemy is paying attention they will often get glimpses of your location as you come around. Long range alphas to the face as you turn a corner or crest a hill are not uncommon, because they kinda knew where you were. Ouch. Also, because the map is so big, even a fast mech will take a while to get into a good position, and that means your team is a mech down (or more, if you are working with a wingman or lance) in the fight for quite a while.
If you have ECM, otoh, then circling around becomes far more feasible. And of course, if there are caps to be had, this map is all for you... as long as you are careful turning the corner or coming over the ridge.

8) Again, a love/hate deal for heavier mechs. If you are impatient or overly aggressive, if your team is not at all organized, and/or if the enemy brought a lot of lrms, yes, this map closely resembles a cold hell. But... if you are patient and pay attention, you can often nail those pesky enemy lights from far away (even if they get close, if you are in a trench, the circle strafe thing is far harder in that terrain). A fattie weapon load is often ideal for crushing somebody just over that ridge, with little face time. A slow mech/team will struggle on conquest, but that is true on most maps.

9) Strongly agree.

(Another thread suggested that we be allowed to choose a mech of a our preselected class after we knew the map. In most cases, I almost don't care, but for polar/alpine I have very specific desires and often want a different mech.)

[Reverend Herring]

For the record, I really do like Polar Highlands. Used to hate it, but not since I finaly figured out that the map is FAR from bein flat surface. Gotta learn to love those trenches.

[Willowleaf]

I've got to, as a Light pilot, say this.

It comes down to luck and how the enemy team decides to run the course. #5 is a valid point -- this map is very, very good for LRMs... if, and if you see the enemy. Mob rule doesn't work too well, because it defies mob rules. This is a map where a scouting Light or Medium seriously can make or break it.

And to be honest, if you're being mobile, you can seriously use the terrain to your advantage. Hide, pop, spot a target, tell it onward, then move. Had a nice match tonight with a Phoenix Hawk buddy I'd never met ever, seeking shelter under my ECM cover, and risking their bacon repeatedly just so I could keep working as I best can. The map _is_ hell for long-range Assaults and heavies, but it's all Light and Medium <3

[Navy Sixes]

You definitely have to keep moving. As soon as you get a contact, get into some sort of most-of-your-team group and push at the enemy position. The first team to stop and hunker down always loses. They get picked off until the other team's assaults catch up, then they get rolled on.

I'm not talking about taking a moment to let some slow-movers catch up. I'm talking about trying to form a firing line and hold a position. It's almost always a bad move on this map.

[Insanity09]

Agree @ Tycho
Stopping to form a firing line is all well and good IF, and only IF, you know for certain where the enemy will come from.
Otherwise, when you stop and wait you let the enemy set up his attack how he wants instead of how you want. That's lethal for you.

Polar is the map on which this is the MOST apparent. There are no choke points, there is no way to stop the enemy from maneuvering to attack you how he wants to. If they know where you are (and they usually have a good idea), you must keep moving. The concerted push is the way to go. It might fail. But stopping, 9/10 times, will fail.

[Requiemking]

You know, if you play your cards right, even the Orion and the Orion IIC(widely considered to be derpmobiles) can cause a lot of headache on this map. I actually chased a couple of Light mechs around with the Trial Orion IIC and ended up snagging some kills because I waltzed right into the middle of the enemy team and no one noticed.

[Aescwulf]

I've been having some success with this map but I keep having to tell people to keep moving otherwise they stay in the trenches standing still.