22 replies to this topic

[Hit the Deck]

At the start of the match don't escort and form with the Assaults but go straight to the center!

Except on Conquest where it depends.

[FlipOver]

Generic failed comment.

Nothing more to add.

[LordNothing]

i dont know, the ring strategy works if you get there first and you get assaults and heavies to show up first. it takes instant action in the first second of the game. you cant doddle and you have to take the shortest path there, i see mechs meandering all over the place because they really dont want to be the first guy in.

in order to do this your fastest mechs, all of them, need to head there asap. whoever gets their lights and mediums in first usually keeps it. keeps the other team gopher holing in the door because they dont want to face a lance and a half of mechs under 50 tons. this buys your assaults and heavies time to show up.

you dont have to do a ring fight, but you cant change your mind later on in the match and decide you want it, thats a good way to get picked off. it is a pug and if it turns into a stale mate some players on both sides will get bored and would rather leeroy than sit around and do nothing.

as for escorting assaults, my opinion is that if your assaults need escorting, then you are probibly better off without them. if they dont, then they will show up anyway and start kicking cans.

[MeiSooHaityu]

I would at least say that everyone make for center as quickly as possible and try to push into center with force (not just 1 or 2 mechs (unless they are fast lights with a decently quick lance just behind you), but at least a lance with the rest of your slower mechs flooding in after). Take the center as quickly as possible and with a good solid push, and you should win many more times than you will lose.

If by the time your team gets to the center, the enemy is already pushing in and fanning out, pull back to the bottom of one of the ramps and establish a firing line. That way, the enemy that pokes over the top of the ramp gets focused and absolutely wrecked. Basically use the ramp as a choke point to focus down the enemy. Just make sure somone is watching your flanks incase the enemy tries to out flank your position.

Whatever you do, DO NO... DO NOT! PARK AT THE TOP OF THE RAMPS. You do that, you will block the players behind you from firing (limiting your team's firepower). You lose mannuvering space and will get stuck unable to back up to avoid fire.

Nothing destroys a team faster on Terra Therma than a ramp log jam. Either push in and fan out, or if the center looks lost, pull back to the base of the volcano (near the bottom of the ramp), group up, and establish a good firing line.

That is my advice anyway.

Edited by MeiSooHaityu, 27 January 2016 - 04:00 AM.

[GreyNovember]

Eh.

Go ALL The way around the map, and punish the enemy team for leaving their fatties behind.

Bonus points if you found a soft legged ammo boat.

[Hit the Deck]

GreyNovember, on 27 January 2016 - 05:02 AM, said:

Eh.

Go ALL The way around the map, and punish the enemy team for leaving their fatties behind.

Bonus points if you found a soft legged ammo boat.

Lights could indeed circle around to poke enemy's fatties from behind but it's not a reliable tactic because when their Fatties are already climbing up on one of the ramp, it's difficult to focus fire and there's not much space so it can be difficult when you need to bail. Alternatively, your Lights could go through the lava and try to guess which exit goes straight to the juicy Fatties but again, probably not a reliable tactic because of the guesswork involved.

[Tarogato]

GreyNovember, on 27 January 2016 - 05:02 AM, said:

Eh.

Go ALL The way around the map, and punish the enemy team for leaving their fatties behind.

Bonus points if you found a soft legged ammo boat.

This.

Going to the center and getting focused is not fun. Engagements around the perimeter are infinitely more exciting and I always look for them. Plus it's always good when you're a tiny little light and come across the enemy assault lance and can distract two or three of them for long enough that your team manages to ... lose... despite the enemy being short two entire assaults.

[GreyNovember]

Hit the Deck, on 27 January 2016 - 05:21 AM, said:

Lights could indeed circle around to poke enemy's fatties from behind but it's not a reliable tactic because when their Fatties are already climbing up on one of the ramp, it's difficult to focus fire and there's not much space so it can be difficult when you need to bail. Alternatively, your Lights could go through the lava and try to guess which exit goes straight to the juicy Fatties but again, probably not a reliable tactic because of the guesswork involved.

By the same token, I can reliably say that if I were to run into the center, then the entire enemy team will shortly bear all of their guns on my fragile little frame.

God forbid I have to dogfight my way out of that while an enemy light decides to chase me while I flee.

My lights won't do a whole lot of good trying to be a peek and shoot gunboat in the center. May as well use that speed for things the rest of my team can't do.

[MeiSooHaityu]

GreyNovember, on 27 January 2016 - 05:37 AM, said:

By the same token, I can reliably say that if I were to run into the center, then the entire enemy team will shortly bear all of their guns on my fragile little frame.

God forbid I have to dogfight my way out of that while an enemy light decides to chase me while I flee.

My lights won't do a whole lot of good trying to be a peek and shoot gunboat in the center. May as well use that speed for things the rest of my team can't do.

That's why I'd try to push in with a few other faster mechs. Even if as a light you get their early, stay near the ramp, watch the volcano, and wait a few seconds for the next wave of slower quick mechs (like mediums) to approach.

If you are lucky, you can hide behind one of those crate stacks in the center and observe/poke.

If the enemy charges early with 2~3 lights and you are by yourself, you might just have to cut your loses and GTFO. That might end up being one of those bottom of ramp fire line matches unless the enemy lights are the only thing center and you now have some mediums and heavies that just arrivef ready to do a joint push.

[Rhaythe]

People voluntarily go to the pug-zapper in Therma...?!

[MeiSooHaityu]

High ground is a good place to own, especially when there are limited entry points that act as pinch points.

[NextGame]

Hit the Deck, on 27 January 2016 - 03:42 AM, said:

At the start of the match don't escort and form with the Assaults but go straight to the center!

Except on Conquest where it depends.

Avoid this problem today, by always voting against Terra Therma.

[sycocys]

If I'm in a light on that map, the last place I'm headed is the center.

I'm skirting the map to go find the assaults/heavies and put a stop to their advance.

Plus I never understood why anyone would want to fight in the hottest place on the map with the worst cover anyhow, there are so many other places that are far better to set up shop than inside a volcano.

[Mechteric]

The center of Terra isn't useful in either Conquest or Assault modes.

As for skirmish, a smart team can just make the mechs in the center come out to them, funneling through the gap.


So really, the center of Terra is the worst place to be in all game modes, it doesn't provide the best strategic value (and it's too damn hot!)

[MeiSooHaityu]

Avoiding the center is fine...IF you can truly get your team to avoid the center.

Most times (in PUG play), people just run to center regardless. If that is going to happen anyway, just push in.

Often the team just runs to the top of the ramp and stops (in the hopes of sniping with cover I guess). I think we can agree that is the WORST thing to do.

If you go up on that ramp, you better push in.

If you don't want to push in, organize at the bottom. Still, trying to round up PUGs and get them to fortify a position (for Assault or Skirmish) is difficult. They tend to wander off, ignore you, or poke at the top of that ramp even if you tell them to hang back and be patient. I don't know how many times I've seen people say "hold and wait for them" only to see a random guy go up the ramp, erupt in sparks, and fall backwards, sliding down the ramp in a sad display of poor life choices lol.

[Tamwulf]

The ring is a trap.

[CDLord HHGD]

On Terra Therma I try to get to the center first and guide my team on if we're able to take it first. As a light, I am fast enough to get out if need be. Conquest, I always go to center first, get that capture point when no one is around. If the opfor wants it, they have to expose themselves to take it.

Edited by cdlord, 27 January 2016 - 07:11 AM.

[Lykaon]

LordNothing, on 27 January 2016 - 03:56 AM, said:

i dont know, the ring strategy works if you get there first and you get assaults and heavies to show up first. it takes instant action in the first second of the game. you cant doddle and you have to take the shortest path there, i see mechs meandering all over the place because they really dont want to be the first guy in.

in order to do this your fastest mechs, all of them, need to head there asap. whoever gets their lights and mediums in first usually keeps it. keeps the other team gopher holing in the door because they dont want to face a lance and a half of mechs under 50 tons. this buys your assaults and heavies time to show up.

you dont have to do a ring fight, but you cant change your mind later on in the match and decide you want it, thats a good way to get picked off. it is a pug and if it turns into a stale mate some players on both sides will get bored and would rather leeroy than sit around and do nothing.

as for escorting assaults, my opinion is that if your assaults need escorting, then you are probibly better off without them. if they dont, then they will show up anyway and start kicking cans.

Assault mode: No value to center.
Conquest mode one point in center the rest out side the center (nominal value).
Skirmish mode no objective but destroy the enemy.

The more sound strategy is to use the overwhelming predictability of people rushing the center to gain an advantage.

Assault mode: let the enemy concentrate in the center and then move to contain them. One fast mech then goes and caps their base. They are forced to engage your forces on your terms or lose.

Conquest: Early game one or two light mechs rush theta and cap it then the rest of your forces fight to contain the enemy in the theta region while your fast mechs cap everything else.

Skirmish: Move a lance to the predictable location of poking into the mid points while your faster mechs flank around and hit the rear of the enemy.

An actual slugging match over the middle is actually kinda worthless the mid points value is only in the predictability of the enemy going there.

[Hit the Deck]

Lykaon, on 27 January 2016 - 07:21 AM, said:

-stratagy-

PUGs

[1Grimbane]

sycocys, on 27 January 2016 - 06:53 AM, said:

Plus I never understood why anyone would want to fight in the hottest place on the map with the worst cover anyhow, there are so many other places that are far better to set up shop than inside a volcano.

you don't have to be stonewall jackson to know you don't want to fight in the middle of a volcano lol