17 replies to this topic

[IshyOQGX]

Whenever I advance in my mech (Orion), I occassionally get ambushed by multiple (3+) enemies and I panic. In these circumstances I try to hold my ground, so I think retreating may be the answer. But, do I backpedal so I can try to fire, or trun around so I can move faster?

[S 0 L E N Y A]

That sounds like you are running off on your own, which is generally a big no no, especially in a large mech that is not horribly fast.

So fix that first.

You have way more armor on your front, and you cant shoot backwards.
Only wise to turn tail if you know you can get to cover and help quickly.
Otherwise it is better to at least go down shooting

[Wintersdark]

IshyOQGX, on 05 April 2016 - 01:29 PM, said:

Whenever I advance in my mech (Orion), I occassionally get ambushed by multiple (3+) enemies and I panic. In these circumstances I try to hold my ground, so I think retreating may be the answer. But, do I backpedal so I can try to fire, or trun around so I can move faster?

Backpedal. Multiple mechs will tear through your weak rear armor pretty much instantly.

Just back up into cover, firing as you go. If you're firing at them, they may stop firing back at you (or at least fire less). Worst case scenario, you die pretty quick, but at least you did some damage before you died. If you'd turned around in that case, you'd have done no more damage AND would have died much faster.

But instead, pick a friendly assault. Stay close to him (BUT FOR GOD'S SAKE NOT IN HIS WAY/BEHIND HIM/BUMPING INTO HIM); fire at what he fires at. Be one of the 2-3 guys killing you in your post instead of the solo mech being focused.

[GLaDOSauR]

If you are on your own and get jumped by more than 2 enemies, most of the time you're dead. If you get attacked by only 1 or 2 at a time then you have a chance, but once you're engaged at short range only one of you is coming out alive. Sometimes light mechs can get away. But if you're in an orion then at that point you should just try to go down guns blazing and hopefully take one with you.

BUT. It's best not to get into those positions in the first place. If you are on your own and get ambushed then:
1: You're scouting in a light(in which case you should run for it)
2: You ran off away from your team. Which you should never do. Always have at least 2 friendlies within decently close range except in a few special cases.(lights scouting usually)
3: You're just unlucky. Sometimes we get separated from our team and help just can't arrive fast enough. It happens to the best of us once in awhile.

In conclusion: Stay with your team to avoid this happening! Just one or two extra allies nearby and you could survive those situations with a kill or two.

[Void Angel]

As others have noted, this may be a failure in teamwork - practice and situational awareness will fix this over time if you pay attention to your positioning and learn the places on the map where you are likely to find enemies. Generally it is a Bad Thing to expose your back armor to the enemy, but if terrain, time, and your Battlemech allow it, you may still be able to turn around and run without exposing your back armor unduly; this is accomplished by good torso twist technique. Some 'mechs, such as the Stalker or Marauder, do not do this well, while chassis like the Thunderbolt are exceptionally good at it. I'm not an Orion pilot, but humanoid 'mechs usually spread damage via torso twisting pretty well - use your best judgement and pay attention to the results.

However, it's possible that what you're experiencing is simply the normal effect of advancing with the lead elements of your team. In this instance, you have a judgement call to make, based on several factors: weight of fire, location and availability of cover, and team morale. Essentially you have to gauge how much damage those 'mechs are going to do, evaluate what cover is available to mitigate or prevent that damage, and estimate whether your team is going to follow you and fight them, or wet themselves and back frantically into the guys behind them. There's a joke I'm fond of: "How do you engage the reverse gear on an Assault 'Mech?" Answer: "Shoot it, with a Medium Laser." Gallows humor aside, this is a judgement call which is perhaps more art than science. You'll get better at it by practice. The best way to resolve this issue is to maneuver to prevent it happening by flanking/ambushing the enemy yourself, but this is simply not going to happen all the time.

For more in-depth advice and explanation on common tactical situations, I heartily recommend Tactics 101, a brilliantly simple collection of graphical illustrations. Concise, accurate, and easy to read and understand, this thread is a superb introduction to tactics in MechWarrior Online. Additionally, I've written a pair of guides related to teamwork and aggression which are linked in my signature below. If you're interested, they should give you at least some food for thought.

[Unreliable Mercenary]

IshyOQGX, on 05 April 2016 - 01:29 PM, said:

Whenever I advance in my mech (Orion), I occassionally get ambushed by multiple (3+) enemies and I panic. In these circumstances I try to hold my ground, so I think retreating may be the answer. But, do I backpedal so I can try to fire, or trun around so I can move faster?

Never give your back to the enemy if you can help it. Backing up while firing and aggressively torso twisting to spread damage is usually the answer.

The best solution is to never over-extend like that in the first place, but that requires good map knowledge and will come in time.

[Funk1777]

Depending on where the closest cover is and what mechs you are facing has more to do with the answer than always going with a hasty withdrawal. Also when your backup, if any, will arrive can influence your next move. One option that is more sacrificial, meaning you doubt youll make it to cover anyway, is go full steam to the biggest or closest mech to use their body to block their team mates line of fire. It may buy you a few more seconds of dpsing which could make the difference in a team game. Bonus points if their team shoots their own guy a few times.

Another option is you have support close by and on its way is to move your mech while shielding with arms/clean side to encourage the enemy to track you and turn their backs to your next team mate. Consider yourself a suicide pawn at that point and hope your repositioning becomes useful.

The only time you really want to turn your back to an enemy is if its fully armored and your front armor is gone. The only reason to do this is if you think you can make cover fast enough to survive as you are now doing no damage and youll probably die anyway.

[IshyOQGX]

Thanks for the replies. By the way, I don't normally over extend, I just stick with at least 3 allies, but sometimes we just get ambushed, normally by Timberwolves and Jagermechs. So I guess I should backpedal and at least buy my team some time.

[Napoleon_Blownapart]

sometimes you're just screwed, try to keep 1 enemy between you and his friends maybe he can absorb some of his teammates damage.

[ImperialKnight]

SHOOT BACK.

If you get into that kind of situation, accept the fact that you're already dead, and do as much damage as you can.

If you're near cover, you can try to back into it WHILE firing

[Rogue Jedi]

this happens to me probably about 1 game in 5.

I am advancing with a group one second, seemingly the next when we see an enemy I am hundreds of meters away from the other 8-11 Mechs who were with me seconds earlier, and I am taking fire from 2-5 enemy Mechs who if the team had stayed with me we would have crushed with little damage.

I think my problem there is I frequently play with people in my unit who I can trust to stick with me and do not always remember to be suspicous, cowardly and selfish more cautious in solo queue.

edit:
the options are advance into cover while firing, retreat into cover/towards allies while firing, die glouriously. DO NOT turn and run, there are a few situations where turning and running is viable, e.g. if all your front armor is gone but you still have some on the back and you are realy close to allies or cover, but even then keeping firing is usualy the best bet.

Edited by Rogue Jedi, 06 April 2016 - 04:03 AM.

[Prof RJ Gumby]

As your question was already answered, I would only like to add: be prepared. Move from cover to cover and try to always have some good cover to fall back to if you'll meet the enemy in strenght. Avoid walking out in the open without support. This way you won't have to decide on how to die when focus fired that often.

[Ex Atlas Overlord]

IshyOQGX, on 05 April 2016 - 01:29 PM, said:

Whenever I advance in my mech (Orion), I occassionally get ambushed by multiple (3+) enemies and I panic. In these circumstances I try to hold my ground, so I think retreating may be the answer. But, do I backpedal so I can try to fire, or trun around so I can move faster?

It depends on the situation.

If you have allies near by that are willing to cover your retreat, and observent to notice that you need help.... then turn.

If you're on your own, I usually try to pack pedal while twisting / returning fire until either I make it to cover or they take me out.

[Koniving]

IshyOQGX, on 05 April 2016 - 01:29 PM, said:

Whenever I advance in my mech (Orion), I occassionally get ambushed by multiple (3+) enemies and I panic. In these circumstances I try to hold my ground, so I think retreating may be the answer. But, do I backpedal so I can try to fire, or trun around so I can move faster?

As an Orion player this is situation dependent.

Do you have a burst-damage or DPS mech? Burst damage can be used to knock out one enemy immediately and then hightail. If you have a DPS mech you're best off throwing it in reverse and hammering into something.

Can you outrun the enemy?
If yes, blast it with what you can as you ease your way back and when it favors you, turn tail and run back to the rest!
If no, don't even bother running. Throw it into 50% reverse Or Less! This will enhance your turning abilities; keep the enemy in sight and hammer it to death. Go for legs, then if the situation is still bad you can run -- otherwise finish it off.

If you run do you run in a straight line away (BAD), or diagonally (Meh) or zig-zag (Cha-ching!)
When running, twist to keep your torso facing the enemy if possible and if you're doing a full retreat, twist and thrust your view toward the air with Armlock off OR hold shift if armlock is on (to temporarily 'hold' it off). This will throw arms up to help protect your torso.

Are you running a standard engine? You can fight for a really long time, do it.
Are you running an XL engine? Better run; you already screwed up before you got on the field.

How is your back armor? For humanoids as large as the Orion, I tend to do an excess of 24 on the rear and for the CT it's over 30. With this kind of armor you have a chance.

Some Orion gameplay.
Protector: Here, I lose the right side when heavily outgunned and the situation allowed for a retreat.

Pink Protector: (Don't ask, it was a joke and we rolled with it). Lots of team communication.


Orion K (the hottest Orion in terms of heat management). Two matches. Some retreats; both shooty and not.

[Tanil Kane]

Backpedal + twist torso left/right to soak shots is your best option. If any terrain is nearby that you can backpedal around, that can help as well.

If you are really separated from your group and are ambushed by 3 mechs your going down, so try and take one with you.

If you turn and run you'll die quick. backpedal + twist and you may last long enough to core one of the mechs out if they are not twisting.

[IshyOQGX]

Well guys, thanks for all the tips. This no longer happens to me. (and if it does, I either survive by zigzagging backwards, or take out one mech and die)
I normally have 10 rear armour and max on front. Torso twisting is not as effective in ON1, but hey, thanks again.

[Koniving]

Always good to hear the results.

[BoPop]

ONE small mech can take down an assault. although it can take a bit...

but yea if one mech gets surrounded by 2 and especially 3, with no back up, you're toast. everyone wants kills and component destructions so if they can get some from you without taking damage from your team they absolutely will finish you off, even if they are about to lose the match by flag cap.

the best thing you can do to survive the longest is as others state so well: back pedal, and do short quarter circles (if the light is doing the dumb death circle around you)

A good light pilot will simply get behind you and do their best to not let you ever see them and you will most likely be opened up from the back and destroyed (cuz everyone puts such low armor on the rear) a bad light pilot will run circles around you over and over again, those are the fools you actually stand a chance at tearing apart if you get a nice fat lucky alpha.

stay unpredictable.
modulate your shields because the borg quickly adapt.