15 replies to this topic

[FalconerGray]

We've all been there. The quick play queue. The lottery. The dice roll. The unknown.

This thread is for the appreciation and disparagement, the embracing and abstaining, the glory and the horror of the epic and majestic life of Pug Tactics.

Tactics are one of the most important elements of MWO. This is where the separation from mindless kiddyshooter and super-strategic adult sim begin. There are many important lessons to be told, but let us start with the most critical tactic of all. The cookie.

Target prioritizing is something that all pilots must be aware of. A light mech, such as a Locust, is a delicious and fulfilling meal. If you spot one of these nutritious mechsnacks, be sure to devote 100% of your attention to devourement of said cookie. Remember the goal above all goals: instant self gratification triumphs all. This fact is especially relevant on larger maps such as Alpine Peaks and Polar Highlands, due to the many different angles that the cookie can utilize and the distance that they can put between you and the rest of the OpFor. Best to get chasing whilst you still can!

Map tactics I: Terra Therma.

There is only one winning tactic for the Terra Therma map - control the centre. To ensure this path to certain victory, begin your march to the focal centre of the map; the caldera, the pit, the unforgiving circle of death. The OpFor is sure to have the same objective, so be prepared for this by holding position at the entrance to the volcano so that you can begin long range skirmishes with the enemy whilst the rest of your company keeps their armor fresh for the ceremony of commendation that will inevitably result from your unquestionable victory. *for bonus honor points, arrange your formation with the lightest mechs to the front to allow the heavier mechs to retain their immaculate armor presentation. Remember, the large the mech, the more obvious it's poor condition, so keep those lighter mechs at the front!

Map tactics II: Frozen City. There is a decisive tactic on Frozen City that so many pugs ignore: the C3 Saddle Push. This tactic is a super effective blitzkrieg that quickly isolates the heavier mechs of the OpFor, allowing you to pick of the most dangerous opponents first, giving you time to deal with the weaker enemies later. This tactic is one of the most simple of all - if you find yourself dropping on the South Western side of Frozen City, then it's your time to shine. This opportunity is only available to those lucky enough to spawn on the E3/D4 side and is really quite simple, one of the easiest to co-ordinate in a Pug match. To begin, command all mechs to proceed full "W" in the forward direction, converging on the C4/B4 region, also known as the 'lower city'. Your opponent is likely to be sending their full force over the C3 saddle, making the counter easy and readily available. Ignore any and all attacks from the southern side of the dropship wreck and instead divert all energy to setting up a formation in the lower city region. You might hear calls for support from slower mechs in the D4/C4 region, but for success it's imperative that you ignore these pleas, as your path to success will be to weather the early storm and wait cautiously within the safety of the lower city buildings, where victory is sure to await you.

So there you have it, pugs, a few simple steps to certain victory. But this is just the beginning, as there are many other maps and tactics to explore, so be sure to share your experiences and secrets here so that we can all learn the pathway to pug domination.

KGO!

(obvious sarcasm should be obvious)

[Felicitatem Parco]

Crimson Straight Tactic:

Run all of your LRM support Mechs (you will have many in a PUG drop) directly under the covered railway yard. From there you can fire your LRMs up through the gaps in the canopy, effectively letting you shoot the enemies above while you are protected.

[Chuck Jager]

I would be happy if folks just shot once before running away.

[XxXAbsolutZeroXxX]

Don't forget the prime directive of pugging.

Thou shalt run in a conga line at an angle oblique to red sensor contact while the enemy behind you picks you off 1 by 1.

[Revis Volek]

I Zeratul I, on 08 April 2016 - 10:20 AM, said:

Don't forget the prime directive of pugging.

Thou shalt run in a conga line at an angle oblique to red sensor contact while the enemy behind you picks you off 1 by 1.

Or they run in small circles trying to "out flank" each other in an area about 400 meters wide.

Chasing each others tails like lost dogs, its a SMH moment every time i see it for sure. No one knows how to stand and fight they just run and think they will find a juicy bunduruu to chew on.

[MeanFacedJohnny]

I just wanted to say I am quite entertained by this thread and anxiously await more.

[Helsbane]

Four winds formation is go for deploy. Everyone grab a grid square.

[Jon Gotham]

The "weeping angels" formation is the key to victory pugs! All you have to do is stand completely, utterly still......then when the opfor is not looking at you...move! Usually away from the opfor.....

If you see a light with a patchwork paint job accompanied by a ginger locust....it might be game over...

[Narcissistic Martyr]

Frack it charge.

Is easily the best tactic in the current long range poke a thon because 9/10 the enemy isn't set up to deal with it.

[Felicitatem Parco]

Don't forget my favorite technique, the Caustic Doughnut.

When you drop in Caustic Valley, you should spread your forces out in a thin line that encompasses half of the cauldera. Then stop. This will allow you to see the enemy deathball coming from either side, and lets your distributed forces provide uninterrupted, continual resistance as the enemy attempts to sweep around the volcano.

[Hal Greaves]

I have illustrated the only available PUG tactic here:

[Vossiewulf]

Guys, how are you missing the most obvious one? The only, ONLY way to win Alpine is by climbing the mountain! PGI moves the skirmish drops way south to confuse them, but they are too smart for such tricks- both teams now run away from a direct fight, because the only way to win is by climbing the mountain and then shooting at the enemy with 2 ERLLs at 1450m, doing 2 dam per hit.

[Afuldan McKronik]

Don't forget to completely turn off VoIP and In-Game chat! You don't need to communicate with your team, ever! They will just slow down your heroic personal attempt to lob LRMs at every target that you can get a lock on from spawn!

[Vossiewulf]

Prosperity Park, on 08 April 2016 - 02:50 PM, said:

Don't forget my favorite technique, the Caustic Doughnut.

When you drop in Caustic Valley, you should spread your forces out in a thin line that encompasses half of the cauldera. Then stop. This will allow you to see the enemy deathball coming from either side, and lets your distributed forces provide uninterrupted, continual resistance as the enemy attempts to sweep around the volcano.

Close, but the real tacticians know to only cover about a third of the ring, and then to start circling right. It's very, very important that you circle to the right, and it's important that both teams do so. Then it becomes a race to see who can leave their assaults behind to die pointlessly faster, because who wants assaults on your team slowing things down?

In fact they carry this unique strategy even farther forward in Polar Highlands, where both teams MUST keep circling each other to the right in smaller and smaller radii until you've proved which side has the most slow units. Books and RL military talk about flanking, but they don't have nearly the experience these mech drivers have, and they've gone well beyond the simplistic RL rules in favor of CF - Continuous Flanking.

The side that does have the most slow units deservedly loses of course, because slow mechs are stupid. This is one of the important lessons of advanced CF.

[LORD TSARKON]

SQUIRREL!!!

Lightmech in the backyard....

We need EVERYONE to drop what they are doing and go after it.... even if you are in a Direwhale and 10 grids away....

Edited by LORD TSARKON, 08 April 2016 - 07:27 PM.

[Rocket2Uranus]

There is always that ONE guy with a mic... who spits out the worst plan.
EVERYONE FOLLOWS IT.

You suggest a better idea. No one follows it.

You tell the guy who was on the mic, the plan was horrible.

Guy who was spitting commands tells everyone its their fault for losing.