(NOTE: This is just my opinion and not an exclusive list.)
Greetings Mechwarriors.
How many times have your teammates made fun of you for brining LRMs to a laser fight? Well let me tell you that, not only are LRMs part of the battle, they are an important part. So bring it, and consider these tips to help you use LRMs in style. Here we are talking inner sphere LRMs only.
- Time. Remember that just because they CAN be shot from 1000 plus meters (range modules), does not mean you should. (We will get to suppression tactics in a later tip but for now, its assumed you want to hit your target.) 600 to 300 meters or so should be your sweet spot for effective LRM use, considering the terrain. “Why?” you ask. Well DON”T be so nosy. Ok be nosy. Time is the enemy of effective use of LRMs. At 600-300 meters they have less time to react and either suppress you or get undercover. Even if they shut down, less travel time improves your chances of hitting them with your loving sweet sweet LRMs. Also it is hard for them to get back within 180 meters from 300 meters.
- Get your dog on! I know it costs Cbills and takes up your beer fridge space in your mech, but a Beagle Active Probe or BAP, can make a big difference. Time to target is lessened, and that is a slice of fried gold. Sure there are various modules and consoles to help, but BAP rules!
- Move. If you stay put and launch wave upon wave of LRMs you will soon be visited by a light with or without electronic counter measures or ECM. That will wreck your day. These little pests will kill you. Stay with the group, and be ready to dump a UAV so your buddies know to kill the SOB.
- Call out your target for LRM rain. Let your teammates know so they can stay away from the rain, or help keep the target uh.. what’s the word… targeted.
- Have defensive weapons. You need lasers, or daka, to help you when the chips are down. Even small short range lasers will help keep the pests away.
- Don’t expect your team to target for you but be prepared to press the darn “R” button when you can. Even when you are rocking an SRM brawler, No LRMs, use “R” so in the future your buddies will develop the habit.
- Turn on the color blind reticle in setup. This will blink when you hit a target, letting you know when they are under cover or not. Every LRM that is wasted, makes the mech gods quite irate.
- Artemis is your friend. If you can use it. Better boom boom for the c-buck.
- Suppression. Sometimes you will hear a teammate scream HELP OH GOD HELP>>MOTHER>> MOTHER>>> I SEE MY DEATH UPON ME>>TO BE OR NOT TO BEE THAT IS THE QUESTION>>>WHERE IS MY WILL?…. When this happens, IF your teammate has the ******* locked, you can shoot LRMs even farther than their effective range. The warning sound in their ears that LRMs are incoming will make them change what they are doing and seek shelter from the storm. Maybe. And don’t shoot every tube here. The missile warning is not specific. It does not say “HA HA HA Incoming 5 LRMs from more than 1500 meters away, what an idiot!” It says, in essence “Crap your pants and you better find shelter from the storm.” (Thanks Bob Dylan.)
- To boat or not to boat. Boat if you want. However, I think you can use a single LRM launcher, say an LRM 15, in combo with other weapons. It is great to hit them with it after they back out over the pass, or think they have used a hill to get out of line of sight. It’s a parting gift from me to you. Also, it is satisfying for some light to come after you, thinking you are an LRM boat, only to find they have 5 medium lasers, or worse, hitting them in the face. Bait and switch.
- Community. Understand that the community will not like you for using LRMs. They will call you names, exclude you in game by not targeting, and even not return your hedge clippers. Don’t let your sister date these guys and remember to mute pugs that complain. If your unit hates them and makes you do pushups, or clean the head because you use them, I can’t help you. They know everything anyway. You are just a number to them.
Well I hope you find something in this and don’t just crap all over it while using my hedge clippers GARY. GIVE THEM BACK GARY. And stay away from my sister you LRM hater. Adios.