85 replies to this topic

[Ragnahawk]

They ruin the game for me personally. The reason for this is pretty obvious, you can mount 5-6 streak 6 missiles, and rip open or kill a mech in a single shot. If there is no obstacles in the way, it will do full damage. They also have ridiculous range (370 m). You can fire 3 streak 6, for up to 36 damage into an enemy mech, or optionally run 5 streak missiles for 60 damage. Ghost heat applies to more than 3, so you would circumvent it by firing it 3 and 2. The missiles will follow you up, or follow you down. There are no deploy able cover or shields to protect against it. If you find yourself being focused down with laser, no problem, just fire and forget (Grade A+++ super pilots do that)

It generally ends like this: Your in a medium. You run into a timberwolf with 3 streak 6. You fight him and have no time to run into cover. 36 damage hits you in the side torso removing the armor instantly. Somebody flanks you, kills you in one shot, or they group up on you and both try to aim at the same torso, you get forced out of position and then insta killed by streak missiles.

It also ends like this: Your in a spider. You climb a ledge. The streak dog sees you. Incoming missile. You swear. You try to jump down. Missiles hit you in the air, leg you, and then your pretty much screwed.

It also also ends like this: You join an IS vs Clan scouting mission. The enemy team brought 4 stormcrows with 5 streak 6, a BAP, and a tag in the head with all the modules. They either turtle you out, by hitting you at the max 360 range and keeping from getting shot or they gang up on the same guy, kill him in like 2 seconds, and continue that until everyone is dead.

Most of the games I leave extremely dissatisfied, when I am hunted down with the same cheap weapon, very early in the match, I attempt to fight it, and eventually others flock to me and I become a heap of metal on the side of the road. (Thanks minimap, thanks red dorito that shows up over my head. )

What does satisfy me, is drowning a streak boat in friendly LRM missiles, or using a flamer on a streak boat, and peeling off his leg slowly, and then staying just outside of his field of vision as his poor mech is annihilated, and then flaming his dead mech to ensure the pilot did not survive. Or better yet, running around in an atlas S with all that structure, and then instantly blowing off a crows leg. Then crushing its weak body with my fist. Just straight impaling it with another shot. So satisfying...

[FupDup]

I also hate them.

Alistair Winter made a nice picture that explains my beef with the current implementation of Streaks. He originally made it for LRMs, but it applies equally to SSRMs since the mechanic is identical.



TL;DR: Their skill floor is extremely low, and so is their skill ceiling.

[Weeny Machine]

Streaks harcounter a whole mech class. This says much about balancing.

[Baulven]

Ah the streak crow touched you in a naughty spot. Well here are your options: one stop trying to take lights against an anti light weapon (the only thing streaks are good for) two take weapons get into optimal range and pummel the living hell out of the crow or three (what I normally do) push right into them with a knife fight duel. The cycle time on streak 6 is super long and I can destroy it before it cycles with my knife fight build. The streaks really aren't that powerful, you simply need different tactics. Griffins take them apart like it's a joke, as do shadow hawks.

Edited by Baulven, 27 July 2016 - 11:56 AM.

[Signal27]

The way I usually play is "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em." So one day I made a Timber Wolf with four Streak SRM 6s loaded onto it. Yeah, there's a reason you probably never see a loadout like that in competitions. And now they are dismounted and just sitting in my imaginary garage collecting dust.

The way Streaks work is that each individual missile is guided to a random mech limb, therefor spread-out damage is programmed directly into each individual Streak. So they're not as awesome as you think.

I know it really sucks to be hopping around in a Light and then suddenly get wiped out by a volley of Streaks, but Lights are probably the one and only thing Streaks are good against.

[MeiSooHaityu]

You would have loved the old days of Closed Beta when SSRM2x6 Catapult "StreakCats" were melting lights left and right lol. SSRM2s dont sound as bad on the surface, but back then Streaks were CT seeking so every missile fired hit the CT. Streakcats would annihilate lights and do a number on everything else. So crazy lol.

Anyway, I'd do your best to keep your distance if you see a Streakcrow (at least the best you can). Try to fire on him outside of his range. I know that isn't always possible, ambushes happen, but sometimes you are just SOL.

[Baulven]

Honestly everything that can mount an AC20 in the IS library pretty much trumps streaks crow. Just focus fire and they call down terribly fast. Also ECM makes streaks even worse than they are to begin with.

[TWIAFU]

Red Comet1, on 27 July 2016 - 11:50 AM, said:

They ruin the game for me personally. The reason for this is pretty obvious, you can mount 5-6 streak 6 missiles, and rip open or kill a mech in a single shot. If there is no obstacles in the way, it will do full damage. They also have ridiculous range (370 m). You can fire 3 streak 6, for up to 36 damage into an enemy mech, or optionally run 5 streak missiles for 60 damage. Ghost heat applies to more than 3, so you would circumvent it by firing it 3 and 2. The missiles will follow you up, or follow you down. There are no deploy able cover or shields to protect against it. If you find yourself being focused down with laser, no problem, just fire and forget (Grade A+++ super pilots do that)

It generally ends like this: Your in a medium. You run into a timberwolf with 3 streak 6. You fight him and have no time to run into cover. 36 damage hits you in the side torso removing the armor instantly. Somebody flanks you, kills you in one shot, or they group up on you and both try to aim at the same torso, you get forced out of position and then insta killed by streak missiles.

It also ends like this: Your in a spider. You climb a ledge. The streak dog sees you. Incoming missile. You swear. You try to jump down. Missiles hit you in the air, leg you, and then your pretty much screwed.

It also also ends like this: You join an IS vs Clan scouting mission. The enemy team brought 4 stormcrows with 5 streak 6, a BAP, and a tag in the head with all the modules. They either turtle you out, by hitting you at the max 360 range and keeping from getting shot or they gang up on the same guy, kill him in like 2 seconds, and continue that until everyone is dead.

Most of the games I leave extremely dissatisfied, when I am hunted down with the same cheap weapon, very early in the match, I attempt to fight it, and eventually others flock to me and I become a heap of metal on the side of the road. (Thanks minimap, thanks red dorito that shows up over my head. )

What does satisfy me, is drowning a streak boat in friendly LRM missiles, or using a flamer on a streak boat, and peeling off his leg slowly, and then staying just outside of his field of vision as his poor mech is annihilated, and then flaming his dead mech to ensure the pilot did not survive. Or better yet, running around in an atlas S with all that structure, and then instantly blowing off a crows leg. Then crushing its weak body with my fist. Just straight impaling it with another shot. So satisfying...

Advance the timeline so IS has sSRM4 and 6's. Not to mention LB20x and uAC10 and 20s.

[Yellonet]

Yep, Clan streaks is a very cheap weapon.

Edited by Yellonet, 27 July 2016 - 12:02 PM.

[Aiden Skye]

As much as I hate streak boats, they do have a hard counter. 370m or 396m with the range module. They are pretty sketchy beyond 300m anyway, could usually get in cover from that range and have the streak lamma drive volleys into the side of a building. It does take situation awareness to not them them get that close. Could be a real pain in the *** for brawler lights who need to be in close, but I hate them almost as much as streak boats anyway so whatev.

[RestosIII]

Meanwhile, I want Streak LRMs. Or at least LRMs that don't arc upwards always no matter what distance you are from the target, so you can use LRMs in areas like HPG without hitting the roof.

[MadHornet]

My issue is idiots who think they have to chase lights all the time. No, stop doing that, you're not helping the team by running in and focusing on a light just for the L0lz of killing a light with a billion streak missiles. As much as they help in doing that, please attack lights that are actually attacking, not just chasing after them.

[Baulven]

RestosIII, on 27 July 2016 - 12:03 PM, said:

Meanwhile, I want Streak LRMs. Or at least LRMs that don't arc upwards always no matter what distance you are from the target, so you can use LRMs in areas like HPG without hitting the roof.

Streak LRMs would be nice but I don't see them happening anytime soon. I honestly think the timeline jump is just so they have more mechs to sell, instead of actually looking to add tech and weapon choices into the game.

[Lucian Nostra]

I was with you till you mentioned mediums, streaks are a rude counter to lights but if your in a medium losing because of streaks there's a bigger issue

[Alistair Winter]

• "Just keep your distance". That's cool, except 90% of all light mechs have short range weapons and PGI has made no effort to make a combination of long range and short range weapons on light mechs a viable solution. If I'm trying to cap in Conquest (that glorious game mode) in a light mech that moves ~120 kph and I encounter a Streakcrow moving at ~105 kph, what are my options, except retreating? And even if you retreat, you better start while that Streakcrow is outside 400 meters, or you will probably get legged.
  
• "Streaks are anti-light weapons." So where are the anti-medium, anti-heavy and anti-assault weapons? Because I can't really find any weapons that will kill those other mechs in two alpha strikes.
  
• "Yeah, but streaks are terrible against heavies and assaults". So what? Streakboats can still farm 2-3 lights and mediums per match before they encounter heavies. And even then, the advantage of numbers is good enough that they can hang back like vultures while they wait for heavies and assaults to be cored and vulnerable. In other words, it doesn't necessarily matter that they're bad against heavies and assaults, in game modes where you can easily isolate light and medium mechs.

Streaks are by far the most terribly designed and balanced weapon in MWO. And isn't it kind of telling that IS SSRM2's have been useless for about 2 years now, and nobody (NOBODY) seems to give a f*ck? There's a lot of threads complaining about making MGs viable or PPCs viable. Where are the threads about IS SSRM2s?

[Ragnahawk]

The problem is the streak missile range. There is no way in h*** you can step out of the way of the missiles. You are really lucky if you can manage that. 270 m, is sketchy, but less crazy because you can counter it with large pulse lasers. 220 m would probably be just right. Just out of seismic range. Then they could be light hunters with a little bit of balance. You wouldn't be completely forced into them.

[TercieI]

Lucian Nostra, on 27 July 2016 - 12:08 PM, said:

I was with you till you mentioned mediums, streaks are a rude counter to lights but if your in a medium losing because of streaks there's a bigger issue

Indeed. Though that's largely true in lights as well. Lights are all about choosing your engagements. In PUGs, you should be much more cautious, in a team setting, you have other options. Aside from low weight comp, there's really nowhere streaks excel against good players. They're a chump gun. If I get streaked, it almost always means I did something stupid (or, occasionally, supremely unlucky).

Alistair Winter, on 27 July 2016 - 12:09 PM, said:

• "Just keep your distance". That's cool, except 90% of all light mechs have short range weapons and PGI has made no effort to make a combination of long range and short range weapons on light mechs a viable solution. If I'm trying to cap in Conquest (that glorious game mode) in a light mech that moves ~120 kph and I encounter a Streakcrow moving at ~105 kph, what are my options, except retreating? And even if you retreat, you better start while that Streakcrow is outside 400 meters, or you will probably get legged.
  
• "Streaks are anti-light weapons." So where are the anti-medium, anti-heavy and anti-assault weapons? Because I can't really find any weapons that will kill those other mechs in two alpha strikes.
  
• "Yeah, but streaks are terrible against heavies and assaults". So what? Streakboats can still farm 2-3 lights and mediums per match before they encounter heavies. And even then, the advantage of numbers is good enough that they can hang back like vultures while they wait for heavies and assaults to be cored and vulnerable. In other words, it doesn't necessarily matter that they're bad against heavies and assaults, in game modes where you can easily isolate light and medium mechs.

Streaks are by far the most terribly designed and balanced weapon in MWO. And isn't it kind of telling that IS SSRM2's have been useless for about 2 years now, and nobody (NOBODY) seems to give a f*ck? There's a lot of threads complaining about making MGs viable or PPCs viable. Where are the threads about IS SSRM2s?

To be fair, Clan Streak-2s (and all SRM2s) are pretty awful too. It's not really about the ISness, it's just the tube count. The rule for clans is always 6s unless weight simply makes it impossible, then 4s (so KFXs...).

[Coolant]

Baulven, on 27 July 2016 - 11:55 AM, said:

one stop trying to take lights against an anti light weapon (the only thing streaks are good for)

You know very well that your statement is false. You can take 5 or 6 clan streak 4/6's against any mech in the game...and it takes no skill.

Edited by Coolant, 27 July 2016 - 12:16 PM.

[Koniving]

First off, Streaks:

Quote

Originally developed in 2647 by the Star League, the Streak SRM Launcher is relatively similar to the standard SRM launcher but incorporates a unique Targa-7 fire control system. This system consists of a multi-lens sensor linked to a microwave targeting laser and battle computer built in to the launcher. When activated the system fires multiple light pulses at the target, and if the sensor detects a positive return signal from 90% or more of the pulses the battle computer authorizes missile launch; once airborne the missiles receive constant telemetry updates from the system to ensure they hit their target. In contrast if the system does not receive sufficient feedback before firing to guarantee a hit it will prevent the missiles from launching. This special feature of the system prevents the weapon from firing at a target when there is no lock-on, saving ammunition by preventing shots that would otherwise miss.[1][2]

Unlike a standard SRM whose shotgun-like effect may result in some misses and some hits, Streak guidance gives the lighter launchers the effective average firepower of the heavier and more wasteful SRM systems, but with considerably less variation in damage effects. The only disadvantages are that Streak launchers are incompatible with other missile target acquisition technologies such as the Artemis IV FCS and Narc Missile Beacon, their specialized ammunition is much more expensive, and some users are willing to accept partial hits rather than not be able to fire on demand.[2]

Notice. 90% chance for accuracy? Launcher refuses to fire until it thinks it is sure to hit. Akin to Fup's emphasis on skill, won't fire unless you keep a strong lock on the target itself.
Not a 100% hitter as they are still SRMs, just can't fire them as easily.

MeiSooHaityu, on 27 July 2016 - 11:57 AM, said:

You would have loved the old days of Closed Beta when SSRM2x6 Catapult "StreakCats" were melting lights left and right lol. SSRM2s dont sound as bad on the surface, but back then Streaks were CT seeking so every missile fired hit the CT. Streakcats would annihilate lights and do a number on everything else. So crazy lol.

Anyway, I'd do your best to keep your distance if you see a Streakcrow (at least the best you can). Try to fire on him outside of his range. I know that isn't always possible, ambushes happen, but sometimes you are just SOL.

You mean these Streaks?

This streak cat?


Terrifying, wasn't it?
...Not really.

Edited by Koniving, 27 July 2016 - 12:19 PM.

[TercieI]

Coolant, on 27 July 2016 - 12:15 PM, said:

You know very well that your statement is false. You can take 5 or 6 clan streak 4/6's against any mech in the game...and it takes no skill.

And if that mech is skilled, you lose. Yeah, you'll be beat up, but you should win 1v1 with any decent build and weapons.

Don't get me wrong, they're a rubbish design, but they're far from OP.

Edited by TercieI, 27 July 2016 - 12:17 PM.