31 replies to this topic

[Moosegun]

First things first, I am the general of a relatively new but very active merc unit, currently signed up to IS. Unlike some merc units we do not plan to jump ship when our contract runs out but instead we are going to fight on. What we need though is other people, those who are actually loyal to IS, to man up and fight alongside us.

This is not an post about whether or not the game is balanced or fair, life isn't balanced or fair. Sometimes life is the most interesting when your back is against the wall and you have two choices;

1/ Bend over and take a swift one to the starfish
2/ Fight back against the odds

Today I had the pleasure of being part of a 12 man group, made up of players from all over. We ran around 8 FP games and won 6 of them. Because we had leaders, communication, spirit and plenty of jaffa cakes. It can be done and it is bloody great fun when you do it, it just needs more people to believe it can.

So IS are you going to sort your sh*t out? If so the following would be a good start;

1/ Get a unified TS, having 6 different TS channels all with 3 people in isnt any use to anyone
2/ Reach out and talk to the merc units out there, come up with some sort of plan, coordinate something other than moaning on here
3/ Actually, good point, who is in charge here??

You might be right, this war might be lost, the game might be unfair and please continue arguing about it until something in done. In the meantime though we can go down fighting?


Finally, IS pug players, ask santa for a bloody mic for Christmas........

Edited by Moosegun, 15 December 2016 - 09:32 AM.

[Graugger]

Basically

1. Get good
2. Get good
3. Get good

I have to ask, were you clan when you won those matches?
Were you dropping in a premade against a premade or individuals?
Do you really think the people that are the "supposed" issue actually get on the forums?

Just because someone loses a match doesn't make them a n00b.
Additionally, being a merc for Kurita never ends well.

[Moosegun]

Graugger, on 15 December 2016 - 08:54 AM, said:

Basically

1. Get good
2. Get good
3. Get good

I have to ask, were you clan when you won those matches?
Were you dropping in a premade against a premade or individuals?
Do you really think the people that are the "supposed" issue actually get on the forums?

Just because someone loses a match doesn't make them a n00b.
Additionally, being a merc for Kurita never ends well.

Reply to your questions

No, they were today, as I said.
It was an organised pug, just people invited off friends lists but we had some good players. We fought a mix of full pugs and mixed units
I dont think some of the people who are the issue are here but many who are the solution are

As for being a Kurita merc, we are ALL IS now

Edited by Moosegun, 15 December 2016 - 08:59 AM.

[Positive Mental Attitude]

I may be wrong but I feel like the IS loyalist dont really exist anymore besides HHoD. The only time I see planets getting taken are when mj12 or evil is over there and we generally pick opposite sides as groups so we actually get good games at least once a day.

IS is hopeless right now for the most part. The new players pick IS mechs I guess bc theyre cheaper then bring the absolute worst builds to meta town and complain of hacks or imbalance after theyre 12-48...

Its a vicious circle and pgi seems pretty confused on everything at this point.

[Moosegun]

I don't really know the know the history or the politics. Pretty sure there were 3-4 HHoD with us today, first time I had played with them. Prehaps this is the problem there isnt much IS left, I just want to rally people, anyone who wants to listen and make this competitive. Be that mercs that want to switch sides to fight for the underdog or smaller IS groups who want to team up to make something more effective.

Edited by Moosegun, 15 December 2016 - 09:23 AM.

[Van mw]

"1/ Get a unified TS, having 6 different TS channels all with 3 people in isnt any use to anyone"
- there is new discord server for IS.
https://discord.gg/aErywpH

[Zap97]

I agree.with op Is now has 15 more tons for inavsion without counting quirks. If they lose it's their fault.

[AnTi90d]

Van mw, on 15 December 2016 - 09:59 AM, said:

"1/ Get a unified TS, having 6 different TS channels all with 3 people in isnt any use to anyone"
- there is new discord server for IS.
https://discord.gg/aErywpH

Discord is gross.

One of the six IS house TS owners should convert their TS over to an all IS TS server. That would really help.

[xX PUG Xx]

I had the pleasure of leading a few drops this afternoon, including one of Mooseguns victories, what I notice is when the team communicates it is usually a close fight at the very least. I did three drops: the first was a defence on Grim Portico in a lance of my unit mates and the team lost 44-48 - a really hard fought, slug fest and it was fun. The second was an attempted Invasion of Hellebore and there was little following of calls and we went down 24 or 25 - 48. The last was a defence on Vitric with 6 of us in TS and another 2-3 communicating over VOIP. We won that 48 - 26ish, with all main turrets still alive and no O-Gens touched.

The main difference between each game was the communication and the willingness of the players to follow the calls and stick with the team. Clans or IS are not OP, teamwork trumps all. THAT is why units like EVIL, 228BW, -MS- et all were/are so effective, they play for the team win.

So the question is, do you want your team to win or are you more worried about your personal stats and scoreboard figures?

Edited by xX PUG Xx, 15 December 2016 - 10:50 AM.

[MischiefSC]

Teams get made on IS side and when they do they win plenty. However the last year has seen the steady decline of IS units and teams into merc or Clan units. All that's left is pugs for the most part.

However the migration to merc/Clan was no random coincidence. The elimination of factions, KDK 3, IS/Clan balance issues since Clans were released.

Problem is that IS is and will forever be now mostly pugs. Russ may bribe some mercs to go IS for a bit but units? Oh hell no. Why should they?

[Natred]

One thing about balancing is its hard to balance teamwork and skill. Find a way to work together and play to your strengths.

[xX PUG Xx]

MischiefSC, on 15 December 2016 - 11:08 AM, said:

Problem is that IS is and will forever be now mostly pugs. Russ may bribe some mercs to go IS for a bit but units? Oh hell no. Why should they?

<--Leader of an EU based 28 player strong Merc Unit that has played as IS since late September and will do until at least January. Recently we've had the good fortune to make friends with another Merc Unit, BotH, that has been happy to run alongside us and mix groups. Perhaps in the NA window it is a struggle but we've been doing what we can during the EU window on both attack and defence*

We may not be the best but we've given O7, DERP' -SA-, -SC- and few other units someone to fight against.


(*We do find that the end timing for the EU window is a real pain, essentially by the time we are all coming online and getting our group/s going we only have time for 1-3 drops and then ceasefire hits at 10pm GMT but I suppose this is a different discussion.)

[FallingAce]

Moosegun, on 15 December 2016 - 09:22 AM, said:

I don't really know the know the history or the politics.

I'm glad that people that don't have a clue where we're out or how we got here have all the answers.

[SuperFunkTron]

I'm a Wolf loyalist through and through and I really like what you are posting in this thread. People don't get better by winning matches, they get better by losing and figuring out what to change or improve. I understand that its gotta be frustrating as hell that the IS is losing so many planets, but I think that this is the ideal time to be training new players and encouraging them to group up and practice necessary skills that will help them improve. Whenever I see a player who could use some tips, I offer him suggestions and even try to give him some advice and follow up with his progress every once in a while.

Learning this game is a lesson in patience and masochism, we just have to start showing thew newer and weaker players the great lessons they can take from the losses and teach them what needs to be done to turn the tables.

I hope you can beat (read inspire) these IS guys to keep fighting because I definitely enjoy hard fought battles more than I do wins. Better to lose gloriously than roll shamelessly.

[xX PUG Xx]

FallingAce, on 15 December 2016 - 12:09 PM, said:

I'm glad that people that don't have a clue where we're out or how we got here have all the answers.

I'm.glad someone that quotes out of context can add blinding insight and revolutionary ideas to the conversation.

See? I can do it too

Edited by xX PUG Xx, 15 December 2016 - 12:19 PM.

[MischiefSC]

xX PUG Xx, on 15 December 2016 - 11:59 AM, said:

&lt;--Leader of an EU based 28 player strong Merc Unit that has played as IS since late September and will do until at least January. Recently we've had the good fortune to make friends with another Merc Unit, BotH, that has been happy to run alongside us and mix groups. Perhaps in the NA window it is a struggle but we've been doing what we can during the EU window on both attack and defence*

We may not be the best but we've given O7, DERP' -SA-, -SC- and few other units someone to fight against.


(*We do find that the end timing for the EU window is a real pain, essentially by the time we are all coming online and getting our group/s going we only have time for 1-3 drops and then ceasefire hits at 10pm GMT but I suppose this is a different discussion.)

There's three IS loyalist units on Euro that play near the end of Euro CF. All due props to you guys, stubborn sobs that you are. If only there wasn't 60+ suicide pugs losing faster than you win. IDI and 31HR put up great numbers and drive wins, I apologize for not having the 3rd team on the top of my head.

Otherwise there aren't many/any IS teams with 12 people active at once, save HHOD sometimes.

[Marquis De Lafayette]

xX PUG Xx, on 15 December 2016 - 11:59 AM, said:

&lt;--Leader of an EU based 28 player strong Merc Unit that has played as IS since late September and will do until at least January. Recently we've had the good fortune to make friends with another Merc Unit, BotH, that has been happy to run alongside us and mix groups. Perhaps in the NA window it is a struggle but we've been doing what we can during the EU window on both attack and defence*

We may not be the best but we've given O7, DERP' -SA-, -SC- and few other units someone to fight against.


(*We do find that the end timing for the EU window is a real pain, essentially by the time we are all coming online and getting our group/s going we only have time for 1-3 drops and then ceasefire hits at 10pm GMT but I suppose this is a different discussion.)

07 vs IDI has made for some great fights. Both wins and losses both ways (at 250 tons) and much fun.

I don't believe IS units suddenly became helpless with the launch of Phase 4.1...fights had actually improved with the December patch and balance seemed to be in a better spot. In this phase when we have dropped against IS units it is a good (and generally close) fight that has gone both ways....the mixed bands in Faction TS also put up good fights and win as well. It's
been the mixed solo-pug groups where I have seen total stomps happen. I took one Clan solo-PUG drop and got rolled by the IS solo-PUGs on the other side last night. Everyone did there own thing and we got wrecked. This seems to me to be more about skill and communication balance (the clans just have more 10-12 man teams dropping right now)

If PGI wants to do something lasting...it needs to be with population balance. Phase 4.1 the jade Falcon debacle all over again (but worse maybe) where too many units jumped on the JF bandwagon with -50% contracts even...and farmed IS PUGs all the live long day.

An idea (might be a stupid one) would be to make a max % population to each side (60/40 or 65/35...figure something out PGI) ...if it gets to that level then there will be times when Mercs can't get a contract for that side of the conflict they want....availablilty of contracts should be governed by need of the various factions, not the desire of who they want to work for. If a side doesn't need more fighters, why would they offer a contract to pay Mercs anyway?

[MischiefSC]

SuperFunkTron, on 15 December 2016 - 12:17 PM, said:

I'm a Wolf loyalist through and through and I really like what you are posting in this thread. People don't get better by winning matches, they get better by losing and figuring out what to change or improve. I understand that its gotta be frustrating as hell that the IS is losing so many planets, but I think that this is the ideal time to be training new players and encouraging them to group up and practice necessary skills that will help them improve. Whenever I see a player who could use some tips, I offer him suggestions and even try to give him some advice and follow up with his progress every once in a while.

Learning this game is a lesson in patience and masochism, we just have to start showing thew newer and weaker players the great lessons they can take from the losses and teach them what needs to be done to turn the tables.

I hope you can beat (read inspire) these IS guys to keep fighting because I definitely enjoy hard fought battles more than I do wins. Better to lose gloriously than roll shamelessly.

Most the Clan grognards quit when IS and Clans got pretty close to balanced. The IS lore grognards have remained, losing 80% of their matches, refusing to change anything and showing up to lose day after day.

Not all. There's some pugs who want to learn but there are no longer enough people here to teach them. If you want to win consistently on IS side you need to be in a 10man, maybe 8 if you're all carry hards. While drops vs IS are almost all pugs drops vs Clans are almost all units.

There is no reason to play a unit on IS side. Tech disadvantage, no factions to be loyal to, full of entry level pugs of which only a small segment want to play to win.

[Warden Xim]

Inner Sphere faction will have one new member: me. I break loyalty from clannies. I.S need balance. And i bought one new I.S mech for that.

Edited by Warden Xim, 15 December 2016 - 12:55 PM.

[Sedmeister]

Marquis De Lafayette, on 15 December 2016 - 12:42 PM, said:

07 vs IDI has made for some great fights. Both wins and losses both ways (at 250 tons) and much fun.

I don't believe IS units suddenly became helpless with the launch of Phase 4.1...fights had actually improved with the December patch and balance seemed to be in a better spot. In this phase when we have dropped against IS units it is a good (and generally close) fight that has gone both ways....the mixed bands in Faction TS also put up good fights and win as well. It's
been the mixed solo-pug groups where I have seen total stomps happen. I took one Clan solo-PUG drop and got rolled by the IS solo-PUGs on the other side last night. Everyone did there own thing and we got wrecked. This seems to me to be more about skill and communication balance (the clans just have more 10-12 man teams dropping right now)

If PGI wants to do something lasting...it needs to be with population balance. Phase 4.1 the jade Falcon debacle all over again (but worse maybe) where too many units jumped on the JF bandwagon with -50% contracts even...and farmed IS PUGs all the live long day.

An idea (might be a stupid one) would be to make a max % population to each side (60/40 or 65/35...figure something out PGI) ...if it gets to that level then there will be times when Mercs can't get a contract for that side of the conflict they want....availablilty of contracts should be governed by need of the various factions, not the desire of who they want to work for. If a side doesn't need more fighters, why would they offer a contract to pay Mercs anyway?

Hi Marquis. I think that this is the best idea. In a real world scenario, at some point the employer no longer hires because they have enough employees.

I say:

Scrap quirks. So clan have proper OP mechs as per lore.
Give IS tonnage increase to compensate.
Set population limits.

With population limits, you'd need to come up with some kind of rotation system to ensure eventually people have opportunity to play clan, but balance this with some kind of advantage for the better unit if it came down to 2 units competing for the same contract. Not sure how to make it work but it should be doabled.

As an IS loyalist, I believe clan mechs are better than IS mechs overall, I don't think PGI should be trying to balance IS and clan mechs on buffs/quirks etc, I think they should seek to make the balance by taking a lead from lore. IS sought to balance terms by dropping greater numbers, choosing strategic advantage which can be framed in terms of IS getting to set up in an advantageous part of a map with more defensive turrets as one example.

Buy your suggestion of population cap limits is also a great one too.

Edited by Sedmeister, 15 December 2016 - 02:24 PM.