47 replies to this topic

[Kshahdoo]

The side with more LRMs always wins. And it's almost impossible to play having short range weapons, like at all.

[MechaBattler]

Yay big open maps of a whole lot of nothing.

[Kaeb Odellas]

I've seen brawler teams take out the LRM teams by moving aggressively. It's rare to find something like that in a PUG though.

[RestosIII]

I used to make a 6 medlas+1 AC/20 BH2 work there, and I'm a potato of horrible quality, so with enough practice anyone can make any range of build work there. I have no idea how clear this post is since I'm half asleep, so I'll say this first. No, I'm not saying joke builds.

[ice trey]

I like polar highlands.
I can see things, and it breaks the monotony of forever HPG/Crimson/MiningColony/Canyon.

[RestosIII]

ice trey, on 01 January 2017 - 12:07 AM, said:

I like polar highlands.
I can see things, and it breaks the monotony of forever HPG/Crimson/MiningColony/Canyon.

It makes me think of MW4: Mercs. Specifically, a stealth mission in it. Makes me wish for the Flea even more. But I do like Polar.

[cervelos2]

I like Polar Highlands. I think there's enough cover from the terrain if you know how to use it.

[DaZur]

What's that... Can't figure out how to adapt tactically to different maps that accommodate differing play styles?

Either figure out how to flank or ditch the myopic brawl-builds in favour of a mixed build.

[SQW]

Oh no, I can't snipe from my little outcrop for 10min! Big map OP!

Polar is a fantastic map. It allows tactical maneuver rather than mass brawl like mining or snipe fest like Frozen City. Majority of QP players just aren't organized enough to coordinate a push or a flank to take advantage of Polar.

How many times have you seen everyone mill around one spot trying to snipe at the enemy while blocking everyone else's LOS? How many players instinctively trying to flank the enemy gun line rather than stay and trade FACE TO FACE? Polar does heavily favors LRMs but it's also rare to find more than 2 missile boats per team these days. A coordinated push through the gullies would take your entire time within 400m of their team safely out of LOS but 99% of the time, the brawlers would go over the TOP directly because it's the shortest path and get wrecked.

Polar will take your **** tactics that you might have gotten away with in stale arena maps like HPG and punish you - much like campers are now being punished in Escort.

[chucklesMuch]

Kshahdoo, on 31 December 2016 - 11:59 PM, said:

The side with more LRMs always wins. And it's almost impossible to play having short range weapons, like at all.

Not in my experience. Most lurms definitely don't always win, short range + slow mech? + solo queue (with a unfavourable team) isn't much fun... but short range with even a half decent team is okay IMO.

[Kshahdoo]

DaZur, on 01 January 2017 - 12:11 AM, said:

What's that... Can't figure out how to adapt tactically to different maps that accommodate differing play styles?

Either figure out how to flank or ditch the myopic brawl-builds in favour of a mixed build.

Man, there are a lot of sniping maps in the game. And I remember I had 6 kills on Highlands with my brawler Scorch, but it doesn't change anything. If opponents aren't imbeciles, you're as good as dead on a brawling mech on this map. And it's just impossible to hide form LRMs, if you aren't on something really small and fast.

Edited by Kshahdoo, 01 January 2017 - 12:29 AM.

[Kasumi Sumika]

Playing with short range build is possible with enemies have long range weapons. The key is able to flank em with your team correctly.

LRM can be counter in Polar. By moving into cover, stay mobile to dodge the missile, stay close with AMS equipped teamates or ECM to counter LRM. Also keep eye on sneaky light spotter or UAV above you.

[DaZur]

Kshahdoo, on 01 January 2017 - 12:28 AM, said:

Man, there are a lot of sniping maps in the game. And I remember I had 6 kills on Highlands with my brawler Scorch, but it doesn't change anything. If opponents aren't imbeciles, you're as good as dead on a brawling mech on this map. And it's just impossible to hide form LRMs, if you aren't on something really small and fast.

Not every situation will be ideal for every mech configuration...

Reality is you do the best you can with what you have OR you plan accordingly and plan/configure for any contingency.

I know this means forgoing the meta and ignoring the hive-mind mentality and "gasp"... not totally boating. That said, I've lowered my blood pressure and improved my mental situation by doing so.

Edited by DaZur, 01 January 2017 - 12:35 AM.

[CK16]

Idk, Polar plays out pretty damn nicely in FW domination. No death balls, needing some strategy and deployment. LRM are never the entire story here. I hope they never change it. It is truly one of the few thinking man's map.

[Tristan Winter]

Probably my favourite map in MWO after River City. River City is more flawed on account of the river and Citadel though. Polar Highlands is perfect, although not quite as fun as urban mech warfare.

Consider it a training map. If you're getting smashed by LRMs on Polar Highlands, you're doing it wrong. If you're a sniper, your pinpoint damage should be better than LRMs. Every time you expose your mech, you'll have time for 1 alpha strike and they'll have time for 1-2 alpha strikes, if you have radar deprivation module. They're doing damage to your entire mech, you should be doing damage to only 1-2 components. If you're a brawler, just push.

Of course, it doesn't really matter if your team is 11 shades of potatoes. They will probably get smashed by LRMs 50% of the time. But that's the joy of the solo queue, really. Especially now that matchmaker has basically given up. There's two different levels of matchmaking going on.

• Tier 2-5
  
• Tier 1-4.

So at best, you're going to have Tier 4 players on your team, probably. People who have played MWO for a few days. That's the real issue.

[jss78]

I'm not having any problems running short-range builds on Polar.

After 133 games on that map, I have still NEVER seen a game there that didn't come down to short-range slugging at some point. Just got to be patient until that point.

[Kshahdoo]

jss78, on 01 January 2017 - 12:54 AM, said:

I'm not having any problems running short-range builds on Polar.

After 133 games on that map, I have still NEVER seen a game there that didn't come down to short-range slugging at some point. Just got to be patient until that point.

Have you played all of them in PUGs?

[Brain Cancer]

Kshahdoo, on 01 January 2017 - 12:28 AM, said:

Man, there are a lot of sniping maps in the game. And I remember I had 6 kills on Highlands with my brawler Scorch, but it doesn't change anything. If opponents aren't imbeciles, you're as good as dead on a brawling mech on this map. And it's just impossible to hide form LRMs, if you aren't on something really small and fast.

I've been dodging LRMs in a 64kph Orion IIC. Probably helps that I use LRMs so much I understand what hoses them, even on the poor cover maps like Polar. Assault brawlers? You are in serious trouble, but even then if your team is keeping the other guys from focusing you will get in range to do some damage before dying.

PUGs as usual are just clueless and are going to die, but the only difference is how and in what order on any given map. Potatoes gonna potatoe.

[Shiroi Tsuki]

Kaeb Odellas, on 01 January 2017 - 12:02 AM, said:

I've seen brawler teams take out the LRM teams by moving aggressively. It's rare to find something like that in a PUG though.

I desperately need a dedicated, aggressive brawler group to drop with right now.

[El Bandito]

Anyone who complains about LRMs being too OP in Polar, has not graduated from low tier. I played enough of that map to know that the side with more LRMs does not necessarily win. Unless it was pre-planned in group queue, with dedicated Narcers.

If anything, Alpine is worse.

Edited by El Bandito, 01 January 2017 - 01:37 AM.