7 replies to this topic

[Sickario]

I feel like I'm either being told conflicting things or I'm just not understanding correctly, so I seek clarification. I've only been playing about a month, so I'm still quite the newb.

In Quickplay I was told early on that if I'm not an LRM boat and if I can target something, I should bring up the command wheel and click on "enemy spotted" because it helps the boats target something over a hill or what have you and launch some missiles. When I play my LRM boat(s) it definitely helps me to see enemy from a vantage that I may not be able to get on my own.

But in a fight I earlier today, this guy said my spotting enemies like that isn't a help at all, that I have to have my reticle actually on the enemy for it to work, and if I understood him correctly I had to keep my reticle on the target for as long as possible (was hard to hear, I had a loud fan on because I didn't want to wake up the roommates). This in turn worries me because most times when I'm getting targets like that I'm not seeing just one, and they immediately fire at me, and I can move a bit but if they're lobbing LRM's at me and/or if they're very good shots I seldom last long either.

So am I mistaken and if so what am I mistaken about? I hope that makes sense hehe. The guy sounded angry about it and I didn't want to keep doing it if it's not helping anyone else, and/or if I'm doing it wrong.

[PocketAces]

https://youtu.be/oHv6mYiOWUA
https://youtu.be/xFL-QhiRTLY

[Danjo San]

In order to share the target information, you need to be locked on the target. That means you need to have it targeted using the "R" Button. -> there is a red frame around the Mech, as long as you keep him in sight. As long as you keep him locked your teammates will be able to get locks on him even if they do not have a direct line of sight.
"the enemy spotted" from the command wheel, does not help in the sense of acquiring "locks" as it does not lock onto the target. However, it briefly shares the information of a mechs position even if the mech ducks behind an obstacle. Enemy spotted, therefore, is helpful.

[Sickario]

PocketAces, on 26 January 2017 - 12:46 AM, said:

https://youtu.be/oHv6mYiOWUA
https://youtu.be/xFL-QhiRTLY

Great videos, many thanks!

Danjo San, on 26 January 2017 - 12:47 AM, said:

In order to share the target information, you need to be locked on the target. That means you need to have it targeted using the "R" Button. -> there is a red frame around the Mech, as long as you keep him in sight. As long as you keep him locked your teammates will be able to get locks on him even if they do not have a direct line of sight.
"the enemy spotted" from the command wheel, does not help in the sense of acquiring "locks" as it does not lock onto the target. However, it briefly shares the information of a mechs position even if the mech ducks behind an obstacle. Enemy spotted, therefore, is helpful.

Okay just as I feared then. There's few times when I can keep him targeted without getting clobbered, I guess I'd have to use my Lights or Mediums for that. I guess if I got Tag or Narcs it would help but on the few Mechs I've gotten there aren't many with room for them. But maybe I can look into one of the builds demonstrated in PocketAces's videos, where I'll see if I can get a Tag on my LRM boat itself.

Thanks guys for helping me to understand all this better.

[Pocket_Aces]

For LRM boats, always bring BAP and a Tag if you have a laser hardpoint, BAP gets past the ECM and so does Tag, but Tag helps speed up lock time.

[Hunter Tseng]

The target spotted command wheel is useful for information mainly.
As it still shows up in the minimap even if you lost lock on the enemy.
So it will show you the general direction of the enemy movement. Especially useful if you are stalking a specific enemy mech.

[Boulangerie]

Also good to note is that the "Enemy Spotted" from the command wheel will put a small blue marker on the minimap as well, and can be used on targets that you can't actaully get a hard target lock on. This is almost always because of them having an ECM bubble on the mech. I think the command wheel also lets you mark targets from a further range than your targeting sensors may be able to.

This mechanic is also on a global cooldown for the entire team, so if a teammate has recently used it, it will be greyed out.

[Sickario]

Boulangerie, on 26 January 2017 - 05:49 AM, said:

Also good to note is that the "Enemy Spotted" from the command wheel will put a small blue marker on the minimap as well, and can be used on targets that you can't actaully get a hard target lock on. This is almost always because of them having an ECM bubble on the mech. I think the command wheel also lets you mark targets from a further range than your targeting sensors may be able to.

This mechanic is also on a global cooldown for the entire team, so if a teammate has recently used it, it will be greyed out.

I had suspected something like that (the global cooldown), so I guess it's best to not just do it every chance I get.