41 replies to this topic

[Inappropriate1]

LRMS AND YOU! (BLOOD ON THE STREETS)

(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.

[TooDumbToQuit]

Uh..thanks?

[- World Eater -]

Sounds good man.

[Old-dirty B]

I never fired even once a volley of lrms, i never even test fitted an lrm launcher - i have sold all the lrm launchers that i acquired with the purchases of mechs immeadetely. But now that i read this i feel that im missing out on alot of fun, am i?

[Inappropriate1]

B3R3ND, on 16 March 2017 - 02:10 PM, said:

I never fired even once a volley of lrms, i never even test fitted an lrm launcher - i have sold all the lrm launchers that i acquired with the purchases of mechs immeadetely. But now that i read this i feel that im missing out on alot of fun, am i?

I think so....but I am insane. One LRM 15 with arty and several lasers can be a change of pace.

[Rogue Jedi]

ok, not a bad starting point, but possibly would have been better in guides and stratagies.

you have covered few things but to make this more helpful to new players I have (quite) a few additions

Artemus provides tighter spread and more course corrections to the missiles provided you have your own lock, it also provides faster lock times, but in exchange for this it adds 1 more ton to each launcher.

if you are taking LRMs or SSRMs it is usualy worth finding space for an Active Probe, that allows you to counter 1 enemy ECM and therefore prevent a single ECM light from taking that weapon system out of the fight.

if you want to be effective stick with the team, perhaps not on the front line, but LRMs are most effective at mid range, 200-500m, I almost never use them past 600 because at that range the enemy has almost 4 seconds to get out of the way, meaning they have a pretty good chance of breaking the lock or making it to cover.

get your own locks. if you are firing on a lock provided by someone else you do not know if the target is in cover, or how likely the target is to break the lock before the missiles get there. the only exception is if you are in a group and bring a dedicated spotter, who not just marks targets but also gives you advice like, stable lock, out in the open, about to loose lock and that sort of thing.

TAG is worth bringing, is a laser designator, provided your Mech is not under an active enemy ECM holding TAG on target will make an ECM Mech targatable, and increase lock speed and strengh as well as missile grouping

Edited by Rogue Jedi, 17 March 2017 - 01:50 AM.

[TooDumbToQuit]

B3R3ND, on 16 March 2017 - 02:10 PM, said:

I never fired even once a volley of lrms, i never even test fitted an lrm launcher - i have sold all the lrm launchers that i acquired with the purchases of mechs immeadetely. But now that i read this i feel that im missing out on alot of fun, am i?

I find when you are tired, sick or high you can still use LRMs when you cannot really move or shoot well.

The best way to see the effects of using LRMs is to go to your own stats.

Go to Stats, then Weapon Stats.

First, look at your accuracy. Then look at your damage and divide this amount by your "Hits".

Then shake your head knowing this cannot be right and use your calculator again to do the numbers at least one more time. Then compare these numbers to other weapons.

Wait a few minutes to take it in. Then go to your Mech Lab and strip the LRMs off your Mechs.

[TooDumbToQuit]

Inappropriate1, on 16 March 2017 - 02:46 PM, said:

[Redacted]

Great news!

First, use something like Gyazo to take a partial screenshot of your LRM stats.

Then if you cannot do the math, we will do it for you.

Then we will all be able to see what a real expert can do with LRMs. (because a lot of players think they are a waste of space)

Edited by draiocht, 17 March 2017 - 04:08 PM.
Quote Clean-Up

[InspectorG]

Inappropriate1, on 16 March 2017 - 01:46 PM, said:

• 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 ...

• 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
  

400m is the sweet spot. 600m is too far away. 181m if you have the steel.

BAP is nice. TAG is mandatory.
Faster locks, more missiles on the enemy CT. Cbill bonus for shared TAG locks?

Dont LuRM, as a newb, in an Assault. Use a fast-ish Medium(HBK-J). You will be left behind if to slow.

[Tesunie]

I see a few points off on your list...

Inappropriate1, on 16 March 2017 - 01:46 PM, said:

• 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!

BAP lets you get target DATA faster, not missile locks. This seems to be a very common misconception. The Command Console also does not help missile lock on times either, just to make mention of it.

AP (Clan or Beagle) is good for LRMs in the sense that they can disable a single nearby ECM mech. It doesn't help the LRM mech kill said ECM mech on it's own, but you can continue to bombard someone else, that is if you forgot to bring alternative direct fire weapons with you as well.

They are also good for increasing sensor ranges. However, this isn't necessarily the reason you take BAP on an LRM based mech. It's just an extra bonus. As you've already stated, shooting LRMs at 600+m tends to be ineffective. But sometimes it works, so I'm not going to knock it either.

Edit: Fixed 'Got' for 'Good'.

Inappropriate1, on 16 March 2017 - 01:46 PM, said:

• 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.

Not a bad advice. I always tell people if they are LRMing to try and stay on the move. Stay with the team. However, I recommend back up weapons that can handle a light attack if possible, over hoping some ally notices you are in trouble and comes to your aid. Personal preference here is all.

Inappropriate1, on 16 March 2017 - 01:46 PM, said:

• 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.

I also have my reticle set up for color blind mode, as it does make it more apparent that you are hitting your targets. However, you don't actually "need" to do this. Your reticle will still turn red if you hit. However, this doesn't tell you how much is hitting, nor is it saying who you are hitting. A reticle that confirms a hit could very well be a friendly hit as much as an enemy being hit. (Be aware of that.)

Inappropriate1, on 16 March 2017 - 01:46 PM, said:

• Artemis is your friend. If you can use it. Better boom boom for the c-buck.

Yes... and no. This is up to preference, tonnage allowance, launcher type, intention of use, etc.

I have many mechs that don't use Artemis in favor of a more bombardment styled LRM use, but I have that mixed with other weapons for the pin point surgery that is sometimes also required. Open holes with the LRMs, then slice them off with higher accuracy weapons. I wont mention how many times my bombardment killed a mech's side torso that otherwise would have been missed with Artemis. On the other side, I've also had many matches where the reverse was true. Just a different style of play.

Also, Artemis on LRM5s are less effective than if it was on, say, an LRM20. If you are also planing on using LRMs only indirectly, than Artemis is almost no use to you.

Then, you may have some mechs (such as an assault) that might take only a single launcher or two. If all you have is a single LRM10, than the extra ton and C-bills to upgrade to Artemis is really kind of lost. (I have a Battlemaster with a single LRM10 launcher, which supports it's other weapons and slower speeds.)

Ultimately, it depends upon the built, the intent, the tactics and the play style. Most times, if you can fit it, take it. But there are always exceptions to the rule.

Inappropriate1, on 16 March 2017 - 01:46 PM, said:

• 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.

This is a very useful tactic. I have a Griffin that has a single ALRM20, paired with 2 MLs and 3 SSRM2s.Worked well back in the day. Last time I played it, still worked reasonably good. I also do this "trap" tactic with many of my Assaults, who have the weight to throw around to put a little into an LRM system. It also helps to counter their slower speeds. LRM while you work your way into direct line of sight.

Edit: Continued quote cleanup.

Edited by Tesunie, 17 March 2017 - 07:13 PM.
Quote Clean-Up

[Napoleon_Blownapart]

target decay target decay target decay

[Tesunie]

Gorantir, on 17 March 2017 - 08:20 AM, said:

target decay target decay target decay

If you have the GXP and C-bills, yes. The Advanced Target Decay module is highly recommended. TAG can also provide a better decay as well on a target hit with it...

[Faellun Freeman]

Lol! This has been a fun thread to read. Thanks for the tips.

[draiocht]

[mod]This thread has been moved to
Guides & Strategies.

Several posts removed due to
unconstructive content.[/mod]

[Threat Doc]

Each individual boater has their talents and their preferences, and each one works differently. However, LRM-boaters are support 'Mechs, not front-line, designed to suppress opposing 'Mechs, pin them in place, and allow your team mates time to get to them. If, however, you have a team of folks who just aren't bloody willing to help one-another, or believe their non-missile weaponry is superior to missiles and they don't need any help, your team WILL lose, period.

The OP was correct that not only are LRM-boaters good to have around, we are absolutely essential to the win. LRM-boaters do not get a fair shake in the statistics of the game, so those are absolutely useless. LRM-boaters are not there to make kills, they are there to provide suppression fire, so your opponents will take cover to get in out of the rain, which pins them in place, more or less, and allows your team-mates to advance on and put them down. Anything else is folly.

[stealthraccoon]

I'm of the, "it's always nice to have something to throw at enemies" camp; if I can assist from cover from a distance, I'm all for it.

[LuInRei]

Quite honestly, in the current state of thew game LRMs are support weapons.
You can make them work wonders, but only if you have a team worth of supporting.
Plus, map selection and tactics can play a big role in determining your effectiveness.

Regardless, LRMs are unique in the way that no other weapon in the game allows you to fire indirectly.
This does mean over your teammates' mechs as well.


Also, LRMs will allways attract some form of hate from certain kind of people.

Some hate the noobtrap quality of LRMs.
Inexperienced players often are too infatuated with dps and firepower numbers
to consider the real effectivenes of their launchers.
They will commit too much tonnage, slots, overspecialize and forego defences , forcing their team to babysit them.
Nobody likes that.

Some people are just there to troll and use joke builds.


Other "legitimate reason" for flaming LRM users is the indirect fire capability itself.

Some people have that mindset where receiving damage from something you can't see is unfair in itself.
Quite hilarious.

Others confuse tournament setting with a casual quick play queue.
They pour their disdain for anything not meta enough in their team on everyone they see, LRM mechs included.

There are also those who just play the blaming game.
LRM mechs, especially assaults with LRMs are too convenient of a target for beeing a scapegoat for them.


This is not to say LRM fanboys are infallible and "flattering epithets" they receive are undeserved.
It actually takes lots of expertise and experience to be an asset to your team instead of leeching off from it.
There is a very thin line that separates good LRM users from bad ones.
Often those key decisions are hard to notice, especially to those who have no experience with piloting LRM mechs themselves.


To sum it all up, I think even though now LRMs are very weak as a standalone weapon system
they still can be played effectively.
It just takes a lot of practice and a team willing to cooperate with you to make LRMs a force to be reconed with.



P.S.:Sorry if I butchered grammar and punctuation somwhere in this post,
or if it contains too much rambling.
I had too much to drink yesterday.

[Koniving]

LikeUntoGod, on 16 March 2017 - 02:24 PM, said:

Wait a few minutes to take it in. Then go to your Mech Lab and strip the LRMs off your Mechs.

Just means you aren't using them correctly.
I can very easily rack up several kills and usually around 800 damage with approximately 1,080 missiles using LRMs and some minor backup weaponry for clean up. Obviously this allows for a lot of missing, 280 missiles missing to get 800 damage. Even so, it is pretty effective if you know how to use them.

And if you don't, they're the most useless thing in the world and should be stripped off.

This said in an ideal situation, 1 to 2 LRM launches is plenty because your other weapons will do most of the work when it counts.

[Threat Doc]

LuInRei, on 17 March 2017 - 10:42 PM, said:

LRMs for the win!

LulnRei, everything you've said, here, is well-spoken and true. Thank you.

[Koniving]

Tesunie, on 16 March 2017 - 06:40 PM, said:

Edit: Continued quote cleanup.

How do you get edits to look 'official' like a moderator did it? (At the end of your post below what I quoted).