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Paigan, on 09 April 2017 - 01:12 AM, said:
Anyone who has ever played a tactical game (like an RTS) knows that the best strategy is to dead damage while getting no or at least less damage back.
1. RTS isn't tactical. It's a mix of logistics, strategy, and tactics. And that's very much untrue in RTS, at least in the sense you mean it. Measured aggression is universally the winning approach. Nobody in any RTS ever played tries to bunker down and kill the enemy as they come, because one of the most basic constants is that with a 1:1 resource contribution and no other notable elements, offense will always trump defense. Defensive actions are only ever meant to delay defeat while planning and executing a counteroffensive.
2. The same holds true in almost all other competitive games. Shooters in particularly are notorious for favoring aggression. Camping/playing "defensive" only works for as long as you have surprise. MWO doesn't put much advantage on surprise, especially if you're trying to engage at long range-you'll live, as long as you don't turn a corner into a firing line without anyone behind you.
Pretty much the only games where defensive, passive play is advantageous are outliers like Dark Souls where the most effective approach is to bait out enemy attacks and catch them with a counter.
But since you drew on the RTS example, let's return to that. Know what's good? Concealing the nature and size of your force until the last second, engaging without forewarning, and crushing part of the enemy force before they have time to react. When a team in MWO has a bunch of long-range assaults trying to peek, the obvious response is to maneuver closer in cover and force a brawl. Even if the sniping team is actually executing the ideal defensive doctrine described here, they're still not going to know when and where the attack is coming from, and they're not as suited for a messy close-in fight.
Want to know how I play when I use my ERLLas-boat Stalker? I take a high position, poke as many people as possible, and try to draw them towards me while my team murderballs on isolated elements or uses my call-outs to ambush targets rushing ahead of their team. That's how you abuse your long range and thick armor, you work to piss off the other team enough that they misposition and can be defeated piecemeal. If they don't react like that, congratulations, you get to trade at your ideal range!
The only realistic threat is a fast light or two breaking through. If you're half-decent you'll stay close enough to your team for some support. If you're lucky, you'll have a light/medium buddy or two. Worst comes to worst, you back up against a wall and defend yourself instead of crying about your team not babysitting you.
