23 replies to this topic

[Gaussfather]

OK... I usually load up on front armor but keep my rear armor low around 11-15 points depending on the mech. This is mainly due to the high alpha clan laser vomiters & dakka dire wolfs/kodiak/maulers/king crabs etc. and needing to do face time...

But with the amount of times I've been back-stabbed by high alpha light mechs (e.g. those pesky arctic cheeters, ravens etc) I'm wondering if my armor distribution strategy is sound...

SO I'm asking for some tips from you high tier players. How do you approach armor distribution?

Thanks!

Edited by Gaussfather, 18 July 2017 - 11:48 AM.

[FupDup]

A challenge you can try is to increase your rear armor by 1 point every time you die from the rear, and decrease your rear armor by 1 point every time you die from the front.

[Mister Blastman]

Take a Quickdraw.

Put all your armor in the rear.

Profit by firing your rear-facing laser hardpoints.


Oh. There aren't rear-firing weapons in MWO? Damn.

[FupDup]

Mister Blastman, on 18 July 2017 - 11:50 AM, said:

Take a Quickdraw.

Put all your armor in the rear.

Profit by firing your rear-facing laser hardpoints.


Oh. There aren't rear-firing weapons in MWO? Damn.

That was actually a TT exploit once. Rear-facing weapons had a lower BV than front-facing ones, so people could load up their entire arsenal facing the rear, load most of their armor to the rear, and walk backwards into battle.

[Vxheous]

Gaussfather, on 18 July 2017 - 11:47 AM, said:

OK... I usually load up on front armor but keep my rear armor low around 11-15 points depending on the mech. This is mainly due to the high alpha clan laser vomiters & dakka dire wolfs/kodiak/maulers/king crabs etc. and needing to do face time...

But with the amount of times I've been back-stabbed by high alpha light mechs (e.g. those pesky arctic cheeters, ravens etc) I'm wondering if my armor distribution strategy is sound...

SO I'm asking for some tips from you high tier players. How do you approach armor distribution?

Thanks!

4 in the back, everything up front. Some of the extreme range ERLL mechs, 2 in the back, just be very aware of incoming airstrikes

[Bud Crue]

Gaussfather, on 18 July 2017 - 11:47 AM, said:

OK... I usually load up on front armor but keep my rear armor low around 11-15 points depending on the mech.
...
But with the amount of times I've been back-stabbed by high alpha light mechs (e.g. those pesky arctic cheeters, ravens etc) I'm wondering if my armor distribution strategy is sound...
Thanks!

I run with ~5-6 in each rear (ed) torso. Rarely get killed from behind unless I do something stupid like run into the whole enemy and then turn (when I should really try and plow through). I'd put less in but I have a mental block of going less than 5 for some nutso reason.

Edited by Bud Crue, 18 July 2017 - 11:57 AM.

[Malcolm Vordermark]

Stack heavily forward, use situational awareness to protect your back. I usually run 1-2 armor on the back. A little more than that isn't too bad if you're finding strikes are causing issues.

Edited by Rouken, 18 July 2017 - 12:00 PM.

[Jman5]

GaussFather if anything your back armor is way too high. I'd drop it down to 1 or 2. You are much more likely to die from the front then to get backshotted to death before losing your front armor.

You want to put your finite armor where it will do the most good, most of the time. Splitting it up to the back just means your mech dies faster most of the time.

[ScrapIron Prime]

The more situational and battlefield awareness you develop in game, the safer you are front loading your armor. Back shots happen, but you can minimize them with good maneuvering and facing. It's the difference between "Oh, he got me" and "Dammit, not again!"

[Gaussfather]

Thanks for the tips, didn't realize many ran with such low armor in the back... but I suppose its best when you have a fast heavy?

[AssaultPig]

if you find yourself needing to survive more than 1-2 sneaky light volleys per game, that's a problem that should be solved with gameplay rather than piling on the rear armor

1-2 rear armor seems a little low to me, but it also depends a lot on how fast you are (faster heavies can get away with less.) I usually distribute 90 - 10% in favor of front armor.

[Smith Gibson]

I use a simple math formula:

'Mech Tonnage divided by 5 for each Torsi.
+2 more points for the Center Torso.

[Admiral_Korean_Jesus]

2-3 armor in the back at most. Positioning should never let an enemy get a clean back shot on you, and you should never be not torso twisting in some way.

[Jay Leon Hart]

Smith Gibson, on 18 July 2017 - 03:45 PM, said:

I use a simple math formula:

'Mech Tonnage divided by 5 for each Torsi.
+2 more points for the Center Torso.

GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!

Erm, I mean... me too

Little wiggle room on the fractions, depends on how I feel the 'mech performs.

[LordNothing]

anywhere between 4 and 10 points. really depends on mech class, chassis, configuration, skills, and your light fighting ability.

[Khobai]

I put 1 armor on my CT back. I put 2-3 on my ST back to protect from MGs. You usually have nothing worth protecting from crits in your CT though so just 1 armor on the back there.

No point in putting more IMO. If youre situationally aware you shouldnt get shot in the back too much.

Just stay near your teammates at all times so you dont get isolated by lights. And back up into a wall if theres a light mech and let your teammates help you kill it or chase it away.

Edited by Khobai, 18 July 2017 - 04:39 PM.

[KodiakGW]

Mister Blastman, on 18 July 2017 - 11:50 AM, said:

Oh. There aren't rear-firing weapons in MWO? Damn.

I'd pay good money to be able to mount a rear firing, zero min range Heavy Gauss. Keep those derps who like to ride my arse off, since the decals telling them to are not working.

As for OP, I usually keep enough to prevent a one shot kill from behind. You just need to be very aware from where you are getting hit.

[Mcgral18]

"Rear armor low"

Still above 4....





Wow

Edited by Mcgral18, 18 July 2017 - 04:44 PM.

[Zeoraimer]

FupDup, on 18 July 2017 - 11:52 AM, said:

That was actually a TT exploit once. Rear-facing weapons had a lower BV than front-facing ones, so people could load up their entire arsenal facing the rear, load most of their armor to the rear, and walk backwards into battle.

Going backwards protected by front facing armour? Sounds like an Urbanmech...

[Khobai]

Quote

I'd pay good money to be able to mount a rear firing, zero min range Heavy Gauss

the sad thing is a rear firing heavy gauss wouldnt be any less useful than a forward firing one