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Shoot The Leg, Shoot The Leg!


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#1 GuardDogg

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 12:31 PM

I need to get this out. Helps a team lose for doing this tactic. Pilots think this is one of the main best tactics over others, which is not. I am letting warriors know this can be the worst tactic in the battlefield unless it is done right. I never leg, only by surprise shot. If you come face to face to enemy and you both have your weapons, never...ever fire on a leg in hoping to disable its maneuver or destroy your enemy. Most of the time it will not. So while you are firing on the leg, the enemy is firing on you any where. You will likely be destroyed first before your enemy. The enemy legs do not have weapons firing on you. Your thinking they will have some sorta ammo or something in them. You do not, or will not know. Majority of the time, the ammo will be in left/right torso/arms. Maybe in the Ct for ammo explosion. Best to leg the enemy, is when they have their backs turned, walking away, even running in circles out numbered, or trying to mess up the conflict hoping for a team kill. It is frustrating losing rounds because of this tactic. Their is better tactical thought to be used than legging.

Edited by GuardDogg, 21 September 2017 - 12:40 PM.


#2 FireStoat

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 12:34 PM

It comes down to my mech's speed, weapons available, cover in use, and target profile when it comes down on my deciding to go for a leg or to go for center mass. I understand that going for the leg when the % chance seems favorable for my pulling it off. If my confidence isn't there, center mass it is. Hopefully the topic is talking about Light mechs.

#3 FupDup

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 12:44 PM

The advantages of shooting legs:

A. Legs are much harder to protect than torsos (can twist to hide torso, hard to hide leg).

B. Depending on the size of the mech, people might strip off leg armor (less damage needed).

C. Depending on mech and build, there might be ammo in there (potentially faster/easier kill).

D. Depending on speed/size, legs can be just easier to hit than the body.


The main downside of legging though is that not everyone does it, so you might end up with some people shooting legs and some shooting torso. Broadly speaking it's better if everybody is shooting the same area, and since the torso is the most intuitive/obvious target that causes most people to gravitate towards it.

If you CAN get everybody on the same page then legging is absolutely brutal against any mech. The issue is just getting everybody on the same page...

Edited by FupDup, 21 September 2017 - 12:44 PM.


#4 Bombast

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 12:46 PM

I don't think I've ever seen anyone shoot for a leg unless a) it was a light/super-light, c) the leg was already torn to shreds, or d) they were trying to escape and needed to handicap someone to get away. If I have, it occurs so rarely I can't remember.

We don't need a PSA telling people not to leg - We need a PSA telling people to leg more often (When its appropriate).

Edited by Bombast, 21 September 2017 - 12:46 PM.


#5 Antares102

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 12:47 PM

I have seen it many times that people desperately shoot well armored legs even though the torso is cored orange or something.
I agree with the OP that shooting legs is not always the best choice. Check enemy paper doll sometimes folks espcially when the enemy mech has less than 80%.

Edited by Antares102, 21 September 2017 - 12:48 PM.


#6 MechaBattler

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 12:49 PM

I think the biggest downside is that in pug queue everyone shoots for CT. So if you're shooting at legs, the rest of your team is shooting at CT, it spreads the damage out. However, if someone has already stripped the armor low on mech legs, I go for the leg. Sometimes I even give them a test alpha to see if they stripped leg armor. Usually not during a push though, only if it's a none pressure moment.

It makes more sense if everyone is on the same page of what to shoot for or if it's a 1v1 situation.

#7 GuardDogg

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 01:22 PM

Shooting the weapon area is best. You want to destroy Arms, torsos first (with ammo locations), and if you lucky might get the whole mech destroyed. I have encountered enemy destroying my weapons and ammo, that I can not do anything but watch my fate in horror. No one shooting my legs. So think who has benefited in the combat situation. Legging me, while I have full weapons is not really a good choice. In the past (Mech 3, Mech 4), I always thought this was the greatest tactic.

#8 FupDup

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 01:23 PM

View PostGuardDogg, on 21 September 2017 - 01:22 PM, said:

Shooting the weapon area is best. You want to destroy Arms, torsos first (with ammo locations), and if you lucky might get the whole mech destroyed. I have encountered enemy destroying my weapons and ammo, that I can not do anything but watch my fate in horror. No one shooting my legs. So think who has benefited in the combat situation. Legging me, while I have full weapons is not really a good choice. In the past (Mech 3, Mech 4), I always thought this was the greatest tactic.

Shooting the torso is usually better than the arms since the ST loss will immediately destroy the arm with it. The exception is if you're dealing with a mech that has most of its firepower loaded into the arms.

#9 Bombast

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 01:32 PM

View PostGuardDogg, on 21 September 2017 - 01:22 PM, said:

In the past (Mech 3, Mech 4), I always thought this was the greatest tactic.


In Mechwarrior 3 (A game I love), legging was the ONLY tactic.

View PostGuardDogg, on 21 September 2017 - 01:22 PM, said:

Shooting the weapon area is best. You want to destroy Arms, torsos first (with ammo locations), and if you lucky might get the whole mech destroyed.


Generally, the arms are the last thing you want to shoot, the only exceptions (That I can think of at the moment) being when the arm is the only thing you can see (A Catapult flagging its racks around over a ridge) or when they have giant weapons and the arms around torn up.

Side torsos are good targets, but still fall far behind the CT, unless their already stripped, you can't get a clean shot on the CT, or you know for certain its an IS XL.

View PostGuardDogg, on 21 September 2017 - 01:22 PM, said:

No one shooting my legs.


That's kind of the attractive bit about shooting legs - People put ammo there, and since no one shoots there, they often trim the armor from their pants. Still doesn't make it something you should auto-shoot, but its something to keep in mind.

#10 Brain Cancer

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 01:43 PM

Legging is also pretty darn important in FP, where mobility kills often make all the difference between being rushed into a loss and farming your opponent.

#11 Xmith

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 02:17 PM

I never lose a leg 1v1. It is always a red team effort. You're screwed when you are alone with more the than one opponent firing on ya after losing a leg. I sometime may lose a leg with teammates around but most of the time I do survive the match if we win.

Shooting legs is a good tactic. Skill Tree mobility can be tricky when trying to balance firepower and survival. I don't have enough invested in mobility. Plus I don't run full armor in my legs. I take the chance hoping people are not in the habit of shooting legs. It's tough going when I do lose a leg.

#12 CFC Conky

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 02:23 PM

To me it's mostly situational. I generally try to shoot the most damaged part of a mech (the operative word here is 'try' Posted Image ). If I happen to catch a mech from behind I usually shoot at the CT unless the legs are heavily damaged. As for arms, I do shoot them off, but usually because I missed where I was actually aiming at...Posted Image .

Good hunting,
CFC Conky

#13 Revis Volek

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 02:43 PM

In any competitive match, if you wanna kill faster then they kill you then shoot legs.


End of story. If you really wanna test it OP find a friend and do it in the lobby or something. YOu shoot up top and let them shoot down bottom and see who come out on top first most the time.


I bet you will be sadly mistaken though as legging is much more effective and considerably faster especially on lighter faster mechs.

View PostBombast, on 21 September 2017 - 01:32 PM, said:



That's kind of the attractive bit about shooting legs - People put ammo there, and since no one shoots there, they often trim the armor from their pants. Still doesn't make it something you should auto-shoot, but its something to keep in mind.



Was said above, doesnt matter WHAT you are shooting as long as the whole team is doing it then mechs get melted. I dont know many top teams that dont use this tactic in most if not all matches aside from casual face shooting.

and on light and fast mediums it should 100% be what you shoot first, only if they have IS XL, asymmetrical builds, etc would i say to shoot anything else first.

A legged mech is soon to be a dead mech.

Edited by Revis Volek, 21 September 2017 - 02:44 PM.


#14 Gas Guzzler

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 03:05 PM

If I have to 1v1 a Summoner and I have laser vomit, I'm gonna shoot the legs (unless the CT is super weak). Its probably the way to go in that case.

#15 Willard Phule

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 03:25 PM

Keep thinking what you want, but a lot of the fast lights have hard to hit hitbox issues as long as they're capable of moving full speed. Take a leg, and all of a sudden, they start taking damage like they should.

Don't believe me? Try it on a Spider, Commando, Mist Lynx or Arctic Cheetah. Even when they're standing completely still, they only take partial damage if they have both legs. It's been that way forever.

#16 Gas Guzzler

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 03:35 PM

View PostWillard Phule, on 21 September 2017 - 03:25 PM, said:

Keep thinking what you want, but a lot of the fast lights have hard to hit hitbox issues as long as they're capable of moving full speed. Take a leg, and all of a sudden, they start taking damage like they should.



With your esteemed Clan loyalist aim I wouldn't think those hitboxes would be a problem.

#17 Willard Phule

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 03:48 PM

View PostGas Guzzler, on 21 September 2017 - 03:35 PM, said:



With your esteemed Clan loyalist aim I wouldn't think those hitboxes would be a problem.


Wouldn't be if they'd add "rubber banding" or "HSR registration" to the operations skill tree and let us put points in it.

#18 Lykaon

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 03:57 PM

View PostGuardDogg, on 21 September 2017 - 12:31 PM, said:

I need to get this out. Helps a team lose for doing this tactic. Pilots think this is one of the main best tactics over others, which is not. I am letting warriors know this can be the worst tactic in the battlefield unless it is done right. I never leg, only by surprise shot. If you come face to face to enemy and you both have your weapons, never...ever fire on a leg in hoping to disable its maneuver or destroy your enemy. Most of the time it will not. So while you are firing on the leg, the enemy is firing on you any where. You will likely be destroyed first before your enemy. The enemy legs do not have weapons firing on you. Your thinking they will have some sorta ammo or something in them. You do not, or will not know. Majority of the time, the ammo will be in left/right torso/arms. Maybe in the Ct for ammo explosion. Best to leg the enemy, is when they have their backs turned, walking away, even running in circles out numbered, or trying to mess up the conflict hoping for a team kill. It is frustrating losing rounds because of this tactic. Their is better tactical thought to be used than legging.



You absolultey DO want to leg certain mechs. Primarily light mechs,Crabs and specific loadouts of heavy mechs that are likely to have thinned out leg armor.

And here is why.

Most light mechs should be legged because their defense isn't based upon armor it's speed and profile. Remove the mobility and they are easy kills. Some mechs like the Raven have extremely vulnerable legs. Also light mech leg armor is not of such a high value that it takes a considerable amont of time to breach.

Certain other chassis have exceptional torso hitboxes that allow for exceptional damage dispersal. A Crab is a good example of a mech of this type. While a pilot can twist their torsos all over the place the legs must remain alligned with their heading and as such can be predicted and hit reliably.

And then there are mechs that due to loadout must have stripped something to attain the loadout. frequently it's leg armor.This however does require exceptional observational skills as well as intimate knowledge of the mechlab and mech loadouts so I will count this as an advanced strategey not available for general practice and occationally a bit of a gamble (the pilot may have stripped all the armor a by a little instead of most of the legs)


And finally. Defensive torso twisting is a common technique and an effective one.The legs however require a change in heading to shield a weakened leg. So, occationally if a target already has a seriously damaged leg it may be easier to take the leg out than deal with destroying the main body if the pilot can "dance". Removing the leg severely hampers the pilots mobility and ability to bring their weapons to bear on you. You may for example want to take out the leg and disengage to finish the mech off latter or leave it to team mates to finish (a technique I use while piloting light mechs or faster mediums)

#19 D VA

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 04:00 PM

First comes on mind when I heard about legging is:

A) 2xAC20
B) 2xHPPC
C) 2xHeavy Gauss
D) 4x or 6xSRM6
F) 3xLPL
G) 2xHeLL

Edited by D VA, 21 September 2017 - 04:01 PM.


#20 El Bandito

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Posted 21 September 2017 - 06:18 PM

View PostGuardDogg, on 21 September 2017 - 12:31 PM, said:

I need to get this out. Helps a team lose for doing this tactic. Pilots think this is one of the main best tactics over others, which is not. I am letting warriors know this can be the worst tactic in the battlefield unless it is done right. I never leg, only by surprise shot. If you come face to face to enemy and you both have your weapons, never...ever fire on a leg in hoping to disable its maneuver or destroy your enemy. Most of the time it will not. So while you are firing on the leg, the enemy is firing on you any where. You will likely be destroyed first before your enemy. The enemy legs do not have weapons firing on you. Your thinking they will have some sorta ammo or something in them. You do not, or will not know. Majority of the time, the ammo will be in left/right torso/arms. Maybe in the Ct for ammo explosion. Best to leg the enemy, is when they have their backs turned, walking away, even running in circles out numbered, or trying to mess up the conflict hoping for a team kill. It is frustrating losing rounds because of this tactic. Their is better tactical thought to be used than legging.


Legging is one of the most viable tactic during this challenge as almost everyone is running ballistic mechs with ammo in the legs. Got several kills by simply blowing off one leg.

There is a reason why in 1v1 tournaments players go for the leg. It is the fastest way to kill a mech, unless your opponent doesn't know how to twist.

Edited by El Bandito, 21 September 2017 - 06:20 PM.






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