38 replies to this topic

[Zh0u]

As b33f says, to deal with lights, you just need to shoot them.

Specifically, try to back yourself on a wall so they can't surround you and have to facetank you, call for help at comms, and try your best to sweep their legs.

[Evil Elmo]

Feezou, on 08 March 2018 - 08:12 AM, said:

I was running a dual gauss Night Gyr setup on Grim Plexus, and a Jenner IIC was jumping from box to box around E7. I was trying to hit him, but he kept running around me. I backed into my team, and let them attack the Jenner, but my CT was already damaged from the back. Does anyone have any strategies on how to deal with light mechs when using slower firing weapons and/or slow mechs?

1. Get good at timing. If you're being circle strafed you can just keep your aim in one spot and let him run into it. A lot of bigger mechs can one shot lights. Happened to me the other day in my locust. Got dual gaussed and instakilled.
2. Back into a wall.
3. Assaults and some heavies are sitting ducks without support. Always stay near your team.
4. If you're being out turned by a circle strafer just turn the other way and he'll run right in front of you almost instantly.
5. Aim for the legs. A slow light is a dead light.

Edited by Plaid Ninja, 12 March 2018 - 09:28 AM.

[Throe]

When using big, slow 'Mechs with big, slow weapons, the best strategy for dealing with Lights is: Don't.

In all seriousness, most all current Assault 'Mechs are simply too slow to keep up. Best case scenario is having arm mounted laser weapons, and aim for the legs. Next best option is safety in numbers, like you said.

*IF* you have arm mounted laser weapons, sometimes you can "play dumb" and simply refrain from firing until the offender stands still, believing you to be unable to hit him, due to having all your weapons in your torsos. Then blast his CT for an easy kill. This works especially well with 4 Heavy Medium Lasers.

I did exactly that to a Locust the other day on Polar Highlands. He was down a small incline from me, and the only reason I held my fire was because I was too hot to shoot just yet, so I just stood still and faced him directly. He stood still and started chewing away at my CT with MGs, and it was long enough for me to hit him dead center with 40 points.

Edited by Throe, 16 March 2018 - 11:37 AM.

[mailin]

Remember that a light's primary goal in engaging an assault isn't actually to kill it. (That's a bonus.) It's real goal is to distract the assault to keep it from firing on the enemy assaults. DO NOT GIVE IN TO PANIC. IT'S WHAT THE LIGHT DRIVER WANTS. Stay with your team, call out that you need help with the light and keep firing on the enemy assaults. If there are no other enemies around, or if the light happens to get in your crosshairs, then blast away. Otherwise let your team deal with it. They will chew on your back, but most likely die in the process. Good luck and I hope to see you on the battlefield. One more bit of advice. Completely ignore the Spider. ;-)

Edited by mailin, 24 March 2018 - 03:13 AM.

[Dragonporn]

Recently noticed that particular loadouts on Assaults can reap unsuspecting Light in shreds. This is so much fun when I get jumped even by two Lights in such assault mech, and they get mercilessly murdered in cold blood right there.

Edited by Dragonporn, 24 March 2018 - 03:04 PM.

[Rogue Jedi]

if you have lower arm actuators and weapons in the arms make sure the arms are unlocked, arms move much faster than torso so arm mounted weapons are much easier to hit a light with.

With the Jenner/Jenner IIC always arm aim CT (because the Jenner CT is huge), with any other fast light aim for the legs, if a light takes damage to the legs it will usualy break off, because for a fast Light to loose a leg is death.

lasers in the arm with arms unlocked and a lower arm actuator is usualy the best combo for hitting Light Mech legs and scaring them off, but as others have said the best defense from Lights is a group, as someone who has spent a lot of time in a Light I love lone assults with no short range weapons, and will happily take on anything in the assualt class 1v1 but if the assualt has backup and I do not I would rarely risk tackling it ^{(unless I was behind it, unnoticed and in a position to take it out before allies noticed)}

Edited by Rogue Jedi, 25 March 2018 - 12:22 AM.

[Damnedtroll]

I would say:

1) Stay with your team
2) Arm mounted backup weapon like a couple of pulses
3) Calm down, quick call to ur team, back your mech on an obstacle if possible and kill the bug.

NB: Dropping a UAV can bring help for afar and also help other straggler to move their a** to the rest of the team.

[mailin]

Dragonporn, on 24 March 2018 - 03:03 PM, said:

Recently noticed that particular loadouts on Assaults can reap unsuspecting Light in shreds. This is so much fun when I get jumped even by two Lights in such assault mech, and they get mercilessly murdered in cold blood right there.

Yes. LBXs and Streak 6s are very dangerous for lights. Some other weapons as well in the proper hands. This is why it's critical for lights to press R and wait to engage the enemy. Those that don't tend to die rather quickly.

[Villainy]

I run ambush lights almost entirely. Locusts, Linx, Ravens, etc. I can say, without a doubt, unless I have screwed up, the most dangerous thing I face is a calm pilot and backup. Keeping and cool head and pinging for help is always more effective than wildly thrashing your arms/cockpit about trying to score some "epic hedsh0t, lel." It's hard, it's rare, and if you're reading this for tips on how to fight lights, you already can't do it

There is never any shame in calling for backup.

[The Basilisk]

If you want to take a little something with you to make you more "lightsafe" use a flamethrower or two.
No kidding most lights got terrible heatmanagement.
Piranhas or other MG lights are a different story though.
Here the best you can actually do is keeping them of your back.

[Leone]

Villainy, on 26 March 2018 - 05:00 AM, said:

There is never any shame in calling for backup.

S'truth! There's nothing quite as scary in a light as an assault who snaps a perfect back step into a wall an tracks you calmly whilst their backup arrives.

Those pilots, I leave. I've lost too many lights to steady aim and a cool head, and you know those big hefty mechs have more firepower than you can take if they keep their wits about 'em. Half of a light's power lies in the targeted pilot panicking and firing wildly.

~Leone.

[Exilyth]

Some solid advice in this thread.

In addition, you could try piloting a light yourself to learn more about their strengths and weaknesses, but that requires a nontrivial investment in C-Bills and time.

[Cato Phoenix]

Some really good advice so far. The best way to deal with them is just practice and experience leading a target close to you so you're not whiffing shots into the ground. I would say that out of all the weapons, gauss is probably the most difficult to smack a light with, so if you can learn on that you'll be good. Other requisites:

1: The reverse turn is crucial. I usually sweep my torso/guns with the lights' first turn, then reverse and swing the other way to line up shots. I tend to have torso speed, often turn/brake/accel boosted somewhat too, which helps, because if you can achieve the sweet spot of torso twist = their relative speed to you, you're golden. You won't ever be able to turn fast enough to keep them in your guns 100%, but being able to lead with a twist is super important - otherwise you're trying to time a shot at the junction of them crossing.

2. Lights are most vulnerable on the approach/retreat. Only really good pilots stutter-step towards or away from you, and the straightaway makes it very easy to unload. Use the opportunity to ram a bunch of damage on.

3. Lights who have gotten behind you will commonly stop, to maximize time on your back. Most light pilots are good at getting behind you, much rarer are the ones who can -stay- behind. A majority of lights will back up as you start to turn, rather than accelerating past, and there's often a crucial moment where they are flat-footed to be blasted.

4. I usually opt for legs on undamaged lights, if I'm not just sinking what damage I can. CT/ST shots tend to really freak out lights, because oftentimes they are in XLs. But what hasn't really been mentioned before is arm-shooting. Light's arms are -super- easy to blow off, and a lot of times ripping one off will seriously decrease the damage you'll take. ACHs, MLXs, Pirahna's, and Panther's are all mechs that you might want to try neutering before you kill them.

Realistically, I a lot of times just try to put in early damage on them and then focusing components if I crack one open. Hitting them at all might be hard now, but once you get experienced enough, you can at least do a little bit of focus-fire on 'em even when they're bugging you.

5. Second all the stick with group / call for backup.

6. I wouldn't ignore lights. Most of them are capable of destroying/crippling an assault. Wipe them before they do that, then get back to killing other mechs. Obviously, you have to threat assess, an enemy assault plugging you with holes needs to be dealt with, and you might get more mileage and hits landed shooting back at the big guy, but don't ignore the anklebiters.

[Old dirty B]

How to deal with a light, with an assault? You can't! Unless the light lets you deal with it, by making a mistake... You either put your back to a wall and call for backup or keep on going hoping you can catch up with the rest of the group.

I'm a light pilot and i hunt for assaults, i'm sure i'm not the best and i certainly make mistakes but i can share you some of my "tactics".

I usually go via a back-alley around the map to catch a slow assault when everybody is just moving to the same old spot where everybody always goes... when a nascar is going on all the better! Later in the game, i search for assaults that wander off, are being left behind or are in the back (lurming / sniping).

When i catch one i get close and stalk it waiting for the best moment to jump on it, i look for an open spot where that back to the wall trick is a long walk backwards... In this case your only chance is backup - quickly! Usually you don't have the turn / torso speed to get a glimpse of me. Most assaults i catch like this never see me before they go down...

If i make a tactical error, or when i don't have better options, i ambush / attack with an object nearby that can be used for cover. You put your back to that wall / object and call for help. Even if you got your back covered and have your guns pointed in the right direction you will need assistance unless you want to hang out there for the rest of the mach! I will try to bail out once that wall is near (this does not always work ) and i will wait for you to risk the long way to your group or until backup arrives. Usually i try to fake a retreat...

In any way, i will either waste your time or i will pull away some of your buddy's from the main fight.. Unless i mess up of course, which happens a lot too!

Bottomline, don't get separated even if early game when you are on the way to the main fight, ask for an escort. Position yourself in the frontline (where you should!) - there you have friends that got your back - if you don't i got your back

Edited by Old dirty B, 26 March 2018 - 10:39 AM.

[Duncan Aravain]

All good advice:

Build your mech with suffiecent rear armor (hint:4 points is not enough)
Stay with the herd
Don't panic
Broadcast via voice your sitrep
Broadcast via command wheel your contact
Launch UAV (helps not only with highlighting your need, it used by friendly lrm boats as well)
Keep back to wall or at least have physical object to prevent 360 circling by light
Aim at lights between knees and waist
Don't fire wildly or with weapons not effective at short range
Reverse torso twist and other manuvers

....and when the time comes when you do everything right and still happen to lose, don't rage in chat.

[Alexander of Macedon]

It's already been said plenty, but:

1. Stick with your team.
2. Back to a wall.
3. If no walls are nearby, counter-rotate against the direction they're circling in to deny back shots and get hits in.
4. Sweep legs.
5. Call for friendly lights. Lights focusing on backstabbing a heavy/assault are easy prey for friendly lights. Nothing better for chasing off a PIR or LCT than another fast light with SPLas.
6. Don't alpha them if it's not a guaranteed hit. Stagger your fire for better chances of getting through the lag-shield for real damage.

[Athom83]

Alexander of Macedon, on 26 March 2018 - 02:07 PM, said:

~~~~~~~

7. Blast them in the face with a waist mounted AC/20 + some SnPPCs for good measure.

[Rogue Jedi]

Athom83, on 27 March 2018 - 08:50 AM, said:

7. Blast them in the face with a waist mounted AC/20 + some SnPPCs for good measure.

7a and if you miss that alpha strike pray to the Mech gods*, you suvive long enough for the guns to reload/recharge.

If those are the guns you have and you are a good shot that combo can be very effective against Lights but arm mounted ^{(preferably unlocked with lower actuators)} lasers and SRMs (maybe SSRMs) aimed at the legs are likely to be better for most newer players, they will not be an instant kill but at least a partial miss is not a wasted shot.

* _{^{regarding Mech gods there are several including Thor, Loki, Uller, Zeus, Apolo, Aries, Osiris, Anubis, Orion, Hermes, Mercury and, Promethius (there are probably others) not to mention demigods and legendary figures}}

[Athom83]

Rogue Jedi, on 27 March 2018 - 01:42 PM, said:

If those are the guns you have and you are a good shot that combo can be very effective against Lights

Yah, quite a few light pilots yesterday found out the hard way that with my new computer I am very good at hitting things with this combo.