26 replies to this topic

[Dragonporn]

Inspired by recent thread, I'm curious, is it necessary for sensors to be turned off while in stealth armor from purely gameplay perspective? Some people see Stealth Armor as a gimmick, and that's not very surprising IMO.

It requires to have ECM, takes up significant amount of space and slots. It generates heat while on, and is quite punishing on hot maps, thus makes usage of many weapon systems dangerous and ineffective. I see a lot more drawbacks than advantages tbh.

It seems like main purpose of that thing should be to improve role of recon, but recon isn't that efficient when sensors are off, is it? Turning off stealth behind enemy lines to highlight targets for friendlies can be a suicide in more ways than one, especially since it has pretty long cooldown and if you're in Light (while picking Stealth for any other class seems like absolute nonsense).

I just don't quite understand design purpose of it, since anyone who picks up ECM will definitely invest heavily in Sensors skill tree, and pretty much anyone who tries to be scout - will, but considering how Stealth Armor works, putting a point or two in Sensors feels like a waste, since you have little opportunity to get advantage of it. On top of it all, as we all know, Stealth can be cancelled along with ECM for significant amount of time by PPC shot.

To consider all these drawbacks and that with Stealth Armor, mech is already combat incapable since a lot have to be sacrificed for the space, plus well known heat generation, but all that's fine. However, do you think keeping sensors on while in Stealth Armor can make it OP? Wouldn't it rather flesh out scout role better inspiring more people to use that thing?

[Trenchbird]

In a Pirate's Bane, it can work well; On one match on Canyon, I managed to drop two Arty Strikes in the center of the enemy Company, as well as deploy both UAVs to allow for LRM support despite my inability to see radar contacts.

It works best on small, fast, mobile scouts or backstabbers, as the lack of a red square allows for a lesser degree of focus; In fact, in a heated fight, the enemy may even mistake you for one of their allies if you act like you belong hard enough.

[WrathOfDeadguy]

If MWO had functioning active/passive sensor modes, then I'd say that a 'Mech should need to be in passive (detect incoming signals only) mode to successfully employ stealth armor, and if the 'Mech shifted into active mode (emits signals to bounce off objects and generate returns) it should immediately be visible on enemy sensors again.

MWO, unfortunately, lacks that functionality. Disabling sensors entirely would not be desirable. Stealth armor already comes with substantial drawbacks- crippling heat dissipation, eating up 12 slots (including, most significantly, all available leg slots, which is where most players store their ammo on mediums and up), preventing use of FF/LFF for weight savings, restriction to only ECM-carrying variants and requiring ECM mounted and intact to use, cooldown between activations, vulnerability to even passive ECM counter effects...

It's not as if stealth armor is something you even see every game. It's rare, and even when you do see it used it takes a relatively skilled player to take full advantage of it. I wouldn't say there need to be any further negative traits attached to stealth armor. It's in a pretty good place right now: dangerous when used properly against an inattentive enemy, but easily countered by good situational awareness.

[Khobai]

the problem is ECM. they need to get rid of ECM giving stealth

only stealth armor should give stealth

then stealth armor would be more worthwhile

[Vellron2005]

I find Stealth armor annoying A.F...

Especially on Pirate's Bane and similar small fast mechs. I've used it myself, and to be honest, I only find it useful in conquest and scouting.

Anything else, in the hands of the enemy.. annoying.

[Teenage Mutant Ninja Urbie]

imo where it really shines is scouting mode "gather";

unfortunately, PGI in their infinite wisdom decided that you get punished severly for playing the mode "as intended".

if on the other hand you don't give a sheet on cbills and rep.points, and play for fun/invasion boni only - stealth armor can be hilariously fun right there.
in regular games I wouldn't bother, as it's way too situational for QP and there too you get punished for "doing scouty things" instead of "just shoot somebody" .. because reasons, again.

Edited by Teenage Mutant Ninja Urbie, 14 March 2018 - 02:22 AM.

[PocketYoda]

I feel Stealth Armor is a cheap tactic best removed.. I know its in the Tabletop but here it just breaks the game even more.

[Escef]

Stealth armor is interesting in solo-QP; a little gimmicky, sometimes useful. It might even be a little under powered.

[razenWing]

you're welcome

https://mwo.smurfy-n...920d5408da9a271

Edited by razenWing, 14 March 2018 - 05:42 AM.

[Sjorpha]

It's pretty fun but a little too underpowered to motivate the high opportunity cost. If the crits were dynamic it could see more use.

[CFC Conky]

Catten Hart, on 13 March 2018 - 08:38 PM, said:

...

In fact, in a heated fight, the enemy may even mistake you for one of their allies if you act like you belong hard enough.

...

Any mech I see without an icon above it gets an alpha...

Good hunting,
CFC Conky

[Exilyth]

Stealth armour is OP against people who never encountered it before and near useless against everyone else.

[MechaBattler]

Honestly I think it needs a buff to make it more practical and less gimmicky.

[HGAK47]

Ive tried Stealth on a few different mechs now but the Pirates Bane is LIFE for me. It suits me so well that little mech.

Honestly I feel its all quite fine as it is. It stings being hit by a PPC in a StealthPB but it also feels great to do the PPCing.

Perhaps a mechanic that actually works pretty well and isnt broken, so much so that very little is said about it (aside from our recent threads of course)

Edit - Stealth is a tool not a crutch. Use it sparingly and at the right times for fullest effect comrades!

Edited by HGAK47, 14 March 2018 - 10:54 AM.

[Trenchbird]

CFC Conky, on 14 March 2018 - 08:05 AM, said:

Any mech I see without an icon above it gets an alpha...

Too bad I can't link r/iamverybadass here.

Anyways, someone doesn't know what I'm referencing;



A suffecient hybrid of a lack of situational opponent awareness and acting hard enough like you belong can work wonders for a stealth armored machine, especially if you don't have wannabe teamkillers who "Shoot at everything without an icon", especially if they don't realize there's a button that takes away ally signature diamonds.

Edited by Catten Hart, 14 March 2018 - 10:56 AM.

[HGAK47]

Samial, on 14 March 2018 - 05:18 AM, said:

I feel Stealth Armor is a cheap tactic best removed.. I know its in the Tabletop but here it just breaks the game even more.

Keep your hands off my Pirates bane build braaahh! I dont want to be useless in 100% of mechs, 99% fair enough but not 100%.

[Throe]

[removed by user]

Edited by Throe, 05 October 2023 - 11:45 AM.

[Asym]

How many mechs in the e-Sports events used Stealth Armor? I'm not sure I remember seeing Stealth Armor used???

If it had a lot of tactical value, it would be used in the e-Sports arena extensively.

Speaking of e-Sports, I wonder how much Stealth Armor will be seen in Solaris?

[CFC Conky]

Catten Hart, on 14 March 2018 - 10:52 AM, said:

Too bad I can't link r/iamverybadass here.

Anyways, someone doesn't know what I'm referencing;



A suffecient hybrid of a lack of situational opponent awareness and acting hard enough like you belong can work wonders for a stealth armored machine, especially if you don't have wannabe teamkillers who "Shoot at everything without an icon", especially if they don't realize there's a button that takes away ally signature diamonds.

Oh, I'm familiar with that video, and mechs without icons will still get an alpha unless I'm absolutely sure they're on my side. Besides, why in the world would anyone want to turn off their icons, friendly fire is bad enough as it is .

Good hunting,
CFC Conky

[Dragonporn]

Good to see all these suggestions, but I'm more curious particularly about this:

Should pilot in Stealth Armor on, have sensors turned off?

If we could have sensors on while in stealth, I think it would be sufficient buff to make it more viable and encourage more people for picking it, while encourage even more folks to actually play recon, and more reliably so. I think buffing anything that may improve combat capabilities of mech is stealth would be wrong, otherwise, it is in pretty good place at the moment, IMHO.