19 replies to this topic

[mistlynx4life]

I'm just curious if ya'll have a method behind what you down-vote.

I know I prefer the Factory because it's got excellent opportunities for sniping, kiting, ambushing, jumping, etc. and I'll settle for the old arena or caves but I'm always in a Lynx. I'm happy to let my opponent back up to a wall and lose mobility while I hit-and-run or whatever. I definitely down-vote the Boreal map because it's too open in the middle for a lot of those kinds of tactics to work consistently enough.

Anyone else do that sort of thing - have a favorite map or ideal setup?

[LordNothing]

you can eliminate either both brawly maps or both 'ranged' maps. which usually depends on my optimal weapon ranges. like if im boating hmgs i will want to eliminate any ranged contact possibility, but the snow map never seems to survive the cut anyway. you can always make do with jungle or factory if you dont get your map of choice. factory can go either way whether you use the upper platforms or the low ground, so its pretty versatile a map that works no matter what you want and the jungle has nice covered approaches.

if you need the ranged map its much more difficult to get, so it pays off to eliminate steiner first as kind of a feint. steiner can be camped provided the other player doesn't skirt around the outside of the map, so not eliminating it is sometimes preferable.

the caves are great for cat and mouse type play, such as when you drop light. perhaps feint by eliminating factory and jungle. an enemy might think you are going for the ranged maps and ban those.

its generally a bad idea to build for just one specific map on the hope that the vote will go your way. so give yourself some options should a less desirable outcome occur.

[Champion of Khorne Lord of Blood]

If I'm in something like my Annihilator in Div1 with AC2s and RAC5s I vote out caves and factory, ensuring that the map will allow me to get shots out at my optimal range, likely before the enemy is in range, giving me a significant advantage, forcing the enemy to charge my guns.

[El Bandito]

People seem to have a mistaken assumption that Factory is a brawl map, but depending on your mech, it is possible to keep engaging the enemy from mid-range.

If your rig is bad, do not vote for Jungle, as playing in that map can result in some serious frame skipping.

Contrary to how it looks, it is very possible for a mech to get into brawl range without taking too much damage in Boreal map--just follow the trench.

Seismic is a must if you wish to mostly play in Cave map. Well worth spending 12 points there.

Steiner is the best map to counter leg humpers if you are in a slow Assault, within the elevator cul-de-sac.

[Savage Wolf]

I run an ATM Shadowcat and I've found that contrary to popular belief, the caves are actually bad if you want to kite because you can easily hide an assault in the lower caves where you are forced to go into brawl range to even get LOS.

Colosseum also looks like a nice open map, but if you really want you can again just hide in the spawn area, however not as effectively as in the caves.

Factory with jump jets gives you plenty of angles to get LOS at most ranges.

Jungle is excelent for kiting, decent with cover, but also lots of places to get LOS and no real places to completely hide.

Boreal is really the most open, and longest map so I rarely play it.

Edited by Savage Wolf, 26 April 2018 - 02:59 AM.

[RickySpanish]

I almost always vote out jungle, because Annihilator cancer works so well on it. Boreal is usually next for the same reason, and I prefer factory or caves as my only method for beating Annihilators is to use a seismic sensor and hope they haven't got one.

[El Bandito]

RickySpanish, on 26 April 2018 - 04:03 AM, said:

I almost always vote out jungle, because Annihilator cancer works so well on it. Boreal is usually next for the same reason, and I prefer factory or caves as my only method for beating Annihilators is to use a seismic sensor and hope they haven't got one.

Every Anni player in Div 1 votes out Factory and Caves. So your tactics will not work.

[mistlynx4life]

I've only had one match on the Jungle actually, and I don't recall a whole lot of frame issues but I've seen a lot of that being mentioned. The caves... I dunno. I find them annoying more than anything. I don't think it's the tight quarters and searching around so much, though that would probably drive me crazy in something slower without jumpjets, but I think it's just the lack of color palette or something.

I was curious about this, though, because I think tactics and planning for a match can start in the Mechlab but it doesn't magically stop once you have the 'perfect build' - you have to use everything you can, including the Map Vote. Thanks for the feedback, folks!

[MrMadguy]

I prefer to ban Caves and Jungle, so I usually play Factory, Colosseum or Boreal, depending on my opponent's choices. I just don't like this maps. Caves is way too overcomplicated. And Jungle... I don't know. It looks like Forest Colony QP map and I just don't like this map. Colosseum is my favorite, I guess.

[AaronWolf]

I basically always ban Boreal and Jungle. Why? Just don't like them. Also I think Boreals Chokepoint is derp.

Usually I end up in Colosseum or the Factory due to this. Which are arguably my two favorite maps.

[RickySpanish]

El Bandito, on 26 April 2018 - 04:21 AM, said:

Every Anni player in Div 1 votes out Factory and Caves. So your tactics will not work.

Absolutely correct. I did have a lengthy post saved somewhere that ranted about, basically, how the stars aligned to make the Annihilator utterly unchallenged in its division. The majority of maps cater perfectly to the Annihilator, so you cannot vote them all out. The division mostly lumps 'Mechs with speeds not much greater than the Annhilator into maps small enough to more or less remove the Annihilator's slow speed problem; you cannot duke around an Ani in the maps that player hasn't banned. The Annihilator has good pitch, and the remaining maps have too little cover, so it's difficult to block its torso mounted weapons. Finally, it has the highest available tonnage and armour, so you will never win a brawl.

As you said, it's impossible to win against a competent Annhilator pilot, and extremely difficult to beat one at the hands of a potatoe. My tactic of map voting and duking is a hail mary, and requires extraordinary amounts of luck. To date my Scorch can beat any other 'Mech in division one, yet I have only ever won two and drawn (effectively lost) two fights against the sea of Annihilators I have fought.

Since I don't own an Annihilator, and don't own an IV 4, I constantly bounce between 1500-1600 Elo in that division, and am using it as a training tool to learn how to survive worst case scenarios for as long as possible. My next variation on The Annihilator Problem will be to attempt to win by head shot.

[mistlynx4life]

I was fighting an Annihilator last night (whatever one is in Div2) on the old arena and he had his back to the wall, which is a good tactic in theory but I was able to easily pick him off at a distance - I bring some ER Meds to offset my MGs in the MLX-G - and then close for the kill. Next round was him again and I tried to focus on the head since they have to pitch down anyway to get a good shot at Lights nearby. I think that's probably going to be my go-to back-up strategy.

Edit: It's interesting that they do so well on most maps. I hadn't considered that. They have lots of armor and so on but I literally have only played Lynxes so I don't know what other experiences are like there. Hmm.

Edited by mistlynx4life, 26 April 2018 - 07:41 AM.

[Koniving]

mistlynx4life, on 25 April 2018 - 09:53 PM, said:

I'm just curious if ya'll have a method behind what you down-vote.

I know I prefer the Factory because it's got excellent opportunities for sniping, kiting, ambushing, jumping, etc. and I'll settle for the old arena or caves but I'm always in a Lynx. I'm happy to let my opponent back up to a wall and lose mobility while I hit-and-run or whatever. I definitely down-vote the Boreal map because it's too open in the middle for a lot of those kinds of tactics to work consistently enough.

Anyone else do that sort of thing - have a favorite map or ideal setup?

I have a favorite way of getting rid of maps I don't want.

I immediately vote for the snow map to get rid of it; too open. Been instantly one shot as soon as the match started. (Camera shows our mechs. Get back into cockpit. Press W. "HEADSHOT!" Hit by four Gauss Rifles [fired 2 then 2 through what I assume is a macro considering how perfect they were])
I then vote out the most "favorable" map that people would want that doesn't work with what I want, so that when the other guy votes it's down to the map that I do want and a map that no one wants.

Bingo, I get my map.

If going second, I react based on what they voted but will always get rid of the snow map.

Edited by Koniving, 26 April 2018 - 07:45 AM.

[K O Z A K]

I just vote against caves every time. Looking for my opponent for 5 minutes was fun at first but got old quick

[El Bandito]

RickySpanish, on 26 April 2018 - 07:34 AM, said:

Absolutely correct. I did have a lengthy post saved somewhere that ranted about, basically, how the stars aligned to make the Annihilator utterly unchallenged in its division. The majority of maps cater perfectly to the Annihilator, so you cannot vote them all out. The division mostly lumps 'Mechs with speeds not much greater than the Annhilator into maps small enough to more or less remove the Annihilator's slow speed problem; you cannot duke around an Ani in the maps that player hasn't banned. The Annihilator has good pitch, and the remaining maps have too little cover, so it's difficult to block its torso mounted weapons. Finally, it has the highest available tonnage and armour, so you will never win a brawl.

As you said, it's impossible to win against a competent Annhilator pilot, and extremely difficult to beat one at the hands of a potatoe. My tactic of map voting and duking is a hail mary, and requires extraordinary amounts of luck. To date my Scorch can beat any other 'Mech in division one, yet I have only ever won two and drawn (effectively lost) two fights against the sea of Annihilators I have fought.

Since I don't own an Annihilator, and don't own an IV 4, I constantly bounce between 1500-1600 Elo in that division, and am using it as a training tool to learn how to survive worst case scenarios for as long as possible. My next variation on The Annihilator Problem will be to attempt to win by head shot.

I used Dakkabear against an Anni-1E on Boreal and managed to win once by keeping my range, before his MPLs came to play. Anni has to show its head before cresting the hill, which gave me some free shots. Also, never expect an energy Anni to overheat, as that mech has buttloads of SHS to keep it going, and going.

[LordNothing]

El Bandito, on 26 April 2018 - 12:51 AM, said:

People seem to have a mistaken assumption that Factory is a brawl map, but depending on your mech, it is possible to keep engaging the enemy from mid-range.

If your rig is bad, do not vote for Jungle, as playing in that map can result in some serious frame skipping.

Contrary to how it looks, it is very possible for a mech to get into brawl range without taking too much damage in Boreal map--just follow the trench.

Seismic is a must if you wish to mostly play in Cave map. Well worth spending 12 points there.

Steiner is the best map to counter leg humpers if you are in a slow Assault, within the elevator cul-de-sac.

factory can go either way. it really depends on your approach. if you want to brawl stay low and to the sides, if you want to trade stay high and use the crates for cover. ive had some games that were entirely mrm trades from across the upper platforms, and i had others where the first encounter was pretty much point blank. though in a brawl vs range scenario the ranged player usually has a small advantage (provided the brawlers weapons are very short range and not med-short mixed).

[mistlynx4life]

LordNothing, on 26 April 2018 - 10:41 AM, said:

...though in a brawl vs range scenario the ranged player usually has a small advantage (provided the brawlers weapons are very short range and not med-short mixed).

Fun story: I was running my MLX-Prime with 4xSRM4s and fighting a... Cyclops? I think?... and I glitched into the wall during a jumpspin. I had already opened his CT but he stood there for a few trades, realizing I was going to win, and then promptly retreated to 300m where my missiles couldn't get him. Sadly, he only had a couple ER Mediums and thanks to some twisting on my part and crazy glitchness from being stuck, the game ended in a tie. I even shot all my ammo against the wall near the end and begged him to come get the win but nope, lol.

Edited by mistlynx4life, 26 April 2018 - 11:20 AM.

[MrMadguy]

Ahh, and Jungle also has performance problems. So now I'm absolutely sure, that I should vote against Caves and Jungle.

[Elizander]

I don't want to deal with enemy range advantage too much so I vote out Boreal and Colosseum almost all the time unless my opponent takes one out, and if that happens I snipe Jungle. The leads most of my matches to be in Factory/Caves with a sprinkle of Jungle. I favor brawl mechs.

[Rick T Dangerous]

El Bandito, on 26 April 2018 - 12:51 AM, said:

Seismic is a must if you wish to mostly play in Cave map. Well worth spending 12 points there.

In the caves it's also nice if the enemy brings ECM. Tells you that he's close.