VonBruinwald, on 20 September 2018 - 03:56 PM, said:
Sitting at he back leaching from locks under ECM is not supporting your teammates and is effectively the same tactic the Lurm-boats use that the Alpha-warrior despises so much. And as we know, "Teamwork OP, please nerf!"
I never said it should be brawling upfront but it should have a presence on the battlefield. The presence of an additional heavy mech (especially one known for boating such a ridiculous alpha) can dissuade an enemy push and split the enemies fire (sharing armour does not mean tanking damage) both of which give your team an edge, not to mention the added protection the ECM could bring while your brawling Annihilator moves up into position.
Really, if you're going to hide at the back behind a rock and only poke under ECM to vomit on pre-locks, take a cougar, you still have the 70pt Alpha and ECM only now someone else can take a Linebacker/Roughneck and fight up front where the tonnage will be put to better use.
What you call "leaching from locks" is actually "focusing fire on one target". That's the definition of teamwork in MWO. If you don't use other's locks chances are that you get stomped because all enemies are equally damaged but still functional.
Lurm-boats of cause can't rely much on other's locks because their missiles are too slow to arrive before the lock has gone. Peeking with a laser-vomit hellbringer and firing on the enemy a fellow Anni is targeting however is probably the best you can do.
Typical Hellbringers are mid-range mechs with about 400-500m optimum range, so you are by default much closer to the front as the meme LRM-assault. At this range you DO have a presence and you WILL supress the enemy and split their firepower (that's what i meant with that you will automatically share your armor).
If a Hellbringer would "hide" behind a rock way back outside of optimum range like you suspected it will have a very hard time dealing 1000+ damage.
So i guess we are both one the same page regarding the ideal fighting distance of a laser-hellbringer, the problem with your argumentation is just that it's unrealistic for a 400m range Hellbringer to deal that much damage without having a presence and receiving it's share of return-fire too.
So i still say that a Hellbringer which does 7 kills and 1500 dmg did everything right and is the MVP of the match.
Edited by Daggett, 20 September 2018 - 04:47 PM.