16 replies to this topic

[GetToTheChopper84]

Hey all,

returning player after a couple of years. Been trying to re-learn how to play my medium mechs, but having real difficulty figuring out where I should in relation to the rest of my team.

Here is what I have been playing:

Nova-S(C) - 3x AMS, 5x C-Heavy Med Laser
Tend to try stick in the middle / towards the front of the pack to act as support, take outing incoming missiles and throwing some fire in at mid range. Don't really feel like I can front line with this little fella!

Hunchback IIC HBK-IIC-C

2x C-Ultra AC/10
2x C-ER Med Laser

Try to be in the middle / towards the rear to poke over terrain and buildings to pop shots with my AC's. Also, I don't know why but no matter where I stand with this mech I always seem to get focused really quickly...

Advice on positioning specifically would be great!

Thanks all!

[Yiryi-Sa]

You may also want to try out some of the Inner Sphere mediums; Vindicators, Wolverines, Bushwackers & Dervishes are really tanky & powerful for front line-ish stuff.

I've never been a fan of Clan mediums, but that's because they're more situational & support role. You may, however, get really great mileage out of Vapor Eagles.

[JediPanther]

Can't help with the hbk as I don't got it but the nova I can a bit. Your looks like this or close to it i'm guessing. <a href="https://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=531&l=c92a888dc9644ce98ab114145d7f8dbf11d98f0a">NVA-S(C) ams</a>

You really can't front line it with 32 armor on the sts. You'd ideally be behind the front line or right behind them to max your ams cover. Watch for the lrm inc symbol on buddies and dash over. Clan lasers are usually hot so first tree to get would be heat containment and most of mech ops. Then 19-22 in survival for most of armor and the ams damage nodes. That'll take about 44 nodes. Go down the fire power tree to get the laser duration nodes. you'll get range and heat gen a bit too.

Best way to go ams boat is to always be beside or behind the front line so the ams is going off much as possible while shooting targets of opportunity. Assassult mechs are good mechs to buddy up as most like having some one keeping lights away. As long as there is a heavy or asult mech near you,you won't be focused as much.

[RickySpanish]

Your positioning sounds alright, but right now with the psr reset most people are in the same tier, plus with the low population it's really random what level of play you will encounter. I have noticed that players now will split off into small groups, or just go off in random directions leading to me being out of position rather fast. My advice to you would be to watch the minimap more often, like after each attack with your lasers, or burst until jam from the ACs, duck back and check your map and make sure your position is actually still good.

[GetToTheChopper84]

Yiryi-Sa, on 12 July 2020 - 07:47 AM, said:

You may also want to try out some of the Inner Sphere mediums; Vindicators, Wolverines, Bushwackers & Dervishes are really tanky & powerful for front line-ish stuff.

Nice! Yeah I actually have no IS mechs right now. I do keep looking at the Bushwacker. Looks fun!

JediPanther, on 12 July 2020 - 07:55 AM, said:

Best way to go ams boat is to always be beside or behind the front line so the ams is going off much as possible while shooting targets of opportunity. Assault mechs are good mechs to buddy up as most like having some one keeping lights away. As long as there is a heavy or assault mech near you,you won't be focused as much.

Ok cool. Yeah I have been trying to stick near to the larger mechs to reduce damage done to them from missiles and also to watch their backs from light mechs. I do often just get nuked super fast if we get flanked though!

RickySpanish, on 12 July 2020 - 09:06 AM, said:

Your positioning sounds alright, but right now with the psr reset most people are in the same tier, plus with the low population it's really random what level of play you will encounter. I have noticed that players now will split off into small groups, or just go off in random directions leading to me being out of position rather fast. My advice to you would be to watch the minimap more often, like after each attack with your lasers, or burst until jam from the ACs, duck back and check your map and make sure your position is actually still good.

Cool. Thank you! and yeah, the quality of my teams has been a rollercoaster (today is been abysmal!). So difficult to know where to go (or lets be honest, to die) when my team splits up massively...or looks like they are going to engage and brawl as a group...but then half of them sod off because they have taken a few hits...

[Willard Phule]

Honestly, man, positioning isn't going to be what you think it is in QP. Right now, everyone is scrambling to get out of the dumpster fire that T3 is (everyone got reset there). So, right now, coordinated teamwork is at a minimum (even less so than it normally is).

Make sure to take both AMS and ECM if you can. The T4s and T5s in T3 have trouble targeting you, and that's well over half of what's in T3 at the moment.

[YueFei]

OK, this might sound weird, but when peeking corners, try coming out in reverse.

That way, you can pull back more quickly without having to flip a 180 (which can take several seconds). This helps you beat a retreat when you've made a positioning mistake.

Otherwise, even some mechs that are slower than you can overtake you because their forward speed is still higher than your reverse speed.

Just remember to roll your shoulders into incoming fire, so you're not getting shot in the face or the in the back.

[Kubernetes]

There are two kinds of mediums: fast movers and heavy-appendages. Both of yours are the second kind, so yeah, stick with the heavies. The Nova will have to play a little more forward because of range--use your JJs for pop-up attacks. I'd dump the ERMLs on the Hunchie-- the heat isn't worth it; maybe a couple small/micros if you're worried about your guns jamming when something gets in close, but at range just use your UACs.

[Yiryi-Sa]

Willard Phule, on 12 July 2020 - 11:00 AM, said:

Make sure to take both AMS and ECM if you can.

This is also a good point. AMS is plentiful on any Inner Sphere medium; if you can't fit an ECM, a BAP/CAP is always helpful.

[GetToTheChopper84]

This is all really good advice guys.
Thank you so much!

Kubernetes, on 12 July 2020 - 12:27 PM, said:

I'd dump the ERMLs on the Hunchie-- the heat isn't worth it; maybe a couple small/micros if you're worried about your guns jamming when something gets in close, but at range just use your UACs.

Ok cool. Yeah it was more of a backup thing. Wasn't really confident enough to just go in with only the UACs in case they jammed or were destroyed (or ran out of ammo!). I might scale the mediums back down to lights. Will free up some tonnage as well as help with heat!

YueFei, on 12 July 2020 - 11:57 AM, said:

OK, this might sound weird, but when peeking corners, try coming out in reverse.

That way, you can pull back more quickly without having to flip a 180 (which can take several seconds). This helps you beat a retreat when you've made a positioning mistake.

Otherwise, even some mechs that are slower than you can overtake you because their forward speed is still higher than your reverse speed.

Just remember to roll your shoulders into incoming fire, so you're not getting shot in the face or the in the back.

I never thought about peaking in reverse! That's actually a good trick to try! Thank you

[Dashen]

GetToTheChopper84, on 12 July 2020 - 07:33 AM, said:

Hey all,

returning player after a couple of years. Been trying to re-learn how to play my medium mechs, but having real difficulty figuring out where I should in relation to the rest of my team.

Here is what I have been playing:

Nova-S(C) - 3x AMS, 5x C-Heavy Med Laser
Tend to try stick in the middle / towards the front of the pack to act as support, take outing incoming missiles and throwing some fire in at mid range. Don't really feel like I can front line with this little fella!

Hunchback IIC HBK-IIC-C

2x C-Ultra AC/10
2x C-ER Med Laser

Try to be in the middle / towards the rear to poke over terrain and buildings to pop shots with my AC's. Also, I don't know why but no matter where I stand with this mech I always seem to get focused really quickly...

Advice on positioning specifically would be great!

Thanks all!

In my personal and not humble opinion any mech that doesn't have armor quirks on st AND ct is not a frontliner.
With that in mind i would engage targets from the frontline in the early game, sharing what little armor i can and trading wisely and then when transitioning into the inevitable nascar i would fall into a mid line position.

[ShiverMeRivets]

The best position is at the head of the NASCAR!!

There is no position like the pole position...

Edited by ShiverMeRivets, 13 July 2020 - 02:55 AM.

[GetToTheChopper84]

Dashen, on 12 July 2020 - 11:54 PM, said:

In my personal and not humble opinion any mech that doesn't have armor quirks on st AND ct is not a frontliner.
With that in mind i would engage targets from the frontline in the early game, sharing what little armor i can and trading wisely and then when transitioning into the inevitable nascar i would fall into a mid line position.

Yeah, I try to get snap shots off if the opportunity presents itself early on, but for the most part I have been letting the assaults and heavies go into the engage first, then add my fire into the fight.

ShiverMeRivets, on 13 July 2020 - 02:53 AM, said:

The best position is at the head of the NASCAR!!

There is no position like the pole position...

If you're not first...you're last...

[Snukums]

OP, I think you have to play to your mechs strengths. The Nova is a good support and pop tart mech. Heavy mediums have too long a burn to make pop tarting viable. If you must use HMEDs, stay in the pack and poke just after one of the front liners has taken return fire.

Your HBK is a great hill humper. If you are getting focused you are likely exposing too much and/or your timing and positioning is problematic. I would try to position on a flank behind a hill and peek the smallest amount. If you can see a target, you can shoot it. Don't peek if you are alone and can see multiple enemies (patience). Also, break off and reposition if you are not trading well.

[VonBruinwald]

GetToTheChopper84, on 13 July 2020 - 05:24 AM, said:

If you're not first...you're last...

The best thing about being last is you can see the car crash about to happen.

[Snukums]

There's unfair griefing going on about NASCAR. Yes it happens. No you can't keep playing slow mechs in the same way if everyone else is dropping in fast flanking mechs. Adapt, choose different mechs, vote for different maps (e.g. Ruby, Alpine), modes and play differently. I've seen powerful, ranged assaults pin teams from rotating, often resulting in the pinned team being ART'd, surrounded and crushed.

Some rotation around a vertical feature is natural. Brawlers need to get close and skirmishers don't fit in a static firing line. The random makeup of a drop will influence what happens. Yes team skill and map awareness have a strong influence but complaining or yelling in voip is not going to make one have more fun. Adapt and overcome.

Edited by Snukums, 17 July 2020 - 03:14 PM.

[General Solo]

Nascar will save solo queue 100%.