22 replies to this topic

[Tritous Caraway]

curious question: what does having multiple TAG lasers do?

• increase TAG effect on missile lock (cumulative or diminishing returns)?
  
• nothing: TAG is yes/no effect?
  
• just increase the chance of hitting due to beam spread?

In some ways I'm tempted to do it just to scare people. A "free" beam sweeping around seems to spook people into cover and makes nice, if non damaging, suppressive fire. Having several would definitely spook people, especially lights, so I can use indirect fire to an advantage. Human factors count in battle too!

context: I've got a blood asp and along with missiles and an autocannon I also have a PPC (ECM frier) and TAG, but I'm debating using the other two laser slots to make it triple TAG just to scare people.

[Nightbird]

There's no benefit to TAG beyond the first laser. The scare effect may work on some people, but others will more likely pounce on you for bringing a bad mech (implying easy prey).

Give it a try and let us know.

[Brauer]

Tritous Caraway, on 24 August 2020 - 10:50 AM, said:

curious question: what does having multiple TAG lasers do?

• increase TAG effect on missile lock (cumulative or diminishing returns)?
  
• nothing: TAG is yes/no effect?
  
• just increase the chance of hitting due to beam spread?

In some ways I'm tempted to do it just to scare people. A "free" beam sweeping around seems to spook people into cover and makes nice, if non damaging, suppressive fire. Having several would definitely spook people, especially lights, so I can use indirect fire to an advantage. Human factors count in battle too!

context: I've got a blood asp and along with missiles and an autocannon I also have a PPC (ECM frier) and TAG, but I'm debating using the other two laser slots to make it triple TAG just to scare people.

Tag is a yes/no effect. Basically, you only ever want to bring a tag if you are running lockons (streaks, lrms, ATMs), and you only ever need one.

Prioritize dealing damage over "spooking" the enemy. Getting hit with a real weapon does much more to spook players than a tag.

[General Blight]

You'll make people more likely to miss you because when they see you're (probably) an ATM Blood Asp with twin TAG they'll be too busy laughing to properly aim.

[Brauer]

FYI, I recommend checking out grimmechs for information on good builds: https://grimmechs.isengrim.org/

[Aidan Crenshaw]

Multiple TAGs do nothing, except giving you a backup if one is lost.
TAG already has no effect on your own missile locks anyway. It just makes ECM/stealth cloaked mechs targetable. Other lock-on users may benefit though, because a tagged opponent is considered as in Line of sight when calculating lock-on time.

[Willard Phule]

Multiple TAGs just make you look cool. I mean, let's face it....if you have two equal tier LRM masters, the guy with the most TAGs must be the coolest. Right?

[Nesutizale]

I just imagned when multi TAG would actualy work and people have 10 TAGs and one LRM5...because all the space is taken

[VonBruinwald]

Multi-tag has two main uses:

Backup-Tag
Multi-tagging:

[ShiverMeRivets]

Try an Archer with LRMs and 6 tags - then put the tags on chainfire for max cool factor.

[Horseman]

Tritous Caraway, on 24 August 2020 - 10:50 AM, said:

just increase the chance of hitting due to beam spread?

Marginally.

There can be a valid argument for having one tag in a horizontally mobile arm and another in a much higher torso/head hardpoint - the higher one can be used for ridge peeking, the arm one can be used to lock targets at wider angle from your direction of movement (and even kite a little if your arm yaw is sufficiently large)

Quote

In some ways I'm tempted to do it just to scare people. A "free" beam sweeping around seems to spook people into cover and makes nice, if non damaging, suppressive fire. Having several would definitely spook people, especially lights, so I can use indirect fire to an advantage. Human factors count in battle too!

protip: Nobody gives a **** about being tagged, they're too busy shooting or getting shot to pay much attention to it.

Edited by Horseman, 26 August 2020 - 03:14 AM.

[BCAW]

Horseman, on 26 August 2020 - 03:14 AM, said:

protip: Nobody gives a **** about being tagged, they're too busy shooting or getting shot to pay much attention to it.

And if they are not shooting or getting shot, they'll most likely shoot at where the tag laser came from even if the source has ECM coverage.

[GuardDogg]

One of my assault mechs have two tags. When one is destroyed, the other is backup. Those pro pilots using ecm, stealth light mechs do wonders.

[Tritous Caraway]

Thanks for confirming the answer.

As for scaring people - I was quite surprised how many people didn't notice it was a fake laser and took cover. given that it could only be confused for a small laser, and the range was clearly too much for that it must just be a kneejerk reaction to "OMG someone shooting at me, don't peek yet". if nothing else it is a blantant "I know where you are and have my aim locked on you ready" threat. Funny really, they are under more threat if they stay over the ridge and let us pelt them, and if nothing else they give our team more chance to coordinate

I can imagine this wouldn't work on a more experienced pilot but there is something worryingly gratifying about making the inexperienced hide pointlessly

[General Solo]

BCAW, on 26 August 2020 - 01:45 PM, said:

And if they are not shooting or getting shot, they'll most likely shoot at where the tag laser came from even if the source has ECM coverage.

Yeah but if you doh Long Range DPS right it won't matter
coz
Long Range DPS mang

[Koniving]

Tritous Caraway, on 24 August 2020 - 10:50 AM, said:

curious question: what does having multiple TAG lasers do?

• increase TAG effect on missile lock (cumulative or diminishing returns)?
  
• nothing: TAG is yes/no effect?
  
• just increase the chance of hitting due to beam spread?

In some ways I'm tempted to do it just to scare people. A "free" beam sweeping around seems to spook people into cover and makes nice, if non damaging, suppressive fire. Having several would definitely spook people, especially lights, so I can use indirect fire to an advantage. Human factors count in battle too!

context: I've got a blood asp and along with missiles and an autocannon I also have a PPC (ECM frier) and TAG, but I'm debating using the other two laser slots to make it triple TAG just to scare people.

Multi-tags do nothing.

The only reasons to have multiple tags are for detecting issues with collision, and for wall-hugging corner-poppers to be able to see that their precious PPCs or other infrequently-firing weapons will hit before firing.

The TAG on the left is interrupted by invisible geometry, an invisible wall that would block all bullets, lasers and missiles coming from that limb.

This Boar's Head is using a tag on each arm to be able to test for invisible geometry in order to not waste the precious high heat twin LPL combination packed into each arm, which at the time hit harder than an AC/20 but the heat was nothing to sneeze at. As such it was important not to waste the shots on levels with lots of invisible walls, such a Tourmaline Desert.

Being hit with a tag has absolutely no reactive effects on the target. There's a strong chance they wouldn't even notice the tag. TAG is very distinctive in its appearance, it won't be fooling anyone.

Edited by Koniving, 27 August 2020 - 07:34 AM.

[General Solo]

You can pulse/tap the tag so its less visible
When not on target

Edited by OZHomerOZ, 27 August 2020 - 09:19 AM.

[VonBruinwald]

Koniving, on 27 August 2020 - 07:31 AM, said:

Being hit with a tag has absolutely no reactive effects on the target. There's a strong chance they wouldn't even notice the tag. TAG is very distinctive in its appearance, it won't be fooling anyone.

Against experienced players, yes. But against in-experianced players it does cause them worry. Especially when you have a lurm boat on your team and you're not packing.

It should also be noted the C-Light Tag has the same range as the Heavy Large's optimum maxing it a good "targeting laser".

[Navid A1]

Koniving, on 27 August 2020 - 07:31 AM, said:

The TAG on the left is interrupted by invisible geometry, an invisible wall that would block all bullets, lasers and missiles coming from that limb.

This Boar's Head is using a tag on each arm to be able to test for invisible geometry in order to not waste the precious high heat twin LPL combination packed into each arm, which at the time hit harder than an AC/20 but the heat was nothing to sneeze at. As such it was important not to waste the shots on levels with lots of invisible walls, such a Tourmaline Desert.

People usually do that using the range finder.
Even considering very intricate details of using a TAG for that purpose, you'd want the TAG laser to occupy the bottom most hardpoint to guarantee 100% clearance for all lasers. Opposite to what the image is showing

But seriously speaking even if you equip a tag on your mech for this purpose, it will require so much attention and distraction that you'll be completely disconnected from your surroundings and end up as a smoking pile of metal on the ground without even knowing what caused it.

Know the map, use the range finder and pay attention to the main fight as much as possible... a missed alpha costs far less than being caught in the middle of nowhere sizing up a rock with a laser pointer.

Edited by Navid A1, 27 August 2020 - 02:42 PM.

[Zirconium Kaze]

Tritous Caraway, on 24 August 2020 - 10:50 AM, said:

curious question: what does having multiple TAG lasers do?

• increase TAG effect on missile lock (cumulative or diminishing returns)?
  
• nothing: TAG is yes/no effect?
  
• just increase the chance of hitting due to beam spread?

In some ways I'm tempted to do it just to scare people. A "free" beam sweeping around seems to spook people into cover and makes nice, if non damaging, suppressive fire. Having several would definitely spook people, especially lights, so I can use indirect fire to an advantage. Human factors count in battle too!

context: I've got a blood asp and along with missiles and an autocannon I also have a PPC (ECM frier) and TAG, but I'm debating using the other two laser slots to make it triple TAG just to scare people.

Just make sure your extra tags are somewhere else on your mech so if the tag in your right arm gets destroyed you still have one in your left arm type of deal.