38 replies to this topic

[DjStickyMouse]

They're worthless in a world of Nascar... That's all... I mean really its been so long since ive seen an Assault make a real difference in a match that's not on rubulette and that was a unicorn situation.

anybody else feel like Assaults are worthless nowadays too?

[Vlad Ward]

DjStickyMouse, on 31 December 2020 - 08:49 AM, said:

anybody else feel like Assaults are worthless nowadays too?

Nope.

[dario03]

Still the highest performing class from what I've seen.

[Meep Meep]

Want to know how to stop a nascar rotato potato in its tracks? Have all the assaults turn around and form a firing line. Good luck getting any coordination in quick play though for this to happen.

[Gagis]

Can I have your stuff?

[DjStickyMouse]

Gagis, on 31 December 2020 - 09:04 AM, said:

Can I have your stuff?

Sent them to scrap where they belong

[martian]

DjStickyMouse, on 31 December 2020 - 08:49 AM, said:

They're worthless in a world of Nascar... That's all... I mean really its been so long since ive seen an Assault make a real difference in a match that's not on rubulette and that was a unicorn situation.

anybody else feel like Assaults are worthless nowadays too?

Assault 'Mechs such as Blood Asp, Annihilator, Cyclops or Fafnir can really help your team, if used correctly.

[Meep Meep]

martian, on 31 December 2020 - 09:06 AM, said:

Assault 'Mechs such as Blood Asp, Annihilator, Cyclops or Fafnir can really help your team, if used correctly.

Don't forget the Kraken. It made Atlas fun again.

[GARION26]

It's amusing that on the front page of the forum we simultaneously have multiple folks concerned that an excess of assaults on the other team makes a game unwinnable, and that assaults are unusable at all in QP. Our OP isn't alone in posters feeling like assaults are useless in the last week or so. No aspersions cast at the OP who is by tier clearly a better player then me - just a comment that players perspectives on the game can be so diametrically opposite.

I think that has a lot to do with your personal playstyle and the 'meta' in your personal time zone/tier. I personally do better in assaults then in other classes (cyclops S, and SNV-A, and even the super sluggish Direwolf) but I'm a tier 4 player playing in a high population time zone. My experience may be much different then someone playing in a low population time (worse matchmaker accuracy as a result), or in a higher tier where it appears the Nascar tendencies may be stronger. My son plays at the same time frame as me as a Tier 5 but is much better in lights - but he's strategically/tactically less aware then I am, and has much faster reflexes and better eyes.

Edited by GARION26, 31 December 2020 - 10:02 AM.

[RickySpanish]

Assaults are funny because most really are completely useless, while a couple are very, very good. Annihilators for instance are absolutely solid, as are Direwolves with U-ACs and PPC Warhawks.

[Gas Guzzler]

I was born in Assaults, molded by them. I didn't see a Light until I was already in Tier 1, and then it was too late for me.



That being said, nah bro, Assaults lay it down. You just have to anticipate the nascar and be proactive rather than reactive. Once in a while you do get a bad match but the majority of the time if built correctly assaults will decimate.

[martian]

Meep Meep, on 31 December 2020 - 09:51 AM, said:

Don't forget the Kraken. It made Atlas fun again.

Sure, there are many solid Assault 'Mechs in the game.

I just named a few 'Mechs that can really help your team, if piloted by a competent MechWarrior.

[Bud Crue]

RickySpanish, on 31 December 2020 - 10:20 AM, said:

Assaults are funny because most really are completely useless, while a couple are very, very good. Annihilators for instance are absolutely solid, as are Direwolves with U-ACs and PPC Warhawks.

Not to divert from the main point of the OP, but I think this is true of every class. The vast majority of mechs in this game have been reduced to a state of fairly uniform mediocrity. There are some true stinkers certainly, but more significantly there are a handful of top end outliers in each class that are simply better than most everything else when played by the average to good players (yes, yes, I recognize that good players can do well in most anything, but most good player still tend to play the mechs that allow them to excel the most...and that means that aint playing a Locust 1M when they can take a Flea).

There is just no reason other than some perverse desire for self/team harm to play the majority of the mechs in this game. I think the OP is feeling this for Assaults most acutely because of the realities of NASCAR, but I'd argue that Mediums (and perhaps Lights) are even more reduced to a select idealized few. (Solaris fans, please don't bother responding to tell me how crap variant X is actually considered meta in class Y, no one cares).

[Meep Meep]

martian, on 31 December 2020 - 10:48 AM, said:

Sure, there are many solid Assault 'Mechs in the game.

I just named a few 'Mechs that can really help your team, if piloted by a competent MechWarrior.

I think the Kraken is also a good assault to learn how to play them for new players. Insane armor and a simple weapons setup that only needs two primary fire buttons. One for the heavy projectile of your choice and the second for the double mrm30's with maybe some light backup energy.

[VonBruinwald]

Meep Meep, on 31 December 2020 - 09:03 AM, said:

Want to know how to stop a nascar rotato potato in its tracks? Have all the assaults turn around and form a firing line. Good luck getting any coordination in quick play though for this to happen.

It's actually easier than you think. Use the command wheel. Take company command at the start of the match and place a "move here" and "attack as primary" marker. Works in most cases for pugs. Doesn't matter if the player has comms and chat muted, they'll stick get the audio and text prompt as well as marking it on their minimap/hud.

The main reason it fails are the following:

• Groups running off and doing their own thing, which splits the team.
  
• T1's who "know better" and often deride the plan without offering a better substitute, or worse, take command until the point of first contact then fall silent whilst everyone else awaits instructions.

Just remember, if you're taking company command, update those markers! Don't leave them static or people will get confused when the players rotate and the markers point to nowhere of relevance. Also, don't be front-lining, you need to keep coordinating so you can direct those pugs, you won't be scoring top damage but if you coordinate 12 pugs to counter a 4-man-meta you've done the job right. A winning team beats personal glory.

[InspectorG]

[ laughs in Gargoyle ]

[Alex Morgaine]

A ballistic slowboat assault that the team doesn't run away from to get chewed up by fast runners can do horrendous things to the opposition, even with a so-so player as long as they know how to lead a target.

Edited by Alex Morgaine, 31 December 2020 - 11:15 AM.

[Meep Meep]

VonBruinwald, on 31 December 2020 - 11:05 AM, said:

Take company command

I'm too lazy to lead..

This is why I play mainly light stealth ankle biters.

I benefit from nascar circle jerks when I play them because everyone is focused on what is in front of them not behind.

[martian]

InspectorG, on 31 December 2020 - 11:08 AM, said:

[ laughs in Gargoyle ]

The Man-o'-War is just an overgrown Heavy.

[Valdarion Silarius]

DjStickyMouse, on 31 December 2020 - 08:49 AM, said:

anybody else feel like Assaults are worthless nowadays too?

Lol nope. As a Rifleman IIC main you gotta learn how to adapt with slower speed mechs. I'd never sell any of my assault mechs unless they were absolutely hot garbage with hardpoints and hitboxes.