69 replies to this topic

[MadBede]

I am new player, boucing at tier 3-4. Assault main.
Now may i know wth is goin on with light mech? Why they so broken?
-crazy mobility, running circles without any speed loss, running up almost vertical hill sides, somehow getting behind you even when you back to the wall.
-sticking like crap to your leg so you cant even lover your weapons to defend yourself
-stealth menace
-ECM so your missiles a useless
-lag protected when close, just like watching matrix, you pump from all barrels and he still running with minimal damage
-machine gun vs 100 tone mech armour plating and still can eat you, like really, a BB gun vs Abrams and you can hurt Abrams?
-each match is full of lights (now i get why, broken and op)

Like wtf i must do to defend myself when they up and personal. Its impossible !!!! Even when i manage to score some good hit they just run away and 5 sec later you got him deep in your ******.
I know i am new player, most likely noob, baddie, etc but FFS this is just broken.
As assault mech driver cant be all time with crowd (even if you are with group some mr.stealth will snipe from a far) or your group , mostly fast mechs just leave you alone and run in packs.
Do i must stop playing assault class and move to FOTM crap ? I am frustrated. Played many multi player games and never hit such wall of OPness like in MWO.

[Heavy Money]

Light mechs are the Paper to your Rock. They are supposed to be a good counter to the sorts of assaults that will crush heavies and mediums.

If you want to build a light killer assault loadout, you'll demolish them and Mediums all day, but then you won't hammer other assaults and heavies as well. Even if you don't specialize a loadout, there are assaults that handle them better due to full arm unlock, better mobility, brawler loadouts, etc.

Assaults are meant to be escorted. If left alone, lights are supposed to be able to harass them to death. This is the price you pay for getting to smash everybody else.

[Cerebus23]

torso speed yaw and some good lead fire aiming, and you can make them work or kill them outright.


they want to distract you or get you to chase them around get help if your not confident or even if you are and move to new ground. try to finish them if they run move. team mates lend help murder the hell out of them.

and wait till you get the raptor pack match had 4 or so raptor me last night i shot 2 or 3 of them they all looked alike but the um. ;p

[RickySpanish]

A number of counters exist without changing your 'Mech or weapon loadout:

1. Bring 2 UAVs, and deploy at flanks to spot incoming Lights.
2. Equip 360 degree target retention to not lose track of a Light who circles behind you.
3. Equip seismic sensor to spot incoming enemies at 200m or closer - but you must be standing still.
4. Don't get left behind by your team in the first place.
5. Just shoot them. Seriously. Anywhere will do.

This advice coming from a pilot who historically and paradoxically does much better in Light 'Mechs. By the way, Assault class has always been the hardest to master, even though Lights have been less popular.

Edit:

It's not BB gun versus Abrams - machine gun is a misleading name. In Mechwarrior lore machine guns are basically the same sort of vulcan cannons that get put on jet fighters. They fire a hail of absolute death and will chew youe Abrams to pieces if they are close enough.

Edited by RickySpanish, 12 July 2021 - 04:08 PM.

[MadBede]

Heavy Money, on 12 July 2021 - 03:57 PM, said:

Light mechs are the Paper to your Rock. They are supposed to be a good counter to the sorts of assaults that will crush heavies and mediums.

If you want to build a light killer assault loadout, you'll demolish them and Mediums all day, but then you won't hammer other assaults and heavies as well. Even if you don't specialize a loadout, there are assaults that handle them better due to full arm unlock, better mobility, brawler loadouts, etc.

Assaults are meant to be escorted. If left alone, lights are supposed to be able to harass them to death. This is the price you pay for getting to smash everybody else.

Hard to say you can smash everyone in assault when long range weapons a so dominant on battlefield. Most mech carry some long range stick and most of maps give a lot of cover for lighter classes to poke and snipe easly. Some of assaults a so easy to pick apart, massive hit boxes, just point and shoot. I get that every class must have some counter but light mech are insane. I am very frustrated. I love game, love universe but this just make me howl in deep frustration

[MechNexus]

Light mechs are hard to hit because their armour is little better than tissue paper and sellotape, and they lack the sheer firepower of anything heavier, even when they sacrifice speed for firepower (e.g cougar, adder, panther, urbie) they can't match an assault.

When you encounter a light, get your back to a wall like you already are (ensure your legs are facing away, as the mech's pelvis still contains some torso hitboxes) and aim for their legs. Legging a mech reduces it's speed to half it's top speed or 40KPH, whatever's slower - Meaning that anything reliant on speed to survive is a sitting duck, and death usually follows.

Keep calm, don't panic, and alert your team. A lot of backstab lights do so well because many people refuse to treat them with the appropriate amount of respect.

[MyriadDigits]

MadBede, on 12 July 2021 - 03:49 PM, said:

I am new player, boucing at tier 3-4.

Gonna start here. Crank the in game sensitivity waaayyyy down. You want (Mouse DPI) x (Game Sensitivity) to come out somewhere between 100-250. Lower you can handle it the better off you are. Since the actual speed of aiming is ultimately limited by the agility stats of the mech you're using, having an excessively high game sensitivity (such as the default) only serves to make the point of aim jittery, which makes precision shots against anything much more difficult, and yes this does include light mechs. If I'm honest I'd say its more important for nailing light mechs than for blapping anything else.

Additionally, arm lock. I've seen many a new player in a mech with substantial arm mounted firepower struggle against a light mech because they don't have arm lock on a toggle. Arms always have significantly greater pitch range, and if the mech has lower actuators arms will also have greater yaw speed and range as well. If you use primarily lock on weapons, targets will be locked on the arm reticle regardless of what component the missiles are actually mounted in, so its good practice to leave arms unlocked on such mechs anyway.

Finally, Seismic Sensors from the skill tree and UAV consumables. Having the 360 awareness those can grant you makes it much harder for lights to ambush you, even in close quarters areas.

MadBede, on 12 July 2021 - 03:49 PM, said:

Assault main.

-each match is full of lights (now i get why, broken and op)

Go play a few matches in a light mech. You'll see just how OP they really are. (spoiler, they aren't)

MadBede, on 12 July 2021 - 03:49 PM, said:

-crazy mobility, running circles without any speed loss, running up almost vertical hill sides, somehow getting behind you even when you back to the wall.

Not a single mech loses speed when turning, no reason to force this on light mechs. As for back to the wall, its important to note that the mech's pelvis hitboxes count as torso and not leg, so a moderately competent light pilot will take advantage of this when the opportunity is presented. Some assaults also just have less than ideal geometry that allows the rear hitbox to be struck even when your back is to a wall.

MadBede, on 12 July 2021 - 03:49 PM, said:

-sticking like crap to your leg so you cant even lover your weapons to defend yourself

This is honestly something they can only get away with against assaults that aren't with their team. Stick with your team and any light that tries this will be obliterated because they are basically stationary. This also applies to lights that circle you, as circling somebody's legs is also very easily countered by a second mech.

That said, this is an issue that the balance folks are aware of, as physically not being able to shoot something yourself is a dreadfully unfun experience.

MadBede, on 12 July 2021 - 03:49 PM, said:

-stealth menace

Very few light mechs can even run stealth armor, and running stealth armor seriously hampers their cooling and prevents them from seeing target markers or information from their team. Also stealth armor is countered by using your eyeballs.

MadBede, on 12 July 2021 - 03:49 PM, said:

-ECM so your missiles a useless

Bring an Active Probe and a TAG. ECM/Stealth becomes much less of a headache. Additionally, nailing an ECM mech with any manner of PPC will disable their ECM entirely (and stealth armor with it).

MadBede, on 12 July 2021 - 03:49 PM, said:

-lag protected when close, just like watching matrix, you pump from all barrels and he still running with minimal damage

Much less likely to be lag, and far more likely that you're just missing. Also possibly MASC at work depending on the mech in question.

MadBede, on 12 July 2021 - 03:49 PM, said:

-machine gun vs 100 tone mech armour plating and still can eat you, like really, a BB gun vs Abrams and you can hurt Abrams?

That just how Battletech be. Besides, only like 2 or 3 mechs in the game can mount enough machine guns for the MGs to be your primary concern about said mech and none of them can mount ECM. Also a heavy or assault RAC boat is typically going to match or exceed the DPS of any of those mechs at 3 to 5 times the range, without having the integrity of wet single ply.

MadBede, on 12 July 2021 - 03:49 PM, said:

Like wtf i must do to defend myself when they up and personal. Its impossible !!!! Even when i manage to score some good hit they just run away and 5 sec later you got him deep in your ******.
100% this one is a positioning error (also likely aim), but this straight up sounds like you are an out of position assault 500+ meters from your team.
I know i am new player, most likely noob, baddie, etc but FFS this is just broken.
As assault mech driver cant be all time with crowd (even if you are with group some mr.stealth will snipe from a far) or your group , mostly fast mechs just leave you alone and run in packs.

The trick with assault piloting is not just trying to chase after your team, but especially trying to go where the fight will be before it happens. So long as you make it to that party, your team will be there and that will counter 99% of your gripes with light mechs. Additionally you need to keep an eye on the minimap and team movement. You need to be heading there before the team even realizes they are heading there. These are all difficulties that come with effectively piloting an a mech that only moves 50kph, but like anything else, are difficulties overcome by learning how to do so.

In general both extremes (Assaults and Lights) are very difficult to play, though lights honestly have it harder. Assaults practically need to walk into a 1v12 to get vaporized remotely as fast as a light mech getting prefired by a dual Heavy Gauss Fafnir.

[pattonesque]

MyriadDigits dropping some knowledge here, my man. Lights can be frustrating to play against and a good light will hit and fade and utilize its mobility to be a huge pain in the *** but the basic secret to fighting lights is: just shoot them. Some of them have weird hitboxes and some of them can shield damage well but keep shooting at their legs, don't freak out (this is the most important part, just stay calm!), unlock your arms, and continue to develop your aim skills and they will get way less scary, I promise you.

Some folks on these forums will tell you otherwise because they've decided not to get better, but it is entirely possible to get better and the better you get the less of a problem lights become.

Edited by pattonesque, 12 July 2021 - 05:21 PM.

[LordNothing]

assaults are not an easy class to play nor do i recommend them for new players. good assault players either evade or dispatch light mechs who try to attack them. with skill assaults become a really solid class, but there is a learning curve involved.

i suggest start with mediums and heavies until you know the maps, game mechanics, etc. then play lights as understanding their capabilities and limitations is critical to playing assaults well (lights have their own steep learning curve, but unless thats your end goal, you probibly dont need to go all the way through it, but do familiarize yourself with anti-assault tactics). then start with slow heavies or fast assaults before you ease towards the 100 ton bracket.

Edited by LordNothing, 12 July 2021 - 05:50 PM.

[MadBede]

Hey guys
Thank you very much for inside knowledge you pass to a poor frustrated noob.
Will unlock my arms and train in using them
Will try to utilise some PPCs in my builds
Will go for active probe when possible
Will meddle with my builds
Again big thanks

[MadBede]

LordNothing, on 12 July 2021 - 05:35 PM, said:

assaults are not an easy class to play nor do i recommend them for new players. good assault players either evade or dispatch light mechs who try to attack them. with skill assaults become a really solid class, but there is a learning curve involved.

i suggest start with mediums and heavies until you know the maps, game mechanics, etc. then play lights as understanding their capabilities and limitations is critical to playing assaults well (lights have their own steep learning curve, but unless thats your end goal, you probibly dont need to go all the way through it). then start with slow heavies or fast assaults before you ease towards the 100 ton bracket.

I must admit i do well in assault vs all but lights. Got not many battles under my belt but can bring decent damage and multiple kills. As i mentioned got huge experience in online shooters. Veteran of Mechwarrior series so i am familiar with Mechs Watching videos (Baradul for example) , streams , spending a lot of time in mechlab tinkering. Tried meds and heavys and so far i want stick mostly to Assault, just playstyle. I think i got good aim and i can snipe or trade damage with good outcome IMO. Looks like for now Light class is my nemesis but after all those good tips i got from more experienced players i wont give up . Again thx for understanding and help.

[ScrapIron Prime]

And a pro-tip, a great way to do well in a Medium Mech is to be an Assault Buddy. Equip a medium mech with either AMS or ECM, a few long range weapons and a battery of close in ones, then pick an Assault mech and glue yourself to him. You rack up proximity and protected medium bonuses which is good for your match score, you orbit around your Assault buddy and fire long range weapons like ERLL at whatever it's picking on, then when the light mechs come calling, you help scrape them off the Assault mech. (And if they focus on the medium mech instead, the Assault mech makes them evaporate.)

I prefer doing this with a Cicada 3M kitted with 2 LL, 2 ML, and an ECM. Keep the Assault mech in your ECM bubble, and when you get swarmed, switch to counter.

[Capt Deadpool]

MadBede, on 12 July 2021 - 05:42 PM, said:

Hey guys
Thank you very much for inside knowledge you pass to a poor frustrated noob.
Will unlock my arms and train in using them
Will try to utilise some PPCs in my builds
Will go for active probe when possible
Will meddle with my builds
Again big thanks

Very good attitude; many players could learn from you!

Edited by Capt Deadpool, 12 July 2021 - 07:12 PM.

[JediPanther]

MadBede, on 12 July 2021 - 03:49 PM, said:

I am new player, boucing at tier 3-4. Assault main.
Now may i know wth is goin on with light mech? Why they so broken?
-crazy mobility, running circles without any speed loss, running up almost vertical hill sides, somehow getting behind you even when you back to the wall.
-sticking like crap to your leg so you cant even lover your weapons to defend yourself
-stealth menace
-ECM so your missiles a useless
-lag protected when close, just like watching matrix, you pump from all barrels and he still running with minimal damage
-machine gun vs 100 tone mech armour plating and still can eat you, like really, a BB gun vs Abrams and you can hurt Abrams?
-each match is full of lights (now i get why, broken and op)

Like wtf i must do to defend myself when they up and personal. Its impossible !!!! Even when i manage to score some good hit they just run away and 5 sec later you got him deep in your ******.
I know i am new player, most likely noob, baddie, etc but FFS this is just broken.
As assault mech driver cant be all time with crowd (even if you are with group some mr.stealth will snipe from a far) or your group , mostly fast mechs just leave you alone and run in packs.
Do i must stop playing assault class and move to FOTM crap ? I am frustrated. Played many multi player games and never hit such wall of OPness like in MWO.

As many have said the best thing to do is shoot back aiming for legs. A few ways to get your team to help is point your cross hair over the mech hold e for the com wheel and go enemy spotted which will alert the rest of team and mark the mech on map for a few seconds. The best weapon to pretty much counter most lights sans stealth are the s-srm 4 and 6 missiles combined with beagle active or clan active probe. Always take a uav with you as it costs a mere 40,000 c-bils with the auto fill option on. It's pretty easy to just shoot a few mechs and get the c-bills back.

Another good option is to put 22 points into mobility focusing on torso yaw and turn speed with pulse weapons which let you track mechs faster. The pulse weapons won't have to be held on target like normal lasers which tick damage.

[Heavy Money]

MadBede, on 12 July 2021 - 04:07 PM, said:

Hard to say you can smash everyone in assault when long range weapons a so dominant on battlefield. Most mech carry some long range stick and most of maps give a lot of cover for lighter classes to poke and snipe easly. Some of assaults a so easy to pick apart, massive hit boxes, just point and shoot. I get that every class must have some counter but light mech are insane. I am very frustrated. I love game, love universe but this just make me howl in deep frustration

Assaults are more vulnerable to being picked apart at range, but they get to carry ~2x as much long ranged firepower as others. That's the balancing factor there.

Others have covered everything already. I'd suggest trying to play one of the lights you struggle with, and you'll quickly come to understand how to counter them.

Also, playing with a group to ensure you have escorts and people who will properly cover and bail you out when you get into trouble is important. Feel free to friend me in game.

[MW Waldorf Statler]

both Class Asssault and Light very hard to play for New players ,thast special lasses ,and each little fail with this Class its the last .For beginners the medium and Heavys the best Class to learn the Mechanics.

[Monkey Lover]

Problem with lights is no one shoots at them. Might as well shoot at the direwolf than a little flea.

[Leone]

https://mwomercs.com...ting-thy-enemy/

I've guide on assaults if'n you wanna peruse it.

~Leone.

[Thorqemada]

Yeah, Lights, these little Pests, one problem is probably at a higher tier you will face more Ligths that have favourable Mech Geometry (Hitboxes that are harder to damage compared to other Mechs) combined with Speed and Skill while the easy to hit Lights disapear mostly from the matches.

The defense against them was already mentioned - back against the Wall and never be alone and lets hope your teams is assisting each other.

Streaks were once the Weapon of choice to keep Lights in check but have been adjusted to open up more possibilities for Lights to paticipate in the game (read: Streaks were nerfed).

ECM can be countered by the Beagle Active Probe or the Clan Active Probe but its about who has more of it in the vicinity - whoever has the bigger number of ECM vs Active Probe will reap the benefits and the other side is carrying dead weight.

Lock on Weapons also have their Lock On nerfed already long ago...so...simply forget about them, they are useless outside specific team setups or fighting complete greenhorns.

The other check against Ligths be Arm-mounted Weapons bcs your Mech Arms have the highest degree of weapon mobility (if not "Arm-to-Torso-Locked" and depending on the Mech some have more than others) in regard to firing angles and tracking speed and you either need to equip weapons that if they hit do massive damage like multiple Gauss Rifles, PPCs (mind that the standard inner sphere PPC is useless at ranges below 90m as it wont do damage and good Light Pilots would exploit such a weakness) or big boom Autocannons (AC10 and up) or hit with extreme regularity.

Laser with a long burntime have little efficiency against Lights bcs most of the time the Laserbeam will get lost in the movement and spread of quickly alternating hitboxes due to the rapid movement of a Light Mech combined with map geographie etc.) plus your own movement adds to the inaccuracy.
For Laser to be good against Lights you need amassed Laser with a short burntime - Pulse Laser, Small Laser or Super Quirked Laser via Mech Quirks come to mind).

The other weapons will probably do only a little wear and tear, maybe some "Sandblasting" on Lights so it prolongs the time to kill which makes you a potential Victim of a Light attack.

Plus aim for the more steadily moving parts of a Light which is the Hip/Groin/Bum Region as you either should hit a leg or a torso part if nothing else registers and then Ligths still have limited amounts of Armor to consume b4 they become endangered to much to do more than backstabbing shots of oportunity.

Edited by Thorqemada, 12 July 2021 - 09:47 PM.

[w4ldO]