18 replies to this topic

[Bassault]

I feel you, unfortunately there isn't any good guides. However, if you contact individual div a players in discord they'll probably break it down for you. On that note, I should get some of them together so I could compile a map guide...

[w0qj]

I'm also very interested in such a map strategy guide!

[Terran123rd]

Count me interested as well.

[Curccu]

Comp map strategies or quickplay for one you can pick your team and perfect builds for your strategy other you get what you get.

[martian]

whitehatblacksheep, on 27 September 2022 - 06:18 PM, said:

Are There Map Strategy Tutorials Out There?

I'm finding that I really have no idea what to do on most maps regardless of my build. I end up trying to follow team members with very mixed results.

Greetings!

Your tactics depends on the 'Mech that you are running.

Following a group of brawlers, if you are also piloting a brawler, is a good idea. Following a group of brawlers closely, if you are piloting a LRM-boat, is a bad idea.

For example, if you are piloting a sniper 'Mech, then you will be looking for a good sniping position that overlooks the battlefield.

On the other hand, if you are running a brawling 'Mech, then you are interested in finding some protected pathways that will let you get close to the enemy team without suffering too much damage in the process.

And of course, you should use your 'Mech's capabilities to your greatest advantage: If you are sitting in a light 'Mech capable of running 130 km/h, then it would be nonsense to spend the game following 50 km/h Atlas.

Also, much depends on the composition of your team. You will use a different tactic if you are a member of the competetive premade with the prearranged tactics and loadouts than you would use if you were a member of a PUG team in the Quick Play queue.

Should you encounter any difficulties on your way to Tier 1, you can always ask here: New Player Help

[Curccu]

whitehatblacksheep, on 27 September 2022 - 11:53 PM, said:

This really is about as unhelpful as possible and I'm clearly not a comp player.

My point was very specific strategy is pretty much impossible to execute if you don't have loadout for it and your team doesn't/cannot support it (they may want but their chosen mechs and builds may not work for it). So strategy for quickplay map must be super vague for it to work even a little each game you get that map.

For FP and Comp strategies are easy to made because you know which map you will get BEFORE you choose your mech and have time to communicate with your team what to kind of strategy to play, that is not the case with quickplay.

Edited by Curccu, 28 September 2022 - 12:28 AM.

[RickySpanish]

^ Curccu is right, although what would be helpful is a resource that shows the landing zones for all lances dependent on game mode. The most important factor in soup queue is just knowing what direction your opponents will be facing in the first minute of the match. Sadly I have found no such resource that is kept up to date.

[Saved By The Bell]

Look DATA videos, but he is just too good.

[martian]

whitehatblacksheep, on 28 September 2022 - 07:16 AM, said:

I get that in QP there's going to be a lot of variables that center around what the team is doing but there's probably some way to break down the most likely things a given team is going to do and how to work around that as best as possible by map and loadout, and some general areas of maps that are "do not go here/do this, this is a deathtrap in most circumstances" or "go here/do this, this is usually a good spot under these circumstances". If nothing else, having a few places to try and direct the team for best outcomes would be helpful.

A place, that would be the deathtrap for a group of snipers or LRM-boats, would be the the ideal place for a group of brawlers.

The problem is that you never know what team you will have in the QP.

whitehatblacksheep, on 28 September 2022 - 07:16 AM, said:

I can't really see what my teammates are using re: loadouts (I can't figure out how to scan their loadout, can only guess based on what I see mounted and their behavior)

You can not scan the loadouts of your team mates. I have been asking for it for years.

You can only scan the enemy 'Mechs (with the active Stealth armor being additional problem).

whitehatblacksheep, on 28 September 2022 - 07:16 AM, said:

... and the only ones I typically see venture such information of their own accord are the players who run LRMs.

The usual "Hold locks for me!"?

whitehatblacksheep, on 28 September 2022 - 07:16 AM, said:

I'm sure certain chassis are way more likely to be one type of loadout than another but that's not really a guarantee.

You are right. For example, the Catapult can be fitted out as short-range brawler, medium-range bruiser or long-range LRM-boat.

whitehatblacksheep, on 28 September 2022 - 07:16 AM, said:

I find that for the most part I really can't predict what teams will do but I chalk that up to lack of experience. There's really only so many things people CAN do in the game.

Usually PUG teams race forward or turn right and circle around the obstacle or around the map. It is called "nascaring".

[YueFei]

whitehatblacksheep, on 28 September 2022 - 08:23 AM, said:

This isn't encouraging. Sigh, okay, I will just try to figure this out myself because it sounds like there are just so many variables that there's no real way to account for anything but myself.

My advice would be to use the in-game VOIP to communicate with teammates. Declare your loadout and intentions, ask for other teammates with similar loadouts to move together with. Be receptive and open to alternative suggestions from them, too. For example, "I'm brawl, I want to go left and path through low ground in D3, who wants to come with me? Can midrange give us cover from E4?"

Then maybe 1 or 2 other brawlers chime in, and you can all go together. Or maybe one of the other brawlers has a different idea, and depending on what the rest of the team seems to be doing (look at your minimap), maybe it makes more sense. For example, if it seems your team is setting up on the ridgeline on the far right, maybe it's not a good idea to dive into low ground on the left because they won't be able to cover you.

In general, whatever your mech's role, you want to try to setup to support other teammates and be supported by them in turn.

If you're brawl, you want to try to position yourself within your midrange/long-range support's overwatch. This isn't always super obvious. I remember one match where I could see my Direwolf, and he could see me, but he could not see the enemies that were shooting at me. Just keep playing and with experience you'll get the hang of it. You also don't want to take super long flanks as a brawler (unless you're fast enough to reposition), because you might just end up leaving the front wide open for the enemy to push through and crush your own midrange/long-range guys. You want to be able to screen for your own guys.

If you're mid-range / long-range, you want to try to position yourself to support your brawlers, whilst setting up so that your brawlers are also acting as a screen for you. As mid-range, you have a bit more flexibility in how you position and how you peek; you can take advantage of perspective to "slice the pie" and make sure you're not trading against multiple enemies by yourself.

You don't necessarily need to coordinate with all 11 of the other players on your team. It can be helpful even to find just 1 other player that you can be a wingman to, and work with them. Having 1 other guy you're working with can enable you to do a whole lot more than you could handle by yourself. Juggling aggro, covering for each other, fire&movement, covering each other's backsides against lighter and more maneuverable enemy mechs, etc. Working together with just 1 other player, you can very easily become more than the sum of your parts.

[Curccu]

whitehatblacksheep, on 28 September 2022 - 08:23 AM, said:

This isn't encouraging. Sigh, okay, I will just try to figure this out myself because it sounds like there are just so many variables that there's no real way to account for anything but myself.

Watching some capable streamers can give you valuable information and might be one of the best ways to learn outside of playing yourself.
Mech building guides... grimmechs has some, sort them by created and anything older than half a year might not be really good anymore.

But really there are so stupidly many variables that you cannot affect that map guide to quickplay is really really hard to make so it would actually be useful instead of just random BS.

[RickySpanish]

whitehatblacksheep, on 28 September 2022 - 07:16 AM, said:

I get that in QP there's going to be a lot of variables that center around what the team is doing but there's probably some way to break down the most likely things a given team is going to do and how to work around that as best as possible by map and loadout, and some general areas of maps that are "do not go here/do this, this is a deathtrap in most circumstances" or "go here/do this, this is usually a good spot under these circumstances". If nothing else, having a few places to try and direct the team for best outcomes would be helpful. I can't really see what my teammates are using re: loadouts (I can't figure out how to scan their loadout, can only guess based on what I see mounted and their behavior) and the only ones I typically see venture such information of their own accord are the players who run LRMs. I'm sure certain chassis are way more likely to be one type of loadout than another but that's not really a guarantee.

I find that for the most part I really can't predict what teams will do but I chalk that up to lack of experience. There's really only so many things people CAN do in the game.

Specific map strategy is hard to implement, but there *definitely* are good / bad places to be on maps versus the most common approaches you will see uncoordinated teams take. Unfortunately, absolutely nobody has ever recorded them in one place.

Some general advice though, is that most teams tend to fight by approaching a central landmark and then slowly begin to rotate right to find an unprotected side to shoot from. When both teams initiate this rotation we get NASCAR. SO, depending on whether your weapons are stacked left, right, or high up, you have three options: Right sided - follow the NASCAR rotation. Left sided - take up a counter rotation position once you see the enemy rotate. High up - try to find a way to shoot across the middle or go far out and hill hump.

If you are finding it hard to predict the positions of 'Mechs, I would suggest piloting something fast. Incubus for example, one of the recent free 'Mechs, is very forgiving toward correcting your position based on whatever collective madness your team is currently presenting.

[RickySpanish]

whitehatblacksheep, on 28 September 2022 - 03:42 PM, said:

I picked up a Firestarter in my first four so I'll use that to try and get a feel for that sort of thing.

Which variant? The 8 energy ones are absolute monsters if you can get them in range.