105 replies to this topic

[martian]

Mechwarrior2342356, on 11 May 2024 - 02:11 AM, said:

I'm going to expect anyone with two braincells to ram together to watch for spots I'd show up to try and ruin their day tbh. A light is going to have a better time with the scram part of that equation.

I think that it is better to show some initiative instead of "hiding near the nearest fat assault".

[Mechwarrior2342356]

martian, on 18 May 2024 - 01:01 PM, said:

I think that it is better to show some initiative instead of "hiding near the nearest fat assault".

For me the "scoot off and do my own thing" tips the scales hard towards risk and away from reward. I increase the possibility of getting caught out and quite possibly crippled for one kill and a bit of damage where if I had stayed with the deathball around the big guns I benefit from opponents having difficulty focusing any single target and becoming a lower priority target than the assaults I am around. The former becomes an even worse bet if my target has a buddy I did not see and possibly can't disengage from, or if threatening my target provokes a support response from the opposing team that I might not know is coming until it's too late and/or cannot disengage from. If my team cannot see either a buddy present or a response coming or (equally as likely) they just don't tell me, my first indication that I have just entered a 2v1 or worse might very well be taking serious damage that takes me out of the running.

I orbit the fatties, I see what they see, the more teammates orbiting the more I see. Deny the sniper sightlines as often as possible and it becomes an 11v12 down where I am, and it can easily get better with a bad peek or overcommit by a red. Running off to try and knock out a sniper turns it into an 11v11 until I can regroup, if I can. I always saw murderball give more consistent good results than "ebin solo flank to kill sniper".

Edited by Mechwarrior2342356, 19 May 2024 - 03:14 AM.

[martian]

Mechwarrior2342356, on 19 May 2024 - 02:33 AM, said:

For me the "scoot off and do my own thing" tips the scales hard towards risk and away from reward. I increase the possibility of getting caught out and quite possibly crippled for one kill and a bit of damage where if I had stayed with the deathball around the big guns I benefit from opponents having difficulty focusing any single target and becoming a lower priority target than the assaults I am around. The former becomes an even worse bet if my target has a buddy I did not see and possibly can't disengage from, or if threatening my target provokes a support response from the opposing team that I might not know is coming until it's too late and/or cannot disengage from. If my team cannot see either a buddy present or a response coming or (equally as likely) they just don't tell me, my first indication that I have just entered a 2v1 or worse might very well be taking serious damage that takes me out of the running.

If your intent is "to hide near the nearest fat assault", I do not think that "a medium with optimal of 350 or less" is the best choice for a successful game. Especially if snipers are the problem.

Would not some other 'Mech serve you better? Maybe some heavy 'Mech with the speed in the 60-70 km/h range and with some medium- to long-range loadout?

[Nine-Ball]

Mechwarrior2342356, on 19 May 2024 - 02:33 AM, said:

For me the "scoot off and do my own thing" tips the scales hard towards risk and away from reward.

Then learn to mitigate that risk so your not just using your teammates as a shield so you can farm damage.

[martian]

Nine-Ball, on 19 May 2024 - 04:54 PM, said:

Then learn to mitigate that risk so your not just using your teammates as a shield so you can farm damage.

You are right. Showing some initiative is usually more advantageous than just passively awaiting enemy team's actions.

[Void Angel]

Well, risk mitigation in a Light can require team support, and it's legitimately difficult to get that sometimes. But I do still recommend doing some scouting in a Light - just change how far you go depending on your 'mech's capabilities. A Locust can scout a lot more easily than a Clan combat Light, so you stay closer in with a slower 'mech. But while Lights are more fragile, finding the enemy team's main body can be invaluable, provided you communicate that.

Scouting is valuable, even in quick play. Sure, a distressing number of people will just ignore the information as Somebody Else's Problem, but often teams will at least react. I had a match a few weeks back on Emerald Taiga where the enemy team had successfully faked a push around one of the central rock walls, then immediately swapped ends to hit us from the side and behind as we tried to respond. It would have worked, too, except one guy decided to check that far corner and warned the team over voice coms when he found himself face to face with the enemy's main body, two grids away from where we all thought they were.