Posted 02 May 2025 - 07:12 AM
Skill makes everythig more effective but I believe it has the largest impact on lights. Lights simply benefit more from a highly skilled pilot than any other chassis. Conversly they are brutal for unskilled pilots. When a skilled light comes hunting for you and you are in an assault, particularly a non-brawly assault, you are in for a real fight. If you are in an LRM missile boat you are probably dead if you are alone, that is your own fault.
I usually play heavies but mix it up with other chassis depending on the population at the time I am dropping. Last night I was running an 85T Marauder IIC with ECM, 2GR and 2ERLL. It is a chassis whiche alway performs well for me. I was near the back of the back, still in the same grid as other mech, dealing damage at the 1,200 - 1,800 meter ranges. After a shot I would move a little back to cover if it appeared fire would be returning, then poke another angle. As I was lining up a shot I saw the red dot on seismic of something sneaking up behind me.
Rule #1, Always Take Seismic. Seriously, why wouldn't you. I do not care what ECM or Stealth you are running, your footsteps will be heard. Be it stalking another mech or avoiding a surprise this is invaluable.
I immediately moved and turned hard. ERLL are pretty damn tough to use effectively on a Stealth Flea, which had come up behind me, but they will make him move and mess up the damage he can do.
Rule #2. MOVE. The more you move, the less damage you take, particularly in the area he may be focusing on. In addition you should be trying to get closer to help, ideally dragging the light into a kill box of multiple mechs where he can die or choose to run away.
Rule #3. SHOOT. Always be shooting. The drawback to the light is the amount of damage it can take. Now it may be hard to apply that damage, particularly with things like ERLL. You see the crosshairs go red but in that twisting fight you often simply grazed him for 20% of your damage output or alomst certainly spread it across his armour. He though cannot afford to take damage and will have to constantly move to avoid doing so. This is a perfect time for chain fire on things like lasers as you can continually put out damage without overheating.
I at this point called out on voice com that I had a stealth flea in my grid and needed help ASAP.
RULE #4. USE COMS. Be clear and concise. Problem, Location, Request. Simply spamming the standard "Help Here" means next to nothing because it is overused by morons for attention. Let people know clearly and quickly and you SHOULD get someone to help assuming you didn't wander off to be a solo sniper/missile boat at the far end of the map.
Sadly, nobody responded to my calls and I saw no mechs moving towards me even though we were close enough within the same or adjacent grids. At this point I began backing towards the nearest blue mechs. We were mostly still in the long range fight and this should do something to help get some attention on him. Note that I moved BACKWARDS mostly and kept turning. Like Will Ferrel in Land of the Lost, "serpentine, serpentine, serpentine!" I kept charging the 2GR, only shooting if I had a shot but because he kept coming and going I would charge even if he was out of sight. The light was good though. He took one leg and was working on the other. Being close to other mechs though limited the directions he was coming from now and my constant starting and stopping would give me a seismic ping to know where he was. Eventually he made a mistake, he took a step out from cover and stopped to line up and try to take the second leg. I knew where he was coming from and was ready. As soon as he stepp out and stopped he took the alpha of 2GR and 2ERLL in the face and was gone.
RULE #5. ALPHA WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT. You can easily overheat at worst or leave yourself unable to keep fire up when needed by constantly taking low percentage alpha strikes. Don't due that unless you have the right tool and opportuntiy. When he is running straight toward you, away from you, or blesses you with a stationary target hit him with everything and he should turn to dust.
Highly skilled players in a light are the most frustrating thing to fight in a game, at the same time those mechs in other hands have low damage output and high death rates. Keep your head and play your game, not the light's game should you get into a fight. If you are dumb enough to go off all on your own somewhere without the tools to deal with a light or the strategies of how to do so then you deserve what you get.
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DoucheNugg3t, on 30 April 2025 - 12:35 PM, said:
:3
