71 replies to this topic

[Parka]

There are quite a few complaints about SSRM's running around these forums recently, so I figure I'll make a post on how to effectively deal with SSRM boats.

To start, there's a few things to know about SSRM's:

1) They home in on the core of the mech.
2) They require a lock in order to fire.

Both of these features have counters. I'll start by discussing how to counter their ability to home in on the core of your mech.

Elevation can dictate where SSRMs impact on your mech. If you are facing the SSRM boat on level ground or the SSRM boat is at a higher elevation then you are they will hit you in the center torso. However, if you are at a higher elevation than the SSRM boat, they will hit you in the legs. Keep in mind, in these situations we are assuming you are directly facing the SSRM boat.

Sadly elevation is something you can rarely take advantage of, mostly due to the fact the main SSRM boat has jump jets. They can and will dictate the elevation of the battle.

On the other hand, we can dictate how we face the SSRM boat. How can we do this? Torso twisting. By torso twisting away from the SSRM boat you can force the SSRMs to hit you in the arm. But if we aren't facing the target, how can we deal damage to it? You switch to alpha strike mode. Face the target, alpha strike, face away. By doing this you will spread out the damage done by the SSRM boat, or if he realizes what you're doing he will trade shots with you when you face him. Either way, it will take the SSRM boat a lot longer to kill you. Giving your allies a longer chance to help you remove the threat.

Onto our other point. SSRMs require a lock to fire. How can we break locks? By using terrain to break line of sight, or by just shutting down. Missiles can not aquire a lock on a shut down mech. Since SSRMs can not be indirectly fired, SSRM boats can not shoot at a shut down mech. How does this help you ask? By shutting down you force the SSRM boat to make a decision, wait for you to startup, or find another target. In a group fight situation, by shutting down you force the SSRM boat to pick another target and spread out his damage, keeping your guns alive longer. In a 1v1 situation the SSRM boat has to choose whether to stand there or wander off. In either case, it buys time for allies to come and engage the target, however it also buys time for more enemies to come after you as well.

One other thing I should mention. The best way to deal with SSRM catapults is to just blow off his arms when you are able to directly engage and leave him with nothing. The boxes are extremely easy to focus fire on and die fairly quickly. Leaving the SSRM catapult with no weapons.

Using these methods you will be able to effectively deal with SSRM boats.

[skaz]

SSRMs are underpowered, they should receive a buff

jk


They would benefit from some dispersion, I dont agree with all the missiles hitting exactly the same parts of the mech.

Imagine a catapult has 6 streak srm 2 launchers, if he fires all of them at the same time, he will have 12 missiles in the air simultaneously. However, according to the laws of physics, two objects cant occupy the same space. That is where I base my theory on SSRM dispersion, It is just not possible for 12 missiles to hit the same spot.

Edited by skaz, 04 November 2012 - 03:05 PM.

[Lefty Lucy]

The problem is that the "trooper" slow medium mech has absolutely no recourse against an SSRM cat. They will run faster than you, chase you down, and kill you. You can't do damage fast enough to destroy one of the cat's arms before you're dead.

Shutting down is not really an option because it is only really useful in a one-on-one duel situation, which neither player should be in if you are using effective team work.

SSRM are broken right now.

[Sarevos]

Lefty Lucy, on 04 November 2012 - 03:04 PM, said:

The problem is that the "trooper" slow medium mech has absolutely no recourse against an SSRM cat. They will run faster than you, chase you down, and kill you. You can't do damage fast enough to destroy one of the cat's arms before you're dead.

Shutting down is not really an option because it is only really useful in a one-on-one duel situation, which neither player should be in if you are using effective team work.

SSRM are broken right now.

you know what i'll give you that but i run an srm6 cat which is probably worse >.> i get near point blank and light the fuse and these monsters are getting their spread tightened

[IIIuminaughty]

if you turn your ct to the side torsos you won't get hit in the center...so its actually a lot harder than it is, we waste missles or side torsos when we want you dead as quickly as possible, and if you are fast enough u can actually evade these missles

[Lefty Lucy]

Sarevos, on 04 November 2012 - 03:05 PM, said:

you know what i'll give you that but i run an srm6 cat which is probably worse >.> i get near point blank and light the fuse and these monsters are getting their spread tightened

SRM6 cats also shut down frequently.

[Cid]

isn't it possible to shoot ssrm without a lock if you simply not have a "R" target selected?

[Stingz]

Having each SSRM shot lock on to a Random part (other than head) would probably help, especially with Streak-4 and 6 later on.

[lsp]

Cid, on 04 November 2012 - 03:07 PM, said:

isn't it possible to shoot ssrm without a lock if you simply not have a "R" target selected?

What? no, you have to have a lock. Sometimes they will fire if you had a lock and it gets broken right as you fire.

Stingz, on 04 November 2012 - 03:08 PM, said:

Having each SSRM shot lock on to a Random part (other than head) would probably help, especially with Streak-4 and 6 later on.

Pgi are adding spread to ssrm's, and probably making them useless by doing so.

[Parka]

Lefty Lucy, on 04 November 2012 - 03:04 PM, said:

The problem is that the "trooper" slow medium mech has absolutely no recourse against an SSRM cat. They will run faster than you, chase you down, and kill you. You can't do damage fast enough to destroy one of the cat's arms before you're dead.

Shutting down is not really an option because it is only really useful in a one-on-one duel situation, which neither player should be in if you are using effective team work.

SSRM are broken right now.

Speed has nothing to do with being able to torso twist away to spread out the damage of SSRMs. I have no problems disarming SSRM catapults in my hunchback.

As for shutting down in group fights, you force the catapult pilot to switch targets or do nothing. If he switches targets you immediately power up and go right back at his arms. If he chooses to stand around, your allies get to pound on him.

[Wolfways]

So there's a difference between voluntarily powering down and powering down due to overheating?

I was using SSRM's today against another Cat and he shut down (don't know if he overheated) and i didn't lose lock for a second.

[Kaijin]

Lefty Lucy, on 04 November 2012 - 03:04 PM, said:

The problem is that the "trooper" slow medium mech has absolutely no recourse against an SSRM cat.

A heavy mech kills a medium mech one on one? Amazing!

[Sarevos]

Lefty Lucy, on 04 November 2012 - 03:06 PM, said:

SRM6 cats also shut down frequently.

The fools!!! it should only take one shot to cripple then you let your heat bleed off and let a light finish him off but i guess heat management is a foreign language to those killhogs

[Lefty Lucy]

Kaijin, on 04 November 2012 - 03:12 PM, said:

A heavy mech kills a medium mech one on one? Amazing!

When the heavy mech can move just as fast as the medium, it's kind of a problem.

[Sarevos]

Lefty Lucy, on 04 November 2012 - 03:13 PM, said:

When the heavy mech can move just as fast as the medium, it's kind of a problem.

Cats max out at 78 tho i thought the HB could do 90? EDIT its 84

Edit2:but with jumpjets out turning them is a practice in futility you need to pace out of 270 I guess

Edited by Sarevos, 04 November 2012 - 03:18 PM.

[xRaeder]

None of your suggestions work in 75% of the situations presented in the game.

You can maintain a lock through terrain and buildings if someone has the enemy targeted. The effective range against light Mechs of the streak is not 240... but more like 340 because of the light armor.

But as I've said before. The autolock on the CT isnt the problem. The problem is that some Mechs can mount 3-6 of them!

Edited by xRaeder, 04 November 2012 - 03:28 PM.

[skaz]

xRaeder, on 04 November 2012 - 03:28 PM, said:

None of your suggestions work in 75% of the situations presented in the game.

You can maintain a lock through terrain and buildings if someone has the enemy targeted. The effective range against light Mechs of the streak is not 240... but more like 340 because of the light armor.

But as I've said before. The autolock on the CT isnt the problem. The problem is that some Mechs can mount 3-6 of them!

Thats why there needs to be a dispesion multiplier when they are all fired at once. It would be impossible for all the missile to hit the same spot at the same time.

[Parka]

xRaeder, on 04 November 2012 - 03:28 PM, said:

None of your suggestions work in 75% of the situations presented in the game.

You can maintain a lock through terrain and buildings if someone has the enemy targeted. The effective range against light Mechs of the streak is not 240... but more like 340 because of the light armor.

But as I've said before. The autolock on the CT isnt the problem. The problem is that some Mechs can mount 3-6 of them!

Torso twisting to absorb fire in the arms instead of the center torso can be used in 99% of fights. Shutting down is of course situational, but still a valid tactic when employed in the right scenarios.

[Allekatrase]

Wolfways, on 04 November 2012 - 03:12 PM, said:

So there's a difference between voluntarily powering down and powering down due to overheating?

I was using SSRM's today against another Cat and he shut down (don't know if he overheated) and i didn't lose lock for a second.

Yes, there is definitely a difference though I don't know why. If you power down for overheating are you not powered down? It doesn't make sense currently. If you argue that you're still hot that makes no sense because you can override the heat shutdown and manually power down and they'll lose lock. You're still hot but now you can't be targeted. But this is all off topic.

SSRMs need to spread damage and not all go for CT. If that changes they'll be fine.

[Sarevos]

Allekatrase, on 04 November 2012 - 03:38 PM, said:

Yes, there is definitely a difference though I don't know why. If you power down for overheating are you not powered down? It doesn't make sense currently. If you argue that you're still hot that makes no sense because you can override the heat shutdown and manually power down and they'll lose lock. You're still hot but now you can't be targeted. But this is all off topic.

SSRMs need to spread damage and not all go for CT. If that changes they'll be fine.

your high heat signature should still provide enough for a target lock as opposed to you shutting down your systems and engine manually (atleast thats my take on it)