5 replies to this topic

[ImperialKnight]

Please answer the following questions when you hear "Base is under attack!"

1) How fast is the base going down? (This tells you how many there are on base)

2) Are you currently engaged in combat?

If yes, do not respond to base. Continue to shoot what's in front of you
If no, go to next question

3) Are you fast enough to get back in time to do something about it?

If no, do not respond to base. Find something to shoot
If yes, go to next question.

4) Is there already a force appropriate response to the attack? if just one squirrel on base, 1 or 2 lights or medium light killers are already responding.

If yes, do not respond to base. Find something to shoot
If no, go to next question

5) Are you a light killer? i.e. you are fast, you are equipped with SSRMs, SRMs or LBX or you are a crack shot at shooting lights. (Applies for earlier in the game)

If no, do not respond to base. Find something to shoot
If yes, respond to base attack.

[loopala]

LOL needed to be typed. seen too many assaults and heavies turning away and getting cored while they rush back to base. ppl need to look at the map thingy once in awhile. on the flip side capping the base is a great thing to do in YLW to sucker them into range.

[PhoenixFire55]

knightsljx, on 15 February 2014 - 07:57 PM, said:

Please answer the following questions when you hear "Base is under attack!"

Good post. But alas sometimes an answer to all 5 questions is a no for everyone on your team and yet someone has to go.

[bowlie]

I disagree with this entirely. There is one question and one question only.

Are you, or a teammate close to you, currently being shot at? If yes, enact a fighting retreat. If no, return to base. That is it, and this is why.

If there is only 1 light in the enemy base, you probably don't need to turn back, but what you do need is the support of your team mates. If there is only 1 light capping, there are another 11 mechs hunting. When half the team goes back and the other half presses on, your team gets strung out in a long line and killed. Better that everyone goes back, simply for cohesion, so that you can regroup and advance again as a whole once the lone mech is destroyed.

If there are 3 or 4 enemy mechs capping, that cap bar goes down pretty damn quick. You dont have time to sit indecisively trying to figure out how long you have before you need to turn around. secondly a whole lance is quite a big threat, and your lights that arrive one at a time to counter them (if they even return) might only succeed in buying time for reinforcements. If they dont come the game is lost.

If you miss the whole team entirely (less likely now with the new start positions but still possible) there is no chance in hell you can out cap them. The only hope, and even then its a small one is to destroy them all.

Tldr: Half the team blindly pressing forwards while the other half turns around is a recipe for disaster. If you split the force, one half will almost invariably be destroyed. Once that happens, capping is irrelevant because your team is powerless to do anything.

[Craig Steele]

bowlie, on 22 February 2014 - 02:46 PM, said:

I disagree with this entirely. There is one question and one question only.

Are you, or a teammate close to you, currently being shot at? If yes, enact a fighting retreat. If no, return to base. That is it, and this is why.

If there is only 1 light in the enemy base, you probably don't need to turn back, but what you do need is the support of your team mates. If there is only 1 light capping, there are another 11 mechs hunting. When half the team goes back and the other half presses on, your team gets strung out in a long line and killed. Better that everyone goes back, simply for cohesion, so that you can regroup and advance again as a whole once the lone mech is destroyed.

If there are 3 or 4 enemy mechs capping, that cap bar goes down pretty damn quick. You dont have time to sit indecisively trying to figure out how long you have before you need to turn around. secondly a whole lance is quite a big threat, and your lights that arrive one at a time to counter them (if they even return) might only succeed in buying time for reinforcements. If they dont come the game is lost.

If you miss the whole team entirely (less likely now with the new start positions but still possible) there is no chance in hell you can out cap them. The only hope, and even then its a small one is to destroy them all.

Tldr: Half the team blindly pressing forwards while the other half turns around is a recipe for disaster. If you split the force, one half will almost invariably be destroyed. Once that happens, capping is irrelevant because your team is powerless to do anything.

Agreed, also the OP is a very situational scenario.

I've seen plenty of Phracts and Thunderbolts avoid a fight and end up standing on the cap by themselves just waiting for some lone jenner to come back.

If you are playing a game mode the includes 'defend your base' your goal should be to wait for it........ "Defend your Base"

Unless you have a really good chance of finishing off the mech you are currently engaged with, your priority should be to get back and defend. Once you do defeat the current opponent, get back and help your team.

Situationally of course, you don't run across open ground in front of the enemy company. If you're in an Atlas you might only go half way back and supress any follow up forces. But overall your focus should switch to defending your base.

If you know for sure it's a lone Locust / Spider / Cicada then sure, follow the flow chart.

[Bront]

Need to add in "Has someone requested backup at base?"

I've had multiple games where Base got overrun and no one came back for support when the folks who did called for it.

Sometimes even if you're slower, it pays to start heading back just in case, and if the mech(s) that went back call for help, it helps if, you know, actually come back and help.