54 replies to this topic

[IVIilitarus]

I'm busy grabbing the client right now and I want to hear it from the people with experience - what in your opinion are the three most important pieces of advice for any pilot, in order from most important to least important.

[Cleverbird]

I've only just started playing... so my tips are more from a newbies perspective

1. Do not chase light mechs (unless you can actually catch up to them), no matter how damaged they are. It's tempting, but if they single you out, you're easy pickings, even for their small lasers

2. Don't spam your weapons, this isn't COD or Battlefield, where you simply reload. Heat can really mess up your game

3. You're probably gonna PUG (Pick Up Group) for a while, with little to no teamwork. Watch your minimap closely and see where the majority goes. You might lack tactics, but at least you'll have numbers.

[BlackAce]

1) Don't stand still.

2) Keep a close eye on your heat.

3) Make use of the VOIP channels. (There are three types of PUGs: newbs who don't know any better, people whose ego's won't accept there's no 'I' in team and masochists.) I say this as someone who deliberately did nothing but PUG for all but the last month of Closed Beta, so I know what I'm talking about.

[Spectre999]

1. Use the observer mode when you're killed to see what and how the other guys are playing. If you're not familiar with Mechwarrior at all, you'll be able to see how different mechs and loadouts operate.

2. Don't obsess over the KdR (kill/death ratio), Mechwarrior rewards team play, not individual performance. You get similar amount of money for kill assists, spotting and base capture, damage dealing and kills, but the highest bonus comes from winning a match, and that takes teamwork. Learn to be useful to your teammates, it pays even in a PUG.

3. Stay in groups, focus fire, don't go out in the open. If you rush forward, all you'll attract is artillery fire and you risk running into multiple enemy contacts.
Do the opposite, lure the enemy out, force the enemy into 2v1 fights and you should win.

[Staplebeater]

1. Stay grouped up, no Konga lines. Love seeing that you are walking in like lambs to the slaughter.

2. Call targets/shoot the same thing. A full armored mech does the same damage as a almost dead mech. Kill and move to the next target

3. no leeeeroy jenkins. Don't follow mechs back to their killers. Don't get caught alone

[SonOfAgony]

1: Realize that this is a game, (it's suppose to be fun)

2: Read through the forums, they hold all the hints

3: If/When you are about to die, don't leave, wait til you are dead, and watch the rest...or... leave and try an new load out/ mech.

[Jooky SeaCpt]

1. Watch your heat buildup carefully and adjust your weapon groups accordingly. Many people forget about Chain-Fire.
2. This is a team game. If your aren't in a group on voice chat, then stick with the mob. Watch the minimap to see where the enemy is and what your team is doing about it. You can also hold 'Q' to show player name and mech for all targets on your screen to help you quickly locate people.
3. Know your weapon ranges; both minimum and maximum. LRMs and PPCs both have minimum ranges under which they are ineffective. 180 meters for LRMs and 90 meters for PPCs. ER PPCs have no minimum range.

[Hardplace]

1. Do not be a Blue Falcon... Google it if you dont now what it is. This game is about team work, sometimes that means going over the hill first to take the hit and be a distraction for your team or giving up an easy kill to bumb your KDR up a bit and instead turn around to support some one on your team.

2. Do not be a Blue Falcon- Yes it is also rule two, chase the Jenner if the rest of your team is chasing the Jenner, by taking out one or two opponents, the two who are far away from the rest of their team, you increase the odds in your favor when you meet and have the big brawl at the end of the match. Pay attention to what your team is doing and where they are around you. Support your team and the moves they are going forward with.

3. Pay attention to your minimap so that you can avoid being a Blue Falcon. For real watch the map and when the Lights start killing your lrm cat/assault in the back you can respond. Oh and use the R button so other people see what you see. Use the map to pay attention to your friends so you know were they are and dont walk in front of them firing at the enemy...

In conclusion if everyone in the match spent time paying attention to the team and supporting the team they are on instead of being concerned about their own KDR/Win Loss Ratio/CBills we would all have a much better experience in game. Less teams getting beat 0-8 and more teams having good fun matches... Everything else comes from experience and playing around, just work on being a team player.

Edited by Hardplace, 03 November 2012 - 10:31 AM.

[Raso]

• Chase the first Jenner you see. It's really fast and lightly armored so it makes for a nice and easy kill.
  
• Spread out. You'll cover more ground if you spread your forces very thin.
  
• Fortune favors the bold. Fire as often as possible and all the time. The faster you can spam alpha strikes the faster the other guy will drop.

If this doesn't turn you into the god king of Mech Warrior then you probably need more heat sinks and. Remove all of your armor and replace it with heat sinks and ammo. Even if you only use energy weapons hide some AC20 ammo in key locations through out your mech so you have more ammo than your opponent.

[Exilyth]

When you're running along on the side of the 'big-blob-of-pug-mechness', look towards that side once in a while. There might be enemies trying to sneak up on that side, better to spot them before they get on your back.

Don't chase lights, but don't ignore them either. Don't run after them if you're slower, but at least aim in that direction and give of some shots. Lights often spot for LRMs, so if you don't want to fight in the shade/rain, make thoose shots count.

[Can't make up my mind on the third one, I'll edit this point later]

[Cato Phoenix]

1. Stick with the group.

2. Concentrate fire on exposed enemy mechs before switching targets.

3. Stick with the group.

[Dewil]

1: Use "R" to target the enemy you're attacking. You'll see where he's damaged and light him up for any missile-boats behind you.

2: Always stay close to your teammates. A spread of 50-100 meters is optional.

3: Watch your heat! Losing track of it will kill you!

[Nightfangs]

1.) Find a nice clan/ group of friends to play with that fit your "profile". Are you a casual or a competitive player, how many hours a week will you play, etc? There are enough groups for each type of player!

2.) Take your time to listen and learn from your companions.

3.) Try out different mechs, roles, configurations to find your preferred role.

Those tips are in contrast to most aformentioned tips, but I think they are most important.
All the combat skills/tactics can be learnt in a few months. If you play with the right people, that happens on its own!

[TostitoBandito]

1. If you are in a PUG, stay with the majority of your team. Don't go off by yourself unless you are in a light mech and are scouting.

2. Use cover as much as possible unless you enjoy being pelted with LRM's. Don't fight in the open if the enemy has it covered from long range by LRM's or other long-range fire support.

3. Know the weapons and see what weapons your enemy is using. If you see someone in a mech with a bunch of weapons with a min range (LRM's, PPC's, etc...) and you are fast enough to close on them without dying, get in their face and abuse them. It will prevent them from attacking anyone and they can't do much to you. Likewise, if you see someone boating small lasers, SRM's, or other very short range weapons, try to engage them from outside their range if possible.

[Beo Vulf]

Read these.
http://mwomercs.com/...ew-to-the-game/
http://mwomercs.com/...s-excel-inside/
http://mwomercs.com/...oups-and-teams/

[bensphynx]

Be aware of the controls. Some of them are not re-definable:
backspace (toggle chain fire)
b (bring up the battlegrid [map])
arrow keys and right control (setting up weapon groupings)

Also I would suggest mapping next target to something handy. LRM's are much more fun when you can lock onto a target.

[Kaptain]

Keep moving:
Play the game like laser tag or paintball. Use cover, flank and avoid damage. Often times in a Cat or Atlas I will pop just out from cover and walk back and forth over just a few meters This makes it harder to hit me and easier for me to accelerate in any direction and take cover if I need to. Don't run directly at your enemy. Don't reverse away from your enemy in a straight line. Don't rush directly over ridges, try to shoot around things rather than over them if you can. Use your arms and back armor to protect your core. Ideally if you are cored, you lost both arms, sides, back, front and a leg before you went down! Just because your holed, does not mean you can't protect the damaged area with an arm, your back or your side. (if you have jump you can time enemy attacks to hit your legs)

Communication:
Figure out a plan. Call out targets. Request back up. Warn your team of flanks or LRM boats. Have a fall back point. Discuss capping vs fighting. Send one or two mechs to deal with base harassers and hold the line... don't allow everyone to chase the distractions.

Controls:
Learn how to set control groups and how to use those control groups. If you don't love your controls, change them. Target things with R and exploit damaged locations. Check the map with B a few times in the match to maintain full map awareness. Heat vision is a great tool.

Edited by Kaptain, 03 November 2012 - 05:06 PM.

[BOOMLegShot]

1. As a new player, DO NOT TOUCH LIGHT MECHS. Don't even bother.

2. Seriously, if you're a light mech and you can't bare minimum break 100 kph, then you're just a medium/heavy mech with half the armor and firepower.

3. This disqualifies the majority of trial and default light mechs. Don't even bother with them until you can put in a smoking new engine.

[dal10]

Don't chase jenners/ravens/commandos/cicadas. just don't.

use the buddy system, a lone wolf is a dead wolf.

this is not a normal FPS, stop playing it like one.

[Discordantone]

1: If someone randomly tells you, by name, to 'Stick with the group' it generally means you've gotten lucky and fallen in with a pre-made. Do it.

2: Start in a light mech... it makes you fast and agile, and when it's time for you to bail you can. It also forces you to learn to pilot your mech quickly, which only amplifies your abilities once in a bigger dreadnaught. Don't try to start in the biggest heaviest thing you can, or me and people like me with experience will just enjoy cutting you to pieces and ensuring your repair bill is higher than what you make for the round.

3: Read Guides, learn from them, but -do not emulate them-... this even includes my guide pinned in this forum. Trying to actually flat out copy someone else's tactics and as such -they are not yours, they are not your play style-. Use them to understand what is going on around you. Use them to get a grip on the game and an idea of what potential things you can do and what can happen to you... but find your groove, find your niche, and go with what -you- are comfortable with. Do not let anyone, any guide, any video, dictate how you play, or you will just lose repeatedly. If you join a group ( I am a member of the Jade Falcon, 5th Battle Cluster, if you really want info send me a PM, we accept anyone who is willing to work with a team and learn how to find their own way) and that group attempts to force their play style on you, ditch them.

Edited by Discordantone, 03 November 2012 - 10:55 PM.