55 replies to this topic

[Bud Crue]

Is this a necro record? 2 years, 4 months?

Edit: not being snide, its a valid topic and all, but the longest lag I've ever seen is 19 months, so I think this might be a new record.

Geesus, I gotta get a new hobby.

Edited by Bud Crue, 03 January 2017 - 06:21 PM.

[Boulangerie]

WiNNiep00h, on 03 January 2017 - 03:49 PM, said:

today i got 2 headshots^^ after 310 hours playing suddlenly the first one...and just 2 hours later the second^^ so its possible

It's definitely possible to get them, it's just a risk versus reward on most mechs. A lot of the humanoid shapes you run the risk of missing altogether if your aim strays. On mechs like the Jager and Direwolf, you will probably hit CT if you stray a little.

The best headshot loadouts that I've seen are:

• Dual Gauss. Pros: Pinpoint Front loaded. This means your damage will probably hit in the exact same spot (barring wide set weapons and close encounter range). Can headshot a fully armored head with crit rolls. Cons: Must learn to use the charge mechanic, not great at brawling.
  
• Clan Small Pulse lasers. Pros: Pinpoint, almost front loaded due to short burn time. Cons: takes two shots I think to headshot so you must land most of two burns. Best used on an Arctic Cheetah I believe.
  
• Dual AC20. Pros: PPFL damage. Can headshot any mech without crits. Cons: Hot, short range, travel time is slow as well.

You can use a flamer or two to overheat, and then line up your shot, but be aware a lot of mechs slump down a little while shutting down so this can take practice. I've seen a video of a great head shooter using this and the Arctic Cheeah (i think) to get head shots.


The main thing to be aware of is that you are almost always better off just hitting CT than going for headshots. Both will kill the opponent with on component destruction, but the CT will benefit from teammate support more than you trying to solo headshot the enemy.

Edited by Boulangerie, 06 January 2017 - 07:53 AM.

[Stormie]

Secret is scouting mode + nova with 6cspl & 6to8 flamers.
Theres only four enemies and the fights tend to have them rushing right into flaming range. That many flamers is basically instant 90% heat. One full salvo of the spls does enough damage to headshot (need 33dmg, 6spl is 36) with a little practice you can nail at least one every 1 or 2 matches. Just mKe sure you know the cockpit hitbox locations as they aren't all as easy as the shadowhawk.

Alternatively look for players like me who run zero head armour on 80+% of my mechs. Ive always thought the increased chance of death by headshot maybe 1 in a hundred games is worth having an extra half tonne of *stuff* EVERY match. Obviously some chassis are more liable to accidental headshot than others, namely those where the cockpit hitbox is right near the centre of mass like the madiic example above.

Edited by Stormie, 07 January 2017 - 10:30 AM.

[RBuckalew]

As above, best practice is flaming for overheat and then punching out the cockpit.
Two great resources:
Hitbox locations thread
TheB33f on headshots

My recommendations:
Use a nova, like TheB33f! It's fast enough to scoot in and tough enough to soak up the alpha that's coming at you. My preferred loadout
As in B33f's vid, you can shield with the left side, and your machineguns give you a little extra firepower for no heat, in addition to an (admittedly lousy) backup weapon if you lose your arm.

Be a good shot! This may sound obvious, but even shut-down mechs are hard to headshot. Turn mouse DPS down for steadier aim and zoom in to maximize target area.

Look for isolated players! You'll get a lot more time to deal with stun-locked enemies if they don't have friends waiting to jump you. Conquest is actually really good for this, as teams typically fragment to grab caps.

If the map permits (e.g. is fairly small and has areas that are likely to be used) hide nearby and wait for enemies to show up. Seismic Sensor is especially good for this. You can ambush hostiles and get in a decent flaming before they turn and hit you. The Crimson Strait map, for example, has a building right next to the up ramp and decently close to the tunnel, so if your team is playing as usual (from the island side) you can hide in it and wait.

Know where and where not enemy cockpits are! If I miss a headshot on a stunned mech because the cockpit wasn't where I thought it was, the first thing I do after the match is look it up.

Lastly, have patience! Not all matches are going to have good circumstances for headshots, like playing Alpine Peaks or against a team that knows how to stick together.

[Kaethir]

Thread necros hard at work again!

RBuckalew, on 09 April 2017 - 02:20 PM, said:

Two great resources:
Hitbox locations thread
TheB33f on headshots

Learn the cockpit hitboxes. Aim for them. There's still a decent amount of luck involved, but if you don't aim for them you are almost assuredly not going to get them.

[Lord of MEGALICHIKA]

What i really love about this game is relatively no headshot.In other online Multiplayer FPS games, headshot is one of the big reason why i never play them again after i play this game.Just imagine that you had just started the game , dropping with the team,moving carefully for about 30 seconds, and then suddenly BANG from seemly nowhere, and you're dead.Not very enjoyable game experience i think.At least in MWO,i can shoot back before i die...

Edited by GoenAre1, 11 September 2017 - 11:09 PM.

[bongschur]

Interesting Topic, no there are no random number genetors involved.
getting headshots is so hard because the Cockpit hitboxes are tiny, and sometimes not where you think they are. additionally, it doesnt help that the Cockpits are armored, so even a fairly big hit can be not enough to kill the mech.
Overall i would say that mwo isnt a game you make headshots.

[Lily from animove]

bongschur, on 12 September 2017 - 10:22 AM, said:

Interesting Topic, no there are no random number genetors involved.
getting headshots is so hard because the Cockpit hitboxes are tiny, and sometimes not where you think they are. additionally, it doesnt help that the Cockpits are armored, so even a fairly big hit can be not enough to kill the mech.
Overall i would say that mwo isnt a game you make headshots.

the randomness comes from the inaccuracy between server and client.

but there are for sure things you can do to increase your odds.

lasers are probably not so good, due to spread times.
Also wepaon locations will matter. Line of sight is not line of fire and some hardpoints of some mechs, even if you aim at the head, may still not be able to hit that location because line of fire will cross other hitbox sections. .

Edited by Lily from animove, 13 September 2017 - 03:33 AM.

[Athom83]

My only headshot was an unaimed AC/20 shell fired at a Cyclops at 350m... so the biggest answer is LUCK.

[TooDumbToQuit]

<script></script>

[RickySpanish]

I once scored a snap head shot on an Atlas with an AC20 way back when Forest Colony was still its original size. The guy exited out of the cave in a classic flank attempt and I was right there waiting. I wasn't expecting an Atlas so I panicked as I fired, and the shot went high... Right through his cockpit. He must have had zero armour there for the single shell to land, or some kind of critical hit, either way I will never forget it.

Anyway recently, legendary thread-necro aside, I've purchased a Ghillie and have begun the long slog of manually skilling the thing up in hopes that I will one day be good enough to cause cockpit blowouts on the LRM back-line.

[WakeAndBake]

A) Know where the heads are.

Have great eyesight.

C) Be a great shot.

So I can not do it. I can barely see well enough to hit a mech period.

[ImperialKnight]

flamers and lasers

[BLOOD1975]

yesterday I got my 10th head shot, achivement solved!
:-)

to be honest, it was a disconnected mech, but hey......

[Princeps Ibram Cain]

I remember my first headshot. Years ago i was runing a double AC20 Jager (when that build was OP) and whit one shot i rip off the head of a Hunchie. It was mostly luck than skill honestly.

[admiralbenbow123]

Princeps Ibram Cain, on 04 March 2019 - 11:52 AM, said:

I remember my first headshot. Years ago i was runing a double AC20 Jager (when that build was OP) and whit one shot i rip off the head of a Hunchie. It was mostly luck than skill honestly.

My first ever headshot was an SRM shot into a cockpit of an orion from ~100-150 meters. I still don't know how that happened.