69 replies to this topic

[Snowblack]

Imagine the situation. I had my Raven 2x with 1 LRM 15 and loads of ammo.

So I wasplaying in Forest Colony when my GF calls me on the phone so i pik up the phone. Im standing still behind the frontline holding the phone with my left hand and spanning LRM with my right hand. IM an easy target its obvious... and im just shooting LRM and i did about 350 damage... yeah thats not much but i did it only 1 hand.

If i had my dragon with me and my GF would call me in the middle of the brawl id be toast in seconds or i could hit anything because i hand is tied down.

I dont like this easy way...same with SSRM2 but with that u have to get close atleast.

[Raso]

Step 1: Identify LRM boat.
Step 2: Advance under cover.
Step 3: Stand adjacent to LRM boat.
Step 4: ??????
Step 5: Profit!

Just be mindful of any lasers they may carry. Also many LRM boats now also carry ERPPCs to watch out for that.

[Thalynos]

If your opponents were positioned such that you could spend the entire match in one spot and still be able to hit them with your LRMs then that is their mistake.

The skill involved in using LRMs is positioning yourself in different areas so as to minimize the effect terrain will have on your shots as blindly shooting will more than likely result in your missiles striking against rocks or buildings.

[SPencil]

[REDACTED]

---

Trust me bro, you got lucky. Any mechwarrior worth their salt will track down the incoming LRM fire and crush them into a pulp. I run LRMs a lot, trust me on this. If they just let the LRMs hit them, [Redacted]

LRMs are by no means hard to learn, but they are challenging to use effectively. Even before ECM, just standing still and launching rockets at people was a terrible idea. It leaves yourself open to easy headshots from snipers, and you're a priority target for scouts. You gotta stay on the move, stay close to your team, and learn to not fire on every indirect lock you acquire unless you know it's solid.

Every weapon system needs skill to be used effectively. What skills are required change given the different weapon systems: so lasers you need accuracy and an awareness of your heat, ballistics you need to extrapolate movement, LRMs you need positioning and strategy.

TL;DR: While not hard, they aren't easy either.

Edited by Egomane, 10 March 2013 - 02:52 PM.
Removed image and link to image

[Wintersdark]

Snowblack, on 10 March 2013 - 08:04 AM, said:

Imagine the situation. I had my Raven 2x with 1 LRM 15 and loads of ammo.

So I wasplaying in Forest Colony when my GF calls me on the phone so i pik up the phone. Im standing still behind the frontline holding the phone with my left hand and spanning LRM with my right hand. IM an easy target its obvious... and im just shooting LRM and i did about 350 damage... yeah thats not much but i did it only 1 hand.

If i had my dragon with me and my GF would call me in the middle of the brawl id be toast in seconds or i could hit anything because i hand is tied down.

I dont like this easy way...same with SSRM2 but with that u have to get close atleast.

If you're this successful with LRM's effortlessly - as you describe it - you're playing in a very low Elo bracket. That is all.

[SilentWolff]

Thalynos, on 10 March 2013 - 08:25 AM, said:

If your opponents were positioned such that you could spend the entire match in one spot and still be able to hit them with your LRMs then that is their mistake.

The skill involved in using LRMs is positioning yourself in different areas so as to minimize the effect terrain will have on your shots as blindly shooting will more than likely result in your missiles striking against rocks or buildings.

This.

Also, try playing missles in 8 man games and then come back and talk to us. Bet you'll be singing a different tune.

[Kell Commander]

Let me give you an example of how wrong people are about LRM's:

I have 2 different trebuchets wih 2 LRM 15's. Based on my LRM 15 stats, I have played 44 matches with them firing almost 20k missiles. Due to people playing smart and using cover, less than 7k missiles have hit (I assume that AMS destroyed missiles also count towards misses). That is an accuracy rating of 33%.

Now my cataphract that has an ac 20, I have only played 11 matches with that. However, I have fired my ac 20 129 times and hit 95 times. Accuracy rating there is 74%.

Any questions?

[SilentWolff]

Kell Commander, on 10 March 2013 - 08:32 AM, said:

Let me give you an example of how wrong people are about LRM's:

I have 2 different trebuchets wih 2 LRM 15's. Based on my LRM 15 stats, I have played 44 matches with them firing almost 20k missiles. Due to people playing smart and using cover, less than 7k missiles have hit (I assume that AMS destroyed missiles also count towards misses). That is an accuracy rating of 33%.

Now my cataphract that has an ac 20, I have only played 11 matches with that. However, I have fired my ac 20 129 times and hit 95 times. Accuracy rating there is 74%.

Any questions?

Exactly right.

[SPencil]

Kell Commander, on 10 March 2013 - 08:32 AM, said:

Based on my LRM 15 stats, I have played 44 matches with them firing almost 20k missiles. Due to people playing smart and using cover, less than 7k missiles have hit (I assume that AMS destroyed missiles also count towards misses). That is an accuracy rating of 33%.

Just in supporting this post: 27 matches with LRM15s (x4 on a Stalker), fired 14,363 times, and hit 4,621. That puts my accuracy with them ~32%. Every other weapon system has a higher accuracy rating, with the exception of TAG (for some odd reason).

We'd need more data to make any sort of assumptions, but the trend looks like that most LRMs miss their targets, or the salvo only partially hits. No skill to hit with, eh?

[Mancu]

Now that we have weapon stats - my stats show LRMs as being the least accurate least effective weapon I use on any of my mechs.

[Sheraf]

Snowblack, on 10 March 2013 - 08:04 AM, said:

Imagine the situation. I had my Raven 2x with 1 LRM 15 and loads of ammo.

So I wasplaying in Forest Colony when my GF calls me on the phone so i pik up the phone. Im standing still behind the frontline holding the phone with my left hand and spanning LRM with my right hand. IM an easy target its obvious... and im just shooting LRM and i did about 350 damage... yeah thats not much but i did it only 1 hand.

If i had my dragon with me and my GF would call me in the middle of the brawl id be toast in seconds or i could hit anything because i hand is tied down.

I dont like this easy way...same with SSRM2 but with that u have to get close atleast.

If you are using LRM against new people who has yet to utilize cover, you will do good damage. Try it against people who work as team and use cover, you will be dead in no time . Some balance mech also carry LRM, they will take cover and return fire at you.

Raso, on 10 March 2013 - 08:15 AM, said:

Step 1: Identify LRM boat.
Step 2: Advance under cover.
Step 3: Stand adjacent to LRM boat.
Step 4: ??????
Step 5: Profit!

Just be mindful of any lasers they may carry. Also many LRM boats now also carry ERPPCs to watch out for that.

LRM stalker 3H,carry 4 x medium lasers, and 2 x SRM 6 Artemis, expect resistance

Edited by Sheraf, 10 March 2013 - 08:50 AM.

[Wintersdark]

My stats are similar. I'm roughly 90% with lasers, 75% with ballistics, and 30% with LRM's. If you apply a 30% hit rate to their dps, it definitely lands them in a pretty bad spot in terms of damage per ton. However, they make up for that with threat - they force people into cover, and serve as a very effective area denial weapon.

Seriously, excluding my newbie days, I could count the number of times I've died to LRM's on one hand. It hasn't happened once since the new "what killed you" screen went live.

[Suki]

SPencil, on 10 March 2013 - 08:42 AM, said:

Just in supporting this post: 27 matches with LRM15s (x4 on a Stalker), fired 14,363 times, and hit 4,621. That puts my accuracy with them ~32%. Every other weapon system has a higher accuracy rating, with the exception of TAG (for some odd reason).

We'd need more data to make any sort of assumptions, but the trend looks like that most LRMs miss their targets, or the salvo only partially hits. No skill to hit with, eh?

Everybodys LRM accuracy is around 30%.

[Reitrix]

The skill in LRM use comes from judging when to fire and if its actually going to reach its target. I see far too many LRM boats letting off Alphas at lights running between building because they got a lock for a split second, then they lose that lock and the shot is a waste.

Unskilled LRM boats will unload at anything and everything.

Skilled LRM boats use their LRMs to support allies by startling the enemy into keeping their heads down long enough for teh brawlers to move up, or applying pressure to 'Mechs pursuing friendlies. Theres a dozen ways you cna use an LRM beyond turreting.

Taking a shot that WILL hit makes you a good LRM pilot. Taking a shot that saves or assists an ally in a bad position makes you a good LRM pilot.
Taking potshot alphas at everything that moves in the hopes you get massive l33t damage, makes you a terrible pilot.

[Huntsman]

LRMs require no skill, but neither are they good. They're easy to use for crappy players to use against other crappy players in PUGs. Perfactly balanced...except when my teammates decide to bring them into 8-mans...

[Tikkamasala]

SPencil, on 10 March 2013 - 08:42 AM, said:

Just in supporting this post: 27 matches with LRM15s (x4 on a Stalker), fired 14,363 times, and hit 4,621. That puts my accuracy with them ~32%. Every other weapon system has a higher accuracy rating, with the exception of TAG (for some odd reason).

We'd need more data to make any sort of assumptions, but the trend looks like that most LRMs miss their targets, or the salvo only partially hits. No skill to hit with, eh?

Instead of the near useless accuracy value for lrms look at how much damage you have dealt on average per mouse-click. And ask yourself whether any other weapon combination would have allowed you to deal that much damage with that much ease of use.

Edited by Tikkamasala, 10 March 2013 - 08:59 AM.

[GODzillaGSPB]

Suki, on 10 March 2013 - 08:51 AM, said:

Everybodys LRM accuracy is around 30%.

Mine if far far lower, but I only use them as secondary weapons. The lrm5 (artemis) on my Dragon 1C hits with 16% and my lrm10 with 7%.

Granted, I usually fire the lrm5 just to keep the enemies heads down. The lrm10 not so much. I want it to hit since the 18 damage would be otherwise wasted. I need to work on that I guess.

[RG Notch]

Kell Commander, on 10 March 2013 - 08:32 AM, said:

Let me give you an example of how wrong people are about LRM's:

I have 2 different trebuchets wih 2 LRM 15's. Based on my LRM 15 stats, I have played 44 matches with them firing almost 20k missiles. Due to people playing smart and using cover, less than 7k missiles have hit (I assume that AMS destroyed missiles also count towards misses). That is an accuracy rating of 33%.

Now my cataphract that has an ac 20, I have only played 11 matches with that. However, I have fired my ac 20 129 times and hit 95 times. Accuracy rating there is 74%.

Any questions?

Which weapon did more total damage?

[Mancu]

Tikkamasala, on 10 March 2013 - 08:55 AM, said:

Instead of the near useless accuracy value for lrms look at how much damage you have dealt on average per mouse-click. And ask yourself whether any other weapon combination would have allowed you to deal that much damage with that much ease of use.

Hate to tell you this but my Damage/Shots Fired rate also shows LRMs as my worst weapon. PPCs are king of damage for me.

[Valore]

The fact that some LRM players average 200 - 400 damage a round, while others can pull 900+ on a regular basis invalidates your entire point.