478 replies to this topic

[Ace Selin]

No offence, but i find many assaults (often applies to Atlas pilots) piloted by incompetent, self-interested buffoons (think sniper Atlas - laaawl), who often stay to the rear and don’t get involved with the heavy fighting early on in hope of only taking on damaged mechs later, for some easy kills.

Ill support my team, but im less inclined to support (assault) players when i see them behaving like this, which happens often.
Similar to the 4 assault lance that goes to enemy base and only has to face off against the rest of the mechs left from the 12 that took on the other 8.

[Mordynak]

I used to do this. Until i learnt that 90% of Atlas pilots seem to think they can win the match by themselves.

The majority of them are incompetent. Yes, Atlases have been around for a long time now, but that doesn't mean all their pilots have had one from the beginning.

I find atlases generally do 1 of 3 things.
1. They wonder off somewhere where no-one else on their team is because, you know.... their an atlas and they automatically win any fight.

2. They sit at base "giving LRM support", not helping the team at all and ultimately being the last one alive and disconnecting as soon as they've realised what a let down they have been to the team.

3. Once in a blue moon there is an Atlas pilot willing to support his/her team. Unfortunately, this almost never happens. See point 1. Atlases win by default syndrome.

[Fonzie260]

Now I have only been playing for a short time but some common sense things come to mind.


The first rule is absolute. Find that heavy 100 ton mech and become is buddy. You can be his buddy by a number of ways... helping target, protecting his slow turning and walking back are just a few that come to mind.

For the light mech's... I have found that a light mech that can scout is far better than a light mech who tries to perform hit and run tactics. Spotting is so vital and important to the entire team that it can be the sole cause of the win.

Also the LRM boats should stick within eye site of the Atlas for that added protection.

these are just a few thought that hit me when I read this post.

[ranger233]

1453 R, on 02 February 2014 - 06:02 PM, said:

The Atlas just doesn't work as a long-range platform - its tube limitations are quite severe, and all of its direct-fire hardpoints are down around its knees. In a close fight, it's obviously able to carry enough tonnage of weapons and armor that its low-mounted hardpoints don't matter (much), but at a distance the Atlas is never going to be at its best. It's generally best to just accept this and move on. The Battlemaster's cockpit-level (or above!) shoulder-mounted energy batteries are much better for people looking to do assault brawling but with long-range support options. Some large lasers (or PPCs, for the ballsy) shoved on up in there give the Battlemaster plenty to do at a distance without really compromising its short-range potential. Much.

I disagree with you and I will agree to disagree to save any argument. I have been running a D-DC LRM 45 for better than 6 months now and have done quite well. You CAN NOT lay back but must move up with your team. I can suppress fire while my team Is cutting them up. LRM's activate at 180 meters and I can tell you for a fact that most of my salvos hit the targeted mech at 180 to 300 meters AMS or not. I can stay in the fight longer and help my team out better than setting out 1000 meters and lobbing missles, but I can do this to if need be. Nothing #@$# me off more than to hear someone say that is wasted tonnage. Thats bull@#$#. Its only wasted if not USED properly. I will concede that it is wasted tonnage when your team will not back you up. This works for me and may not work for everyone, but just like any battle, it is how well your team works together and focuses fire.

[mogs01gt]

You mean follow the atlas that sits in the back and does nothing.....really?

[Fut]

mogs01gt, on 25 March 2014 - 08:48 AM, said:

You mean follow the atlas that sits in the back and does nothing.....really?

I think we all know that this isn't what the original poster meant.
Why do people on these forums have to be so hard-headed?

When you see an Atlas in position to push, lend him a hand... It's not that hard to figure out.

[mogs01gt]

Fut, on 25 March 2014 - 08:52 AM, said:

I think we all know that this isn't what the original poster meant.
Why do people on these forums have to be so hard-headed?

When you see an Atlas in position to push, lend him a hand... It's not that hard to figure out.

most are hard headed because you rarely find people that play the game correctly,

[Verkhne]

The New Meta: Follow the Atlas DDC . it is following the Banshees . (there may be some other Atlas types as bait in front)

[DjPush]

One of my Favorite tactics:

Go where they least expect you. As a team(this isn't always possible in PUG matches.) move to a position that isn't the "popular" place to be (i.e the docks in Crimson Strait or "The Ring" of Terra Therma) and set up a defensive position. This may require you to spend some time in the training grounds ahead of time and exploring the maps to find a few different locations. Try to take command of the group and give people some direction instead of playing follow the leader. I have had some luck with this lately in PUG matches and it seems to work.

[Picone]

I think a lot of the arguments here are superfluous. If the atlas is hanging at the back attempting to snipe or lrm, it doesn't matter how good or rubbish he is because that's not what the thread is about. "follow the fracking atlas" implies that the fracking atlas is moving. If the atlas wants to wonder off on his own then leave him to it. But if the atlas is moving as part of the group and then decides to break into enemy lines, FOLLOW THE FRACKING ATLAS. This is what it does best. It will withstand the initial onslaught of alphas, and will blast away at least one opponent before falling. If the group follows the atlas in, the atlas will not fall and will continue to bring devastating firepower to the fray because now the enemy firepower is forced to divert to the new threats and the atlas is typically left to face one adversary at a time. All things being equal, the atlas really does win. Provided the pilot isn't ******** or doesn't get spectacularly unlucky, the atlas should win any one-on-one fight (in the middle of a brawl) and particularly if he has his team supporting him.

Nothing pisses me off more than leading a charge only to find that my {Richard Cameron} 'team mates' wait until I've been obliterated before charging in after me. Usually, only maybe one or two more of them will die and they win the fight. If they had have followed me in there probably wouldn't have been any casualties. But that's pugging I guess.

[Scurry]

Picone, on 30 March 2014 - 06:06 AM, said:

Nothing pisses me off more than leading a charge only to find that my {Richard Cameron} 'team mates' wait until I've been obliterated before charging in after me. Usually, only maybe one or two more of them will die and they win the fight. If they had have followed me in there probably wouldn't have been any casualties. But that's pugging I guess.

This sounds like simple communication delay. Are you telling your teammates that you are charging? Otherwise, there will be a delay between the teammates behind you seeing that you are throttling up and committing to a push, and them beginning to follow. They also may not be aware of the push if they are not within direct LOS of you. We cannot read minds! I've had many cases where an Atlas begins heading over the ridge and I follow, only for it to ridge hump and go back. I can't keep too close to you either, in case I obstruct your movement. The Atlas pilot has to do their part too.

Also, you have to consider your teammates' loadouts. If they are PPC and LRM heavy, they are not going to be able to mix it up as close as you are. The same is true for glass cannon fire support builds like XL engine Catas and Jagers.

[Void Angel]

The reason that many people report being hung out to dry when they place themselves at risk is that many people get hung out to dry by their team when they place themselves at risk. This happens because the game has been instilling learned helplessness in the player base regarding being shot - particularly with autocannons.

The actions PGI took to curb the poptart meta led to the rise of ground snipers and dakka, which in turn led to a minor resurgence in LRMs even before the recent buff (simply because the engagement ranges were staying open so long.) The result was that anyone stepping out into the open felt like those ducks on a wire in a carnival shooting gallery. People learned that if you were taking fire, you were going to die in short order - so they stopped leaving cover at all, in order to avoid taking that fire. This led to players all running toward the same general area of each map, picking out their favorite rock, and hiding behind it to get liquored up for the end-game. This isn't actually the best (and certainly not the most fun) tactic, but the benefits of other tactics are delayed, while the punishment for walking into the sight-line of the ubiquitous snipers and dakka was quite swift. Deferred reward v. immediate punishment? Punishment is going to win.

The LRM buff was intended to suppress dakkamechs and laser snipers who need to maintain line of sight to maximize damage from their weapons - thus freeing up brawlers to start using cover to move against the enemy again. The player base is still adjusting to the new flight speeds, so the jury is still out on whether it'll work - but we have to understand the dynamics affecting play if we want to shape them to the better. =)

Edited by Void Angel, 30 March 2014 - 08:58 PM.

[Picone]

Haha Richard Cameron? Shouldn't that be Richard Cranium?

Scurry yeah those are all valid points and that certainly is the case sometimes. I don't mind if there's a bit of delay following me in, it's pugging and communication isn't optimal. My drama's when they don't follow me in, they just sit around the side of the gap and watch me get obliterated and THEN swarm in.

Same for loadouts, I know there are glass cannon builds and long range support. I don't expect them to follow me into the fray but I do expect them to stick their necks out and provide covering fire while I and other brawlers charge through the breach. Any fire they bring down causes confusion. Do the enemy shoot at the atlas that's shredding them at close proximity or try to lob a shot at / protect themselves from the onslaught of ppc fire etc that should be coming their way. Often that's enough. A few extra seconds delay lets me take a mech down and move onto the next one so my back isn't exposed.

I think the LRM buff was great. They might have buffed it a tad too much but its within tweak-range to fix now, it was definitely too slow before. I have a LRM boat build I use and it really needed the buff to be viable in a number of situations. On the other hand when brawling etc, I don't find the buff overpowered at all. In fact I think its fantastic as it forces you to utilise cover now as well as relying on ECM.

So yeah of course that sort of thing has to be taken into account when swarming into a breach but this only further proves the point. If people actually follow the atlas in they aren't typically in the open for long. You get in, pound through and then keep pushing through to cover on the other side. Again where this falls down is when people don't follow, and then it turns into an extended firefight and you do end up exposed.

[Jacon Ceronia]

Picone, on 30 March 2014 - 06:06 AM, said:

Nothing pisses me off more than leading a charge only to find that my {Richard Cameron} 'team mates' wait until I've been obliterated before charging in after me.

The above comment is, unfortunately, all too often, so true. Nothing like advancing to the brink with a large group. Then, you take the first plunge into the madness with all the confidence in the world. Only, you begin to realize that you're not doing a significant portion of damage like you know combined fire “should.” Next, your armor goes, and your left looking through an external camera circling your corpse (mech) only to realize that not one 'effing team member had your back. You are utterly alone in the picture, as the enemy tramples over what once was your Atlas. Good times.

I don't always pilot an Atlas, but when I do, I pilot a DDC.

[Grumphff]

Atriedes, on 21 December 2012 - 10:37 PM, said:

As a Medium (hunchie!) pilot, I always spend the first few seconds of the match looking for the big nasty and run support for them. Granted I havn't been playing long (only a few days), but once I figured that little tidbit out, I've started not only surviving missions, but ranking top 3 consistently.
Now if only I could up my kills instead of scoring all my c-bills through spotting and assists....

Hey.. Grinding away with my KTO20 earning c-bills primarily by means of assist (7-10 a match with a few kills here and there) got me my Atlas.. Plus the earned kills with my KTO are SO much more satisfying than with the Atlas.. But then again ANY kill is awesome..

[Void Angel]

Picone, on 30 March 2014 - 10:43 PM, said:

Haha Richard Cameron? Shouldn't that be Richard Cranium?

The forums will auto-censor certain terms to thematic insults - the filter is a bit too strict, with some inoffensive phrases being unavoidably censored, but it shows no signs of changing any time before the heat death of the universe.

[Nick Rarang]

As an AC40 Jager-dd pilot, I usually follow an Atlas or any Assault with ECM. I play the role of the Howitzer behind and M1 Abrams. I avoid fully exposing myself because I'm the most feared/hated mech of the opponent. I would normally engage on their heavy hitters as they would normally try to take me down first before hitting my two cover assaults. I always try to provide additional firepower behind the brawler assaults.

[Charons Little Helper]

Nick Rarang, on 02 April 2014 - 12:21 AM, said:

As an AC40 Jager-dd pilot, I usually follow an Atlas or any Assault with ECM.

So - just the DDC since it's the only non-light with ECM. (And yes - the Cicada counts as a light!)

[Bhelogan]

As a D-DC pilot, the most aggravating thing is when your team full of much faster mechs leaves you in the dust, then complains that you are 'hanging back'. I'm happy to lead a charge, but you have to wait for my Fatlas to catch up.

[nagdamnit]

Big +1 to the last post. My DDC is a brawler, a big fat ugly, slow brawler.

It can be heartbreaking sometime when you see a team dominated by lights or mediums with one mouthy chap dictating mobile tactics (to suit himself, not the team or the objectives) that have the team perform a full lap of the map at 90+ kph before engaging up a hill into the guns of the enemy.

Meanwhile my 55kph monster gets left behind immediately and is taken out by a couple of spiders that dance around me.

I'm no expert. I just try to stick with the blob and engage the heavies and assaults that come our way. It shouldn't be so hard to stick with the blob.