6 replies to this topic

[Duzenbury]

Hello,

Long post - please stick with me!

So after another round of assault on the Frozen City map, on the side where the buildings are somewhat less dense/shorter and there is less easily accessible cover from LRMs I lost a game of assault due to base capture. Which happens and is annoying, but isn't the point.

Now I know that some people like the idea, but to me it's just a shorter version of Conquest and I will maybe touch on that... after a bit about the map.

When the match starts, if you are on the south side of the map (with the shorter buildings) you don't have many options. You can and should check the tunnel but it's quite a hike and such a mess to come out of (if you want to) as you will get picked off from mechs positioned to oversee the ridge (the sheer amount of perfect vantage points is ridiculous) and because it is much easier and shorter for the enemy to post a mech or 3 directly at the cave opening nearest to the middle wreck (I think E6? and this allows fastest team response). Fighting in there is not very safe... Another option is to go to the ridge with the wreck where everyone goes with heavies and post up, allowing mediums/lights to guard for cave flank left and ridge flank right. This is where you are expected to be.

And sadly due to base capture this seems to be the easiest way to NOT lose to that none-too-well thought out mechanic.

These two options are quite a hike from your base already but a third option (particularly risky in Assault - due to the annoyance of base capture loss) is to skirt the ridge NE of the start zone, a bit further NE of E7 on the map which provides excellent cover and flanking fire options on the enemy mechs assembled, quite easily due to map design, to pick you off should you peak near the wreck.

The fourth option - to stay and defend/scout - is the BEST in my opinion for that side however that requires more than the regular THIS IS HALO WITH ROBOTS crowd that I tend to find myself randomly matched with.

The point of the above blocks of words is to say this: I believe that tactically the team starting furthest south on the map is at a disadvantage, particularly with random players as teammates. Which, yes, you can somewhat help that by finding a group of quality players but that doesn't address the issue.

This could be easily alleviated with elevation and building height changes for that side, as well as a small adjustment to the cave opening location and accessibility, or possibly adding another entrance on the southwest side of the main wreck. As it stands now it is my belief that if two teams of equal skill face off the team spawning on the north end should never lose.

Random late night thoughts while I eat a snack, if you have a mind to flame I'll gladly inform you of your honorable keyboard warrior status, please display your masculinity elsewhere. I don't care if your balls dropped when you typed /troll.


tl:dr - Frozen City is somewhat imbalanced, south end is open for death, north end is a fortress of doom, Assault game type limits options for south spawn even further. There are no Ivy bridges for trolls to hide under.

[PANZERBUNNY]

Wear mittens.

[superteds]

PANZERBUNNY, on 31 December 2012 - 02:45 AM, said:

Wear mittens.

on a rope!

[PANZERBUNNY]

Well of course!

The rope comes in handy when I have to take them off to throw sparkles at people.

Can't lose those mittens.

[GalaxyBluestar]

op is right!

it was a long read.

quiet simply the map is challenging you, it's a part of the game so don't think you're having it tougher than everyone else. get some practice in and i'm sure you'll improve!

[superteds]

man mittens own

[Kain]

mittens on a rope is a good idea..


furthermore, Frozen City is what it is, a map with a couple of tactical options
but it has a great chance to become a slugfest along the ridge.

..they should make mittens upgrades for the mechs..