Taemien, on 09 February 2013 - 10:19 AM, said:
I don't understand something. Do people think ECM makes mechs immune to lasers? I mean I constantly see this:
The ECM is a component like any other. It can be destroyed. The mech using it can also be destroyed. Do either of those and the ECM effect is stopped. It does not require ECM to do so. ECM does not protect the mech(s) from being damaged. Granted the other team if coordinated will try to protect their ECM asset. But you'll just have to overcome that coordination, thats sort of what competitive play is.
What ECM does is block intel, such as paperdoll and call letters. This indirectly debilitate lasers, as you want to concentrate the beam on a particular location. Not having access to paperdoll means you can't see what is damaged. Also team focus fire becomes cumbersome without a call letter.
You are correct in saying ECM does not negate lasers however. But this does not make laser or ballistics counters. What you have described is a winning conditions. All things within the game can be beaten if you eliminate the mech, that's a given.
The problem with ECM is not that it can not be beaten, it's the fact it is unbalanced due to lack of cons. Every component in the game has a con or hard counters :
- lasers - heat, hardpoints
- ballistics - ammo, tonnage, hardpoints
- LRM - ammo, minimum range, slow travel time, AMS, EMS, tonnage, hardpoints
- SRM - ammo, maximum range, hardpoints
- SSRM - ammo, maximum range, AMS, EMS, random impact (mostly CT), hardpoints
- AMS - ammo, maximum range, hardpoints
- BAP - countered by ECM
- TAG - countered by ECM, requires los, can be seen, hardpoints
- NARC - countered by ECM, requires los, ammo, tonnage, hardpoints
- Artemis - countered by ECM, requires los, extra tonnage and crit slots
I can't think of any ECM cons.... Anyone? I am all ears.
Edited by StalaggtIKE, 09 February 2013 - 02:50 PM.
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