Need advice on being a good lance mate

well arm locking is debatable imo. in some of my mechs it works great, others it doesnt feel natural and screws me over. I just use the default left-shift to unlock my arms when i need em. I ask what weapons and mech and whether you use cover or not because the only time i do less than 200 damage is if im the first guy in the fight and the first to die. If that sounds like what you do, change your playstyle. I had to . This game will teach you real quick that brawling isnt just running in there and getting blasted in the face so others can move up and clean up.

 

That's really the problem I guess, I don't stick to any one mech. So it's hard for me to get a good configuration down.


I'm using a razer naga for my mouse and a razer blackwidow for my keyboard.


I'm ok with using cover, though i'm still getting used to it. I have an MMO tanking mentality because those are the usual classes I play so I'm still getting used to not getting up in other mech's faces.

 

my friends are trying to get me to use a trebuchet. I guess because it's a bit sturdier than their lights and can pretty much keep up. How are those? or are the centurions the better mediums to use in that situation?


Edit: ok after playing for like 20 hours these last few days, and experimenting all over the place, I have a basic idea of how I play more or less.


I enjoy ballistics for some reason, even machine guns, I dont know why really. Ballistics just feel satisfying to hit with.


If I go too fast I have a hard time hitting targets (too fast as in a spider or a jenner, though for some reason I dont really have this problem in my X-5). But in an assault with speeds 60 and lower I'm way too clunky and awkward.


My usage of cover isn't really perfected yet, and when I'm hitting targets I tend to smell blood and keep myself out in the open a lot in order to keep firing on my target, eventually getting myself killed.


I do way better in terms of missiles when I can lock using LRMs or streaks. I'm rubbish with SRMs.


I tend to get stuck on terrain a lot, but I guess I'm still getting used to those movement changes. JJs would prob help.

 

Your best bet is this build then.
http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=59&l=0731ddffe2cf1bdee519d77635890d5a40a85198

Or even this

http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=77&l=a066fc48dd78a988c39b0863a5010cae735a4e8b

But for something more simplistic.

http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=79&l=f6cfccf006b5153c435965ac51c136e78ab1bd83

 

Thanks sins.


The Blackjacks are some of the few mechs I haven't tried yet.

 

The last BJ is probably the best. In my second game with it I got 4 kills, 4 assists and 600+ damage. But I played smart and used the environment and enemy mechs' disadvantages to my advantage.

 

trebs r ok, but until the shadowhawk comes out the centurions reign supreme in the medium class. Try the CN9-AL version of it. its my personal fave.

But i was also like you. I was the highest geared pally tank in wow on my sever and was the raid leader for the highest progressing raid team on the same server as well so being in the mix mentality is what i had to resist, against my nature, with this game. Standing in the open and getting narrow sighted on one kill will tend to get you killed instead. There is no aggro in this game.

I also am constantly changing mechs. i have around 20 mechs now and its rare i play one for more than 3 matches in a row.

I still say give the dragon slayer a try. Hes very well armed on all fronts, has good armor, JJ, and can run up to 80-85 kmh. not slow or sluggish at all. Quickdraw is also good but i find he just lacks the firepower i require and is also not really a ballistics user.

I have an idea for you though. Pick the best mech you have that is suited for sniping( ERPPCS/gauss rifle, and either has JJ or high weapon hardpoints to shoot over obstacles), and use nothing but him for awhile (the dragon slayer has all that to ). Why you ask? because as a sniper you will train yourself to hang back and rack up the damage and kills without running in because you wont need to. it will actually hinder you to do so. It will also help you get your aim down much better than anything else. If u can constantly hit the CT when a mech is 800 meters away, then you will have NO problem aiming when you engage on more personal terms. We gotta break that run in and keep staying in mentality.

Believe me its hard i know. EVERY game i play i always start with the up-close and personal warriors/paladins/barbarians/wtf ever beats face in class. This game has that, but its a different tactic to do it effectively here. If you feel that you just HAVE to run in and stay there, then i would suggest hanging behind whoever is close, and when an enemy seperates from the group to cap or whatever, thats when u engage. Never just run in when they have masses of people there. a Seismic Sensor will help you greatly determine the best chances of when you can do that.

Theres a video on this website that im not finding atm of one of our users using a Quickdraw with medium lasers and SRMS. If you or someone can find it, its a decent lil vid of the quickdraw but also how to brawl properly using cover.

 

http://www.mechspecs.com/forum/index.php?topic=1808.0

heres the link to the video i couldnt find. its actually the whole topic but im sure you can find em.

 

Thanks guys!

 

picked up the dragon slayer, and after a few pitiful matches, I finally had a match that netted me 258 damage, but again I died because I left myself out in the open. It's going to take me a while to get out of that mentality lol.

 

I played Treb's for a while... Never really found a wonderful build. SRMs are SO weak and Trebs are incredibly missle reliant. The SSRMs are easily negated by ECM and two small missles are such piddly damage, I'd rather take a medium laser and a heat sink and pull out more consistent damage. I basic capped TBT-7M and TBT-7K variants, both loaded with XL300s for good speed, and never felt too threatening. The -7M can make a pretty significant LRM platform with great speed and maneuverability with JJs.

Decent Treb: (however, out of place for a medium mech)
http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=59&l=1ee13cec2c792a4eaa4cd828e29677f80ac3f223

However, like you, CNova, I love me some Ballistics. That is why I decided on the Blackjacks for my medium family. Good speed, maneuverability and the firepower suits my gameplay more.

I ran Hunchbacks and hated them. I recently started building out Cicadas for some higher speed and still holding onto my AutoCannons. They are fun... Very fast... But still, I can't cause as much pain as my Blackjacks. My highest damage builds are still Jenners. The speed and size make them much more survivable and you can pack alphas of 24-32 into them easily.

BUT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THAT! Mediums! Yeah. So. Centurions are quick, have a very nice hardpoint variation making them some of the most versatile platforms. However, I'm just still not so keep on missles without large single salvo LRMs and BAP, which is not the medium's place in the game. Also, the mech's physical setup and hitboxes make XL engines scary. A little too wide for my liking. Arms and Side Torsos are picked off easily.

The mediums are made for very mobile fire support. That makes them more playstyle dependent than most classes. If you like missles, Trebs rock. If you like speed, Cicada's are just a heavier light. (without Jump Jets) If you prefer variety and options, Centurions are fun and you can mix it up all over the place. Hunchbacks just feel too slow to me at the price-tag of the engines for a medium but can throw out some great damage. Most obviously, I just love the mini-Jager that a Blackjack provides. Good speed, ballistics, Jets and very cost effective.

All about what feels comfortable for you.

If you're looking to have speed, support and kick up your damage meters, you really may want to get a couple Dragons. Wide bodies, but they're fast as mediums, can keep within range of lights and can really kick out some pain.

I talk too much!

Chatt out!

 

Great mix of respectable speed but much more survivable and I've watched them TEAR UP some battlefields. One of the best Stock loadout mechs I've seen.

 

Forgot about modules. If you are going to be a speed demon (100kph) then it would be a good idea to get Adv. Seismic Sensor and a 18 Coolshot. You want to be able to know what the enemy is up to so you and your lance can plan ahead while the coolshot should only be used when in a tight situation.

 

If the new terrain logic is messing you up, JJs may not help much. Once you've stopped forward motion, all the JJs do is move you straight up. The best option there is having something fast enough and with a quick enough turn that you can effectively change your mind before you get blown to bits.

 

Ok, so I found out what my main problem was. I never bothered to check my FPS for some reason, and I was sitting between 10 and 15. Then I checked Can You Run It, and found that my video card was lacking big time. So, I ran out and bought myself a nice big upgrade and my FPS now sits at 60.

Totally different game! My low damage games, I now sit around 300-400, and my decent games I push 800. Since getting the new video card, I managed to finish mastering my highlanders and I mastered the trebuchet chassis.

While doing that, I realized I enjoy being a strong escort to my lighter lancemates. I do this ok in my trebuchet 7M using 3 Med Lasers, 3 SRM 6 with a speed of 106.9. However, I find myself a little too squishy to act as a backstop for my lance when I cover their retreat.

Now that I can play the game as it's intended, any advice on a good solid command mech choice with mobility and punch? I want to be able to bring the hurt, as well as protect my lance when needed.

 

Dragon slayer, lol. or a Cataphract 3D maybe. My 2 personal fave mechs in the game.

 

CNova, this depends greatly on your speed and weapon requirements.

100+?
80+?

The QKD-4H is very similar to your Trebuchet setup, The Dragonslayer is the next step (or any victor).

 

I would go with the shadowcat build for the blackjack, so awesome!

 

On odd thing I noticed with the Blackjack...

My 1X has 18 DHS in the game (XL instead of STD Engine) and a heat efficiency of 0.93.

In Smurfy's, using 18 DHS, I have a heat efficiency of 52%... one flaw in Smurfy is that the two Flamers seemingly add not to my heat but still... seems wonky at best?

because with a 52% efficiency, most of my builds are nearing a pretty heat neutral ability... only my Machine Gun builds can ever dream of such a good value.