So we are getting a NARC buff

That is the Forum post by Paul, one of the devs. So it looks like we will get a NARC update after or with the Feb 4th patch update. I think the proposed changes will make me actually want to use it on lighter mechs. Hmm could be really useful in 12 mans too!

What do you guys think?

 

I'm not too fond of the no damage to it thing, but I'm all for ECM countering.

 

Not sure people will pick it up to use, but it's a good step - cut through ecm and not take damage/'fall off'.

I don't even know how it works now, but if it effectively cuts off the ecm from that one mech for 30 seconds it has a use even beyond just the lrm spotting if you can remove the ecm umbrella (and assuming there isn't another ecm mech in the same vicinity to pick up the slack). I can see it useful for even a non-light to use it then if it means removing the ecm umbrella for 30 seconds on a map like forest/frozen.

 

Yeah it would be fantastic for making LRMs more viable by having another way to disable LRM cover, which is awesome. Remember, I think what Paul is saying is that it will only disable the ECM if it is attached to the mech that provides the umbrella, but if it hits another mech that does not provide ECM, then the Narc is still disabled. This makes it more worthwhile but not totally overpowered. You can't just fire into a crowd and hope that it hits something, cause then it can be worthless unless it hits the one mech providing the cover. It also won't be OP vs. lights cause lights would be extremely hard to hit. Basically it's an LRM buff without actually buffing LRMs

 

If it works like that (must hit the mech that has ECM equiped) then the effect would be useless against a group of mechs with more than 1 ECM umbrella... unless you hit them both/all maybe?

 

I like it, it's a change that is not going to make it OP in any way. It just becomes a nice counter for ECM's and it will be useful for the full duration.

And, unless they change it, it will not aid artemis equipped LRMS. Which is good, IMHO.

Finally NARC has a reason for being on the field.

 

Another thing to take note of, it will also (don't quote me on this) provide counter ECM bonuses. Hopefully.

 

Counter Electronic Counter Measures...
Now if they give us chaff, smoke grenades, etc.

 

lol, can you imagine a light popping a smoke grenade on Forest Colony around the opening to the cave where some mechs tend to bunch? Shooting fish in a barrel. More would die to FF than the enemy when those in the smoke just aim at the enemy target.

 

would need to be zero-viz smoke or else you can just engage night vision
Do it all the time in the Caldera on Caustic Valley

 

There is IR-dampening smoke in use in armies around the world these days...

'active' countermeasures would be nice, smoke-/flare-/chaff launchers, decoy drones and the like would -really- make this game more interesting and tactical imo.

 

Don't think there was much of that in BT universe, I recall reading about artillery smoke with metal content in preparation for Op Serpent though? So some but not too common I suppose.

 

I would seriously consider adding functional NARC to my X-5! I'd be sad to lose an SSRM but I generally run that rig as a C-ECM C-Bill printer anyway *grin* she can be pretty damn profitable!

Might even be useful against those rediculous 4 Atlas premades I keep running into... NARC one DDC, TAG the other, and hope that the remaining two aren't ECM models... perform LURM rain-dance... profit! ;P

 

Yeah but remember the duration isn't that long so you will have to keep reapplying the beacon to one of the mechs! I think the duration is like 30 or 45 seconds which isn't too short but it isn't really long either.

 

YAY for chaff. Though it is basically AMS in a way.

smoke grenades would be BAD though, basically it is LAG grenade.
The framerate is not good in this game to start with, even worse with the stupid glass effect thingy. Now all you need to do is to spam a few smoke grenades and that would totally LAG the hell out of a bunch of mechs.

So basically it is a bad idea.

 

Bah. get a better rig

 

AMS yes, but more a counter elctronic warfare tool. AMS as we know it in game is a radar guided CIWS intended to shoot down missles.

Chaff would basically throw up a temporary high radar return cloud of foil that would mess with search and targeting radar.

[quote author=enileph link=topic=5437.msg35182#msg35182 date=1390497787]
smoke grenades would be BAD though, basically it is LAG grenade.
The framerate is not good in this game to start with, even worse with the stupid glass effect thingy. Now all you need to do is to spam a few smoke grenades and that would totally LAG the hell out of a bunch of mechs.

So basically it is a bad idea.
[/quote]

Yes, I hate that glass... not even a realistic effect... if you can't do something right...

 

Well, you can get a better rig but not a better connection. multiple smoke grenade type of things are great at inducing lag, and is quite an annoying tactic actually. Yes I would use it if only for that, but in general it is not a good thing. Even with a decent rig MWO is not running smoothly sometimes as we know it, with random framerate drops once in a while, now add in that lag grendade...

 

wow, finally my Narcmando makes some sense

http://www.mechspecs.com/forum/index.php?topic=3116.0

http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=26&l=d6165c53638f1c61c2898adbb9a00672a3a3344d

 

Blagg, I can see that thing tearing up the battlefield once the buff comes in

Seriously though, it would make that commando variant soooo much better