A recent discussion on ngng talked about the roles not being clearly defined, this is my attempt to define those roles. Please feel free to contribute and comment, and hopefully we can come up with a definitive guide. I'm splitting the roles into three groups, based on tactical formations Hammer: the core firepower and armour of your team Support: mechs designed to support either the hammer or the scouts. Scouts: basically the various roles that light or fast mechs can employ. Hammer: Brawler: With a large array of heavy weaponary and armour, the brawler is king of the battlefield, and the core of your team or lance. Typically the slowest mechs, these mechs can both dish out and recieve huge amounts of punishment. In a brawler you are trying to get up close and personal with your enemy, taking them out as quickly as possible, and tanking for the smaller mechs in your group. Heavy sniper: With slightly less armour and weaponary, but a little more manouverability, the sniper focusses on longer range heavy weaponary. The snipers main role is to soften up the enemy before the brawlers engage then either engaging in the brawler or direct fire support roles once the battle has begun. Support: Direct fire support: As the name implies, the direct fire support mech stands a little back from the brawlers dishing out damage with direct fire weapons. Typically these mechs dish out large amounts of damage, but with less armour and higher speeds than the brawlers. Indirect fire support: Standing at the back of the pack indirect fire support "brings the rain" dishing out lrms and artillery. The goal of this mech is to hurt heavier mechs seperated from the enemy pack ( less ams inteference ) and, like the sniper, to harrass the enemy pack before the battle has engaged. Weight-class support: Typically these mechs are direct-fire support mechs. However confusions reigns here. So i propose the following: Light support: typically a fast medium ( cicada / blackjack )intended to support, protect, and assist light mechs in their role. Medium/heavy support: time intended to work with the hammer, harrassing and goading the enemy. Medium/heavy support mechs try to 'control' the battle. Faster than the brawlers either flanking of protecting the flanks, of acting as bait pulling the enemy into your killzone. Scouts: Scouts can be a role to themselves, however as pretty much any fast mech can scout, and fast mechs can be more specalised, ive also listed the additional roles scouts may have. As the fastest mechs on the battlefield, the scouts role is to determine where the enemy forces are, and where they are going. If possible a scout will also determine the composition of the enemy forces and provide targets 'spotting' for lrms and snipers. Scouts are also required to 'cap', this is a primary role for these mechs, no matter their specalisation ( see below) Spotters: Often paired up with the ewar specalisation. These mechs typically locate targets for lrm fire, usually equipped with tag ( and/or narc ) to improve the effectiveness of the lrms. Best used with one of more indirect fire support mechs. The spotter will also be required to assist in protecting the lrm boat. Ewar: Sporting ecm and or bap, these mechs fight a battle of information, either neutralizing enemy ewar capabilities or disrupting their electronic systems. In cases where the hammer has no ecm of its own, or if a spotter is not needed, the ewar light should stay with the hammer, abandoning its scout role. Hunter/killer: When speed and firepower combine ( I am captain planet ). The hunter-killer is born. This mech can either harrass ( see harrass below ) or actually hunt down heavier mechs, whether they have strayed from their pack, or are just at the rear of it. These mechs cannot be ignored, with the ability to take down an unsuspecting assault mech in seconds. Harrass: Once the battle is engaged a light mech may choose to harrass. In this case the goal is not to deal damage, but to distract, and if possible pull some of the enemy forces away from the hammer. In some cases the harrasser will also assist in harrassing the primary target( usually with machine guns),confusing the pilot and reducing the threat they pose as they are taken down.
The attlefield is a chaotic place, esp when 12 vs 12 comes into play. A mech with only a single role would not be flexable enough. I suggest rather than listing a single role, lists few different roles. For example, here is a typical ECM Atlas DC (ERLLx2, AC20, ssrmx3, ECM). This is how I define the build: ECM, Brawler, Sniper This would be a 6xLPL stalker: Output. This is for Zombie Hugger: Zombie, Brawler There is no saying you have to be limited in your roles when you design a mech. My list of different role/function, using some typical terms: Brawler/Tank (easy to understand, you need good armor) Output/DPS (high damage dealer, be it continuous or high alpha) Zombie (able to keep on the damage even if many parts are gone, typically with CT/HD weaponary) Sniper (Long range non-missile damage) LRM (missile carrier) ECM (easy to understand, important enough to have a separate entry) Support (be it counterECM, or dual AMS support or things like that when it comes) Spotter (tag, NARC or good old locks) Scout (run around, find enemy and things) Capper (capture base and things) Harrasser (high speed and good mobility, for jousting, hit and run, or good old circle of death) MopUp/Hunterkiller (to finish off weak or heavily damaged targets)
Good points mostly.... certainly a mech can fullfill several roles, partly I'm trying to clarify what the roles themselves are. I'd avoid the support term on its own in favour of defining what the support roles are "medium support" etc However, I'd consider zombie a feature of a build rather than a role. Similarly capper or dos are functions of a role ( for instance a scout should always have the job of capping so it's a function of the scout role. The same goes for tank/dps and the brawler role).
Well, it seems like the Roles here are designed to be search tags also, so I am trying to list things people would like to search for when they are finding a build. Afterall, this forum are largely dedicated to mech specs, designs and builds.
I think the Hunter/Killer role can be expanded to be included into the Hammer and Support as sub-roles. It could possibly fill its own role, say mediums and fast heavies. So it would be hammer, support, hunter/killer and scouting and each major roll has its own sub-roles. Just my 2 cents.
Yes please do. If the mods devs ever get their tagging system fixed we will implement it which will allow for searching by stuff like this
