Good resource to learn maps/strategy?

[Harbaugh]

I love this game, and love nothing more than when I get on a team and there is chatter, good coordination, and almost always victory. I’ve played with some great commanders and it always comes down to map knowledge/awareness.

I’d like to play a bigger role, but even after about 200 hours or so of play, my map knowledge is pretty weak. I have a general idea of layouts, but want to get to the level of “if we start on the A line, we need to move to G6, etc.” Any good guides out there?

[Captain Worthy]

On almost all of the maps the teams start in such locations that it is easy to flank the enemy if you go right.

Since both teams tend to do that, it causes a circling move known as Nascar. Just stay with your team and don't play the slowest mechs when you're new to this game.

You can play all the maps in training mode as well, where there are no enemies, just practice targets. That way you can explore in peace and learn all the places where you can go to and have a good firing position from.

You can also set up custom matches where someone more experienced teaches you the usual map strategies.

[Ishan451]

Well.. its an oldi, but still applies today:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=573089143

This will tell you the general roles you should play in the team, and help you understand your position a bit better and what you should do.

Other than that... unless you want to take on the commander role Mithrandir is pretty much on the money. Teams rotate right, because the enemy team pushes full force on the left.

A well placed firing line, which you have to decide based on the mechs and their location when you meet the enemy, can take down the enemy rather easily.

For example, river city, when you start on the side that doesn't have to move through the bay, there is a really nice, rarely employed tactic, where you take position between the buildings that overlook the left side of the bay.
This gives you really great cover, if you stay on the parallel road, while the enemy has a whole lot of nothing for cover and can only peek one or two at a time. But it only works if at least half the team sets up between the buildings, only one or two mechs are not enough to stop a determined advance, which is why its not done without someone calling it out.


Similarily in mining complex you can resist the enemy teams push up the middle if you go for the left ramp right from the start. But again, this only works if enough of your team follow suit. As everyone on the enemy team will be concentrating on getting top, they will walk onto the top ramp, likely see one or two of your team, slow down and ten be picked apart by concentrated fire from the left side ramp.

Also works on Caustic... you can resist the left side push with coordination and setting up a firing line... but it also only works if at least half your team set up right from the start. Going at it alone is just throwing your mech away.

So if you don't want to command, get a mech that runs at least 64kph.. and push to the right side along with your fellow assaults, and play to the strength of your role.

If it doesn't work everyone will ♥♥♥♥♥ about Nascar... but equally nobody wants to be commander to call different plays than nascar.

[Myriad]

1377 hours in and I still don't know the maps. I often wonder how some people are so knowledgeable of the terrain. It must take a certain love/excitement to reach that level of knowledge. And I only say that because I think back to games I was SO into when I was younger, and knew everything about, and wanted there to be more to learn. But that's just my assumption. Maybe people do study these things, or just have photographic memories or something.

I have a general idea. I mean come on.. I do have a few hours logged.. I know a few key places, but nowhere near what I've seen/heard of other players, who seem to know the map like they made it.

It could also boil down to the fact that I mainly play Assaults... So I just don't get the chance to run around as much, and probably won't jump into the testing grounds just to do that.

[Ishan451]

Originally posted by Myriad:

1377 hours in and I still don't know the maps. I often wonder how some people are so knowledgeable of the terrain.

Play a light mech without jump jets and ECM... you'll learn the maps or you die.

[Myriad]

Originally posted by Ishan451:

Originally posted by Myriad:

1377 hours in and I still don't know the maps. I often wonder how some people are so knowledgeable of the terrain.

Play a light mech without jump jets and ECM... you'll learn the maps or you die.

So you're telling me to play my Cipher lol. You still haven't given me a decent build...

Edit:

Originally posted by Ishan451:

Originally posted by Myriad:

Either way, I bought the despicable Piranha Hero. Any good build suggestions for the Hero variant?

I'll post you something once i get back (provided i don't forget)

Thought I would look back and find that one. Hahaha

[theraxc]

If you want to learn the maps in terms of power positions and strategies, joining a competent unit is the best way to do so.

There are recruitment treads on the official forum, on reddit, and in various MWO community discord servers. For most entry level competitive units you would not have to join their team in order to sit in on their practices and it is a good way to learn if you want to put the work in to get better at the game.

[Myriad]

Originally posted by theraxc:

If you want to learn the maps in terms of power positions and strategies, joining a competent unit is the best way to do so.

Probably is. That would make a lot of sense. Playing in a unit with a competent caller all the time would certainly open your eyes to a few things.

[Ishan451]

Originally posted by Myriad:

So you're telling me to play my Cipher lol. You still haven't given me a decent build...

Edit:

Originally posted by Ishan451:

I'll post you something once i get back (provided i don't forget)

Thought I would look back and find that one. Hahaha

Well... i forgot :p

CIPHER[mwo.smurfy-net.de] that one will need some Ammunition perks to really come into its prime, but it will work as is, if you pace yourself with the MGs.

Tough personally i'd go with this one:

CIPHER[mwo.smurfy-net.de]

I am also running this build:

CIPHER[mwo.smurfy-net.de]

But that build i am running on a Piranha B. The Piranha B is a bit more nimble than the Cipher, but technically you could possibly strip armor for an additional half ton ammo. Like this: CIPHER[mwo.smurfy-net.de]

I do not recommend these, but some people like it:

CIPHER[mwo.smurfy-net.de]

CIPHER[mwo.smurfy-net.de]

[Liveish]

Unsure if this is what you mean

https://maps.mwocomp.com/

[Bamboot]

Originally posted by Live1991:

Unsure if this is what you mean

https://maps.mwocomp.com/

Wow, cool site! Thanks for the link.

[Myriad]

Originally posted by Ishan451:

CIPHER[mwo.smurfy-net.de]
CIPHER[mwo.smurfy-net.de]
CIPHER[mwo.smurfy-net.de]
CIPHER[mwo.smurfy-net.de]
CIPHER[mwo.smurfy-net.de]
CIPHER[mwo.smurfy-net.de]

Thanks for the builds. I'll try them out later when I get home.

[Alrik]

Originally posted by Haynams:

I’d like to play a bigger role, but even after about 200 hours or so of play, my map knowledge is pretty weak. I have a general idea of layouts, but want to get to the level of “if we start on the A line, we need to move to G6, etc.” Any good guides out there?

Just walk with the biggest horde and steal kills.
Don't play slow Mechs
Don't try "smart tactics"
Don't leave the horde to help Team mates that are in trouble (hope they are baiting the enemy lights away)'.

Yeah you can try to coordinate the team, but most players don't follow orders any way, so why bother with that ?

[Myriad]

Originally posted by Alrik:

Yeah you can try to coordinate the team, but most players don't follow orders any way, so why bother with that ?

For the Horde!!!

[Myriad]

Originally posted by Ishan451:

...personally i'd go with this one...

I suppose Smurfy always opens as a small box that you have to drag larger, on all four sides, lol...

Anyway, I played around in the Mechlab, built something that, I think, takes better advantage of range limits and cooldowns, so there's less to focus on, and packs a punch.

I made an attempt at reproducing it with Smurfy. Keep in mind this comes from my phenomenal knowledge and experience with light Mechs...
What do you think of this one instead?

https://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=661&l=d2bc56e32554469ffcd989c85806c316136f3858

[Ishan451]

Originally posted by Myriad:

What do you think of this one instead?

It has less DPS and armor than the one i posted you using the ER Micro Lasers. The one i suggested is also entirely heat neutral, unlike the Pulse laser one you tinkered up.

That being said, i have no real reason to object to the one you came up with. Yours has advantages in form of shorter beam duration (250ms quicker) and a slightly higher Alpha damage.

I'd say yours is better at Light-Leg hunting than mine... but i would still go with mine because of the range advantage. 50 more meters makes all the difference to me on the lasers.