How to do called shots?

[Gracey Face]

This is a stupid question most likely, but how do you actually do a called shot?

I dont remember the game ever telling me how, though I almost certainly just missedit.

[Ishan451]

Either by knocking an enemy to the ground or by using the precision strike ability with its attached moral cost.

[C4Warr10r]

The game doesn't teach you in the tutorials. It's based on BT mechanics. Basically, a called shot is a normal shot in all respects, with a probability to hit a specific part.

For instance, let's say you use a called shot where you are forced to, against a downed mech. A CT shot has a 50% probability to hit, out of what would be, say, an 80% chance. That weapon has a 40% chance of striking the CT. 50% of 80%. But if it hits, it will hit somewhere, no matter what, with a higher probabilty of strikinh near where you called the shot.

Tracking?

[Sentient_Toaster]

There's one other circumstance in which you'll get called shots, beyond knockdowns and precision strikes, but it's rather rare: when an enemy mech shuts down from overheating.

You'll probably have to help this happen (flamers, destruction of heatsinks) unless it's a particularly hostile environment with very poor heat dissipation. The AI normally seems to avoid overheating to the point of damage, let alone shutdown.

[moritzgedig]

So when the called shot never has a lower chance to hit than a normal one there is no disadvantage ever?
Say the head is 5% and has 50 points
and the CT is 50% and has 200 points
then it would be better to hit the CT ?

[Sinsling]

Originally posted by moritzgedig:

So when the called shot never has a lower chance to hit than a normal one there is no disadvantage ever?
Say the head is 5% and has 50 points
and the CT is 50% and has 200 points
then it would be better to hit the CT ?

Called shots will not take away from your hit chance. Your called location simply weights your shot to have a higher probability to hit your called location. For a rough example:
80% chance to hit:
You have;
Head is 1/100
Center torse is 35/100
Both arms are 8/100
Both legs are 8/100
Left/right torsos are 14/100
And your miss is 20/100

A called shot to the head becomes something like;
Head is 5/100
Center is 34/100
Both arms are 7.5/100
Both legs are 7.5/100
Left right torse is 13.5/100
And your miss is still 20/100

[red255]

generally I called shot torso to take a target down quickly. nothing else really matters. saves some pieces from getting critically destroyed.

[danko9696]

Originally posted by moritzgedig:

So when the called shot never has a lower chance to hit than a normal one there is no disadvantage ever?
Say the head is 5% and has 50 points
and the CT is 50% and has 200 points
then it would be better to hit the CT ?

That's a more complex question to answer, because you'd have to calculate those chances, taking into account the target also may be in cover or braced, how much damage you're doing and the weapons you're using. In your example a dual AC20 setup could go for both, but against a harder target he would not stand a chance to CT core (like more than 300 damage required) while he would still be able to headcap.

And to complicate it even more, headcapping grants you three parts of salvage of the killed target, while CT core ony one. So you may want for headcapping even if CT is easier. Or go for CT because it's safer and faster. Also if you go for the CT core and you have a backup plan in case the target is not destroyed, a follow up salvo to the CT with a regular salvo (no called shot) will be far easier than to the Head. So if you only have morale for one Precision Shot and you're not very confident you can kill the target, you'll be much better going for the CT. But if you can fire two very high damage salvos in a row with Precision Shot then the head may be better.

[wendigo211]

If I want salvage, I generally go for the legs or the knockout. It tends to be more reliable/easier than the head. Knockout will get you three pieces and legs will get you two. That said if you get an angle from the side and below you don't really need a called shot to legs since the base hit chance is pretty good.

For the knockout you need to incapacitate the pilot so: hit the head, take out a side torso, knock the mech down and/or trigger an ammo explosion.

[OrbPlaytime]

Originally posted by Bert Sampsen:

This is a stupid question most likely, but how do you actually do a called shot?

I dont remember the game ever telling me how, though I almost certainly just missedit.

The option comes available in combat once your resolve reaches 30%, it starts below this and increments start every round based upon certain set values that can be increased with a single communication cockpit (not sure worth it tbh) and importantly Morale that you notice when you are on the Argo.

IMO it is pretty important to increase Morale on the Argo early and best way to do that is by choosing higher Financial cost every 30 days, makes sense to reach next Morale tier of 31 and 41 as it adds a nice amount of resolve per combat round.
Another reason to boost using Financial early is that as you get more mechs/pilots/upgrade Argo that cost goes up a lot especially to do a +2 Morale boost.

So Morale is what you increase on the Argo either by Financials every 30 days or by events; of course it can also go down if you decrease costs below average or a bad event, and modifies Resolve bonus you get in combat every round.
Resolve is the meter once combat starts and Precision Shot or Vigilance cost 30; worth noting that Vigilance can be incredibly useful as it gives you +1 initiative next round and also Guarded (so can shoot or sprint and gain equivalent to when Brace).
Once you have 30% you will see Precision Shot and Vigilance show on your combat action bar along with the Mech warrior abilities.

[bba525]

I use called shots with an alpha strike to try to take out left or right torso. If I can take it out it also removes the corresponding arm. I either try for the side where the arm contains the most dangerous weapon, and if the torso happens to contain ammo storage that's even better, since it also gives me the change of an ammo explosion.

Even if the alpha strike doesn't completely destroy the torso usually a followup shot with LRM 15 or 20 will finish the job.

[Hugo Drax]

I only spend morale on Precision Strike when I'm confident of downing an enemy. I get way more mileage out of Vigilance.

[Slap Happy Pappy]

Precise shot with AC20++ and lasers or a massive SRM rack tend to core 60 tonners in one salvo.

[moritzgedig]

THX, some good points beyond my question.

[Sword_of_Light]

So. Called Shots and Vigilance are based on morale, and you replenish a bit after each round - dependent on factors like how well you're doing (inspired), or if you have a comm unit installed in a mech. Buffs or penalites like High Spirits can change certain mechwarriors' ability to use these specials.

Called Shots improve with Tactics.

The Called Shot improves the chance to hit overall - if your AC/20 is looking at a 60%, you might see a %75 with a Called Shot.

All the weapons you fire are considered called. So, if you fire 2x Large Lasers and 2xLRM15s (my Cat C1 build), you'll have 32 weapons trained on a given location.

Each called location has a percentage chance to hit - IF you hit. That is to say, you have to hit first to have the chance to hit your called location, although if you hit, you'll hit something.

Facing matters - rear facings do not allow for Called Shots against arms or legs.

Angle of attack seems to matter - I try for a downward angle when trying for head hits (indirect LRM fire, firing from elevation)

When calling, I generally do so because:

I'm desperate: There are WAY too many bads, all my mechs have to make it to the drop, and there's a damned Victor perched above my escape route. I need to leg it, bare miniumum, core it if I can, and if I'm super deperate, headshot.

Downgrade: I cant focus on one target with my whole lance, so I'll use Call to downgrade an opponent to 'I'll Deal With You Later'; a Called Shot to either torso of a stock Hunchback has a good chance reducing it to a pair of ML and an SL.

I WANT: this is the most common reason I call. Oh, look, an Atlas, I could use one of those in my company I'm not firing on that unless I can call, and I'm calling headshots (or I'm legging it because I already have 1/3rd of an Atlas in my junk drawer). This works less often than I'd like, but it does work.

Hot Knife Through Butter: Late in the game, if I want to plow through an OpFor without getting too many scratches on my paint jobs, I'll try to core as many bads as I can with Called Shots to the CT. Since late game I'm typically running with several AC/20s, its a safe bet. This is also a good way to bludgeon your way through a Flashpoint.

Half-Call: I have maybe one Call in my lance because three of the four have Low Spirits, or whatever, so I'll Call with one mech to try to leg an enemy, which means that any remaining fire against that downed opponent is essentially Called.

[danko9696]

Originally posted by Sword_of_Light:

All the weapons you fire are considered called. So, if you fire 2x Large Lasers and 2xLRM15s (my Cat C1 build), you'll have 32 weapons trained on a given location.

That's true provided you don't aim at the head. And even then not exactly true.

Originally posted by Sword_of_Light:

Angle of attack seems to matter - I try for a downward angle when trying for head hits (indirect LRM fire, firing from elevation)

Angle of attack (firing from different height) or indirect fire don't have any effect on hit location chance.