Noob question - how to use Reserve

[Godrik Underscore]

What is the reserve function for? I understand what it does... it reserves the Mech for "a later phase" in combat. But why would it be beneficial to wait in the first place? It would seem logical to want use a Mech at the earliest convenience rather than waiting. I don't quite get it.

Yes I have read a plethora of guides, daily. I still don't get it though. Can someone explain please?

[Strayed]

Simplest way to put it is you are letting the enemy make the first mistake. For example if you have been sprinting and your units are in cover with something like 5+ evasion pips and the enemy has the same, whoever attacks first usually has to abandon that meaning the next person to shoot has a much easier target.

You can also use it to abuse initiative. Say you are fielding a Lance with 4 initiative against a Lance with 3 you can let them go first which means you essentially get two turns in a row.

[L37]

The easiest example is - your mech is in a good defensive position, it is braced, in cover and has a bunch of evasion. You want enemy to fire first and waste his turn doing almost no damage. Even better if multiple enemies do it.

Another one - you have initiative 3 unit, evemy has initiative 2 unit. You reserve, let him move, then make your move. Then new round starts and your initiative 3 unit can move again, because it has higher initiative in this new round. You essentially get double move. You can do fun things with it, like shoot and break LOS to avoid enemy attack alltogether, double alphastrike, etc.

[danko9696]

Several cases where we assume you have init 3 and the opfor has init 2 in a 1v1.

• First scenario: if you move towards the enemy you won't be able to fire at him, and if he moves first he also won't be able to fire at you. But, if you let him move first and (as said) he doesn't attack you because he can't. But now that he's closer you might actually be able to fire at him. Ideally you want to be in position where the opponent sprints just enough to be within your reach. If he jumped or walked he wouldn't, but he sprinted, so now he's in a very weak position.
  
  
• Second scenario: you're both potentially within weapon's range if move + attack (not yet in range but almost), so now you have a real choice: if you move & attack first, if succeed then he can't return fire (dead), but if you fail then he'll be able to get closer with a better shot (for example now he can fire his support weapons at you in addition to ML/SRMs). So it would depend on how confident you are about killing him right now.
  
  
• Third scenario: you're both within weapon's range, no need to move before. Here reserving doesn't make much sense because you're already in a terrible position. If you reserve he'll have a good chance to do a lot of damage at you, acting first gives you the possibility of killing him first, fleeing if you're not very confident in your chances, o perhaps even both at the same time if you have Ace Pilot (you fire and move away afterwards).
  
  
• Fourth: there is a hill between both of you, the opfor doesn't have JJs but you have. Reserving will make him waste his action, now you can jump over the hill & fire at him in phase 1 and again next turn in phase 3 before he can react.

[the_knave]

I haven't yet done this yet, but high initiative, reserving, and Ace Pilot will allow you to run out, fire twice, and duck back into cover before anyone can even react.

[Godrik Underscore]

Thanks guys! Very insightful.