Damus Trifarn
The Yellow Lantern Corps
10
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Posted - 2013.08.04 04:04:00 -
[1] - Quote
Who said that failure had to teach you everything? Sometimes you learn a good bit of information from those moments when you absolutely annihilate all who dare to stand in your way.
Anyways, onto the great lessons learned from such sweet victories. This requires a narrative of my battle where I had my greatest record with a Heavy suit (19-0) and what tactics I used and how that can help you as a Heavy.
Firstly, I must show you the map I was on so you can get some context: Skim Junction. Link is here so you can have a visual. It's the second picture down: http://wiki.eveuniversity.org/Dust_514:_Maps
Now for the battle.
I was starting from the far left, and in an ironic twist for a Heavy tutorial battle I spawned in an assault suit. Why? Well, let's face it, the first moments of any skirmish are a mad scramble to reach the objectives, and utilizing any sort of speed you can get is key to getting objectives quickly as well as CRU's and Supply Depots. After that switch to whatever class you deem necessary.
So how did I get into a Heavy suit? Anyone see that Supply Depot next to B on the map?
Back to the whole mobility thing, though. I called in my free LAV (yes this was before CCP got rid of them, and this wasn't used as a murder taxi by me.... in this match) and sped away to objective B. I hacked the CRU next to B and then the supply depot, then I immediately switched to my proto Sentinel suit (yes I'm Sentinel and I'm proud of it).
I then faced the first initial wave of enemies who were thankfully focused on the CRU. This allowed me to camp out and monitor them until some left to go to C, where my fellow mercs waited for them. Picking off whoever came my way, I was able to remain relatively discreet by Heavy standards due to hiding behind the Supply Depot on one side and taking advantage of low visibility in the room on the opposite side of the complex that holds objective B.
This is where I must stress the importance of modules. I was only able to survive this onslaught because of my armor repairers, allowing me to retain full health after every major encounter given enough time to regenerate, and I was only able to move back and forth so consistently because of my cardiac regulators, which gave me necessary stamina to run back and forth. Modules make or break Heavy suits, and this was no exception. I highly recommend this module setup for basics and Sentinels alike: Armor Repairers and Cardiac Regulators. You simply can't go wrong with it. Kincats are good too, but stamina is more important to a Heavy (you'll get outran by other suits no matter what speed boost you have, anyway).
Also, I did not defend B (which was where almost all enemy offense took place) by myself. I had help from numerous people throughout the battle (others were in other areas of the complex, and often forced the enemy into my direction) , having 1 or 2 mercs with me occasionally during intense firefights, and that definitely kept me alive, which brings me to another point: stay with someone. The slow speed, slow turning, hitbox, and sometimes inferior weapons make individual encounters lengthy and difficult to survive. Staying in proximity to the team is crucial for Heavy survival.
Trust the minimap like it's your best friend. It can tell you a lot about enemy behavior, allowing you to predict many movements. Common sense countering also helps. For example: if you have had to defend one area for a while, the enemy will probably go somewhere else to flank you, and while that is a perfectly good tactic, it can be used against the enemy.
I kept a close eye on the CRU from my little Supply Depot perch, and the enemy did try to take that CRU many times.... they failed miserably every time thanks to my suppression fire and my allies going in to smoke them out from behind the unit if they ever got that far. It will be unique to every situation, but with teamwork and successful prediction it will be impossible for the enemy to get through your defenses.
After a while my Orbital Strike was ready and I waited for an ally to come in my complex before I took a moment to decide where to use it. I saw that we had just defeated an assault on the opposite side of the CRU, so the logical step was to go launch it next to the CRU once I saw a few red dots pop up. That Orbital Strike, while not getting staggering amounts of kills, definitely deterred the enemy from attempting an assault on the CRU again. The rest of the time was spent defending the opposite side again until the very end. One stray merc slipped passed me and came into the complex through the CRU side of the building and nearly killed me. I was horrified to see that right after I killed him another merc was coming through the other side (I was by myself at this point, so defending both sides was very difficult), but I was saved by the sight of their MCC exploding in the sky. Final score: 19-0.
It may seem like I am just throwing myself a parade (which I do not mean to do at all), but I promise that practical lessons can be taken from this battle.
Firstly, use mobility. I got there first thanks to my assault suit.
After this, use surroundings to your advantage. I was only able to go Heavy because of the Depot and prevented a huge struggle by taking the CRU.
Also, choose good modules. Cardiac Regulators and Armor Repairers got me ready to be a defensive force on the battlefield.
Teamwork is key. Heavies need support to truly shine, and I only survived thanks to the help of fellow mercs fighting alongside me.
Detect patterns and use small mechanics to gain the upper hand. For example, the HMG has a huge sound when firing. If you need help, point and shoot at the enemy and every ally will hear the fight and answer your call.
Thank you all for reading, and I hope this battle log helped give you tips. I'd be happy to answer any questions. Peace! |
Damus Trifarn
The Yellow Lantern Corps
11
|
Posted - 2013.08.04 14:45:00 -
[2] - Quote
I edited to specify that I was using a Boundless HMG. Thanks for pointing that out. I wasn't able to fit much more into the post so I didn't include many tips on the HMG, but if you or anyone else wants to see how I use the HMG, I have a thread about my use of the Heavy suit/HMG combo here: https://forums.dust514.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=98481&find=unread
When it comes to Forge Guns, I don't have much advice about them because I don't use them, though I've made a Forge Gun class and plan to try it out sometime in the near future.
Concerning the module layout: I agree, it may not be for everybody, and there are many other combinations possible with low slots. In my experience, I have the most success with the Regulators and Repairers because they address many weaknesses of the Heavy suit like mobility and reliance on a Logi. That's my main reason for recommending them, but if anyone has another good module setup I'd love to hear it. I'm particularly interested in how the Kinetic Catalyzers work for Heavy suits. |