My, an EOC Raider thread!
EOC Raider is by no means bad, but it's highly situational and could be categorized more into the support role. To get the hang of the EOC, I suggest playing a lot of Infiltrator (another favorite of mine) because of its more forgiving secondary and most of all,
faster overall movement. The Raider is overall slower but the higher armor and momentary off-the-socks Blitz movement makes it better in many situations, especially in the push/escape department.
Movement is the lifeblood of an EOC user, the instant you stop moving, you
DIE (applies to everyone but especially EOC users, people can just swarm and DPS you down without you being able to do anything about it).
Map knowledge is key and you should be able to navigate into cover by just backpedaling/dodging. EOC users either kill their enemies instantly or slowly because of the weapon's discrete nature. You will have to move a lot to stay alive, to finally get into the situations where you actually can kill your enemies with one (or two) strike(s). A positive thing about slow reloading weapons is that you can afford to move more without losing much damage.
When you pick the EOC, you should look at your enemies' mechs and your own. The EOC Raider is especially good at harassing Technicians and slow ground based mechs and pairs well with sustained hitscan frontline mechs. Flanking Reapers are awesome teammates in semi-open maps and you can cover up eachothers' weaknesses.
The EOC Raider is not a good idea if your opposition is keen on flying and going ADHD with the AC (it's a matter of practice to hit midair targets but it will always make it more unreliable), or if you are expected to carry your team. EOC Raider is not a carry mech that you can slap a Technician behind and call it a day.
Look at the map. If you think you will have plenty of access to high ground with an escape route or just a lot of cover in general, go for it. Good maps are
Wreckage,
Uptown and
Origin because of their chokepointy nature and/or access to higher elevations, and to a lesser extent Front Line, Facility and Prosk. Do not play EOC in Last Eco or Bunker unless you are way better than your opposition.
You should try to approach enemies from their side, as the EOC is brutal against unaware. The similar projectile speeds of the EOC and Corsair is a nifty feature that you should take advantage of; save your mental calculations for your movement.
Harass and destroy the Technician. Cripple the slow mechs for easy finishing. When pursued, apply escape plans and evasive corner play. Keep your distance until you have enough advantage and finish off, using Blitz as the situation calls for it.
As for internals, I use:
Deflectors, as correctly used they will extend your life to over 640 armor. As you will be moving and boosting a lot in between strikes and especially during Blitz, you will benefit a lot from this internal.
Failsafe, because you can't avoid the CQC forever, and sometimes to finish off an enemy you have to be at a hugging distance.
Basic Fuel Converter, as you will need fuel the most when you are getting attacked. Synergistic with the Failsafe as well, as after finishing off at CQC you get a nice plop of fuel to make your escape.
Air-180, this would need its own thread. In short, it's an awesome cheap internal that makes traversing maps fluid like water, fighting while escaping possible, CQC maneuvers, chasing over ledges, and many more.
You can also try setups like AC/Deflectors/BFC if you don't like the idea of Failsafe or Air-180, or Deflectors/Failsafe/Fuel Converter if you don't like Air-180. I personally don't like AC on this mech because while it's great for corner play and CQC dancing, it takes away from your evasion capability. You can get many of AC's features from Air-180 for just one third the slots.
For items, you can't go wrong with the Shield, EMP or Repair Orb (or if you are being cheeky, Portable Scanner). I use EMP Mk2 and Shield Mk2, as the EMP is by itself an awesome item that can make or break a push and seriously cripples C-classes, and the Shield is a great on-the-spot cover and a getaway card, plus correctly placed it can isolate an enemy from the others, letting you finish off an enemy in peace. Repair orbs are nice when you have to support your teammates or need to bombard extensively while expecting to take at least some damage; you'll be ready to push in with full armor.
So in summary, to be successful as an EOC Raider you have to have the correct map, correct teammates and enemies, and move a lot.
Also, practice, practice and practice! EOC Raider is ungodly amounts of fun and reward, and you will recognize the situations where you should roll it once you have played it enough. Keep in mind that it's still a sidegrade to Reflak/T32, so in the maps where the EOC is good, those are also good for T32 and Reflak. (Again, look at the team composition and see what the team might need).
Edited by Kopra, September 19 2014 - 10:27 AM.
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