68 replies to this topic

[Nexus06]

I don't agree at all, because I used to use a Assault Mech like every one else and the second I went to my rocket toting fatty my performance increased substantially. But then ti could just be my play style preference. I find Hawken to be the most balanced game I have ever played.

That being said I think you just need to change what your doing if you are having problems with Assault Mechs. It's not all ways the game some times it's you that's the problem.

[Beemann]

Juodvarnis, on October 28 2012 - 10:31 AM, said:

Canstaht, on October 28 2012 - 07:55 AM, said:

Surprised this thread keeps coming up. Class A mechs were never OP.

They're talking about Class B, mate.

Old habits die hard I suppose

[DarkPulse]

I'd have to agree that they seem just plain too versatile. I always viewed the Assault Class as a class who could do "everything," but shouldn't do it better than the specialized classes. I should not really be losing to an Assault 1v1 if I have a Brawler and nearly full health, but I do - I basically have to get the jump on them or predict them to land so I can 1-2 Flak-Rocket them, and even then it's 60/40 if I'm evenly skilled compared to the other player. (It seems like the Flak does pathetic damage, really. It takes like 4-5 shots to down someone... up close, this thing should be removing faces. That's what it's supposed to do.) I think the problem, besides the increased armor, is really that the assault rifle is pretty damn accurate even if you fire it for a long time, and has relatively low heat buildup, so in the end, not only do they get more health, they get a good accuracy, low-heat, sustained fire weapon, and so they can basically breeze through any fight because they'll out-DPS virtually anyone, short of a Rocket mech who somehow has ungodly prediction.

Simply put:

• More armor = obviously more survivability.
  
• Relatively accurate, low-heat, good-damage primary weapon.
  
• Several people running with it = multiplies the effectiveness.

A few guys rolling in a group of 2-3 will be able to take down nearly any target with ease. It's the best all-around mech, but the problem is that while the other classes have fairly obvious strengths and weaknesses, the Assault is simply too good at everything. About the only thing it can't do is counter-sniping duties, but if an Assault gets a jump on even a C-Class mech, the odds are heavy in the Assault's favor. Smart players will actually do a 1-2-3 of HE Grenade + TOW Rocket + Carbine spam, and they can easily shave them down to 50% just from that.  After that, it's a cakewalk.

Now, proposed fixes:

• Obviously, putting them back to an A-class would make them more like a light infantryman. They're fast and they hit hard, but they're vulnerable to sustained attack, meaning that someone who puts a few rounds into them can get them to at least temporarily retire from the battle, or be chased off, thus weakining a "Roaming Assault" strategy.
  
• Either increase the spread for sustained fire, or increase the heat buildup. I would relate this in terms of the Alpha, but of course, NDA, so this half-explanation will have to suffice. Simply put, it makes sustained fire either less accurate, meaning people who merely hold the trigger are going to hit less, or else the heat buildup will force shorter bursts, and to think more carefully about 1-2s, lest they risk overheating and its penalizing cooldown. Either way, it means that the Assault becomes more of a burst-fire combatant than a "spray away" one, which gives some "pause" for the other side to use their weapons too, because they cannot hope to ever fire as fast as the Assault can. (Not counting anyone using the SA Hawkins... but who uses the SA Hawkins_ I know I sure don't - and I hate it when I forget to switch it out first thing every match when I use my Sharpshooter!)
  
• Replace their secondary arm. This doesn't change the primary fire, so to speak, but it does remove their devastating 1-2. A lot of their power comes from the fact that they can smack you with a TOW Rocket, while peppering you with fire from the primary. The TOW rocket in and of itself is good for removing about about 20-25% health for a direct hit, depending on your class, so when you combine the fires, you can get some seriously good damage in. And obviously, the high ROF means that you have a much better chance to kill your opponent if they try to flee, since all you have to do is spray and pray.

In the end, I do feel they need some sort of tweaking. Simply put, they're a better close-range fighter than most of the specialized close-range fighters, and they can even do acceptable middle-range combat. The only class that tends to get them are Sharpshooters - and even then, if the Assaults close the distance, it's trouble, more so than any other class.

Edited by DarkPulse, October 28 2012 - 01:25 PM.

[3Jane]

Funny discussion. D20.. lol man. always win in 1v1 nice man. You must have sick stats

[Celros]

Assaults are force reckoned indeed, winning one in 1v1 is very tough. Most of time if you dont hit every ace you got youre screwed a pretty much each time you face one (considering if you got any left, HE etc), if you managed survive 1v1 youre a lucky and other is unskilled piloting assault. I also think that SMG needs somekind buff compensate example berserker half armor compared to assault and its unlimited firepower and toughness.

[D20Face]

I'm honestly curious what the appeal of the assault is.

Overheating pretty much doesn't happen in this build, so it's a wasted ability slot.
Both the AR and the SMG have sub-par dps.
The TOW missile is good, but that's all it has going for it.

Berserker/Infiltrator has more damage output and mobility, Brawler/Rocketeer has more health/damage.

Basically the only class that does less damage is the Sharpshooter right now and the other options have advantages in addition to damage.

[Nitris]

Gotta agree with Arsefa-- D20 here.
Infiltrator with a HEAT can obliterate Assaults. Just learn to time your dodges so that you avoid the far more dangerous rockets, rather than the bullets.

Look, the way it is, is that everyone starts off with an 'average' mech, so that they can get the feel for it and decide what they want to do from there.
Be that they decide they want to go faster, they'd look for a lighter mech, or maybe they want to have more staying power in a fight, they would choose a heavy. Maybe they are happy with the mech feel, but want different styles of fighting, like long ranged only so they go sharpshooter and... you get the idea, right_
Assaults are far from the be all end all mech, and if you are good with a particular setup then you will beat the assault most of the time, assuming you are playing to your mech's strengths.

If you are a sniper, you'd better make damn sure you don't let him creep up on you. If you do and you die, its your own fault. Honestly, if you let ANY mech creep up on you, you're most likely dead anyway regardless. Oh and it is still your fault. =P

[FenixStryk]

Vulcan / TOW / Coolant is a very deadly combination (and the Vulcan does benefit from Coolant), but I'm not sure if it is the undisputed best combination ever, especially since it's on a B. The only weapons that aren't performing as well as they should be are (IMO) the Mini-Flak, SMG, EOC Repeater (puck gun), Hellfire Missiles and C's bunker mode. Every other combination does something well.

TL;DR: it's strong, but so is ~everything else.

[KillamriX88]

Honestly, Assault is pretty good and can dominate.

Unless you run into someone who's good with an infiltrator, then good luck hitting anything.
And I was in a match where I quickly learned to fear the sharpshooters. They had two or three on their team and they kicked my ass 9 times out of 10.
It's all about skill. Assault is a very basic aim and shoot class, and people with skill will be able to take extra advantage of the TOW.
But with enough skill, all the classes become deadly, though I've only messed around with Infiltrator and Sharpshooter so far. Infiltrator is really good too. Sharpshooter I know from being killed by it so much is good, but by the time I started using it I was way too tired (it was midnight) to be any good. And I usually suck at sniping anyway.