Hey Gang, lots of great guides in here to read and learn from but I am wondering if there's a guide for prime spots to target on each particular mech to maximize shot damage. I'm graduating past the "reticle's red pull the trigger" mode and want to get specific with my shot placements. What I'm looking for is the prime location on the front of each mech to focus firepower on. Legs have always been a welcome target for me but I don't know if they gain kills quicker than say 3 well placed alpha's in the torso region. Your thoughts and help will be greatly appreciated.

Tig

Hmm... I'm probably not the best person to give advice on this topic, as I am a compulsive side-torso killer. In general, though, unless they have a large or easily hit CT (Daishi, Madcat, Sunder) I tend to try to shoot out a side torso first, preferably the one with the most weapons. For example, several mechs have a two beam slot/two ballistic slot in their right torso (Shadowcat, Thor, Highlander), and so those make good targets. That really only applies to fresh 'mechs, though. If the 'mech has taken any damage to its torso areas already, I usually try to hit the previously damaged area. Also, for 'mechs with easily shot out heads, like a Madcat or Daishi, just aim a little high for that CT shot, and you've got decent chances of a pair of consecutive headshots. If not, their CT will be heavily damaged anyway. If you know someone has weak leg armor, or if their leg is already flashing red, leg them. If you see someone with mostly full torso armor but they're about to lose a weapon from one of their arms, shoot the arm off. The most important thing is basically to aim where they're already hurting the most. Watch carefully for people who don't armor a certain side torso (for example, the torso on the hauptmann that has the missile rack is frequently not used, some people strip significant amounts of armor off of that torso). Black side torsos frequently will give you a kill if you put one or two well-placed shots there (depending on how much you're carrying). Also, if you don't have a mech on your radar, but you see one of its torsos has sparks flying everywhere, shoot that torso! Nearly any weapon will kill a mech at that level of damage. One last thing- if you alpha a side torso when you wanted to hit the CT, don't switch back to the CT, keep shooting the same side torso. Rear torsos and headshots are certainly the quickest way to kill someone, and center torsos are the second quickest (unless they're packing light leg armor), but I just take some perverse pleasure in shooting out side torsos. Not to say that it's terribly slow, it usually doesn't take much longer than a CT kill, plus you get to knock out weapons along the way. It'll just be your own personal preference how you like to blow stuff up. I hope this helps, but there's really no substitution for experimenting with various methods.

Hmm... now that I'm thinking about it, side torsos might actually be just as quick for killing as center torsos. Each side torso has a set amount of internal structure which is not viewed as part of the armor. The center torso is different, because once the armor there is gone, you get the "damage critical" warning, and then they have to shoot through the rest of your internal structure, which is viewed on the health bars as armor (flashing red = actual armor gone). The side torsos also have this internal structure, which is similar to the amount of internal structure on the center torso, except damage will transfer to the center torso even as the internal structure of the side torso is being destroyed. And once the internal structure of the side torso is gone, the mech is dead... Well, I don't know if all of this paragraph is completely accurate, but I think it's pretty close to the actual kill conditions. Anyway, I'll go experiment with it. Or maybe the damage transfer is going to the internal structure of the center torso... that would make sense, because the armor color for the center torso remains the same color even as it goes down from damage transfer. I have a feeling I just stated the completely obvious... Oh well, I really need to stop rambling...

shoot the most damaged torso/leg segment, if you like to brawl the "target under reticule" button is a good friend it wil give you in a snap info about the armor levels of the other mech, and where to shoot instead of cycling through all radar targets.


l

Try to get to know the weapon placement of certain mechs. For example, the Thanatos and the Uller both carry their best weapons in the left arm so often trying to take off that arm will make for an easier fight. If a MKII or a catapault is firing mostly missiles sh0ot the ears off that puppy (aim for their missile racks)! Remember also that any shots that hit the groin/ass will cause CT damage. There's nothing better then killing an assault in a light mech by firing up his butt.

To echo what Dio said, take a look in the Mechlab at the different hardpoint layouts of the mechs. Some chassis have large numbers of weapons located in one specific area of the mech, targeting this area early in a fight can make the return fire you receive much easier to deal with. Also, check out which mechs have Endo-steel internal structure instead of Standard internals. Those with Endo may be easier to kill through the side torsos than the center torso due the higher damage transfer rate of Endo vs. Standard and the generally lower armor capacity of side torsos compared to CTs. This is especially true of mechs like the Thanatos with large side torsos compared to the CT, as ease of hitting an area is also relevant to how fast you can kill. Back-shooting and leg-shooting are always good ideas too.

also, i can never stress this enough to people.


ALWAYS FIRE A TESTING SHOT AT THE LEGS!

if their armour drops a lot then just leg them for being dumb

I ran a test against a full ferro faffy; it takes about 40 more damage to kill it through the side torsos than through the ct (132 damage total on ct (78 armor pts in mechlab), 172 damage total through side torso (72 armor points in mechlab)). 110 damage cleared out the side torso, it took an additional 62 damage to transfer away the 54 points of internal structure from the center torso. So there's an idea of the tradeoff of elimating weapons on the way to a kill compared to going straight for the core.

Versus fresh mechs.

I don't know if this happens in respawn games alot ... but some NR players like removing some armour in the "harder to hit" areas as well or simply removing/shaving armour for the not so commonly shot areas (ie. LT/RT of MC, CT of Thanny etc.).

Sometimes i do get my kills faster this way. Its just a matter of knowing you opponent at times too.

I don't target legs first, except when its a light mech. Most players know how to shave off tolerable armour in there to make it absorb 2+ shots. And the really good players can make one pay for shooting its legs ... that is ... they could still fight while making the legs act as carrots to a donkey.

Versus battered mechs.

Shoot the heavily damaged non-arm portion of the mech for faster kills.

Off-topic

Others (NR POV).

Sometimes taking out an opponent's main gun, opponent's coldest weapon or its last weapon is more beneficial than taking it out completely (may take more shots and more time). Its really a case-to-case basis that one should do during the heat of the battle. What i mean is that taking out an opponent is NOT always the right choice.

Sample scenario of the above.

I help teammate A (medium mech) by taking out an Ares last arm (reducing its damage output considerably). Even if teammate A is overheating badly, lower tonned and about shutdown ... i proceeded to help teammate B (heavy mech) who's against a fairly fresh heavy mech.

What happens is that i saved an extra 6-8 seconds of recycle time to help teammate (i did save teammate in a dire situation (or time crucial save).

I didn't get credited much for kills that game ... but the game isn't just about kills (this is really what i wanted to share).

amen Tam. you said most everything that could be said i believe.

just add one thing from an ex-piggy driver. i put a minimum of 1.9 tons of armor on my legs in assaults. and in anything else i won't go lower than .2 or .3 less than max on the legs (on lights i try to keep it at .2 or .1 less than max).

one way to know where to hit is using the mech itself a few times and seeing where it gets hit and the layout of the armor sections. this helps in targetting, partly, and the other part is just knowing where to hit (target shooting the mech to see where it hits).

an easy way to take out a legged mech is just shooting the legged leg.

but sometimes the blown out torsos on assault mechs just need an alpha or two to take the entire mech out. i find that a much easier way than taking out an almost green CT.

ALWAYS SHOOT THE LEGS!

What Sliv said, followed by a quick kick to the head.

LEGS

Why not just aim for the cockpit? Land pigs beware, this little raven knows where your brain is.

Oxymoron

ox·y·mo·ron

A rhetorical figure in which incongruous or contradictory terms are combined, as in a deafening silence and a mournful optimist.

Light mechs are susceptible to a one shot kill via their left or right torso. 4 larger lasers + 2 heavy large lasers = dead light. Will also leg in one shot.

But, it's ok, because it's a balanced one shot kill or leg.

If the person has TB tags look on there butt. 90% of the time there will be a big bullseye awaiting a good shot.

Small Lasers
Medium Lasers
Large Lasers
Larger Lasers???!!

Darn i read that too ... and i missed it.