Battletech Tactics Guide: Interdiction

  • We have updated our Community Code of Conduct. Please read through the new rules for the forum that are an integral part of Paradox Interactive’s User Agreement.

Edmon

TheEdmon on YouTube
34 Badges
Jul 11, 2014
2.474
2.984
  • Surviving Mars
  • Hearts of Iron IV Sign-up
  • Stellaris Sign-up
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Cadet
  • Hearts of Iron IV: Colonel
  • Europa Universalis IV: Rights of Man
  • Steel Division: Normandy 44
  • Europa Universalis IV: Mandate of Heaven
  • BATTLETECH
  • Stellaris
  • Shadowrun Returns
  • Shadowrun: Dragonfall
  • Shadowrun: Hong Kong
  • BATTLETECH: Flashpoint
  • BATTLETECH: Season pass
  • BATTLETECH: Heavy Metal
  • Crusader Kings III
  • Victoria 2: A House Divided
  • Europa Universalis IV: Art of War
  • Europa Universalis IV: Conquest of Paradise
  • Europa Universalis IV: Wealth of Nations
  • Europa Universalis IV: Call to arms event
  • Magicka
  • Europa Universalis IV: Res Publica
  • Victoria: Revolutions
  • Victoria 2
  • Europa Universalis IV
  • Victoria 2: Heart of Darkness
  • Cities: Skylines
  • Europa Universalis IV: El Dorado
  • Pillars of Eternity
  • Europa Universalis IV: Common Sense
  • Europa Universalis IV: Cossacks
  • Europa Universalis IV: Mare Nostrum
In this tactics guide, we talk about interdiction (or double envelopment depending on who you ask!), a strategy of surrounding a slower enemy and hitting them from all directions. Usually effective when you are faster or have greater numbers.


In the example battle, we show a fully armoured mixed heavy/assault lance that 4 lights can not only hurt them, but demolish them in record time.
 
Hello Edmon,

I just saw your video. Very impressive! Thank you for sharing.

A few questions if I may:
- Was that Battletech vanilla or did you use mods?
- Does this strategy work also with other lights apart from the modified Firestarter trio?
- Do you use a specific pilot skill setup?
- Do you use specific support equipment to improve evasion?
- Do you sometimes have the AI react with melee attacks and sensor lock?
- How does it look with engagements when you trigger the reinforcements or with turrets in the mix?

Thanks in advance!
 
Hello Edmon,

I just saw your video. Very impressive! Thank you for sharing.

A few questions if I may:
- Was that Battletech vanilla or did you use mods?
- Does this strategy work also with other lights apart from the modified Firestarter trio?
- Do you use a specific pilot skill setup?
- Do you use specific support equipment to improve evasion?
- Do you sometimes have the AI react with melee attacks and sensor lock?
- How does it look with engagements when you trigger the reinforcements or with turrets in the mix?

Thanks in advance!

1) Basegame.
2) Yes, and one of the mech's is a javelin. I just happen to have 3 firestarters in my campaign. Plus the Panther and raven are banned (and the Panther maybe slightly too slow for this). You would ideally want lots of +damage weapons, but I have found incredibly few in my campaign so far.
3) Yes, sure footing and ace piloting are manditory. No other T1 skill is really useful for a light in a light lance, so I went for bulwark as well.
4) I have only +1 defensive gyros on these at this moment, you can find quantities of these in many stores. Obviously, it would be better with +2 or +3 versions but those are rare.
5) Yes, I believe I said "I am worried the victor may get fighty". However, I appeared to be out of range for it. The A.I. will melee quite often now, if it can't hit or does not have weapons.
6) There are lots of missions like this in my "There are four lights" campaign. If you'd like to see how those missions are handled, please tune in :).
 
Great guide, I use this all the time for salvage picking on the last one or two units in a match. The notes about only moving the vulnerable units is also an incredibly important part of the play. You forgot to mention that you knew what order the AI was going to move the units in Phase 4 and that's another very critical trick to know as you can better judge when to move or hold a vulnerable unit based on which enemy you know will move next.
 
Great guide, I use this all the time for salvage picking on the last one or two units in a match. The notes about only moving the vulnerable units is also an incredibly important part of the play. You forgot to mention that you knew what order the AI was going to move the units in Phase 4 and that's another very critical trick to know as you can better judge when to move or hold a vulnerable unit based on which enemy you know will move next.

Thanks :). Glad you enjoyed it :).
 
1) Basegame.
2) Yes, and one of the mech's is a javelin. I just happen to have 3 firestarters in my campaign. Plus the Panther and raven are banned (and the Panther maybe slightly too slow for this). You would ideally want lots of +damage weapons, but I have found incredibly few in my campaign so far.
3) Yes, sure footing and ace piloting are manditory. No other T1 skill is really useful for a light in a light lance, so I went for bulwark as well.
4) I have only +1 defensive gyros on these at this moment, you can find quantities of these in many stores. Obviously, it would be better with +2 or +3 versions but those are rare.
5) Yes, I believe I said "I am worried the victor may get fighty". However, I appeared to be out of range for it. The A.I. will melee quite often now, if it can't hit or does not have weapons.
6) There are lots of missions like this in my "There are four lights" campaign. If you'd like to see how those missions are handled, please tune in :).
I'm curious why you banned the Panther? You inspired me to try playing with all lights and so far it's been a fun challenge. My mech bay however includes three panthers and I usually take two on most missions.
 
I'm curious why you banned the Panther? You inspired me to try playing with all lights and so far it's been a fun challenge. My mech bay however includes three panthers and I usually take two on most missions.

In my Furypoint campaign, I used a team of Panthers to wipe out vast amounts of enemies, as I was on 8 parts per mech and genuinely couldn't field anything better for a very long time. Having seen that, my supporters proposed banning the Panther because "It would be too easy otherwise".

I also banned the Raven because that thing is god mode.
 
In my Furypoint campaign, I used a team of Panthers to wipe out vast amounts of enemies, as I was on 8 parts per mech and genuinely couldn't field anything better for a very long time. Having seen that, my supporters proposed banning the Panther because "It would be too easy otherwise".

I also banned the Raven because that thing is god mode.
Oh, ok. Definitely wouldn't want your four lights campaign to be too easy. Good call on the Raven. That would actually make playing with four lights too easy.