Sensors and ambushing

[ARES]

He guys

I saw the under water screen in Criminals sig and wondered about the way the sensors of a mech would/should work. Will we have "godmode" sensors that detect everything in rage, regardless of walls, buildings or water ? And if it is that way, what is the point in ambushing someone, if he can see you no matter where you hide from him. Or will we have sensors that depend on "line of sight" ? So if a target gets behind a hill, you don't have any idea where he will appear next. I myself would prefer the second possibility because it make teamwork and scouting much more worthy.

greez

[Askis]

Afaik, the sensors will be like MW4, "god-mode", but can be switched between active and passive, if you run passive, your detection range is reduced, but you also can't be detected by sensors until you get very close to an enemy.

[IDarkI]

It's been a long time since I've played any of the MW games, but I seem to recall that  the sensors don't detect you if your mech is shut down.

[13th Fear]

Don't forget about tools like bap and ecm which will have an effect.  Mechs give off a huge amount of electrical and other energy sources, so it's not surprising that there would be "god mode" style of sensors at that point.

[Criminal]

Afaik, the sensors will be like MW4, "god-mode", but can be switched between active and passive, if you run passive, your detection range is reduced, but you also can't be detected by sensors until you get very close to an enemy.

This is exactly right. As well as when you are shutdown you are not detected on radar either.

[darktimes]

so basicaly you can stand on a hill and let barrages of missiles fall on the enemy, then switch to passive scanners and run behind the hill, circle them and pop up behind them.

I understood that passive mechs cant be detected untill  they are really close, and passive scanners can scan farther as they can be detected, right?

if someone is scanning active, he wont notice passive mechs who sneak up his back, but he can see any other active mech.

but whats with the scout special scanners? (if there is one. and i forgot the name. )

[Askis]

so basicaly you can stand on a hill and let barrages of missiles fall on the enemy, then switch to passive scanners and run behind the hill, circle them and pop up behind them.

Pretty much.
Or stay passive the whole time, if you have someone to TAG the enemy for you

I understood that passive mechs cant be detected untill  they are really close, and passive scanners can scan farther as they can be detected, right?

I doubt passives can scan farther than they can be detected, probably same range or even less.

[...]
but whats with the scout special scanners? (if there is one. and i forgot the name. )

BAP (Beagle Active Probe), yup should increase both active scan range and the range in which the mech with the BAP picks up passives, so a scout mech should be quite useful to detect passive ambushes early

[darktimes]

so a passive BAP scout can scan further then it can be detected by normal mechs.

I see some great tactics coming.

[Teroh]

so basicaly you can stand on a hill and let barrages of missiles fall on the enemy, then switch to passive scanners and run behind the hill, circle them and pop up behind them.

Pretty much.
Or stay passive the whole time, if you have someone to TAG the enemy for you

I understood that passive mechs cant be detected untill  they are really close, and passive scanners can scan farther as they can be detected, right?

I doubt passives can scan farther than they can be detected, probably same range or even less.

[...]
but whats with the scout special scanners? (if there is one. and i forgot the name. )

BAP (Beagle Active Probe), yup should increase both active scan range and the range in which the mech with the BAP picks up passives, so a scout mech should be quite useful to detect passive ambushes early

Or, you know, you can go with the old fashioned fly-by aerial scan via sensors and visual contact. Can't wait to see how useful that is, seeing as I want to try my hand at aerospace.

[TheANIMAL]

I would mostly rely on visual contact from aerofighters if i could.

[Teroh]

I wouldn't rely on either. Visual might pick up things you won't find on the scanner but your eyes aren't perfect so your scanner might find things you mistake for landscape.

[=KoS=Zeus]

I have a feeling Partisans are going to need to die first, only then can aerospace be safe enough to go active radar and perform recon.

[Lynx]

I think that there should be four levels of sensors.

BAP which can detect mechs at a further distance and gives great weapons lock on but is easily detectable.
Active which is the standard config detects mechs at medium range with decent lock on capabilities but can be detected.
Passive which only detects close mechs has poor lock on but is difficult to detect.
Blacked Out which does not detect anything, has no locking weapons function, but cannot be detected.

It would also be nice to see a sensor package that communicates between teammates.  IE if you have a raven scout mech in your lance, and they are running BAP your sensors get their information even though you may be passive and hard to detect.  The exception would be if you are blacked out where essentially your sensors would be off and therefore not able to communicate with your teammates sensors.

[ARES]

Thanks for the info. I think the passive / shutdown gives us some room for tactical moves. Cant wait to see that "holy shit" face of a clanner that follows the little raven behind a building to finish it off and than notices the raven's lance mates are waiting for him 

[daishicommando]

I enjoy going passive, moving long-distance in a very light mech and targeting enemy profiles against the skyline...but if you get caught by another "sniper" that has a few PPCs you're basically finished. Gotta backdrop yourself with a hill at that point to hide your profile at night. Never really got into ECM and BAP too much, just enjoyed speed and using eyesight, and relying on radar only for mundane surveillance of my rear.