The cone of accuracy is less about hitting or missing your opponent, and more about hitting your opponent in the area where your AC/20 just caved their armor in. I'm excited to see that MW:LL will more or less be supporting the two favored combat tactics of CBT. Shoot and Scoot, and Dig In.
Shoot and Scoot is primarily used when the enemy has dug in, the enemy has superior ranged weapons, and/or the terrain offers no defensive advantage. Primarily used by lighter chassis against heavier ones, shooting and scooting improves your defenses at the cost of accuracy, brings you into range, and hopefully makes the enemy overheat or run out of ammunition so you can dislodge them. If your enemy is faster than you, out ranges you, and has open terrain to keep you at arms length, then hide until a lance mate can help.
Example: Thanatos vs. Timberwolf.
You've got to get the LB-20X, SRMs and Medium Pulse Lasers into range, so concentrate on closing, dodging, torso twisting to spread damage, and get in there. Hopefully the Timberwolf will run out of LRM ammo and then overheat by over using his lasers. Either the Timberwolf will sit tight and hope he's done enough damage to you on the way in to finish you off before you finish him, or you'll displace him. Remember, the T-wolf can also shoot and scoot, so if his back isn't against the wall his superior speed AND range will turn this tactic into a death march for the Thanatos.
Dig In is primarily used in a place with excellent defensive terrain where you have either superior ranged weapons, or, your armor is thick enough to absorb a higher volume of long range weapons than you are firing back. Digging in gives you higher precision to your attacks, but at the cost of defense as you are standing still, this is why it is best used in defensive terrain such as woods, hills, rocky outcroppings, or from high ground. Never Dig In if the enemy out ranges you, instead, hide until a lance mate can help.
Example: Uziel vs. Shadowcat or Awesome vs. Novacat.
In both situations the enemy mechs more or less equal the range of the IS mechs that are dug in. The Uziel is forcing the Shadowcat into a position where it needs to use its speed defensively or it gets hit with deadly accurate PPC fire. Meanwhile, as long as the Scat is moving, its gauss rifle is less accurate. The Uziel need only make sure he doesn't overheat and turn any damaged location away from the Scat to win this fight by destroying the Scat, or running it out of ammunition and forcing it to disengage or charge in close to die.
With the Awesome and Novacat fight, the situation is similar except neither mech is going to run out of ammunition. The Novacat has no reason to close range, but, it can't sit and try to fight a sniper war with the Awesome because the Awesome has cover. This forces the Novacat to move, reducing accuracy, building up heat, and generally frustrating him. Meanwhile, the Awesome is sitting pretty with thick armor, cover, minimal additional heat other than weapon fire, and pinpoint accuracy from standing still. The Novacat should probably reconsider this fight.
