So after being forced to play Ragnarok for 13th thousandth time, I’m beginning to get tired of the Mantis. And its because the Mantis is a bad fit for the map.
The Mantis is an incredibly strong anti-vehicle and anti-infantry vehicle. The only thing that can really stand against it is the Scorpion (and slightly less so, the Gauss Hog) - it will just shred everything else. So games on Ragnarok become drawn-out games of “Hide from the enemy Mantis” or when both get blown up trekking across the map on foot because the Mantises already took out all the other vehicles.
Its a bad fit for Ragnarok because the map is flat and open with the exception of one large hill in the center to break LoS from base to base. There is very little cover or obstruction on the map, which means players and vehicles have little cover from the Mantis, or room to go around it. The map basically devolves into SPARTAN Laser sniping and Mantis peek-a-boo, over the center hill, which the Mantis is tall enough to peek over, since making a run in a Hog or Ghost or Banshee is suicide if a Mantis is in play.
Shatter is a much better map for the Mantis, because of the plentiful cover and paths, and ability to actually get around the Mantis.
I think that Valhalla would be much better off if it was Mongoose x2 + Ghost + Banshee + Warthog or Mongoose x2 + Ghost + Warthog x2 per base, rather than including the Mantis. The Mantis is really a BTB Heavies or map-specific vehicle.
In my experience, the Mantis is extremely frail and most players take it out with ease. Even piloting the thing for a short while you’ll be lucky if your mech is on fire. I don’t know, it just seems to be made more for defense as being too aggressive can lead to death.
That however, was just my one experience. It’s rather over-centralizing but so was the Banshee in Reach. I remember just sneaking back to the Elite spawn on Flood Gate before the third phase just steal it because that thing determined the game. I guess it’s just one thing to adapt to because i don’t see it being removed from Rag.
If i had a choice though, I’ll take dealing with the Mantis over Gauss Hog and stolen/destroyed in two seconds Scropion on Exile any day.
Valhalla wasn’t a great map anyways. The only notable things were the Banshees and the moment someone got a Splaser (usually 5 secs into the game), they were dead.
Destroying the Mantis does not negate the effect it has on that map, and what is does to other vehicles. The Mantis can very well destroy all of the enemy’s vehicles (other than their Mantis of course) before a player can PP it or destroy it.
And it still doesn’t change the fact that Ragnarok is a bad fit for the Mantis.
> Destroying the Mantis does not negate the effect it has on that map, and what is does to other vehicles. The Mantis can very well destroy all of the enemy’s vehicles (other than their Mantis of course) before a player can PP it or destroy it.
>
> <mark>And it still doesn’t change the fact that Ragnarok is a bad fit for the Mantis.</mark>
Ragnarok wasn’t meant to have anything added other then what was there. Blood Gulch would’ve been a better fit for the Mantis because it wouldn’t be the king of the map. So would Sandtrap or Avalanche. But why, of all the BTB maps ever made, they had to chose one of the worst is beyond me.
> The Mantis is a defense/Anti-vehicle power weapon and it has always been a bad idea to run vehicles while the other team has them in play.
Almost always a bad idea to run vehicles when the other team can destroy them easily. Which is almost always the case with the loadout choices and even more so with PODS/Mantis.
Gulch with Mantis would be…i don’t know. I fear that due to a lack of cover, it’s not going to play well. Lotta open space on that map…
Noo…what I’m saying is that the map topography doesn’t lend itself well to an enjoyable experience when a vehicle like the Mantis is involved. Large, open and mostly flat maps like Ragnarok and Blood Gulch play better when the vehicles are limited to things like Warthogs and Ghosts, with the occasional Banshee or Scorpion/Wraith.
The Mantis is underpowered, just like every other vehicle in this game. All it takes is one guy with a Plasma Pistol, and Plasma Nades to kill every vehicle in the game with no effort.
The worst problems in BTB are Personal Ordinance Sniper Weapons, Active Camouflage, Plasma Pistols, Plasma Grenades and DMR/LR. And it wouldn’t take much to fix, it would actually be most of the same adjustments that would fix 4v4 Infinity Slayer too.
Seriously:
Decrease the DMR’s Fire Rate to equal the BR. Decrease the LR Fire Rate just a little so it’s slightly slower than a BR or DMR.
Remove Plasma Pistols and Boltshots as Loadout weapons, and the ability to choose grenade type. PLEASE. Move Automatics over to Sidearms so a choice still exists and the Magnum isn’t on it’s lonesome.
Take Power Weapons OUT OF Personal Ordinance, Leave Needlers, Grenades, Plasma Pistols, Boltshots, MAYBE SAWs, and Powerups.
Turn Active Camo into a Personal Ordinance Power Up that lasts 30 seconds, and doesn’t fade when you move/scramble radar.
If you have a decent team mantis…mantises…manti? Don’t last very long. I’m just sick of playing the map all together. I want to play more of meltdown and vortex. You know…the maps that arn’t so DMR friendly.
plasma pistols and nades, plus ordnance drops even out btb, I actually enjoy playing it now, people who disagree are likely mad they cant spawnkill with a banshee for the duration of a game anymore.