Welcome to Pilot Training 101.
Here you stand amongst the best of the best, but it can be tough out there on the frontier.
Heed these words well and you'll fare better in action - so join me...
...and prepare for TitanFall.
As a pilot, you represent the vanguard of a fighting force - first on the ground, and
instrumental in action.
It's your job to draw the margins of battle, and you're given the tools you need to get
to the front lines as swiftly as possible.
Your mobility is a key asset, with your limb augmentations and jetpacks granting the means
to outmanoeuvre opponents.
Instead of keeping boots on the ground, the best pilots use this ability to the maximum
extent.
While it can take some practice to master, wallrunning and double jumping can permit
rapid traversal of the battlefield - getting you out of trouble and into an advantageous
position.
Now onto combat - I presume most of you already know how to shoot straight - so I won't insult
you with the absolute basics.
Just make sure you engage targets within your weapon's effective range where possible, and
place your shots accurately to quickly down foes.
Most important is to know what you're facing: there are several different classes of opponent
that you'll encounter, and each offers a substantially different level of threat.
Bottom of the pile are the grunts: common or garden meatheads who form the bulk of a
fighting force, if only through numbers alone.
They lack your training, your equipment and your resources - but they will still shoot
in your general direction if you give them sufficient invitation.
Spectres are a little tougher - re-purposed worker androids afforded some upgrades to
make them more combat effective.
With added armour and equipment at their disposal, these machines might be dim - but can still
pose a threat in larger numbers.
It's worth noting that you can hack enemy spectres: with judicious application of your
dataknife, you'll find yourself some new mechanical allies.
Generally speaking, these enemy minions won't present too much of an issue - but don't let
your guard down, else you might embarrass yourself.
By far the biggest infantry threat you'll face out there are enemy Pilots: these guys
have access to exactly the same perks you do, and it's not likely they'll give you any
quarter in a scrap.
Expect dirty tactics and unchecked aggression: the enemy will use every inch of their arsenal
to eliminate you, and you should extend the same courtesy.
Be warned that your cloaking ability won't prove effective against them: minions and
titans might be fooled, but pilots have enhanced vision.
Once you've got a bead on your opponent, waste no time in eliminating them: mistake a pilot
for a grunt at your own peril.
Next thing to watch for: the big guys.
Titans.
Don't even think about going toe-to-toe with one of these on foot - your primary arm won't
even make it through their shields.
Instead, use your Anti-Titan munitions and strike from a covered position - in urban
operations, rooftops can offer a great vantage point.
Otherwise, keep your distance and try to deal as much damage as you can - teamwork is essential
to despatch such enemy threats in as timely manner as possible.
You can leverage your mobility against these leviathans, however - and should the opportunity
present itself, you can hop onto the back of an enemy titan and deal critical damage
to its weak spots.
This is a dangerous move, however - you run the risk of being trampled underfoot, and
you'll be exposed for the duration of your attack.
A savvy Titan pilot will make use of countermeasures to repel you - either deploying electric smoke,
or disembarking to tackle you directly.
It's best to whittle down the Titan's hull as much as possible before hopping aboard
to finish the job.
Once doomed, get back to safety - and keep an eye open for the enemy's resultant ejection.
Now, they don't call you pilots for the fun of it - and when the time is right you'll
get your very own bit of heavy metal to put to task.
Your Titanfall lags behind your insertion, but you can shuffle up the build order by
securing kills.
The most effective pilots are rewarded with faster resource acquisition, and gaining an
early lead can set a precedent for the remainder of a match.
With a titan at your command, you have the ability to sponge an impressive amount of
damage - courtesy of a thick hull and protective shield.
Note that your shields will regenerate - but your hull will not.
It's imperative that you avoid hull damage whenever possible - when your shields are
depleted you will want to retreat from combat until they recharge.
It pays to play conservatively with your Titan - if you're too aggressive you might find
yourself overwhelmed - and when facing heavy firepower without a shield, you're toast.
Your job is to ensure the most efficient use of the resources allocated to you - so making
your Titan endure as long as possible is paramount.
The Titan's own AI can handle itself well enough in a fight without your guidance - but
nothing compares to a good pilot at the helm.
The only thing capable of taking down a good Titan pilot is multiple enemy Titans: when
you're outnumbered, you'll be at a huge disadvantage.
When facing 2 or more opponents, discretion is the better part of valour - instead of
offering yourself up for slaughter, lead bloodthirsty foes towards areas your team controls.
It's best to stick close to friendly titans where possible as you'll multiply your effectiveness
- under constant assault, enemy shields won't last long - and even defensive countermeasures
like the vortex shield are only partially effective against a two-pronged assault.
With caution and the support of allies, you can survive wave after wave of enemy titans
- but beware, as lone rival pilots can pose a more insidious threat.
Keep an eye out for enemy lock notifications - these will give you a rough idea of where
an enemy is firing from - and use your titan's dash ability to quickly get behind cover if
you can.
Even more dangerous are enemy pilots at a close range - while you can trample them on
the ground, if they jump on your back they'll start to chip away at your hull very quickly
indeed.
Eventually, under enough fire, your hull will degrade to a critical level and your titan
will enter a doomed state.
At this point, it's time for you to make an exit.
Take your time for revenge if you must - but don't linger too long else you'll go down
with your ship.
Eject before it's too late and you'll be flung skyward for a better view of the situation
below - at this point it's wise to either plan a hasty escape, or attempt to land on
an enemy titan for rodeo revenge.
Remember - as well as your titan, you yourself are an asset, so don't go throwing your life
away recklessly.
Play your cards right and you'll gain an edge over your opponent - and keep up the pressure
to further exert your dominance and make 'em bleed.
Combat winds up when one side has incurred sufficient losses - prompting a retreat, and
an evacuation order for all units left on the field.
To the victor, the spoils: and the only remaining job is to clean up.
Keep an eye out for pilots en route to evac - they might be too focussed on making their
dropship to put up much of a fight.
Once their ride arrives, if your team has sufficient firepower you can destroy the enemy's
means of escape - but this will need co-ordinated fire from multiple titans.
If, however, you find yourself on the losing side - you'll want to turn tail and flee.
Move swiftly else you'll miss your ride - but beware enemy ambush, as they will be out to
stop you.
If you can secure the evac zone and board the dropship - you may just live to fight
another day.
Thus concludes your preliminary training - we'll be going into much greater depth over the
next coming weeks, so make sure you're present for that.
Thank you very much for watching, and until next time - farewell.