19 replies to this topic

[King Arthur IV]

*Please note this is my most preferred way to play this Variant. I will have other Awesome that fulfill other roles. The potential of all Awesome will not be felt until you have achieved double basic efficiency.


My Builds:
(Click the links)
Favorite build (60LRM)
2nd option
3rd option

The AWS-8R in my opinion is currently one of the best LRM boats in the game because it can fire 60 lrms in one salvo and mount a tag in the arm.

Understanding the build:
---This build does not carry a extreme amount of ammo but it is not needed if you play correctly. Utilizing TAG and line of sight are crucial to acquiring the bonuses from tag and Artemis.

---This build will reach heat threshold with in 2-3 alphas but that is all that is needed to take down atlas if you have your tag on.

---Having tag in the arm means you can aim faster, higher, lower and wider then if you had it in the head.

---BAP is optional, currently the only reason I would run it is if I'm afraid of a ecm light jamming me. if you do not equip it, it will free up 2 tons (with a bit of armor adjustments)

---Only chain fire to reduce heat and keep missiles in the air, otherwise cool off and fire that alpha. Missile do not hit Fast moving object well.

---no ams, take it like a man.


Tips and Tricks:
---Primary targets listed in descending order: Slow Mechs you have line of sight on, Atlas DDC, your teams designated focus.

---Suppressing fire or focus fire? this is your call, you have the damage to kill anyone if you have line of sight. suppress to keep your team safe and potentially get a kill or focus so your team can move on to the next target faster.

---You will win a LRM face off because you can get your missiles out faster, so never back down if you don't have to.

---Ignoring lights is the best thing you can do for your team. Missiles currently don’t hit small moving targets well even if you have LOS. If you must shoot at one, chain fire your LRMs because you will have 4 chances to hit the light if it randomly slows down.
If a light is harassing you, torso twist as much as you can while trying to keep tag on another mech. A light will not kill you instantly if you keep moving and you can still kill other mechs while its wasting its time on you.

---learn to use the arm tag and wide torso twist to your advantage. Ducking in and out of cover while maintaining lock with your arm is something you need to master.

---Firing from 200-600 meter range is most effective because of the short travel time and you are making use of tag.

--- I can not stress how important Line of sight is. Positioning yourself and finding the balance between LOS and being too close is something you will gain over time.


How to use arm tag and wide torso twist.
As you can see in the picture; the Awesome can run in the opposite direction while tagging and locking on an enemy. (this can only be done in first person). Running away and tagging is not only good for retreating purposes but also re-positioning while maintaining lock.


3rd person view helps illustrate the Awesome twist range.



Example of Alpha Damage:
1st Alpha on Atlas with LOS


2nd Alpha on Atlas with LOS


Some of my AWS-8R matches:

27/07/14 THIS BUILD IS NO LONGER VIABLE.
I.S. missiles have had multiple nerfs. it take somewhere between 5-7 alpha to core a atlas now.

-AWS-9M guide:

Edited by King Arthur IV, 26 July 2014 - 07:03 AM.

[Vimeous]

Great to see the 8R getting the love it deserves.
I'd like to add my own tactical notes to your great coverage.

- You can run with TAG in the head. This means you can present a much smaller profile to the opposition from behind cover.
- Consider dropping 1t ammo for a second ML. While it removes a lot of damage potential I've found I can still be moderately offensive during the endgame when hopefully I've more armour than everyone else.
- For those with little cash you can run the same build with the std240 engine. However you have to be extremely careful to keep up with your team, preferably in the middle of a group. This allows you to give close fire-support and reduces the risk of being picked off by lights when alone. At only 48kph you really need to stick to your team like glue. For those with a slow 8R on their team - help the 8R - the damage potential is so high it'll make the entire team job much easier.
- Use range and decay modules. You can position your attack better (especially with std240) then once you have lock using TAG or friendly LOS it'll give your missiles that little time extra to hit home even if LOS is lost.
- When selecting fire groups use 2xlrm15 per button. Fire 2 Alphas then switch to alternate single group fire. With the right timing you avoid additional heat penalties but can fire faster than the usual recycle time would allow. It also minimises missiles lost to AMS as you overwhelm those systems.

King Arthur is right to highlight the 8R as probably the best LRM boat in game right now.

Edited by Vimeous, 13 October 2013 - 07:06 AM.

[King Arthur IV]

Spoiler

Vimeous, on 13 October 2013 - 07:05 AM, said:

Great to see the 8R getting the love it deserves.
I'd like to add my own tactical notes to your great coverage.

- You can run with TAG in the head. This means you can present a much smaller profile to the opposition from behind cover.
- Consider dropping 1t ammo for a second ML. While it removes a lot of damage potential I've found I can still be moderately offensive during the endgame when hopefully I've more armour than everyone else.
- For those with little cash you can run the same build with the std240 engine. However you have to be extremely careful to keep up with your team, preferably in the middle of a group. This allows you to give close fire-support and reduces the risk of being picked off by lights when alone. At only 48kph you really need to stick to your team like glue. For those with a slow 8R on their team - help the 8R - the damage potential is so high it'll make the entire team job much easier.
- Use range and decay modules. You can position your attack better (especially with std240) then once you have lock using TAG or friendly LOS it'll give your missiles that little time extra to hit home even if LOS is lost.
- When selecting fire groups use 2xlrm15 per button. Fire 2 Alphas then switch to alternate single group fire. With the right timing you avoid additional heat penalties but can fire faster than the usual recycle time would allow. It also minimises missiles lost to AMS as you overwhelm those systems.

King Arthur is right to highlight the 8R as probably the best LRM boat in game right now.

even i can learn something new! head tag can be used as you have mentioned!!

on another note, one of the onions can run something very similar. LRM50 (one salvo) with tag in the arm. I have a feeling it is on par with the 8R which would free up the assault slot.

[Tekadept]

Yep I run the Orion with lrm50 works a treat

[wintersborn]

Have you played a Stalker LRM boat?

I was very tempted to go Aws Boats but was told you can not carry enough ammo for 12 mans and die much faster than a Stalker.

[Zordicron]

Awesome is more potent, but takes more skill then a stalker for LRM. Some like to split up the LRM salvos for annoy factor on the enemy, I prefer Surpris Splat from 8R. With LRM60 splat, you can one shot smaller mechs stupid enough to slow down or stand still for the pounding. Surprise!

This of course is 100% dependant on hit detection. Bad detection means you will show a high dmg number at match end and assists but little kills, and probably not that much actual contribution to the actual match as the enemy will not suffer the dmg from surprise splat. When detection works, people will nerdrage in chat about it. It is pretty black and white.

[King Arthur IV]

Spoiler

wintersborn, on 13 October 2013 - 05:43 PM, said:

Have you played a Stalker LRM boat?

I was very tempted to go Aws Boats but was told you can not carry enough ammo for 12 mans and die much faster than a Stalker.

I always tell people build a mech to kill 3-5 mechs not 12. Your team needs to pull their own weight and trust me if you can down 2-3 mechs fast you have helped them out tremendously.

The difference in ammo is only about 1-5 tones i think and to be honest with you, its a challenge in any game to get through 1800 (my favorite build).
The people that play LRM boats with over 2000 rounds, are doing it wrong. They tend to sit back and shoot at any red dot they can lock on. they dont make use of LOS so tag and artemis are not in effect and they shoot close to max range. IF this is the way you choose to play, most of your missiles will spread out and miss or just hit terrain because the travel time is so long it will allow any enemy to get into cover.

The stalker is alot more durable due to armor and its design but if you are taking alot of damage, you are most likely out of position as a LRM boat. positioning is a LRM boats best friend, do your best to anticipate the enemy's movements. Do not rely on your team to protect you. If you have been firing under cover the whole time (as mention above) and a enemy sneaks up behind you, it is your own fault. stay on the move, get that LOS and know where the enemy is at.

As i mention before the AWS-8R can face off any lrm boat because i can get missiles in the air faster then anyone else. This statement holds true even against the stalker who needs to fire multiple volleys. in the AWS-8R you only need to hit the first volley where as the stalker has to make sure it can hold lock for the 4-6 volleys it has launched. I can kill faster regardless of my {Scrap} armor.

[King Arthur IV]

Spoiler

Eldagore, on 13 October 2013 - 08:41 PM, said:

Awesome is more potent, but takes more skill then a stalker for LRM. Some like to split up the LRM salvos for annoy factor on the enemy, I prefer Surpris Splat from 8R. With LRM60 splat, you can one shot smaller mechs stupid enough to slow down or stand still for the pounding. Surprise!

This of course is 100% dependant on hit detection. Bad detection means you will show a high dmg number at match end and assists but little kills, and probably not that much actual contribution to the actual match as the enemy will not suffer the dmg from surprise splat. When detection works, people will nerdrage in chat about it. It is pretty black and white.

the 60lrm splat is so satisfying. i can only imagine their reaction when it happens "what happen to half my face??"
every time i watch it hit, it brings a smile to my face because i know they felt it and they also have no idea what happen.

i will confirm basically meds and lights that are standing still for some reason can be one shot, providing you tag them.

[Duncan Longwood]

Very nice write-up of my favorite LRM-boat. This is a great thread for anyone wanting to learn about one of the least-fielded chassis in the game.

[YueFei]

You can also use free-look to put your arm reticle on target to maintain lock while keeping your torso presenting a narrower profile to the enemy. It helps "slim down" the Awesome's wide profile.

That's one of the advantages of having TAG in the arm, instead of the Head. It's a trade-off.

[wintersborn]

I agree 100 percent with the tactic of killing mechs fast rather than lots of assists or forcing cover etc. This is a numbers game, the team with the most mechs and most damage wins, unless its a cap warrior loss.

I also agree with the pick your LOS (Artemis) w/TAG shots in mid pack with as big of a salvo you can. This from my experience has shown a highest kill rate but not the highest damage or assist rate.

I am still trying to experience for myself the idea of larger than one salvo of 15 at a time creates too much spread and a lose of damage and ammo. I have seen that when attacking fast lights smaller salvo'***** more than larger ones do simply from speed and size.

When I had my CAT I would chain fire for lights and alpha for assaults. I would also tap my chain fire with one LRM5/15 salvo to test a mech for target lock retention and AMS on it or others near it.

It still amazes me how many salvo's it takes to kill a spider vs a Atlas. So I may be building a Streak Kintaro just for light defense since my Atlas DC LRM boat seems to be the first mech everyone attacks. The DC either dies very fast or has huge damage and assist potential so I may keep it as a CB earner since they Nerfed that.

Is Smurfy correct about the max engine size and speed? I could swear I have seen a AWS keep up with some lights at 100ish?

[MadMaxMKII]

wintersborn, on 14 October 2013 - 01:01 PM, said:

Is Smurfy correct about the max engine size and speed? I could swear I have seen a AWS keep up with some lights at 100ish?

only pretty baby and the aws 9M get near 100kph

[RavenGenesis]

AWS-8R

using a std 255 to give me more brawling ability, especially in pugs when there's no one to rely on..

sure having a BAP is great, but it wouldn't do any good if there's no weapon to engage it so I chose to drop that over more close range weapons

[dtgamemaster]

Awesome 8R is a favourite of mine to "boat" LRMs.
Some simple notes to be more consistent in more situations.

XL 300 is too heavy. XL280 should be the max
4LRM-15s is totally not optimal. 3LRM-15s are the way to go
Tag in the arm, not in the head(personal preference). Easier to keep tag on moving targets in all possible directions, esp. on uneven terrain.
BAP is a must. It is NOT optional. As simple as that. Just one bloody ecm mech gets near you and your LRMs are useless. Dumb to say the least if that happens. There are also key advantages in being to detect mechs furthur out, and get target locks faster.
One large laser rather than one medium laser. It can work wonders in tight games.
More DHS for SUSTAINED fire(lasers+lrms). there are already problems with 3LRM-15s, what more with 4..

This again is from my extensive battle experience. Up to the reader to test things himself.

Edited by dtgamemaster, 18 October 2013 - 05:58 AM.

[King Arthur IV]

you have basically described my second option build.

bap is optional, as you become more adept in your positioning; you will hardly need it.

[FerrolupisXIII]

I hate seeing these across the field, but they just don't suit my style. i tended to run a Catapult C1 with a big XL and do about 80 around the battlefield. i do agree they can Massacre unprepared enemy mechs though, those 4x 15's all in one volley HURT. Surprise SPLAT indeed.

Positioning is super important in any LRM mech, more so when you lack close combat punch.

BAP is definitely optional. that ECM mech will shut you down on its way to you anyways, and if it engages friendlies it is more than likely to wander into that zone outside of BAP range again. and again. and again. i don't find it worth the 1.5 tons. i curse when i don't have it, and i curse when i do have it because it sucks. P.s. you do not get get target locks faster. you get target INFO faster.

Terrifying build if you are unprepared for it.

[King Arthur IV]

FerrolupisXIII, on 18 October 2013 - 11:13 PM, said:

I hate seeing these across the field, but they just don't suit my style. i tended to run a Catapult C1 with a big XL and do about 80 around the battlefield. i do agree they can Massacre unprepared enemy mechs though, those 4x 15's all in one volley HURT. Surprise SPLAT indeed.

Positioning is super important in any LRM mech, more so when you lack close combat punch.

BAP is definitely optional. that ECM mech will shut you down on its way to you anyways, and if it engages friendlies it is more than likely to wander into that zone outside of BAP range again. and again. and again. i don't find it worth the 1.5 tons. i curse when i don't have it, and i curse when i do have it because it sucks. P.s. you do not get get target locks faster. you get target INFO faster.

Terrifying build if you are unprepared for it.

best against those ddc ecm bubble pushes.

[FerrolupisXIII]

D-DC pilots are hilariously lazy against missile boats. "HAHA you cant lock me! pewpewpew" *tags, locks, wrecks atlas's face*

they're also the easiest to hit with dumb fired missiles, between being lazy and usually slow as all hell. even better when they accuse you of hacking when you kill them.

[King Arthur IV]

sad days so sad.

[Sug]

So old. Much necro. Wow.