30 replies to this topic

[LordKnightFandragon]

So all these Dakkawolves, but what about a Dakkahawk?

I have 2 loadouts on my Warhawk im mildly pleased with,

1st is a 2 LPL 2 LL loadout with AMS and max armor.

2nd is 3 ER LL with 3 SRM6+art with max armor

I now have a 3rd mech and wanna make a ballistic based load out, but am unsure just how I wanna make it. I personally dont feel comfortable using these ballistics in this game cuz they seem highly ammo dependant and the Clan cannons are burst fire things....

However, I see a heap of cannon clanners and mechs and figure, its about time I got on the boat and L2P with some cannon loadout. Im bad at Gauss Rifle, with that charge up and all, and Clan ACs seem to have areally long TTK, even in training grounds. I once mounted a Dual UAC20 on my Warhawk and couldnt carry enough ammo to drop the Cataphract and Centurion lol....

Then on the matter of which clan cannons is overall better, is it UAC, AC or LBX?

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...9458bf1eba05905

Edited by LordKnightFandragon, 22 June 2014 - 05:32 PM.

[Wintersdark]

I'm not sure how you managed to not drop two mechs with a uac20 in the testing grounds. You get 140 damage worth of ammo per ton. Be sure to land all the shells in the center torso, don't spread them all over the body of your target (and definitely don't waste them on arms!)


3 tons of ammo per gun is the most I ever carry, and at 450 damage for that autocannon alone that's plenty to kill 2 atlases even with poor aim.

[LordKnightFandragon]

Wintersdark, on 22 June 2014 - 06:04 PM, said:

I'm not sure how you managed to not drop two mechs with a uac20 in the testing grounds. You get 140 damage worth of ammo per ton. Be sure to land all the shells in the center torso, don't spread them all over the body of your target (and definitely don't waste them on arms!)


3 tons of ammo per gun is the most I ever carry, and at 450 damage for that autocannon alone that's plenty to kill 2 atlases even with poor aim.

Well, in TG, I dont just walk up and stand still lol. I try to simulate moving and shooting as best I can. And maybe I did kill more then 2.

UAC20 and just run up and shoot people in the face is the way to go? I know I seem to die quick in CQC fights. Come around the corner, get shaken all over and before I know it all my armor is stripped lol, twisting or not....

[CyborgDragon]

This is the build I've been running on my Warbaby I've had great success with it, it can pump out some insane damage numbers, even in a loss. Unfortunately I never remember to screenshot match results, but I might update with some screens later. For now, the build:

If you manage to run out of that much ammo, you know you've put in some serious work! Have one UAC on group 1, one on group 2 and alternate firing for maximum dakka!
Also his name is Brutus von Dakkanstein, named by my sister

Edit: Smurfy link in case image doesn't load for anyone

Edited by CyborgDragon, 22 June 2014 - 07:18 PM.

[Aleski]

Do you see your Heat Efficiency on your builds? 77%?

With all of that fixed DHS, you have to user lasers. It's the design and the purpose of the Warhawk =)

Edited by Aleski, 24 June 2014 - 03:40 AM.

[CyborgDragon]

I have 3 other Warhawks set up for lasers/PPCs, I should be allowed to dakka at least one of them

[Aleski]

CyborgDragon, on 24 June 2014 - 02:38 AM, said:

I have 3 other Warhawks set up for lasers/PPCs, I should be allowed to dakka at least one of them

That's a good argument =)

You can made a missile boat with the variant with three missile hardpoints!

[reaver13]

Actually for missiles... this:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...2fa34f9744ad1f4

Limited ammo - so save your salvos for <500m - but it absolutely wrecks.

[Wintersdark]

Aleski, on 24 June 2014 - 03:39 AM, said:

That's a good argument =)

You can made a missile boat with the variant with three missile hardpoints!

Or a better one with 4 missile hardpoints. LRM70, 2ERML, 2ERLL, happiness.

[LordKnightFandragon]

Aleski, on 24 June 2014 - 02:23 AM, said:

Do you see your Heat Efficiency on your builds? 77%?

With all of that fixed DHS, you have to user lasers. It's the design and the purpose of the Warhawk =)

Lol that build in the OP was actually just a me randomly messing around in smurfy build. I dont have it and dont use it. CUAC suck....dat jam rate.

[Metus regem]

I ran one in a dual gauss configuration, and what I found is that even with just those two guns, and the rest of my free tonnage going to ammo, save for half a ton, that I used for a cERSL. And many a matches later, I was often just down to that small laser... Never enough ammo.

[LordKnightFandragon]

Metus regem, on 12 December 2014 - 09:28 PM, said:

I ran one in a dual gauss configuration, and what I found is that even with just those two guns, and the rest of my free tonnage going to ammo, save for half a ton, that I used for a cERSL. And many a matches later, I was often just down to that small laser... Never enough ammo.

What you could do wiht the ability to drop out 4t on those locked DHS in the LT...

[Metus regem]

LordKnightFandragon, on 12 December 2014 - 09:32 PM, said:

What you could do wiht the ability to drop out 4t on those locked DHS in the LT...

I know....

[Athousandson]

I actually tried a "dakkahawk" build. WHK-B, 1x cUAC-10 on the left arm with 4 tons of ammo, 3x cMPLs on right arm, 3x cSRM6+As, TC MK I. It does run relatively cool compared to my WKH B with the same configuration, except with 2x cLPLs on left arm. But this mech tends to give really mixed results.

On some matches with a good team that doesn't hold back, I can really tear people up with that cUAC-10. The UAC helps with driving people off, when I start smacking them around a bit with a couple of bursts, people tend to back off. But in some situations in jams up and I can only rely on my 3 MPLs because the SRMs are out of range. That's when I really start taking a beating.

But in other situations, even with all weapons firing, I can still get chewed out pretty quickly, even in a 1 vs 1 brawl. I do admit though, sometimes I tend to stare a bit too long at the enemy in brawls because I keep firing my UAC-10. Otherwise, it does pretty decently in a brawl.

On the whole, a single ballistic build with a UAC-10 seems really situational and highly dependent on your team mates to soak up some of the damage. On good days with some luck and positioning it can really wreck everything. I've done up to 1k damage with this, firing off all my ammo. But on other days I just lose my torsi really fast.

I also tried a double UAC-10 with 2 SRM6s, which seemed even worse because there were times when both guns jammed and I was just floundering around unable to do anything. So yea, I guess that's what I've experienced with these builds.

[Wintersdark]

Well, there are a couple things in play here.

• First, Warhawks are poor brawlers, due to their freaking enormous side torsos. They're very easy to rip off. They're great lancers, though, given some range and opportunity to fire.
  
• Clan ballistics are pretty bad at best. I hate this, as I love them and spend a lot of time trying to make them work, but the reality is they're just not that great.
  
• Warhawks struggle to get crit slots and tonnage for ammo, and they've got a ton of hardwired DHS. This pushes them heavily in favour of just running more energy weapons.
  
• Running a single ballistic in your RA eats too much space and tonnage, unless it's a small ballistic in which case it eats too much hardpoint potential leaving you rather poorly armed. It's not as bad in your LA, as you can still add an Energy hardpoint, but not good either.

You can make it "work", that is, be successful with it, at some levels of play, but that doesn't make it good.

About the only "good" ballistic options I've seen to date is the sniper warhawk, mounting a Gauss + 2 ERPPC/LPL/ERLL, possibly with SRM backup. This, because you can stay at range and hammer away making use of those hardwired DHS.

But up close? As much as I love CUAC10's (and CAC10's, actually, they don't have the same stats - a CAC10 is actually 2/3rds the heat) the warhawk isn't a very good platform for them.

[Athousandson]

Can't deny that. I wish they made some quirks to at least buff up the side torsi of the warhawks. Otherwise, I can't really find a clan assault that has the mobility of a warhawk. Ah well..

[Wintersdark]

Athousandson, on 04 January 2015 - 08:59 AM, said:

Can't deny that. I wish they made some quirks to at least buff up the side torsi of the warhawks. Otherwise, I can't really find a clan assault that has the mobility of a warhawk. Ah well..

Well, the Gargoyle does. But... lol. Gargoyle.

[Chagatay]

LordKnightFandragon, on 22 June 2014 - 05:25 PM, said:

snip

I have thought about this alot. The warhawk platform doesn't really lend itself to such an arrangement with hardpoints/tonnage*. I mean single gauss is ok but it really doesn't do dual gauss well. A single big ballistic is ok combined with large energy weapons for either snipey or brawly sort of builds.

The warhawk with all those fixed heatsinks just screams put some high energy weapons on me.

*In fact, I think the only solid ballistics platform for clans is the direwhale. Shocking when you think about it.

Edited by Chagatay, 04 January 2015 - 09:13 AM.

[Wintersdark]

Chagatay, on 04 January 2015 - 09:12 AM, said:

I have thought about this alot. The warhawk platform doesn't really lend itself to such an arrangement with hardpoints/tonnage*. I mean single gauss is ok but it really doesn't do dual gauss well. A single big ballistic is ok combined with large energy weapons for either snipey or brawly sort of builds.

The warhawk with all those fixed heatsinks just screams put some high energy weapons on me.

Hence gauss+erppc/lpl/erll.

Quote

*In fact, I think the only solid ballistics platform for clans is the direwhale. Shocking when you think about it.

Sad, really: The Direwhale is also one of the worst mechs to bring to CW. As such, yay, laser vomit all the things.

[Athousandson]

Well yea I do have a warhawk that runs 2 LPLs, 3 MPLs and 3x SRM6s for legging lights. It puts out a lot of damage but it just doesn't "feel" that good..