31 replies to this topic

[Vermin]

Since my return to MWO I have heard terrible things about one of my all time favorite weapons. The Particle Projection Cannon. I heard, its not meta.

I should begin by stating that I a twitch type player and that the feat of maintaining a constant beam on a target is basically beyond me (framerate issues), and to those of you who can do it reliably kudos.

I wanted to state why I believe that the PPC is a vital weapon that more players should use.

Knocking out ECM coverage. If all lances have one character dedicated to ECM on one side the game can be fairly rigged even with its limiting 90m range. countering ECM by jamming cancels your ECM, while still preventing the effective use of streak missiles, but you show up on the radar.

Having a PPC on a unit with ECM means that turning off ECM is optional provided the player can hit its target reliably with the beam.

Edited by Vermin, 28 June 2016 - 06:57 PM.

[Aleksandr Sergeyevich Kerensky]

Try a kodiak with 2x guass, 2x erppc

[Vermin]

When it becomes available for c-bills perhaps.

Though the same loadout can be replicated across a few chasis I think. For instance the king crab and direwolf.

I am not suggesting boating PPC's is a good idea either. just that its damage is a secondary side affect of a potent support weapon. from my point of view

Edited by Vermin, 28 June 2016 - 08:14 PM.

[Aleksandr Sergeyevich Kerensky]

The same loadout "can" replicated, but the mech profile is different between the listed mechs. And that is a very important aspect of why the kdk-3 is the best choice. (Along with engine speed... That helps too).

Bj-3 is a pretty good dual ppc poptart platform.

Summoners can be good too for ppc poptarting!

Edited by Aleksandr Sergeyevich Kerensky, 28 June 2016 - 08:30 PM.

[Vermin]

This may seem a bit off topic, but you really made me miss Fafnir for a second there...

http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Fafnir

Pretty sure it's just the Jihad era equipment like heavy large lasers and such that I crave.

Edited by Vermin, 28 June 2016 - 08:49 PM.

[Aleksandr Sergeyevich Kerensky]

Too bad its production date (like you said) is far into the future, so I doubt it will ever graze the mwo battlefields

[Vermin]

2 years ago I said the same about clan tech. heres to hope!

Edited by Vermin, 28 June 2016 - 09:09 PM.

[Vermin]

K, so I checked the books, (total warfare) I think that we are currently straddling the tail end of the clan invasion (3052-3057) and the civil lwar should happen in between that, we just got MASC recently, which is actaually really late, we should already have X-pulse weapons, as the starleague cache (Grey Death Legion and their big library thing) which tipped the war with the clans in some ways as he chose to spread the information instead of suppressing it..

Anyway off topic. that tech should be about current now I think.

The civil war (3062-3067) the era MW4-mercs was in should be soon I believe. I remember there used to be thing were we could check the in game date, but it seems to be gone now.

Edited by Vermin, 28 June 2016 - 09:19 PM.

[MrVei]

a speed buff and the small emp aoe with the trade off of longer cool downs would give ppc/erppc and home again. the longer cool down with off set the heat they pump out, with more speed you are less likely to miss so a longer fallow up shot is not a bad thing.

[Walsung]

i've had far more success with builds based around ac10s then ppc's ROF, no minimal range and heat,heat,heat

[invernomuto]

Check MoltenMetal quad PPCs Marauder 3R. Very extreme but fun build. I like also dual CERPPCS on the timberwolf and dual PPCs for the blackjack 3. PPCs IMHO are viable in PPC quirked mechs (30% increase in velocity or more).

[SlightlyMobileTurret]

Quad PPC on an AWS-88Q runs 20% cooler than on all its competitors. Means something, right? (and has 50% velocity)

Edited by Keshav Murali, 30 June 2016 - 06:16 AM.

[jss78]

I feel like some of the "PPC's are trash" comments are from guys who haven't really tried them after the recent buffs (higher velocity, reduced heat). Or maybe they try to boat a very large number of them when heat does become an issue.

From the angle of a medium jock, I rather like 2xPPC now, with some ML's for backup. Preferably with both substantial velocity quirks and heat quirks. Good platforms include BJ-3 and VND-1AA. Both get +50% velocity and considerable heat quirks.

The only problem is that at least I find it very hard to use PPC's on other 'mechs after getting throughly used to that +50% velocity. I've had to write off PPC's on anything in which the quirk isn't precisely +50%.

[InspectorG]

Using a PPC for anti-ECM is nice but not even remotely important.

If you want ER/PPC use:

Blackjack as a poptart

Nova as a poptart.

Warhawks can 4ERPPC with decent cooling, fire in pairs, or chain. Dont alpha.

PPC are basically dakka that trades some tonnage/space/ammo for way extra heat.

[B0oN]

Summoner, 2ERPPC, TC5 = +60% ERPPC speed via Quirks+TC

[SlightlyMobileTurret]

B0oN, on 03 July 2016 - 09:13 AM, said:

Summoner, 2ERPPC, TC5 = +60% ERPPC speed via Quirks+TC

Build?

Me want!!

[B0oN]

Keshav Murali, on 04 July 2016 - 03:56 AM, said:

Build?

Me want!!

Ultra-straight forward ^^

SMN-Prime right arm (must have been stolen from good old Thor, I mean, with those quirks ´n all)
SMN-D left arm
2 ERPPCs
1x TC MK5
throw in 4 extra DHS

[Requiemking]

The Mist Lynx, despite not possessing any PPC quirks, is actually a surprisingly good platform for the Single ERPPC build. You do need the C variant's left arm, actually just use the C variant. Delightful hijinx await.

[The Basilisk]

There are some very few mechs good with PPCs but due to its low refire rate and still hillarious heat /dps ratio the ppc is gruefully unsuited for brawling and therefore a very situational weapon.

Again the PPC suffers every single possible downside in this game.
-- Projectile travel time (possibly contra canon)
-- High heat
-- low DPS (contra canon)
-- Bad DPS/Heat ratio (contra canon)
-- Bad Weight/DPS ratio (contra canon)
-- large
Only thing in favor of the PPC is its frontload damage and even that turns into a disadvantage when you miss your target. A laser may do at least partial damage a PPC will either hit or miss.

Some Mechs are still quite good with PPCs (yes they are in most situations even better when you drop the PPCs quirks and carry other weapons):

--Hellslinger
--AWS-8Q
--Zeu-6T This mech is soooooo underwhelming cause of its hardpointsplacing
--MAD-3R
--MAL-1P Because I CAN, no realy thats an hillarious build but makes tonns of fun especially when ppl think "huh? Mauler without AC or LRM --> Ignore --> right arm..left arm = 40 dmg pp

-- TDR-5S but never tryed it.
-- Firebrand: Fire in bursts ACs do not have enough ammo for much dps. Use them for aimed shots with your PPCs to take out damaged mechs
-- BL-7-KNT can run PPC but its just a waste.
-- CPLT-K2 run and gun stay amidst your guys and change positions and gun for damaged mechs. AC or Gauss builds are more effectiv though.
-- RFL-5D you can run PPCs here but you may be a bit too slow and honestly its a waste of firepower. 6 meds 2 LPLs and 290xl is way more fun.

There are some lighter mechs with PPC quirks but ... well smaler lighter mechs with that large and inefficient weapons....maybe PXH-1B as jumpsniper with ECM or this one Cicada with ppc...maaaayyyyybe BJ3. For the Lulz: Urbanmech with PPC..take your pick either with energy cooldown or range, or the good old PPC spider.

Edited by The Basilisk, 04 July 2016 - 06:10 AM.

[InspectorG]

B0oN, on 04 July 2016 - 05:35 AM, said:

Ultra-straight forward ^^

SMN-Prime right arm (must have been stolen from good old Thor, I mean, with those quirks ´n all)
SMN-D left arm
2 ERPPCs
1x TC MK5
throw in 4 extra DHS

Yes.
But i use a TC3 and more DHS.