30 replies to this topic

[vettie]

As the title say

How to play the Mad Dogs or what tactics to use with them? Seem mushy, die easy


Ideas, or hints pls?

[TercieI]

vettie, on 12 July 2016 - 12:39 PM, said:

As the title say

How to play the Mad Dogs or what tactics to use with them? Seem mushy, die easy


Ideas, or hints pls?

Two real options: SRMs and very careful engagement selection or SSRMs and fringe-picking/devastating anything under 50 tons.

It's also probably the best LRM boat in the game with some combination of 5s and 10s, using its mobility to play in the 300-400M range. But, LRMs, ick.

[B L O O D W I T C H]

TercieI, on 13 July 2016 - 01:57 PM, said:

Two real options: SRMs and very careful engagement selection or SSRMs and fringe-picking/devastating anything under 50 tons.

It's also probably the best LRM boat in the game with some combination of 5s and 10s, using its mobility to play in the 300-400M range. But, LRMs, ick.

Dual UAC 10 with AC sidetorsos (those w/o hardpoints for durability).

or 4 laser (small/med/small pulse) + tag + narc + bap + 5 lrm 5 (i play it with lrm 5 cooldown for a constant streak of lrm and enhanced narc mod) just make sure you stick the narc to the top right missile hardpoint (2nd to load into the omnipod in the mechlab) If the narc pops you still have the bap or the tag in the left arm (the one with 3 energy hardpoints).

Edited by Toha Heavy Industries, 13 July 2016 - 02:08 PM.

[Kimberm1911]

I love the Mad Dog. It's probably my favorite mech to play at the moment. However, it requires very careful engagements, and the realization that you are very squishy. You need to play around your team, and realize that disengaging and re-positioning is the main tactic of the Mad Dog. It may look like a brawler with those SRM's, but it's not. It's a striker/skirmisher at its core, and if you play it like that, you'll do well.

In terms of builds, 6 S-SRM 6's and 3 small lasers is devastating to light mechs, and mediums, and is incredibly fun to play. If you are playing with your team, you can even be effective for stripping armor off of heavier mechs, and annoying them while your more direct fire oriented team mates finish them off. Despite being spread damage, that 72 point alpha strike is nothing to sneeze at. Keep in mind, it has a LONG cooldown, and the build is not as easy to play as you would first think. Being aware of what you are doing, and where you are relative to your team is paramount. If spend the fight stripping down the enemies armor, and playing with your team, you'll do well. However, if you get caught on your own early on, by anything uninjured and bigger then a Cent, you're going to have a problem.

Another build is the traditional SRM 6+ Artemis build +4 small lasers. This build trades the longer range and 100% hit rate of the streaks for the ability to punch a whole in the front armor of an atlas in an alpha and a half. As I said before, you have to play it like a striker. Find a distracted enemy, swallow the ghost heat and alpha. You'll get at least two alphas with ghost heat, and then you can re-position with that pretty good top speed. It is a squishy mech if you compare it to the atlas, but if you twist and stay on the outer edge of the fight, it can last a while. Simply put, when utilized as a skirmisher, fighting one off engagements and re-positioning, it works fantastically, and doesn't die quick. You have to think of the Mad Dog as a fat medium mech rather then a skinny medium mech. It's like the Cicada of Heavy mechs.

The last very effective Mad Dog build is the 6 LRM 5+Artemis+4 ERM lasers build. I don't like LRM's but if those are your thing, the Mad Dog can do them well. The sheer amount of LUMAGGEDON you can unleash with that many launchers is incredible, and it has real weapons and a good deal of heat sinks to back it up. Sure, you're only packing 1,300 LRM's, but that's plenty. (If I see one more LRM'er bring 2,400 rounds of LRM's I'm going to scream. That's too much ammo. You could drop 4 tons for 4 Mediums or 2 Medium Pulse Lasers.) It has the speed to engage at mid range, and reposition when things get too hot. In addition, its for ERM lasers have an effective range of 450 meters, which at 28 damage is very nice damage. I do not include tag in this build because I don't like it. It has a CAP in it to counter ECM, but I find the tag unnecessary. You don't need tag because you have real weapons.

Anyways, I've mastered the Mad Dogs, and I love the mech, so I thought I'd just share my opinions on them. It's one of the mechs I've broken 1,000 damage on, more than once, and it's one of those mechs that is just incredibly fun to play. Some people say it's sub-par, but I just think those are the meta-wh*re LPL freaks who don't want to play anything other than their Timber Wolves and Ebon Jaguars. *End Rant.

Peace, and have fun.

Edited by Kimberm1911, 18 July 2016 - 08:20 PM.

[Old Lancer]

Slap on twin uac10 and fire away if you have decent gunnery.
If not, streaks and lrm are the only choices.

[krevLL]

Kimberm1911 nailed it on the head. Avoid 1v1s, even with a "brawl" build a MDD is going to do the most help as a support mech, whether it's LRM support from the sidelines (not too far or lights/shadow cats will wreck you some), SRM+A support during the brawls or SSRM support for keeping fast movers away from the assaults.

Mad Dogs are super squishy. Really easy to isolate torsos and neuter if you get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Don't lone-wolf, and unless you have to (bunch of wussies on your team or sharing damage) don't be right up front.

Also, when you're in a Mad Dog, it's super satisfying to kill other Mad Dogs. Probably true for any mech killing the same mech, but I only have 4 MDDs and 1 lone TBR in my mech bay. GLHF

[l42yb0y]

KrevLL and Kimberm1911 did a great job answering.

I also enjoy the MDD. I play 6 srm+a max ammo in a prime torso because of the extra 15 degree pitch. With that you can shoot targets e.g. in Canyon and Crimson who are below or above you and some of them with torso mounted weapons cannot even shoot back.

[PaquIS]

Old Lancer, on 19 July 2016 - 12:18 AM, said:

Slap on twin uac10 and fire away if you have decent gunnery.
If not, streaks and lrm are the only choices.

Streaks and LRM's as only choises? What about the 6xSRM6+A which melts assaults fast?

My favourite build for the Mad Dog is 6xSRM4 + UAC10. You can do some side poking and deal decent damage at around 500 meter range with the UAC10 while still having very good punch for any brawling situations from the SRM's.

[Crow Splat]

I love the MDD. Got it elited, working on master now.

I play it like it's inner sphere namesake, a vulture. Hang around the outskirts of an engagement and go after the weak and wounded.

It has paper armor so a brawl isn't where you need to be, but it has good enough speed that you can get away with diving at mechs that isolate themselves from their team.

I Have a bit more of a generalist build that I run. I don't recommend it as the be-all-end-all but it works for me. I just had my best game with it with 633 damage. Top on my team was 634 and only one person on the other team beat that with ~700.

One of the best things you can do to help be successful is to be near something that looks more threatening than you, then back stab whoever starts shooting your buddy.

[krevLL]

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...5e218e5d7b7289c

This is what I'm running almost exclusively for this World leaderboard. My 15 game average is 443 damage, highest three games are 899, 778, and 518 damage. I have all the SRM4s and the LBX tied into one group, while another group runs the SRMs on chain fire, which never stops like the LRM5s.

Speaking of LRM5s, highest total damage for me in this event is 911 in my 6xLRM5 build.

[ImperialKnight]

vettie, on 12 July 2016 - 12:39 PM, said:

As the title say

How to play the Mad Dogs or what tactics to use with them? Seem mushy, die easy


Ideas, or hints pls?

play like a ninja. a MDD is a 65 tonner, it's going to be squishy, especially the large side torso.

I run 4xSRM6+A and 5xSLas. SRMs to tear through armour and SLas for the surgical finish

[Coffee Black]

hmm

Edited by Soundwave Rune, 23 August 2016 - 09:51 PM.

[FuhNuGi]

Nice quirks on some bodies can work with you to apply bonuses to your style of play...

Pump the armor, remember with this mech to move and change firing position often... sit in one spot too long and someone will find an angle on you, armor is not thick... good omni builds let you find a balance of hardpoints to suit you, including AMS on one, so you can carry a variety of weapons.

Do not play it like an assault or light mech. Think like a medium with a survivability factor, do not be fooled by that heavy classification into brawling up front... support mech, team contributor, fun ride.

[Moira]

krevLL, on 21 August 2016 - 07:18 PM, said:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...5e218e5d7b7289c

This is what I'm running almost exclusively for this World leaderboard. My 15 game average is 443 damage, highest three games are 899, 778, and 518 damage. I have all the SRM4s and the LBX tied into one group, while another group runs the SRMs on chain fire, which never stops like the LRM5s.

Speaking of LRM5s, highest total damage for me in this event is 911 in my 6xLRM5 build.

Hello.

6x LRM5 with Target Decay + LRM5 CDR mod, Radar Derp and Tag+SL's (I have c-probe there too) maxed armor (note no Artemis) 700 Damage is easy and 1k aint so rare. But the play style of this non stop running LRM MDD aint easy I could say. Like other mentioned earlier MDD is really paper mech and you need to be really carefull since rarely you can just sit and shoot missiles.

[maimaimi]

you could run LRMx100 mad dog by stripping out all the armor, you get 1200 missiles so if you are good(lucky) 12 shots 12 kills

personally i prefer using 4xLRM10 with the AMS torso and a mix of guns to preference

mad dog is a very classic mech, you LRM first, then TAG/LRM, then go in with lasers

Edited by maimaimi, 16 September 2016 - 09:02 PM.

[Firewing2]

I picked up the Mad Dog as my first Mech, since I was such a fan of it back in MW2 for reasons I don't remember... That said, I constantly catch flak from people for running a LRM boat. To be fair, I don't play it as a pure LRM boat.

I run 2xLRM 20s + Artemis, because I'm a traditionalist and bought it with my Cadet bonus before I knew about efficiencies. I also run 2 ER large lasers and Tag. It is funny to watch a light or a medium try to bum rush me because they assume I'm just a an LRM boat and take a pair or lasers to the face, followed by fast locking LRMs with the TAG, if they're far enough... Or if they've already taken some core damage...

That said, I'm very squishy... I routinely get picked off by lights or mediums that out flank our firing line since I front load most of my armor and all my weapons have long cool down...

I get the most mileage (reliably 500-600 damage, which I consider respectable as a newblette in a PUG) if I stick to the second row and wait for the brawl to begin. I can poke a bit with the large lasers and LRMs, but usually, unless we have an adventurous light on the team, I lose lock before the missiles impact (still saving up for that Target Decay module which will make all the difference). Also, since the Armor isn't great for a Heavy, I don't do well in trades at long range, even with my lasers, though the LRMs + Artemis + TAG mean I lock on fast enough that I can shoo back AC mechs at range pretty quickly, if they think they can trade against my lasers.

Once my team wades in, the locks become reliable and I can drop for days. The large laser and TAG are also much more effective when mechs are distracted by something big in their face. I can snipe at components, keep them locked, and contribute to the brawl with a lot of scattered damage. I don't get a lot of kills, or a lot of KMDD for that matter, but 600 damage is not nothing, even if no one on your team will acknowledge you contributed because... LURMs...

Like I said, this strategy is fairly team/map/situationally dependent, but then everything is in a PUG, right? If your lights run off light idiots and get murdered, and suddenly you're swarming in Hunchbacks in your flanks, there aren't a lot of builds that will save you, especially if, like me, you're not great at defensive piloting (turn torso, turn! Oh god, I don't have a shielding side..) But I also find running a build that encourages me to stay back does wonders for my survivability (the fastest way to die in this mech is to face tank anything over 35 tons...) As long as I stay patient, wait for locks (god, having a headset and people who know how to call locks is amazing) I can do tons of damage, and often times well before the brawl starts. With a good spotter, nothing beats LRMs at poking, over time, especially once you learn what cover you can and can't shoot over. (LOL, good luck hill humping on Polar Highlands...)

Again, no one will thank you, and some will actively mock your LRMs, but they won't complain that I got that Kodiak down to 85% before it got it's first shot off...

The other tactic I use, espcially in poke fights in areas with good cover, is flanking runs. This is VERY risky, since you're just begging for a medium or a light wolf pack to pounce on you, but if you follow your lights around, wait for them to get stuck in and tie up the enemy lights, you've got the range to step out, TAG something focused on the forward poking, and launch on them, following up with the Large Lasers for good measure, that ducking into cover and re-positioning once they figure out where you are. With any luck, if they're trading, they may not notice they're getting hit in the side until after a second burst, and I clip arms all the time at range (not great at shooting legs on a moving mech at 700 m yet).

Just remember, you need to move when you see something spot you. You CANNOT take UAC/5s to the face for long, and it's not worth trying unless you know your Large Lasers will finish that CT off with one shot. And know that the minute you hit them in the side, they'll tell something fast to try to run you down, so unless you've got very good light/medium support, it's probably time to make a break for it.

Also, remember, TAG cancels ECM, which is, in my opinion, one of the most useful abilities in the game. And if someone is dumb enough to run through the open, you can drop a lot of hurt on it in a short amount of time...

And I just find it fun. Enough direct fire to not feel completely out of the fight, enough speed to keep up with the group, and maneuver as needed, and LOTS of missiles, because I want to, and Damage Done equals C-Bills in the bank!

Edit: Oh, and when I get tired of lights taking me down while I'm trying to lock something, I switch out for my Streak Dog. 6 SSRM 6s will ruin a Locust's day, and your team actually WILL thank you for protecting their flanks and rears from harassment. Once the brawl starts, you can situationally smash even Assaults if they're distracted by something bigger, or write you off as LURM boat in the brawl. 72 damage, even scattered, hurts. But unless they're tied up, you're going to be one very squishy target at 300-360 meters, and you CANNOT take fire from any decent Assault for more than 5 seconds.

And yeah, it's really fun watching an Arctic Cheetah dash at you, shooting small lasers, then IMMEDIATELY think better of it as soon as the first strike hits him... Usually, he has just enough time to jump or try to change direction before the second salvo, and that's usually all I need to finish him off, or cripple him.

I also run the two Gauss variant (got my elite tier unlocked finally) more or less stock (think I pack some extra ammo?) With the right position I can snipe at 1000+m pretty effectively, and I'll trade all day against PPCs at that distance. You gotta get good at leading your target but I get a ridiculous number of Component Destroyed (my record in 18 in one FW match, which ain't bad for 50 rounds of ammo) especially when I have elevated position over a brawl.

The poke is hard, since you have to get WAY up there for your guns to clear a hill. But if they're distracted and you can sit there and shoot at them all day (or you just catch them by surprise) 2 gauss will do some serious damage to a single location, and your brawlly team mates can appreciate a CT that's take 2-6 gauss rounds before getting into range...

Just know, if you get anything close, you're gonna die... you've got nothing to protect yourself up close.

Although, I did enjoy the locust who rushed me, running laps around me before headbutting me, who caught with 2 gauss to the cockpit and blew him away. Moments like that, and the 1200m rear armor CT kill on a retreating Assault mech make that a rewarding build to play.

Edited by Firewing2, 19 September 2016 - 11:35 AM.

[Black Lanner]

I think the Night Gry D (as in DOOM!) is about to boot the MDD from it's place as the best LRM boat... Just Saying... 4 ALRM 20s, an ERML, and a ERLL...

[Iron Mercer]

I've run several variants and different loads over the years and as most have said a mix of lasers and LRMs/SRMs is pretty normal. However, I dumped all my lasers on my favorite one and run six SRM-6 launchers + Artemis. I run 8 tons of ammo, which is plenty, I have never urn out. After that there's only room for 3 tons of double heat sinks. I drop a lot of skill points into the armor tree and about half of the mobility tree. In the weapon tree I pretty much just take the skills needed for the missile quirks. Play this as peek and poke, link 3 missiles for left/right firing and jut blast everyone. Most matches with this are between 500-1K damage done.

[Bigbacon]

the best mad dog is mad dog-c with dual LBX2s....troll away.

if you want to do a LRMdog TAKE NARC. 5xLRM10 + Narc + 2MLs works really well.

[Wulfe09]

vettie, on 12 July 2016 - 12:39 PM, said:

As the title say

How to play the Mad Dogs or what tactics to use with them? Seem mushy, die easy


Ideas, or hints pls?

IS reporting name is all you need to know.

"Vulture" a carrion feeder, an oppurtunistic and lazy predator.

lurk and take any chance to alpha, hide, cool off, rinse and repeat