13 replies to this topic

[Puerto Rock Punisher]

Hello,

I normally run clanner mechs, but have recently purchased a marauder and have a question about two specific sensors.
I would like to know between the command console and the beagle active probe, which one is better for faster and constant lock on with missile's like the lrm's and ssrm's.
Also, is it better to run them together?

If you know the answer, please leave a comment.

Thanks.

[S 0 L E N Y A]

the command console in general is never worth it. It also does nothing for lock times.

The beagle active probe is a better choice, however it does not reduce lock times.
If you read the description you can see it reduces "targeting time." That is not the same as lock time.
It is referring to the amount of time it takes for you to get the "paper doll" readout (the diagram of an enemy mech that shows their damage and weapons).

That said, beagle is still worthwhile for lock based missile systems on the off chance you have an enemy ECM near you. Without active probe an enemy ECM can jam your sensors making it impossible to fire LRMs or Streaks.

Now if you want something that will positively reduce lock times then you want either a tag laser or artemis.

[martian]

It's nothing wrong with using BAP, if you want it and if you have some spared tonnage. You will get slightly longer sensor range and you will jam enemy ECM suites near you. Enemy paper doll will appear a few moments sooner. BAP will let you target enemy 'Mechs that are powered down in your vicinity.

On the other hand, CC is practically useless for what tonnage it takes.

My only 'Mech with CC is an Assault that hah just one free equipment slot that can't be used for anything else, full armor, the max allowed engine filled with heat sinks and it would be underweight even with the last slot filled. So I wasted those tons on CC that would caught dust in my equipment warehouse otherwise.

If you want something for your LRMs, use TAG. You will get faster locks, higher percent of your missiles will hit and all that for just one ton. And it pierces enemy ECM too, so you can target enemy 'Mechs that would be untargettable otherwise.

Edited by martian, 23 October 2016 - 01:29 AM.

[mailin]

BAP will also allow you to lock on to enemy UAVs if you are within the BAP range.

[TercieI]

Never run command console.
Run BAP if you have locking missiles (this shouldn't really come up on the IS side though).

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

Puerto Rock Punisher, on 23 October 2016 - 12:18 AM, said:

Also, is it better to run them together?

I have one mech out of hundred that actually fields both and that is an ER-large laser boat specifically tailored for boreal vault.
Command console provides very little benefits for it's 3 ton weight. You are almost always better off with those 3 tons spent on additional ammo/heatsinks/higher engine rating.

[VonBruinwald]

I have one 'mech running CC+BAP, a Catraphract. There are two reasons I have it.

1 - The only thing worth the tonnage is upgrading the engine if I take it out.
2 - It gives me the prestige of running a command 'mech when taking company command.

The CC really needs a boost to make it worth the tonnage. And I think I just came up with it. Feature thread coming up....

[Puerto Rock Punisher]

Thanks for the comments and insight on the sensors.

Its a real shame that the command console is useless, I thought it was the IS variant of the clan computer.
Also the tonnage it asks for is too much, guess I'll just run BAP and a TAG for better results.

Thanks again to those that shares their knowledge and experience.

[martian]

Puerto Rock Punisher, on 23 October 2016 - 07:09 AM, said:

Its a real shame that the command console is useless, I thought it was the IS variant of the clan computer.

CC is originally a BattleTech item. In BattleTech it has some uses, depending on the situation.

PGI copied the item, bit failed to give that item any content. For the first two or three years of MWO CC was just a placeholder. You got it with AS7-D-DC Atlas and promptly removed because this CC did literally "nothing". It had weight, it took some critical slots, but it had no function whatsoever.

So the current CC is useless, but at least it is doing "something", albeit ineffectively.

Puerto Rock Punisher, on 23 October 2016 - 07:09 AM, said:

Also the tonnage it asks for is too much, guess I'll just run BAP and a TAG for better results.

Some people do not even use BAP, considering its benefits too insignificant to warrant its use. But it's still better than equipping CC.

[TercieI]

Puerto Rock Punisher, on 23 October 2016 - 07:09 AM, said:

Thanks for the comments and insight on the sensors.

Its a real shame that the command console is useless, I thought it was the IS variant of the clan computer.
Also the tonnage it asks for is too much, guess I'll just run BAP and a TAG for better results.

Thanks again to those that shares their knowledge and experience.

The really frustrating part is that the CC was reworked along with the TCs and it's still worthless. For its cost and mounting restrictions, it ought to be equivalent to a TC3 at least (though being a TC2 for you and all teammates within 200M or something like that would also be a possibility). Just an ongoing wasted opportunity.

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

TercieI, on 23 October 2016 - 08:13 AM, said:

being a TC2 for you and all teammates within 200M or something like that would also be a possibility

As long as it will not mess with the velocity i'm fine with that.

[TercieI]

Toha Heavy Industries, on 23 October 2016 - 08:39 AM, said:

As long as it will not mess with the velocity i'm fine with that.

Good point. That could really throw people.

[Koniving]

Puerto Rock Punisher, on 23 October 2016 - 12:18 AM, said:

Hello,

I normally run clanner mechs, but have recently purchased a marauder and have a question about two specific sensors.
I would like to know between the command console and the beagle active probe, which one is better for faster and constant lock on with missile's like the lrm's and ssrm's.
Also, is it better to run them together?

If you know the answer, please leave a comment.

Thanks.

Even if this were Battletech using double blind rules, the BAP would still be superior as a sensor suite.

This said, Command Console would have a secondary pilot to take over should the main pilot be rendered unconscious or too injured to maintain control of the mech. It would count as an additional ton in communications equipment which combined with the default single ton would allow it to uplink to, control and gather data from remote sensor devices dispensed by other pilots (such as UAVs) and give an initiative bonus (which in real time would come in the form of better awareness of enemy positions or better reaction time, so knowing where enemies are before the enemies know where you are).

Effectively this result is similar to the Tactictron 2000 battle computer (except the T-2000 BC counts as two additional tons of equipment, allowing uplink to allied satellites if they are in the area, as well as attempt to hack enemy satellites in the area.

----

In MWO.. Just use BAP. It doesn't give faster lock ons, but as a hard counter to ECM it can negate a ECM's 'lock delay' against soft counters.

Use TAG or Artemis get faster lock ons (both give 25% and they can stack; TAG is a soft counter though and Artemis is disabled against soft counters so it is required to have a hard counter like BAP or a PPC to overcome ECM's soft counter lock delay).

[jss78]

I like BAP. The major benefit is cancelling nearby ECM. This makes it mandatory equipment to any 'mech which runs Streak SRM's in any significant numbers. But being able to lock on ECM-equipped 'mechs, and thus share their location is useful on any 'mech.

But apart from counter-ECM there are other benefits which are IMO under-appreciated.

First, it gives +200 m sensor range. This is quite situational, and I'd say the major benefit is c-bills, since you can get spotting bonuses (3000 c-bills each) when you target enemies before your team mates.

The more tangible thing is -25% time in getting the targetting information after hitting R. This is something that rewards more experienced players, who are religious about hitting R and looking at the paper doll for hurting components. In high-intensity brawls that split second difference in knowing where to hit can be the difference between life and death.

So on top of counter-ECM, it in effect gives you the benefits of both Sensor Range and Target Info Gathering modules. Taken all that together I feel it does a lot for 1.5 tons / 2 slots, and I run it on quite many 'mechs where I feel I have some flexibility with tonnage.

CC is objectively awful, unfortunately -- it does less than BAP for twice the tonnage. PGI's aware of this, and apparently a reworking of CC is in the works ... though it's been this way for half a year or so, so who knows.

Edited by jss78, 23 October 2016 - 03:48 PM.