20 replies to this topic

[Vechs]

Hi guys, Vechs here! Okay so this guide will be simpler than my Zombie Wang an Atlas guides, as this is just about an effective build, with no mind to C-Bill farming.

As always, if you find this guide useful, a Like in the bottom right of the post is appreciated. <3

I'm pleasantly surprised at how effective this mech is, using a weapon long regarded as being outright bad.

It also makes me think that just maybe PGI was on the right track with non-engine DHS being 1.4 instead of 2.

This mech can fire 14 PPC blasts on chain fire, or 12 PPC blasts using both at once. Firing them at the same time gives better DPS, as you get rid of that tiny firing delay. Using chain-fire is more friendly to taking risky shots where you don't want to bet both your PPCs on, and for high-heat situations where you want to keep dealing damage before the other guy deals his.

I switch back and forth between normal firing and chain firing frequently during a match. I suggest you do the same, as both modes are useful at certain times.

The Build:

Centurion AL, or any 50 ton mech that can arm mount two PPCs and two Streak SRM2s (This build works for Hunchbacks too).

Right Arm: 2 PPC
Left Torso: 2 Streak SRM2
Head: 1 Ton Streak Ammo

200 Standard Engine
16 Double Heat Sinks
Standard Armor
Endo Steel

In Battle:

Play it like a sniper. Those Streaks are only there to deter scouts. The 90m minimum on the PPCs is not as big a problem as you would think. Even scouts circling you will frequently run outside that ran, and they will do so on their turn going away and coming towards you, both times the most ideal to hit them. Try to avoid brawling, you need to keep that arm functional.

Note: 12 PPC shots is 120 damage that you can put on a single location, before overheating. This means you can core an Atlas before overheating, if you have steady aim. (Edit: I said 240 damage the first time, sorry, I was thinking of volleys of two shots)







So there ya go.

500 to 700 damage with two PPCs.

As a side note, I swear, how do people manage less than 100 damage in a match? I'm going to join a group of some kind, just to try and get away from teammates like that. It's maddening.

>.<;;

And, one more match, this time on Frozen City, the hardest map for PPC usage (I got four sub-100's on my team, as usual...l):

Edited by Vechs, 15 November 2012 - 12:38 PM.

[Kmieciu]

I tried PPCs on a Cent and it`s frustrating due to variable convergence and 130 ping.
On a plus side,you`ll probably going to be the last person to die on your team, because PPC-wielding Cents are largly ignored. Every Hunchback with Gauss or AC20 will be higher a priority target then you.

On a side note, I got used to 80+ kph speed and high agility, so going back to STD200 is tough. Since nobody is shooting at you, and you don`t even have lasers in the center torso, you might as well go with the XL250 engine. Might as well be a mobile sniper.

On a plus side, with PPC you can easily damage every opponent, and every assist is worth 2000 credits.

Edited by Kmieciu, 15 November 2012 - 03:01 AM.

[Vechs]

Kmieciu, on 15 November 2012 - 03:00 AM, said:

I tried PPCs on a Cent and it`s frustrating due to variable convergence and 130 ping.
On a plus side,you`ll probably going to be the last person to die on your team, because PPC-wielding Cents are largly ignored. Every Hunchback with Gauss or AC20 will be higher a priority target then you.

On a side note, I got used to 80+ kph speed and high agility, so going back to STD200 is tough. Since nobody is shooting at you, and you don`t even have lasers in the center torso, you might as well go with the XL250 engine. Might as well be a mobile sniper.

On a plus side, with PPC you can easily damage every opponent, and every assist is worth 2000 credits.

Can't fit an XL, not enough criticals. Not sure if I'd want to either, I just swapped out the Streaks for 2 medium pulses in the center torso, so I can Zombie Wang it if I lose my PPCs.

[Mordegar]

I have built a similar 9AL with an ERPPC and 3 Medium Lasers with 18 DHS and it kicks *** at all ranges!
18 DHS can keep a single ERPPC cool enough to fire it almost on cooldown in a brawl with those med lasers on chainfire.

Edited by Mordegar, 15 November 2012 - 03:16 AM.

[Asyres]

Vechs, on 15 November 2012 - 03:05 AM, said:

Can't fit an XL, not enough criticals. Not sure if I'd want to either, I just swapped out the Streaks for 2 medium pulses in the center torso, so I can Zombie Wang it if I lose my PPCs.

Keep in mind that the xl250 fits two more engine heat sinks, which should make it fit without a net drop in heat dissipation. Also, the weight savings may let you have both the ssrms and the mpls.

Edited by Asyres, 15 November 2012 - 11:40 AM.

[CannonFodder86]

Quote

As a side note, I swear, how do people manage less than 100 damage in a match? I'm going to join a group of some kind, just to try and get away from teammates like that. It's maddening.

>.<;;

Looks like your team didn't get a chance to shoot at all on that caustic map. And the trial mechs usually have an excuse lol... sometimes your scouts just get unlucky and encounter a pack of Jenner or the enemy main force. can't expect them to put out much damage then.

Back on topic. have you tried swapping the PPC for LPL? they have a similar weight and heat profile. wonder what the performance difference would be on this setup.

[WardenWolf]

Vechs, on 15 November 2012 - 01:54 AM, said:

Note: 12 PPC shots is 240 damage that you can put on a single location, before overheating. This means you can core an Atlas before overheating, if you have steady aim.

I think your math may be a bit off there: 12 PPC blasts is 120 damage (10 each). Still enough to core an Atlas, or come darn close, but *every* shot has to land in the CT. I would not advise going head-to-head against a decent Atlas pilot for the ~18 seconds minimum you'd need in order to get those shots off.

[MasterofBlasters]

[Vechs]

WardenWolf, on 15 November 2012 - 12:24 PM, said:

I think your math may be a bit off there: 12 PPC blasts is 120 damage (10 each). Still enough to core an Atlas, or come darn close, but *every* shot has to land in the CT. I would not advise going head-to-head against a decent Atlas pilot for the ~18 seconds minimum you'd need in order to get those shots off.

And that's why you shouldn't write guides at 5am. I was thinking volleys of 2 shots, not 12 shots total.

le derp

[the vampire Dio]

interesting! my cent does **** poor damage when sniping with a large lazor. i'll try this build out.

[Rusty Shackleferd]

Thanks for this build! I have been a 81 kph dragon pilot since the closed beta and only got to try out the centurion when it was on the trail mech rotation. I have to say it really feels similar to the dragon sniping gameplay. I have yet to put 2 ppcs on it, but my first match with only one was satisfying.

[MagicHamsta]

the vampire Dio, on 15 November 2012 - 05:26 PM, said:

interesting! my cent does **** poor damage when sniping with a large lazor. i'll try this build out.

There be a high likelihood that you will do even less damage with this build as you already do the "**** poor damage" with the large "lazor" which be easier to track with & causes less heat than the PPC.

[Outfoxed]

The large "lazor" does indeed do less DPS though. But thats another story. So ER PPC vs the normal one. If the ER lose the min-range requirment then we can afford to lose some of the close combat weapons to mitigate the heat... though it would put more stress on the importance of that right arm.

[BulzEye]

So I am at a loss here. I have a Centurion and it only lets me put ballistic weapons in the right arm (came with LB-10-X-AC). Is this a restriction because of the model I have (CN9-D)? Is there something "spedial" I need to do in order to put PPC's in the right arm?

Thanks in advance!

[KosherHamSammich]

BulzEye, on 20 November 2012 - 05:55 AM, said:

So I am at a loss here. I have a Centurion and it only lets me put ballistic weapons in the right arm (came with LB-10-X-AC). Is this a restriction because of the model I have (CN9-D)? Is there something "spedial" I need to do in order to put PPC's in the right arm?

Thanks in advance!

CN9-AL is the version that the OP is talking about.

[BulzEye]

Thanks! FWIT - I love the Centurion.

[Jabilac]

I've been using a similar build with my Cent-AL this past week.

200STD Engine W/ Total 16 DHS

RA: 2ppc
LT: SRM4 1 ton ammo
CT: 2 ML

I have my PPC set on Chainfire and then another weapon group for dual shot for those times when someone is just standing still. Deals decent damage from a distance and when somebody removes your RA you can still zombie with the 2 ML and SRM4.

[Outfoxed]

I am toying with the idea of swapping to an XL engine to squeeze in enough heat sinks to utilise the ER PPC, will let you know how that turns out when I get enough C-Bills.

[Rusty Shackleferd]

Just right when I got enough c-bills to spend on the the second ppc, I decided to get the erppc instead. My build now follows.

200 Engine/ Endo Steel/ 14 DHS/ Max Standard Armor(there is actually 0.5 tons unallocated)

LT: 2x Streak Srm2
CT: 2x Medium Lasers
RA: 1x ERPPC
1x Large Laser
RL: 1x ton of Streak Srm2 ammo
LL: 1x ton of Streak Srm2 ammo

I found that I could not part from the large laser to fully realize the dual ppc build. I found it incredibly useful in leg swiping those light mechs. It is also useful for "guiding" the ERPPC shot to the target, especially for standing targets. Currently I have the Large Laser and ERPPC grouped to the primary group and each of them to 5 and 6, respectively. At the beginning of the match I would just use the arrow keys to activate just the ERPPC and snipe away. When I decide that my team needs help with a brawl, I switch to the Large Laser group. With the heat sink setup, running the Medium Lasers, Large Laser, and SSRMS is relatively cool. If I'm desperate or there is a shot I must take, I can trigger the ERPPC and not worry about min range.

Just be sure you use your left arm and protect that right...FALCON punch... of yours.

[Outfoxed]

Been rolling is my tweaked AL for a few games now. Liking the results, tried the ER and the reg PPC currently my aim means the standard PPC is more forgiving to me.

Anyways :
Head: AMS ammo as expected,
Right Torso: AMS, Double Heatsink
Left Torso: 2xSSRM, 2x Double Heatsink, 1 ton of SSRM ammo.
Right Arm: 2x PPC or ER PPC pending on my mood.
Centre Torso 2x medium lasers, XL 255 engine.

(if rolling with the ER PPC tend to take out the 2 medium lasers and put 2 extra heat sink in the right torso and in the right arm.)

Its armor is full and as it is a sniper near the back that is able to relocate very quickly I personaly find that the XL engine provides far more pros than cons.