Catapult CPLT-C4 - Custom Config 'Kunai'
Tonnage: 65
Engine: XL
Rating: 315
Max Engine Rating: 315
Armor: 400
Type: Standard
Head: 18
Left Arm: 40
Left Torso: 42/18
Center Torso: 60/24
Right Torso: 42/18
Right Arm: 40
Left Leg: 49
Right Leg: 49
Weapons & Equipment:
Head: Streak SRM Ammunition
Left Arm: LRM 15, Streak SRM 2
Left Torso: Double Heat Sink, Jump Jet Class III
Center Torso: Medium Pulse Laser, Target Acquisition Gear
Right Torso: Double Heat Sink, Jump Jet Class III
Right Arm: LRM 15, Streak SRM 2
Left Leg: 2 tons LRM Ammunition
Right Leg: 2 tons LRM Ammunition
Hardpoints:
Left Arm: 2 Missile (LRM 15, SSRM2)
Center Torso: 2 Energy (MPLAS, TAG)
Right Torso: 1 AMS (Not used)
Right Arm: 2 Missile (LRM 15, SSRM2)
Internal Structure: Endo Steel
Heat Sinks: 14 Double Heat Sinks (10-Engine, 2-Engine Additional, 2-1 per torso)
ECM Capable?: No
Max Jump Jets: 4
CPLT-C4 'Kunai' Build
Original guide thread on the 'Kunai' build
Pros
- Very heat friendly, can deal near to maximum damage almost constantly even in Caustic Valley. How hot the map is determines how often you should retreat behind allies.
- High damage at all ranges up to 800m.
- Has indirect fire capabilities if you're heavily damaged or facing snipers.
- Has the ability to target and destroy ECM-cloaked Lights, even RVN-3Ls.
- Can outrun anything that can outdamage it at short ranges (Medium Laser, Small Laser boats) except the Swayback
- Usage of Jump Jets gives it a very small turn radius, and large torso twist range allows it to fire nearly backwards while running away to maintain the 200-250m distance, something only the Catapult can do
- XL is shielded by the Side Torsos having very small hitboxes on the Catapult, making it effective for little added risk
- Devastating in the hands of a good pilot, and useable in the hands of even a new pilot since most of its damage is auto-tracking
- Can do more than half its damage even if one of the 'ears' are blown off.
Cons
- Extremely expensive to build under normal conditions due to usage of Endo Steel, Double Heat Sinks and a maxed XL engine
- Weak towards Swaybacks on cold maps
The potential of this Mech in the current ECM situation is maximised by taking the Advanced Sensor Range module as soon as possible. Remember, it boosts radar range by 25%... if I remember correctly, this also means that you'll have a 200-250m window in which you can lock on to and fire at ECMed mechs. This corresponds exactly to the 200-250m maximal effective window in which this Mech is the most useful anyway (the range of overlap between the sub 270m Streaks and over-180m LRMs, which means...
If you have that module, you can use this Mech as if ECM never even existed at all, but if this Mech is used as a Trial, that module won't be useable.
TAG is included for insurance to target Mechs at a longer distance which are cloaked by ECM with LRMs. If you're going to fight ONLY in the 200-250m maximal effective range however, you might want to drop the TAG, drop one Jump Jet, and add the second Medium Pulse Laser, as per what the build was originally configured around.
I dislike boats, and this is the most effective non-boating setup I've ever built for any Mech. Also, learning how to constantly stay in the 200-250m range is actually quite fun even for an experienced player; for newer players it might teach them important lessons like how to stick with the rest of the group, how to control the weapon ranges at which you fire and how to use cover/hold fire on enemies behind cover. It also has the advantage of being able to do high damage at any range, even though it has a specific window in which it outdamages everything else it can't outrun other than a Swayback.
Edited by Hayashi, 14 March 2013 - 12:55 AM.