47 replies to this topic

[Odd Thomas]

I still see some laser stalkers, but very few. Missile/Laser Stalkers have virtually disappeared.

Has the missile nerf overcompensated for any problems and rendered the heavily missile dependent Stalker handicapped?

Edited by Odd Thomas, 07 April 2013 - 02:20 PM.

[theDeimos]

The missile nerf rendered every mech with at least 1 missile hardpoint handicapped.

But no, my stalkers are doing fine, thanks

[Biggieboy]

Odd Thomas, on 07 April 2013 - 02:14 PM, said:

I still see some laser stalkers, but very few. Missile/Laser Stalkers have virtually disappeared.

Has the missile nerf overcompensated for any problems and rendered the heavily missile dependent Stalker handicapped?

No it hasn't, only LRM's imo

[Iscariott]

Technically the Stalker IS obsolete, but no it is still a good mech in game.

[oldradagast]

i still see them, though perhaps not as much as before, and they are still a threat, IMHO. Still, the missile nerf - particularly with LRM's - hurts them bad.

[TruePoindexter]

LRM's are too weak to make that viable right now but direct energy Stalkers are still common and powerful. Most of the upper tier players have learned how to beat up a Stalker easily though:

• Get into a rotating fight as they turn incredibly slow with next to no torso twist.
  
• Concentrate your fire on one extremely easy to hit side torso as this will either kill them outright or rip half their weapons off quickly.

Watch the fight at around 1:05 to see what happens to a Stalker in close in fights.

[80Bit]

I don't take my stalker out much these days. But they are still one of the best direct fire support mechs. They can put out a lot of hurt with Large Lasers, Pulse Lasers, or PPCs. So they still fill a role better than most mechs.

Stalkers may be able to put out a ton of missiles, but their limited mobility and missile tubes have always been significant drawbacks.

[Carrioncrows]

No missile mechs are just fine.

LRM's were massively overpowered to begin with. 39 DMG + splash from a LRM20. That's huge.

Now the do 16 dmg + splash from a LRM20 which is a lot more reasonable. They are currently working on adjusting LRM's which could mean a slight damage boost, accuracy tweaks, splash or grouping to improve what they do.

Even now LRM's are deadly and you lock onto a target in the open and you can hammer him down.

LRM Boats are still very useful but they will no longer 1 or 2 shot someone. I prefer a more balanced build.

For instance on my Heavy Metal I pack a Gauss, ERPPC, 2 meds and a LRM15+Artemis with 2 tons of ammo.

The LRM15 serves 2 purposes, 1 Damage it deals 12 + Splash dmg when I nail a target. I say + Splash simply because I can't quantify what additional damage the splash is causing as it's different every launch against every mech so it could be doing an additional 2 damage or an additional 10 damage. I don't know.

The Second reason is it acts like a Suppression weapon, people run from it. When in a sniper war it gives me an advantage of being able to hold a line by forcing them back into a cover. But when they don't run from it it lands a solid hit, befit of a 8 ton (7 tons + 1 ton arty) weapon, much more than a AC5.

[Chill Bill]

How are SRM Stalkers managing with in-fighting now?

While we're at at... how would I oufit my 5M post-patch and be most effective at in-fighting?

Edited by Chillbill, 07 April 2013 - 03:39 PM.

[Daggett]

Stalkers still doing very fine, just played a match with one:



Note that we were 2 man down...

Edited by Daggett, 07 April 2013 - 03:55 PM.

[Kiiyor]

Daggett, on 07 April 2013 - 03:54 PM, said:

Stalkers still doing very fine, just played a match with one:



Note that we were 2 man down...

Bloody hell. What was your load out? I've gotten close to that with my 6LL limb remover, but never that high. Awesome job.

[Daggett]

Kiiyor, on 07 April 2013 - 04:02 PM, said:

Bloody hell. What was your load out? I've gotten close to that with my 6LL limb remover, but never that high. Awesome job.

Thx. The trick is to only run 5LL which gives you more tons to invest in DHS:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...34f8667099bfae6

This gives you lots of alphas (about 5 on Elite) and generally more staying power while brawling.
Note that this build don't use endo steel to cramp as much DHS into the beast as possible.

Of cause you still need cover, aiming to deliver all dmg to CT (Hint: lower your mouse DPI if possible), torso-twisting to protect the big side torsos and such. And maybe opponents that are a bit too cautious to simply charge and focus you down.

Edited by Daggett, 07 April 2013 - 04:22 PM.

[Kiiyor]

Daggett, on 07 April 2013 - 04:19 PM, said:

Thx. The trick is to only run 5LL which gives you more tons to invest in DHS:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...34f8667099bfae6

This gives you lots of alphas (about 5 on Elite) and generally more staying power while brawling.
Note that this build don't use endo steel to cramp as much DHS into the beast as possible.

Of cause you still need cover, aiming to deliver all dmg to CT (Hint: lower your mouse DPI if possible), torso-twisting to protect the big side torsos and such. And maybe opponents that are a bit too cautious to simply charge and focus you down.

Ah, I run a similar build on my 5m - it allows me to put an LL in the CT and strip even more armor to get in an extra HS. I really miss the torso twist of the 3 with it though.

I ended up with more damage overall somehow in the 3 with 6LL though. With endo I can cram in 20DHS and seem to prefer that to the superior dps of 5 LL.

[Hayashi]

Artemis and a TAG can still give LRMs a rather good hit damage against the slower movers since for some odd reason it loves to hit CTs.

But attempting to use LRMs against anything faster than 100 KPH at the moment just doesn't work.

Large Lasers are extremely powerful.

[Jay Z]

The Stalker is still going strong

[NRP]

I run my 4N with 6 LLs, and it is pretty effective as long as I fire groups of twos.

I also changed my 5M from an SRM brawler to a 4 PPC + 5 SSRM build. It works ok most of the time.

I do think the 5/6 LL build is currently the best for a PUG stalker though.

[Shock4ndAwe]

I do fine in my STK-3F. I've mastered the chassis and I run a 2xLL, 4xML, 2xSRM6 build that kicks some a**. I'm usually at the top of the scoreboard in every game I play.

If my team biffs it, though, there isn't much I can do. If I get focus fired I die FAST, as someone just said my weakness is my torsos.

[Ewigan]

The Stalkers are still really good mechs, especially if you go for direct fire support. LLs or PPCs work like a charm.
my 3rd Stalker is a LRM boat though.... i tend to let it rust these days.

[Wrenchfarm]

Obsolete? In the current meta favouring PPCs and LLAS, I'd say they are in their glory. Still the best non-jetting ridge sniper in the game. 4xPPCs in the shoulder humps can let them strip off entire front CTs worth of armour in one shot while remaining mostly safe behind a hill or ridge. 6xLLAS Stalkers with a steady hand can melt light mechs.

[That Dawg]

Sold the last of mine- 3F LLboat.
jagers, scouts lack of missiles in variants...I do better with other mechs, wanted the bays- pity. Used to be one fearsome dam mech to round the corner in and come face to face with one setup with almost half a dozen LL's and a train full of SRM's