114 replies to this topic

[Liquid Leopard]

Greetings Norsemen! ...and women!

The search on the web site was glitching, so I can't find the current threads on "best mech". They might not have been current, and I thought I might weed out some smart-a$$ answers by keeping my query "in the family".

In a few days I should be able to get another mech to try, and I'd like some input.

Here's my experience so far:
I got a Hunchback 4SP for my first mech, and soon wanted a heavier mech. I figured with the right heavy mech I could have more of everything, and I could suck less than before. With enough firepower, I might even get a kill and increase my winnings.

I got a Catapult C1 yesterday, and I'm not enjoying it like I thought I would. I like that, when I can hit a target at all, I can shoot 4 death rays onto the enemy's torso. (I also think it's a sexy beast.)

Not long after I bought my Catapult, I read something about a "Large Head Hitbox" and "Large Center Torso Hitbox". Sure enough, it gets cored out pretty regularly. When I can, I turn to avoid getting hit in the same spot repeatedly, but I still end a lot of matches with the CT blown out and hardly any damage to any other parts. It's carrying a greater weight of armor than my other mech, a Hunchback 4SP, but doesn't seem to last as long in a fight.

I'm pretty sure I'm also a bigger target and a higher priority for the enemy's missile boats.

It's hard to compare based on stats for various reasons, including the fact that I've played 4 times as many matches in my Hunchback as in my Catapult. I can tell you my Hunchback has never been downed by a head hit, and it has happened twice to my Catapult.

I think opening the doors over my missile racks makes me easier to spot and kill. But, I've seen the delay if I leave the doors closed and try to shoot. Ain't nobody got time for that!

Another problem is that I perceive the torso twist and turn rate to be slow, even though I've unlocked the bonuses for both. I thought it was pretty bad that, whether I was turning at maximum rate or switching directions, this ****ing Raven was able to stay completely out of my field of fire, and keep shooting me in the back. I don't think it would've been quite as bad in my Hunchback.

Was the Catapult always like this, or did these issues appear in a certain patch? I remember threads saying the Catapult was great, or that it was overpowered, or it had been "nerfed".

Not only do I want a mech that's better at everything, I realize I need to get better at everything. In any mech, my gunnery skills stink.

Other mechs I've considered:
The Catapult K2 looks pretty mean, and is probably a smaller target from a distance, but will it have the same issues with taking lots of torso and head hits? Will it be just as slow to turn its torso?

I'm tempted to get a Cataphract and go for an energy-heavy loadout. I haven't seen a lot of complaints of the Cataphract being overpowered, so maybe it won't get nerfed. I've also seen a comment of "Head slightly easier to hit". Are Cataphracts going down with a lot of head hits? Does their torso turn any faster or slower than that of a Catapult?

I'm tempted to get a Dragon. Maybe even a Flame, since it has symmetrical energy hardpoints. I think symmetrical hardpoints are advantageous for aiming, and for staying in the fight with one arm blown off.

If I get a Dragon, does that mean my counterpart on the other team is likely a Cataphract or Catapult driver that doesn't suck like me? Could I be hurting my team that way?

I'm pretty sure I don't want anything slower than a Cataphract with a 300 engine. I might even want something fast.

Is a speedy Cicada a good or bad choice for someone with my p!$$-poor gunnery skills? Whether I'm dying or spectating, speedy Cicadas and Ravens seem to do a lot of damage.

I'd darn sure consider a 55-ton Bushwacker...

Desired results:
I want to have more fun, finally get some kills, and more C-Bills. For C-Bill farming, I've read that I should minimize my use of ammo, so is the CPLT-K2 advantageous over other Catapult builds? Or does it require ballistics to fight well? Doesn't a Dragon need ballistic and missile weapons to maximize its potential? Anybody like the CN-9AL? Or a CTF-1X laser boat?

I've seen on YouTube that older patches gave you a C-Bill Breakdown at the end of the match, and you could see what repairs and ammo cost afterwards. The current patch has no such transparency, so I can't tell what it costs to repair and rearm.

In the long run, after farming a zillion C-Bills, I want to pull my weight fighting against any invaders that might show up...

[Ramien]

Well, the good news is that you don't have to worry about repair costs anymore. Those were removed back in December, as near as I can tell.

If you've been using ballistic weaponry, this latest patch should help with targeting in that regard, or at least removing some of the obstacles in hitting with ammo-based direct fire weapons.

If you're looking for help aiming, I'd almost recommend getting a light or small medium 'Mech and taking it out for a few spins - it's a lot easier to hit things that are a lot bigger than you, after all, but you're also likely to be going very fast, and that can throw off your aiming until you get used to it. You might also want to consider investing in Streak SRMs to help while you get used to aiming - getting a missile lock can be a little easier that firing your lasers/guns at just the right time and it's a bit more forgiving.

Use the training grounds! You can get used to the groupings of your weapons there, both at a stand still and while moving. If you have a little extra time, use a light or medium laser to take apart the dummy 'Mechs from different angles so you can see what areas correspond to what damage - it can help you figure out where to aim when you want to focus on a damaged area.

[Liquid Leopard]

^ Yeah, for some reason everyone else can core out a Catapult, but when I'm shooting at one in the training grounds, my shots are all over the place.

I did like the Streak SRMs...Is it my imagination, or do they get more consistent torso hits compared to LRMs? Are they useful against spastic light mechs?

[Ramien]

Streaks will target center of mass with fairly small spread. Depending on your firing angle, they may hit side torsos or arms, but generally hit the center torso. If you're firing more than one set at a time, you will see a bit more spread though, especially if they're coming from different locations.

So long as you can keep a lock on the lights, it's a good way to make sure you're getting the full punch of each hit through instead of sweaping a laser blast across and only doing a little damage.

[Liquid Leopard]

I'd like to get some use out of my LRMs, but I always seem to end up in a brawl. Maybe I'll switch to Streaks on my CPLT-C1. Thx!

[Random Incarnate]

Hunchback 4G/H, with an AC20. Lots of fun, will help you get used to being fragile, but scary. Otherwise, the CTF is a better choice than the DRG - pick up a CTF-3D if you can. 4 large lasers with a 340XL, or 4 MLs with 2 UAC5s. Can also run dual gauss, PPCs... it's a great mech.

[Liquid Leopard]

Random Incarnate, on 16 April 2013 - 03:16 PM, said:

Hunchback 4G/H, with an AC20. Lots of fun, will help you get used to being fragile, but scary. Otherwise, the CTF is a better choice than the DRG - pick up a CTF-3D if you can. 4 large lasers with a 340XL, or 4 MLs with 2 UAC5s. Can also run dual gauss, PPCs... it's a great mech.

I'm glad to be getting serious suggestions. I've been trying to build zombie mechs, which is a big reason why the Catapult's CT hardpoints appealed to me.

Now, I remember Inner Sphere XL engines being sketchy in tabletop Battletech, and suicidal if the clans showed up with their targeting computers. Don't they make a mech blow up sooner in MWO? My poor Catapult has shocked me with how easily it gets taken out, regardless of the std engine. Compared to my Hunchback it has about 2 tons more armor, and goes down faster.

At the rate I'm going it will take me a week to afford a Cataphract with C-Bills. It'll be worth it, assuming it doesn't have the Catapult's issues with head hits, or the huge CT hitbox.

[Ramien]

Liquid Leopard, on 16 April 2013 - 06:47 PM, said:

Now, I remember Inner Sphere XL engines being sketchy in tabletop Battletech, and suicidal if the clans showed up with their targeting computers. Don't they make a mech blow up sooner in MWO? My poor Catapult has shocked me with how easily it gets taken out, regardless of the std engine. Compared to my Hunchback it has about 2 tons more armor, and goes down faster.

XL engines mean that if either of your side torsos get taken out, you die since a big part of your engine goes with it. An easy way to tell if it's worth it for any given 'Mech is to see what shape you're in when you die - if you're usually seeing a lot of crit damage to your sides (or your sides go completely) before your legs, CT, or cockpit are destroyed, then XLs are not for you! If you're seeing near-pristine side torsos most of the time when you die, than an XL isn't going to hurt survivability much, since the extra crits aren't getting hit anyways.

[Lan]

Var hälsad! (Greetings)

Although I am a bit of a lurker for the time being, patiently waiting to see the final form of the factions, I have to lend a hand to a fellow FRR.

Can you give us more details on your preferred playstyle?

There are some great resources out there to help you improve, here are two tips. The first is a link to Mechspecs, a place that lists builds and also some very good instruction vids. The second is a build lab that allowed you to tinker with builds and check stats, heat and damage ratio, etc.
http://www.mechspecs...bat-Test-Videos
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...echlab#modified

[Liquid Leopard]

Lan, on 17 April 2013 - 01:12 AM, said:

Var hälsad! (Greetings)

Although I am a bit of a lurker for the time being, patiently waiting to see the final form of the factions, I have to lend a hand to a fellow FRR.

Can you give us more details on your preferred playstyle?

There are some great resources out there to help you improve, here are two tips. The first is a link to Mechspecs, a place that lists builds and also some very good instruction vids. The second is a build lab that allowed you to tinker with builds and check stats, heat and damage ratio, etc.
http://www.mechspecs...bat-Test-Videos
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...echlab#modified

So far I've been using a spreadsheet to pre-view mech configurations, but I've needed smurfy and mechspecs to see how all the crits fit together (or don't, like when I wanted to put a 17th DHS on my Hunchback).

As for my playstyle, I don't know if "preferred" is the word for it...It always devolves into a brawl, which I think indicates that my tactics and situational awareness suck.

When I had LRMs (up to yesterday) I liked to hang back and get some use out of them initially.  That technique killed an obnoxious Spider that was chipping away at my teamates.  Sometimes, when my teamates are proceeding cautiously between hills, I'll try and get up a ridge and spot the enemy so we don't get ambushed.  Since I suck at typing under pressure, I'll point out the enemy with my large lasers.  That worked really well one day: I pointed out an enemy mech watching us from a hilltop, and my teamates on the front line started hitting him with PPCs and missiles.  It often backfires, and I'm the one getting shot before long.

The brawl often starts when an enemy is running away from our front line, and I try to manuever for a clear shot at the one known target. I come around the side of a hill, and find a lot more targets, all eager to shoot back. So, I go to full throttle, twist the torso, and see how much damage I can do before I die. Sometimes that gets me assists, and spotting assists. Usually not kills.

To make my Catapult harder to kill it has an AMS, 12+ tons of armor with the Center Torso maxed out. It has a 300 engine to keep up with my lancemates, and for evasive action (Not fast enough for fleeing). It also has CASE on the LT, where all the ammo is.

My Hunchback still has the LRMs, but since yesterday I've been practicing with the Catapult C1 using 2 Lrg Lasers, 2 Med Lasers, and Streat SRMs.  The Hunchback must present a smaller target, because it doesn't seem to draw as much long-range fire.

Edited by Liquid Leopard, 17 April 2013 - 03:17 AM.

[Random Incarnate]

Liquid Leopard, on 16 April 2013 - 06:47 PM, said:

I'm glad to be getting serious suggestions. I've been trying to build zombie mechs, which is a big reason why the Catapult's CT hardpoints appealed to me.

Now, I remember Inner Sphere XL engines being sketchy in tabletop Battletech, and suicidal if the clans showed up with their targeting computers. Don't they make a mech blow up sooner in MWO? My poor Catapult has shocked me with how easily it gets taken out, regardless of the std engine. Compared to my Hunchback it has about 2 tons more armor, and goes down faster.

At the rate I'm going it will take me a week to afford a Cataphract with C-Bills. It'll be worth it, assuming it doesn't have the Catapult's issues with head hits, or the huge CT hitbox.

The Catapult is one of those 'Mechs that's great with an XL - or at least okay. large CT hitbox, I usually pop arms if they're worth it, and then CT. The CTF has terrible side hitboxes, but if you play it well, you should be fine. If you want zombie, the CTF-4X with dual AC10, 2ML and SRM4, STD 255 (max for that variant) looks pretty good; it was the runner-up in the design-a-trial competition.

You can run the CTF-3D with a slower STD (280 vs 340XL) engine, though especially with the 4LL build. Alternatives are the 1X with AC20/5ML, fat STD (325 will fit, 4t ammo and either +1HS or near max armour), or 5LLs, or perhaps AC20 and PPC running on a 280.

The Catapult is really just good at everything if you pick up the K2, C1 and C4 - Laser boat, missile boat, dual arm mounted PPC, quad LLs, dual gauss, dual AC20. The Jagermech is excelling at the latter two builds, however.

Oh, and I direct all of my hate to Catapults. Hunchbacks are usually ignored, because they're easy to scare away. But, by god, the second you have a open section, they descend upon you like a pack of Gibberlings.

Edited by Random Incarnate, 17 April 2013 - 03:54 AM.

[Lan]

Liquid Leopard, on 17 April 2013 - 02:28 AM, said:

So far I've been using a spreadsheet to pre-view mech configurations, but I've needed smurfy and mechspecs to see how all the crits fit together (or don't, like when I wanted to put a 17th DHS on my Hunchback).

As for my playstyle, I don't know if "preferred" is the word for it...It always devolves into a brawl, which I think indicates that my tactics and situational awareness suck.

When I had LRMs (up to yesterday) I liked to hang back and get some use out of them initially. That technique killed an obnoxious Spider that was chipping away at my teamates. Sometimes, when my teamates are proceeding cautiously between hills, I'll try and get up a ridge and spot the enemy so we don't get ambushed. Since I suck at typing under pressure, I'll point out the enemy with my large lasers. That worked really well one day: I pointed out an enemy mech watching us from a hilltop, and my teamates on the front line started hitting him with PPCs and missiles. It often backfires, and I'm the one getting shot before long.

The brawl often starts when an enemy is running away from our front line, and I try to manuever for a clear shot at the one known target. I come around the side of a hill, and find a lot more targets, all eager to shoot back. So, I go to full throttle, twist the torso, and see how much damage I can do before I die. Sometimes that gets me assists, and spotting assists. Usually not kills.

To make my Catapult harder to kill it has an AMS, 12+ tons of armor with the Center Torso maxed out. It has a 300 engine to keep up with my lancemates, and for evasive action (Not fast enough for fleeing). It also has CASE on the LT, where all the ammo is.

My Hunchback still has the LRMs, but since yesterday I've been practicing with the Catapult C1 using 2 Lrg Lasers, 2 Med Lasers, and Streat SRMs. The Hunchback must present a smaller target, because it doesn't seem to draw as much long-range fire.

Excellent description, from this I would recommend you to practice:

• Map knowledge
  
• Threat scale thinking (the enemies)
  
• Tactical positioning
  
• Situational awareness
  
• Getting a brawlerbuddy

There's nothing wrong with your lrm build, nor your thinking about the team. That's good, here's some pointers from my 550 odd drops. I am probably all wrong but maybe there will be some sense in the madness.

Map knowledge
Where are the enemy likely to be? Heavies go into the center of the map, 9 times out of 10. Always look at the middle of the map for the majority of the mechs. If you engage a enemy, you are visible to them aswell and they will maneuver to get you (or the closest target). I think of a map in time aswell, meaning a enemy scoutmech will reach a certain point in the first minute. The mediums will be X slower and the heavy later still. If I am in a scoutmech, the first minute is safe and predictable. Up to the third to fourth (depending on map), teams are usually not too badly spread. The eight minute is very uncertain. Expect the enemy to gravitate to conflicts and calculate their traveltime and position accordingly. Tourmaline is the most difficult to track but the heavy mechs will still aim for the dropgate unless diverted. Simply because they don't have the speed to be on the edges of the map and want to be able to respond to threats.

Threat scale thinking
If you are getting hit early on in a Catapult, you are either the first sighted or considered the biggest threat/easiest to take down. We seen to prioritize the first we see and do damage to, or we go for the biggest threat. A Atlas always gets the majority of hits if there is a option between mechs. Easiest to hit and team up on. Use that and hang back, a bigger mech will act (and should!) as a shield.

Tactical positioning
When using your teammates as vanguard, you will be a target for the enemy light mechs to brawl with. Don't drop to far from the front line. If you need them, your team or another support mech should be able to turn and do some mediumrange fire (a light at 450 meters who is dancing with a teammate is easy).

Situational awareness
Information is half the battle, cycle targets when they are spotted and check their size and loadout. From that and with your map knowledge, think of what they will do. A 5LL stalker? He will try to close and stay in the middle of the map, he doesn't have range or speed. A gauss K2? He'll perk high and snipe most likely. Check your teammates status, is your lights dead? Why? If there is a enemy wolfpack, draw tighter and support. Above all, look around constantly. Get the modules for sensor upgrades.

Getting a brawlerbuddy
I don't know if you drop with someone but if you get a buddy on VOIP, you increase your chances of winning and surviving. A support lrm/LL together with a heavy or assault is a good combo. Add a third for scout or anti-light and you get intel fast. I drop mostly with four mechs consisting of assault, heavy/med support and two lights. Always one light.

As for what mech, you seem to like the support so the Cat is not a bad choice, the Trebuchet can be good too.

Sorry for the long read and any spelling errors, they are mostly due to iPad autocorrect (swedish)...

Edited by Lan, 26 April 2013 - 07:38 PM.

[Damon Howe]

The guy above me has some great suggestions.

I'd also add, given your post and assuming play style....don't buy the catapract. It's just as hard to turn and you'll find your torso's disappearing in a hurry.

Catapults used to be just a little easier to turn and could turn a little farther, but that changed in a recent patch. Honestly, it's not a huge difference in terms of gameplay, from what I've felt.

The C1 is a balance-able mech, and because of that it's hard when you face very specific, heavy-firepower builds. Like all pult's, its CT and head are especially easy to hit. I've mixed around with some builds, and while I found a few I could live with (2 LgPulse, 2 MedPulse) I never really found one that I liked. Still, I kept it until I got it to master out of principle.

Of the other pults, the two you want are either the A1 (6 Missles) or the K2 (2 bal, 4 energy). The A1 is the perfect mech for the 'splatcat', with 6 srm 6's for a total of 36 missiles per volley. The thing peels armor like nothing, and with the proper setup is fast and deadly. The K2 can be taken a lot of ways, but my favorite is the dual ac20. This mean machine will maim anything, and can stand toe to toe with the heaviest mechs. Commandos will go away in just a single hit. And it's got armor to last.

Here's the problem though with BOTH of those builds. While they're both deadly mechs, they typically don't last long in a fight. Why? Because they're top-priority mechs. NOBODY wants the last mech they face to be a dual ac20 K2, so when it appears on the battlefield they'll try everything to concentrate on it first. Same with the splatcat, and both of them you have to get in close to be effective.

In short, as far as 'getting more kills and lasting longer', in the heavy class you have to play smarter, not harder. Dragons I find can last a real long time and are mean in the hands of a good pilot, but having never piloted them myself I can say from watching others they're difficult mechs to get used to. Pult's especially you have to be careful with your CT, but usually twisting to the sides after firing will save you some damage spread and prolong your life.

Two last points; the 4SP is one of my favorite medium mechs. With 2 srm6's and a couple med pulse I can rip up a battlefield. It is, however, a support mech. People concentrate on the K2 beside you, while you rip them open from the side or pick off the spider running around behind. It's a very fast, versatile mech, and out of all the huchies its not completely useless after losing the right torso (NEVER throw an XL on it btw...that's just stupid). Finally, do you want to know the REAL mech to take if you want to last a fight and get kills? Lights. Jenners and 3L's especially have some of the longest longevity in a fight and almost always get kills. Speed is their armor, and the best pilots wear it well. You might not throw as much lead down the field, but by the end of the match your Jenner that survived has done as much damage as the K2 that died in 2 mins of engagement.

Also, Teammates win the day, not individual mechs,

Best of luck!

[Liquid Leopard]

Random Incarnate, on 17 April 2013 - 03:51 AM, said:

...Oh, and I direct all of my hate to Catapults.

You must not be the only one! I was spectating yesterday, and tried to see what my fellow Catapult pilots were doing differently from me. One thing I noticed for sure was they often got cored out, like me.

I noticed that one lancemate in a CPLT-C1 opened his missile doors right at the start of the match, and I thought "Yeah, you just increased your frontal area 20% or so. I'll let you go first." When I remember to push the button, I can never remember if my doors are open. When you start the match they're closed, by default, right?

Edited by Liquid Leopard, 19 April 2013 - 11:37 AM.

[Hungry Hungry Hobo]

Tribuchet 7k. Goes 100 kph with a 300 or so engine. 2 large lasers, 2 srm6s, 2 machine guns. An lbx 10 with medium lasers, and srm4s also works wonders with it.

[Liquid Leopard]

Damon Howe, on 17 April 2013 - 05:22 AM, said:

Dragons I find can last a real long time and are mean in the hands of a good pilot, but having never piloted them myself I can say from watching others they're difficult mechs to get used to.

Could it be because of the asymmetrical loadouts? That's something that's hard for me to get used to on the trial mechs. One of the big reasons I got the 4SP, and considered the Flame.

Damon Howe, on 17 April 2013 - 05:22 AM, said:

...the 4SP is one of my favorite medium mechs...out of all the hunchies its not completely useless after losing the right torso (NEVER throw an XL on it btw...that's just stupid).

Darn right. I look at my damage diagram after the match, and the SP often goes down with one side torso or the other missing, and the CT lit up red. Perhaps there's hope for a Catapult with an XL, but certainly not a Hunchback.

Damon Howe, on 17 April 2013 - 05:22 AM, said:

Also, Teammates win the day, not individual mechs,

True, but I'm playing PUGs. I'm trying to guess at what my teamates are doing, and have no real communications.
However, I like that our lancemates are now highlighted in green, and their status is on the HUD (if you don't have any glitches right then). It makes it easier to decide who to follow and who to prioritize for support, and I'm quite certain it's better for splitting the team evenly if they want to split.

When I had a lancemate one match with a bright green mech, I pointed out that he and his arrow were color-coordinated. When his Centurion turned around, I could swear it was glaring at me.

I guess I learn a little something every few matches.
Yesterday I had a lance with my heavy, 2 Stalkers...
...and a Commando that went running some random direction and I knew he'd found the enemy because he was dead. Following the Commando was a bad choice that time, and I'll play it differently if I see that again.

Edited by Liquid Leopard, 17 April 2013 - 07:26 PM.

[Liquid Leopard]

AC, on 08 April 2013 - 09:16 AM, said:

2) Speed - PGI promotes speed (which promotes lag) in this game. Every mechanic they have in game promotes an engine arms race. Not only can you go faster with a larger engine, but you get free heat sink locations, AND you can turn better...

Is this true? Could I turn my 'mech better if it had a better power/weight ratio? I could really use a higher turn rate against those obnoxious light mechs. Not worried about turn radius so much, but rather degrees/second to help me swing my weapons around.

[Lan]

Liquid Leopard, on 18 April 2013 - 12:31 PM, said:

Is this true? Could I turn my 'mech better if it had a better power/weight ratio? I could really use a higher turn rate against those obnoxious light mechs. Not worried about turn radius so much, but rather degrees/second to help me swing my weapons around.

Yes. A larger engine means you will have better torso turning speed (I can't find the confirmation but according to myself and others in the forums it is true). I can probably show a test vid of it sometime next week, I'm unfortunately traveling so can't help you out before then. Maybe someone else can confirm or even show that?

I've got a few engines in the garage that I can drop in on the training grounds with (200, 245, 260, 300, 325, 350, xl300, xl325, xl350).

[FireSlade]

I'm not a FRR but I can give you friendly advice on what you're doing wrong with the CAT-C1. What it sounds like you're doing is treating it as a brawler, it just can't since the hitboxes are so large and the stock mech is lacking points in armor. First off you're going to want a bigger engine. with it you'll be able to maneuver to spots faster and run when your flanked. Second your main weapon is your LRMs if you want a Splat Cat go A1 or C4 the C1 is strictly LRM. Since you're main weapon is LRMs you're going to want artemis upgrade for faster locks and more accurate missiles. I see a lot of pilots dumping their Jump Jets for extra slots and tons and leaving their missile doors open, this is a BIG mistake. The JJs are your extra maneuverability and when you get caught in a fight under 180m they help you turn faster. The doors are there to protect your arms which are large easy targets. I leave them closed when maneuvering and taking popshots and open them when I'm bombarding a mech. Personally I run some extras to give me an edge but they're not needed as much (BAP, AMS). ECM is your bane of existence and will ruin your day unless you equip a TAG or your team has one and is tagging them for you. Problem is with putting a TAG on you lose 1 medium laser bringing your direct firepower to 15 instead of 20. I've seen some put 2 large lasers in place of the 4 mediums but the problem becomes weight. 10 tons for 2 LL or 4 tons for 4 ML, the difference is 2 damage, slightly less efficient for heat (though the LLs will take longer to overheat), and several tons for ammo and equipment. One last thing to remember you have to keep the same target for the LRMs to hit otherwise they lose lock and head towards the spot they were heading. If you lose the target for a second you have to reacquire the target lock and if you notice the missiles flight path you'll see they abruptly change direction and go after their original target.

My main design (Personal Favorite Mech)
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...bd8206174bf608c

With 2 Large Lasers instead
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...094f007b99e6de4


What is nice with my setup with the Elite pilot skill unlocks it is pretty safe with heat, has more armor than stock, and has a top speed of 82.2KPH. The downside is price. If you want to work with a different mech, I like the Cataphract for a mix of speed power and durability.

Edited by FireSlade, 18 April 2013 - 01:50 PM.

[Liquid Leopard]

FireSlade, on 18 April 2013 - 01:43 PM, said:

I'm not a FRR but I can give you friendly advice on what you're doing wrong with the CAT-C1. What it sounds like you're doing is treating it as a brawler, it just can't since the hitboxes are so large and the stock mech is lacking points in armor.

Yes, I've been trying a build with 2 LLs and 2 MLs as the main weapons, and Streaks for targets of opportunity. I take a few long-range hits while I'm trying to close with the enemy. AMS helps a little. I've stopped using my "laser pointers" to point out the enemy's location. I draw even more fire if I do that.

FireSlade, on 18 April 2013 - 01:43 PM, said:

First off, you're going to want a bigger engine. with it you'll be able to maneuver to spots faster and run when your flanked.

I have a 300 (standard) right now. XL is quite expensive. You guys aren't getting killed faster because of it? (I have a bit of a phobia, here.)

FireSlade, on 18 April 2013 - 01:43 PM, said:

Second, your main weapon is your LRMs. if you want a Splat Cat go A1 or C4 the C1 is strictly LRM. Since your main weapon is LRMs, you're going to want artemis upgrade for faster locks and more accurate missiles. I see a lot of pilots dumping their Jump Jets for extra slots and tons and leaving their missile doors open, this is a BIG mistake. The JJs are your extra maneuverability and when you get caught in a fight under 180m they help you turn faster. The doors are there to protect your arms which are large easy targets. I leave them closed when maneuvering and taking potshots and open them when I'm bombarding a mech...

...What is nice with my setup with the Elite pilot skill unlocks it is pretty safe with heat, has more armor than stock, and has a top speed of 82.2KPH. The downside is price. If you want to work with a different mech, I like the Cataphract for a mix of speed, power and durability.

So, Elite skills are important? Then, I need to decide on 2 more mechs, not just one. If I get a 2nd Catapult, I'd want to try the K2. Does it get cored out like the C1?
　
Between the A1 and the C4, does the C4 suck less? The backup lasers in the CT sound like a good idea.

Edited by Liquid Leopard, 19 April 2013 - 12:09 PM.