16 replies to this topic

[TroubleEntendre]

I'm thinking of starting a Cataphract next, but I don't know which one to get. I was going to go for the 3D but then I saw its top speed is the same as my Catapult and I wanted something faster.

Or should I just stick with my current Cat-C1, which I really like, and grind out two more Cats to make it better?

[Hex Pallett]

It depends on whether you wanna fully develop your Cataphract pilot tree, and whether you feel like paying real money. Because so far Ilya Muromet is the only hero 'Mech that is significantly superior that any other variant. Both triple UAC5 and dual-Gauss are very solid setup, and very easy to use. Both setup goes with XL300 aka the universal XL engine that works on half of the 'Mech builds out there.

1X is the most..."plain" one. You get a STD300, an AC20 and five MLas in there, and you have a simple yet effective brawler. 2X is the weird one, mostly because it's hard to find a use of those two missile hardpoints. 3D is good for both brawling in the 1X fashion I mentioned and for poptarting aka jump-sniping, but latter is a tactic that I find cheap and boring. 4X is slow - your engine is capped at 255 and you get the speed of an assault out of it - but if you wanna carry a hedious amount of ballistics, say, quad-AC2 or quad-AC5, that is for you.

Catapult, though, is my favorite chassis. With the BAP patch A1 will be a much more useful universal defensive 'Mech, C1 is the old-school LRM platform, and K2 with twin-PPC on the shoulders is just glorious. But if you want something faster, I suggest you take a look at Dragons.

[NRP]

Helmstif, on 18 May 2013 - 02:18 AM, said:

Because so far Ilya Muromet is the only hero 'Mech that is significantly superior that any other variant.

Going off topic here, but you need to get an X-5.

[Aylek]

When leveling my Phracts I bought the 1X, 2X and 3D. Though I only kept the 3D, which has very powerful loadouts besides that well-known sniper setup, both 1X and 2X are powerful mechs in my eyes.

The possible 1X builds range from a laser/AC brawer type loadout as described above to a nasty build with 5 Large Lasers. Admittedly, the latter runs a bit hot, but those lasers provide a hell of a punch.

When leveling my 2X I used a loadout I labeled as 'Mini Atlas' because it sort of resembled one of that mech's popular loadouts. The build that worked for me got an AC20, 2 ML, 2 SRM4 and a single Large Laser. Also, with the upcoming changes to BAP, I am considering getting a new 2X for exactly that loadout, but replacing the SRM4s with a pair of Streaks and the BAP, powered by a STD275/280. Mounting a STD300 is also possible here, but comes at the cost of replacing the arm mounted LL with another ML.

Edited by Aylek, 19 May 2013 - 03:32 AM.

[TheCrazySteve]

1x, 4x, and 3d are all amazing, you really literally can't go wrong with cataphracts.

Personally, my favorite is a 4x with a standard 250, dual guass and 2 medium lasers.

Edited by TheCrazySteve, 19 May 2013 - 03:46 AM.

[Fuggles]

If your interested in phracts and the 3d especially (the best one) the obvious answer is get yourself a catapult k2. It's hardpoints are almost identical to the 3d minus the jumpjets.

You want to get 3 cats anyway if you like them to master the chassis.

Then if you like the k2 go ahead and get yourself a phract. Same speed as pults but more balistic focused. The 1x, 3d, are the 2 best MC variants and the 4x is just fun.

Edited by Fuggles, 19 May 2013 - 05:32 AM.

[z3a1ot]

Go with 1X. You cant go wrong here. Im runing with std 280 engine, 3 med lasers, 2 large lasers, ac10, double heat sinks and endo steel upgrades.

After this one i tried 3D which is also great mech, and 2X was the last one i bought to master 1X and 3D.

[POOTYTANGASAUR]

Helmstif, on 18 May 2013 - 02:18 AM, said:

It depends on whether you wanna fully develop your Cataphract pilot tree, and whether you feel like paying real money. Because so far Ilya Muromet is the only hero 'Mech that is significantly superior that any other variant. Both triple UAC5 and dual-Gauss are very solid setup, and very easy to use. Both setup goes with XL300 aka the universal XL engine that works on half of the 'Mech builds out there.

1X is the most..."plain" one. You get a STD300, an AC20 and five MLas in there, and you have a simple yet effective brawler. 2X is the weird one, mostly because it's hard to find a use of those two missile hardpoints. 3D is good for both brawling in the 1X fashion I mentioned and for poptarting aka jump-sniping, but latter is a tactic that I find cheap and boring. 4X is slow - your engine is capped at 255 and you get the speed of an assault out of it - but if you wanna carry a hedious amount of ballistics, say, quad-AC2 or quad-AC5, that is for you.

Catapult, though, is my favorite chassis. With the BAP patch A1 will be a much more useful universal defensive 'Mech, C1 is the old-school LRM platform, and K2 with twin-PPC on the shoulders is just glorious. But if you want something faster, I suggest you take a look at Dragons.

i have had quite a few different builds than the 5ml ac20 build so many dumbasses run that and think wow this is a good brawler, no you can run 4 large or 4 largepulse and a gauss or ac20 and be much stronger, people just dont think, also 5 large laser is very good with an xl you can get some great speed and very good heat management
edit: i have also run 5 erppcs or 5 ppcs very strong sniper if you are smart with heat, the 5 er is a one shot pony, the 5 ppc version can alpha twice and then chain fire to stay cool i regularly run this and i once ran 4ppcs and a gauss that was amazing but i switched to 3 erppcs and a gauss so that i would have more weight to play with.

Edited by POOTYTANGASAUR, 19 May 2013 - 08:32 AM.

[Koniving]

Helmstif, on 18 May 2013 - 02:18 AM, said:

It depends on whether you wanna fully develop your Cataphract pilot tree, and whether you feel like paying real money. Because so far Ilya Muromets is the only hero 'Mech that is significantly superior that any other variant.

I disagree with this statement. As someone who owns every both every Cataphract, and every hero mech, the Muromets is not the best variant. It has 3 superb builds but any mech can have superbly performing builds. The 3D has good merit and versatility, the 2X has the most flexibility, however depending on your playstyle the 1x and the 4x are in my opinion the best overall.

Since you're into speed, the 1x's top speed is 4 or so kph above the Catapults, even while carrying 5 large lasers and the heatsinks necessary to pump them out in rapid succession. Though it's fast, it's also incapable of ever going too fast to be able to focus your laser beams on a specific component of the enemy (unlike dragons). It moves very smoothly (minimal bounce) which keeps the lasers nice and straight. If you have tried and liked the Hunchback 4P in a fast attack rig with lots of mediums or small lasers, the 1x can do the same and better with bigger lasers as well as more range.

The 4X might not suit your style since you want speed so I won't recommend it to the original poster specifically. But if you were into staying a safe distance away and carrying boatloads of ammo for long range weapons, there's no better mech for the job. Unlike the Muromets, no one prioritizes the 4x over the nearby Atlas, LRM boat, or whatever you're near. You look unimportant. You can devastate crap at range. Then, while virtually fresh, you can clean up what's left of the mess. Pair them up (bring in 2 at a time with a friend) and set them in a good spot that can crossfire targets no matter their cover and you'll have a one sided roflstomp every time. What other cataphract could get away with the XL 170 engine and still be the end-of-days to non-PPC assaults and heavies?

Admittedly the 1X and 4X are polar opposites designed for two very different styles of gameplay.

Spoiler

If I'm reminded I'll record the 1X.
This is the 4X. Out of all the Cataphracts, I prefer the 4X as my competitive build in 8 mans in the pre-ballistic HSR rig, and it'll again reign supreme with the upcoming balance tweaks to PPCs and boating.

For those who don't know me, my credentials are linked with an album taken just seconds ago of my mechs (on each image is a 'page' of my 53 mechs, with each page placed there with a highlighted mech of interest at the top). It also shows I do have every hero mech.

But this image alone should suffice for those who just need to know I'm not some random person full of air.

Edited by Koniving, 19 May 2013 - 09:20 AM.

[Jabilo]

Well one bonus to starting with the 3D is that is comes with a 280 XL.

This can be handy for some builds with the other variants.

1X is a very powerful mech.

4x is not considered to be as good or versatile, but you can make some great fun builds with it such as the quad AC5.

[HiplyRustic]

Jabilo, on 19 May 2013 - 09:29 AM, said:

Well one bonus to starting with the 3D is that is comes with a 280 XL.

This can be handy for some builds with the other variants.

1X is a very powerful mech.

4x is not considered to be as good or versatile, but you can make some great fun builds with it such as the quad AC5.

I have 3 phracts:

- Ilya with the basic 3 UAC5/3 ML setup
-2X an AC/10, 3 MLs, and 2 SRM6
-4X currently running 2 UAC5s and 2 AC2s

They all have their uses and their plusses. Best I've done with any of them was 850 in the Ilya, The 2X is a medium to close in mech where I can start the AC10 at 500 or so and just keep moving, a decent brawler that's fun to drive because you never stop moving. The 4X build was done for the pure love of insane dakka...but if people ignore it it can bring the pain, it's best round was one I just left, 628 2 kills/2 assists.

Edited by HiplyRustic, 19 May 2013 - 05:17 PM.

[GabRaz]

Cataphracts are my favorites too, I mastered all of them and have kept three:

The typical twin Gauss Muro, you can trade a ton of ammo for an extra ML... I found I prefer the extra 10 rounds. Just watch for arm clearance.

The jump Brawler 3D, ridiculously fun, survivable, and maneuverable.

The hit and run 2X, good on Conquest, scares fast mediums away. You can trade the BAP for extra heatsinks or ammo.

Note the location armor values are generic I usually have a 60+ center torso.

[Jam the Bam]

I run a cheese 3D just now because I like the manoeuvrability of it, and before anyone says anything yes it is a poptarter but I am perfectly happy to brawl in it, you just need to play a bit like a medium. Its fun.

But I would recommend the 3D because even without the JJ's its a very versatile mech, loads of ways of building it. Ignore the 2x, difficult to make work. The 4x is all about the ballistics so make sure you are happy with low sling guns too. 1x makes great brawler.

[pow pow]

the 3d is my favorite mech wrecks faces with 2 er ppc and a gauss, with or without JJ. When leveling way back i used to also like the 2x but I sold it.

the 4x is extremely slow and basically to put out dps with ballistics you need to keep yourself exposed to the enemy so it's a very tricky one to play well. the 1x is okay... but has nothing over the 2x or the 3d.

[Pupecki]

Helmstif, on 18 May 2013 - 02:18 AM, said:

It depends on whether you wanna fully develop your Cataphract pilot tree, and whether you feel like paying real money. Because so far Ilya Muromet is the only hero 'Mech that is significantly superior that any other variant. Both triple UAC5 and dual-Gauss are very solid setup, and very easy to use. Both setup goes with XL300 aka the universal XL engine that works on half of the 'Mech builds out there.

1X is the most..."plain" one. You get a STD300, an AC20 and five MLas in there, and you have a simple yet effective brawler. 2X is the weird one, mostly because it's hard to find a use of those two missile hardpoints. 3D is good for both brawling in the 1X fashion I mentioned and for poptarting aka jump-sniping, but latter is a tactic that I find cheap and boring. 4X is slow - your engine is capped at 255 and you get the speed of an assault out of it - but if you wanna carry a hedious amount of ballistics, say, quad-AC2 or quad-AC5, that is for you.

Catapult, though, is my favorite chassis. With the BAP patch A1 will be a much more useful universal defensive 'Mech, C1 is the old-school LRM platform, and K2 with twin-PPC on the shoulders is just glorious. But if you want something faster, I suggest you take a look at Dragons.

with regards to the CTF-2X missile hard points, I find that loading it up with either SRM 4's or SRM 6's and then put in an AC20 and ML's, or I personally like to take out the ML's and put in a single LL's or ERLL in the arms with 2 SL's in the side torsos or you can remove them for another heatsink.

[Sable Dove]

4X, dual Gauss. It's overpowered, and I have it set up for an easy match when I'm having a bad time with all the cheese, since my other mechs don't abuse ERPPCs, Streaks, or super-alphas.

Also, the fact that they explode means nothing when you have more armour on your arm than side torso. I can't think of a single occasion in which I lost a gauss before I died.

[heleqin]

i'm less fond of the Cataphract than the other Heavies, just haven't had a lot of luck with it, but i'm working on the chassis right now so i can fully master my Muromets. i think my issues have a lot to do with the low mounts for the Torso ballistic and the arm mounted weapons. i'm a much better pilot now than when i first bought the Muromets, so that should help.

i'm having a lot of luck with the 2X right now, i tried a lot of different builds before settling on 3 Mlas, ac20, 2 SSRM, std 275 engine. i favor more brawling builds and Ballistic weapons, so this is right in my comfort zone.

i usually run my Iyla Muromets with 3 AC5 and 3Mlas, with either a std275 or XL325 engine, i don't use macros and have found that the UAC5 is just not something i enjoy using, plus the AC5 has more ammo per ton, and weighs less, allowing more me to run more tons of ammo or more heatsinks

i haven't decided on my 3rd cataphract chassis yet, i'm leaning towards the ever popular 3D for the jumpjets and 2 ballistic slots or the 1X to maybe play with massed LPL