19 replies to this topic

[Stat1cVoiD]

Hi,
I heard that there would be no Pay 2 Win, but i have to say that imho the HM is the best Assault Mech at least in terms of usability.
Thats because the way his hardpoints are allocated:
He is the only Assault which has all Energy and Ballistic hardpoints in the arms, and not spread all over the chassis making it way less clunky to use than other Mechs of that type...
The only drawback is that he cannot equip an AC/20, but tbh there are lots and lots of possibilities to deliver decent burst damage with other loadouts.
Can you confirm that or am I missing something out?

[safety 1st]

Is it really a big advantage to have all hardpoints in the Arms ?
If you loose one your quit gimped.

[Hex Pallett]

It cannot mount a colossal amount of missiles.

The arms have better arc of aiming but also are much less armored.

It cannot mount an ECM.

Anymore questions?

[TurboZombie]

I have three highlanders and they are some of my favorite in the game. But I don't agree that any of them are the best assault. They sure give atlas' a run for their money but if I ever come face to face with an atlas I don't take it lightly.

[Stat1cVoiD]

Helmstif, on 27 May 2013 - 09:32 AM, said:

It cannot mount a colossal amount of missiles.

The arms have better arc of aiming but also are much less armored.

It cannot mount an ECM.

Anymore questions?

Yeah, well, i don't like LRMs... I think you either have to boat them + artemis or don't use at all. But thats only my personal opinion. I know they are very effective right now, but I think that at least their splash will be nerfed and I don't like stuff that I cannot control manually in general...
And if you want to mount a "collossal" amount of rockets, that means you are going to boat them, for which there is the CPLT-A1...
And for SRM usage there are still 2 slots in the Torso.

In Regards of Armor: Well yeah, thats true if you add both sides of the Torso armors... But even then it's a pretty small difference... And usually the enemy tries to core an assault, at least from my experience.

And if you add good stuff in both arms, it's not that big of a deal if you lose one.

For the ECM: There is only the AS7-D-DC who can fit an ECM anyway... So it's more like this perticular Mech's speciality...

But I think that personal preferences are also playing a big part.

TurboZombie, on 27 May 2013 - 10:18 AM, said:

I have three highlanders and they are some of my favorite in the game. But I don't agree that any of them are the best assault. They sure give atlas' a run for their money but if I ever come face to face with an atlas I don't take it lightly.

Yeah, it's not about the HGN in general, it's specifically about the HGN-HM. Because of his E/B - Hardpoints in the Arms... Which makes him imho superior to all other Highlanders aswell...

I bought one 4 hours ago and I am riding this Layout atm:
HEAVY METAL

It's plain awesome how this thing wrecks havoc... And i only died by being cored. XL Engine has never killed me in like 10 deaths...

[Zerberus]

Stat1cVoiD, on 27 May 2013 - 05:07 AM, said:

Hi,
I heard that there would be no Pay 2 Win, but i have to say that imho the HM is the best Assault Mech at least in terms of usability.
Thats because the way his hardpoints are allocated:
He is the only Assault which has all Energy and Ballistic hardpoints in the arms, and not spread all over the chassis making it way less clunky to use than other Mechs of that type...
The only drawback is that he cannot equip an AC/20, but tbh there are lots and lots of possibilities to deliver decent burst damage with other loadouts.
Can you confirm that or am I missing something out?

Interesting, I generally destroy 2 of them more or less every match. Blow of the arms and then watch them lumber not around able to do jack **** but pray for death.

Does that make the Atlas D and D-DC OP now?

Edited by Zerberus, 27 May 2013 - 11:00 AM.

[Xeno Phalcon]

Short answer: No.

Long Answer: Its pretty user oriented and situational, For some people it might be pretty BOSS while others that like big mechs may prefer the stalker or atlas all are pretty popular right now. HM dosnt really bring anything super special to the table as it stands, at least when set aside other highlanders, the 733P is a pretty good example of a solid alternative. Even if you shell out $30 for a heavy metal its not going to make you a better pilot: primarily hero mechs offer a unique variant and the +30% cbill gain which is IMO the bigger reason to buy any hero mech but thats still not going to fasttrack you to pwnyland.

[Moomtazz]

732 is a better sniper than the Heavy Metal (3 PC right torso, Gauss Right arm). 733C is a better brawler (AC20 in the arm). I do like the build you posted but I would tweak it to add at least one JJ and BAP for the streaks.

Edited by Moomtazz, 27 May 2013 - 11:10 AM.

[Aslena]

it's all situational as to which assault is best in a fight. face to face my atlas eats about everything, but highlanders and stalkers both have an easier time using walls ect... to hide behind and can bring enough damage to even that out some. The Awsome would be far inferior to the other 3 in my opinion. At least from the point of view that If I see one in my atlas or stalker I don't usually worry to much about the outcome of the fight.

[MavRCK]

No.

[Philadelphia Collins]

you are incorrect the HM is just as viable as any highlander if you don't see it this way that is unfortunate

[NRP]

Best mech is very subjective. Ask 10 people, you'll likely get 10 different answers.

That said, the HM is a good mech. I do like arm weapons. It help with aiming down on fools from on high.

[Fuggles]

the heavy metal is a great mech and considering its 6000+ MC cost, theres nothing wrong with that.

that being said its no greater than the good atlas's, stalkers, or other HGNs. Its advantages are subjective and your fairly limited in what you can equip on a HM given its hardpoints.

In fact the other HGN variants out there are better snipers/brawlers depending on what you want to do (wich has already been mentioned here).


personally i love mine, and i rock uac5/ac5 in right arm, dual srm 6's in LT and 3 mlas in right arm with ams, std 300 and tons of ammo / heatsinks. nothing special but i feel it plays to the chassis strengths and it works well.

[NRP]

And it has kill music. Even though the riffs are kind of generic and lame, it really never gets old.

I rolled my HM yesterday and ended up last man standing in a swarm of enemies. Death was certain. Normally, this situation would **** me off, but I somehow managed to take out a Cataphract before I went down. Just knowing that every a-hole on the enemy team had to hear my kill music made me laugh and feel good about an otherwise miserable roflstomp.

Edited by NRP, 28 May 2013 - 12:32 PM.

[Skadi]

Stat1cVoiD, on 27 May 2013 - 10:54 AM, said:

Yeah, well, i don't like LRMs... I think you either have to boat them + artemis or don't use at all. But thats only my personal opinion. I know they are very effective right now, but I think that at least their splash will be nerfed and I don't like stuff that I cannot control manually in general...
And if you want to mount a "collossal" amount of rockets, that means you are going to boat them, for which there is the CPLT-A1...
And for SRM usage there are still 2 slots in the Torso.

In Regards of Armor: Well yeah, thats true if you add both sides of the Torso armors... But even then it's a pretty small difference... And usually the enemy tries to core an assault, at least from my experience.

And if you add good stuff in both arms, it's not that big of a deal if you lose one.

For the ECM: There is only the AS7-D-DC who can fit an ECM anyway... So it's more like this perticular Mech's speciality...

But I think that personal preferences are also playing a big part.



Yeah, it's not about the HGN in general, it's specifically about the HGN-HM. Because of his E/B - Hardpoints in the Arms... Which makes him imho superior to all other Highlanders aswell...

I bought one 4 hours ago and I am riding this Layout atm:
HEAVY METAL

It's plain awesome how this thing wrecks havoc... And i only died by being cored. XL Engine has never killed me in like 10 deaths...

Give any of my 3 Highlanders, including a HM, a 1v1 against that load out and itle be reduced to rubble. no offense mate but your loadout isn't very threatening, don't get me wrong itle -hurt- but in most fights the "Meta-built" builds piloted by people who live inside of those builds will beat a inferior build. (talking 1v1, not with interventions of allys)

[Xeno Phalcon]

No JJ? I think something inside me died just now.....maybe gas.

[TheFuzzyBunny]

Short answer: No.

Longer answer: Not the best, but all Highlanders are pretty good. They should be, being they are the second largest heavy. They also fit the current meta of jump sniping, for sure. I still think the Atlas D-DC is still king, and probably has been since before even ECM was put into this game.

That all being said I have over 20 hours in my Heavy Metal, and love it. I run everything from poptart builds to brawling builds. The only thing I don't run is LRM's. I could probably take a D-DC if piloted by a pilot of equal skill simply because of the ease to knock out it's heaviest weapons. There wouldn't be much left of me though, if the other pilot was of equal skill.

I think the main benefit the Highlanders have in general is the ability to easily spread damage to the legs as well as both arms and side torso's. We all know about twisting around to spread, but now you can also spread damage to the legs with well timed jumps.

[Demosthones]

I enjoy the HGN-HM as well. I put 3 LL, 1 Gauss, and 2 ssrm2, with 1 JJ and std largest engine. To do this you have to put endo and fero on it and only run 3 dhs in the engine. It is a bit hot but puts out great damage. On the plus side you can play it as fire support or a brawler (just be aware brawling with LL can be difficult to keep on those smaller mechs).

[Cold Cash]

Haha i seem to be stalking fuzzbunny again, but again i agree with his opinion.
I have really started to back myself versus atlases, i can solo most builds now.
Ive found it all comes down to timing, heres my build its the same build i started with and i like it so much ive gone back to it, 1 gauss, 3 LL, 2x streak.

This is the rythmn i use dodge/twist thier 1st attack(or take it to the face if unlucky).
gauss and 3x LL alpha to the chest or head now jump, twist to face him and keep the jump on till he tries to shoot u again(as you'll find your alpha if done straight after his ac20 or gauss is timed on your LL as soon as they fade start the jump it will throw his aim off and he'll panick fire or he waste time trying to get a better shot). As im mid jump and facing him my streaks should have pickedup or kept lock, fire. another 1 sec or so and then your jets will fail or u drop early after hes missed his shot and again gauss/LL alpha and repeat.

If heat is a problem ignore your lasers and just gauss and streak combo him, until you can LL alpha him.

You'll find most atlas pilots with thier restricted movement and speed will struggle to meaningfully strip one spot, preferring to hit anything and hopeing thier long game will win.
Generally it doesnt win, even with multiple opposing teammates whacking on me ive killed atlases like this alot.
Also everytime an atlas waits to get that good shot or torso twists to spread damage, you get more alphas and take less damage overall.

DISCLAIMER: A pro atlas pilot is pro our tricks are not new to them and they can counter you by finding your rythmn and acting accordingly. Also some have disgustingly good timing and aim(dont play in thier bracket lol).

[Alekzander Smirnoff]

Loadout, Ownage, Nerf it. Notice that the top damage mech on the enemy team is also a HGN-HM.

Majority of that match I was sitting a bit back leading and sniping with the ac/5's and the occasional mlas rake. Near the end of the match I went in with zero ammo left (used up all the srm ammo mid match) and waxed two remaining mechs via chain fire since I couldn't cool down enough.

Edited by Alekzander Smirnoff, 12 June 2013 - 09:43 AM.