43 replies to this topic

[IceSerpent]

Neolisk, on 10 June 2013 - 12:36 PM, said:

You can put an XL engine

That would make it even more of a death trap.

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40 pts of armor on each leg is pretty safe, from personal experience.

40 pts of armor mean that the first mech that shoots you in the leg will know for a fact that you didn't put enough armor there (leg armor on paper doll will turn orange from a single alpha stike). Ergo, they will instantly know what is the fastest way to take you out even if you didn't put ammo in the legs.

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You can, however, add more, if you put an XL engine. Here is another build (full armor, still almost 7 DPS), if it makes you feel more safe this way.

XL engine in a Stalker only makes me feel safe when that Stalker is on the opposing team.

[Neolisk]

IceSerpent, on 10 June 2013 - 01:58 PM, said:

40 pts of armor mean that the first mech that shoots you in the leg will know for a fact that you didn't put enough armor there (leg armor on paper doll will turn orange from a single alpha stike). Ergo, they will instantly know what is the fastest way to take you out even if you didn't put ammo in the legs.

I've been fielded with 40 pts of armor per leg in a Stalker numerous times and cannot remember a single time being legged. One time I got one leg torn apart, and then the enemy decided to switch to a regular CT destruction, as apparently I was still dealing enough damage. Remaining leg was still armored, orange color. The thing is that legs are hard to hit on a moving mech. If you are light, you can come close, but you cannot deal enough damage to see any "armor vulnerability". If you are heavy, your AC20 most likely will never hit it. Lasers have 1 second of damage spread.

Another example - I was an LRM60 boat, so the enemy assumed that I can be taken out via leg destruction. Problem is ammo explosion did not happen, and again the enemy switched to CT-style kill. Still managed to do around 300 dmg with <300m to the furthest target at start, and most enemy mechs heading towards me. Not my best match by any means, as I should've stayed behind my team mates, but we got flanked very quickly that time.

Don't forget that a chance of ammo explosion is only 10%, that is 20% per two packs of ammo destroyed, my opinion - not a high risk (if multiplied by a chance for the enemy to focus on leg destruction).

[Volthorne]

Neolisk, on 10 June 2013 - 02:53 PM, said:

The thing is that legs are hard to hit on a moving mech.

I think this is instantly telling about who you're fighting against if they have trouble hitting the legs - excuse me- pillars of a STALKER. Running under 50 armor per leg on a Heavy/Assault is probably one of the dumbest things you can do, aside from front-loading all of your torso armor. I've been legged in my C1 plenty of times by Lights before I had an XL and could afford the tonnage to up-armor my legs, and as soon as someone realizes the paper-thin volume of armor you have down there, you're guaranteed toast, because legs can be hit from from all sides.

[White Bear 84]

Pretty sure the devs have come up with a halfway compromise.. ..they call them CHAMPION MECHS ;p

No.