9 replies to this topic

[luigi256]

What should my first assault mech be?

Having tried the trail atlas R5 (which obviously could be better when tweaked) I disliked the speed of it.

Are all assaults that slow or can putting a better engine help greatly with speed? I'm currently used to the 64.4 on my cataphract and would like to be able to go that fast.

Would it be wise to go with energy ballistic or missle? As assault i imagine it would mostly be long range due to slow top speed.

Thanks to all who answer and give advice.

[Koniving]

RS^

Remember that speed can change with the build. Different mechs top out to different speeds.

The use of the mechlab feature found here http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/ can help you greatly in determining those speeds. The fastest assault goes 89.1 kph (Pretty Baby), the Awesome 9M is the second fastest, with the Heavy Metal being the third fastest by 0.1 kph over certain other assaults.

Most assaults can reach around 64 kph.

Energy, ballistic, and missile depend on preferences. Energy is typically high heat, good precision with very low weight, no ammo dependency, with gradually given damage. Ballistics are instant damage, low heat, good precision and high weight. Missiles are instant damage but slow moving and scattered, moderate heat with moderate weight.

Credentials before I go farther.

Note the mech count. (Also note the Awesomes that I still have.)

An ideal starting assault is hard to say. I favor the Awesome as it teaches the most since their variants are the most role-specific. However, while it teaches great skill they also require great skill and staying true to role warfare in order to succeed, and as such most dislike them.

For a newer player that absolutely has to get into assault mechs, I must say the Stalkers are both the most economical (cost-effective) and the most forgiving in terms of getting and using them. Most recommend the 3F for its torso twist.

---
More detailed breakdown. Pictures of mechs in action found in spoilers.

Awesomes. The Awesome is cheap, affordable, and has a large number of variants that cater to different playstyles. For example the 8R is a missile boat with hardpoint placement ideal for anti-assault, while the 8T has missiles but allows for the anti-medium/light mechs use of all arm-mounted energy weapons or a combination direct and indirect fire support (PPCs + LRMs for example). The 9M is ideal for high speed twitch-fests. The 8V and 8Q are slower high damage fire support for those who like to sit back; the 8V for missiles and the 8Q for energy-based direct fire.

Cockpit Viewport: Awesomes have the clearest view from their cockpits, completely unobstructed horizontally from left to right..

Spoiler

Pretty Baby; the only assault currently available that can dodge missiles.

Stalker. Affordable within reason. These are weapons platforms that can fulfil a variety of roles with few to no limitations. Many of them are similar to the point that identical builds can be made across several variants. The design of the torso benefits from a 50% reduction in damage dealt against you once you lose a side torso (when taken in the bad side), protecting the center torso very well. Carries the most possible weapons out of any assault.

Cockpit Viewport: Stalkers have side windows, but obstructions at the 35 degree angles in the form of a hexagon.

Spoiler

The Highlander. The only jumpjet capable assault at the moment. They do not vary much by default, however their hardpoints dedicate them to "ideal" roles. For example the 733C fits the role of ballistic Brawler best (out of Cbill versions). The 733P fits the energy brawler best. 733 fits a missile boat, with the 732 as a good balance. These require a substantial investment in XL engines to be useful at their greatest potential.

Cockpit Viewport: Poor side visibility. Obstructions in the form of multiple 4 pillars at the 35 or 45 degree angles. Can't lean inside cockpit to see better out of left-front and right-front viewports. (I swear it should be a 3-seater as there's no real logic behind the viewport design). Shoulders block side views much more than Hunchback's hunch or Cataphract's shoulders.

Spoiler

Atlas. Their use varies. The Atlas K is ideal as an escort to missile boats and long range engagements. As such right now it's virtually useless as it is severely impaired when it comes to brawling and close range combat potential. The RS is great as an anti-light brawler, but is currently used with 4 PPCs and a Gauss Rifle for fast kills and hard hits. The D and DDC can work as balanced builds, brawlers, and so much more.

Cockpit Viewport: Off-center cockpit gives minor depth perception issues. Note that you are in the Left Eyeball. No peripheral vision (can't see left or right at all). Numerous minor obstructions on all edges of the transparent-armor viewport.

Spoiler

Cyclops, Founder's Atlas D.


Wolfmech's Atlas D with Kobra skin.

An Atlas D with basic unlocks only, AC/5, AC/2, LRM-10, SRM-6, 4 medium lasers and one to two tons of ammo for each weapon. Piloted by me but recorded in the third person by a camera commando (Lordred).

All other voices are in the teamspeak channel but are not in the same match, until Lordred is told to defend himself it's essentially me pugging and even then our attacks are not coordinated. I come out with 6 kills and okay damage, considering I slapped in a bunch of wimpy weapons as a joke. (I still keep this nearly lore-friendly build because it's surprisingly effective).

Bonus shots.

Spoiler

Atlas and (my) Pretty Baby. Wings are created by an enemy Gauss round shoved in my back.


Misery versus Heavy Metal (I'm the HM)


Assault Mech Jousting. And yes, those are flamers that I'm using.

Screenshots, camera commando recorded video = Lordred.
Most mechs shown above = Koniving.
Non Kon mechs = Wolfmech, Assaultfox, unknowns.

Edited by Koniving, 16 June 2013 - 07:14 AM.

[Hex Pallett]

I'll just give you a few idea of how different assaults play like:

Awesome: oversize Heavies. Generally the fastest, with 9M and PB who can run really fast and be extremely fun to play. Easiest to kill due to huge torso size, thus XL engine is not recommended on 8-series. However most variants have massive arms to soak up damage. Takes quite a lot of practice, not recommended for newbies.

Stalker: best boat 'Mech, perfect for carrying multiple LRM/SRM/LL/PPC. Torso sections are well portioned thus good with XL engine. Only drawback is limited torso turning angle. Good for newbies.

Highlander: arguable the most survivable Assault. Jumpjet capability serves well in ranged combat as well as brawling, and during my experience XL engines are perfectly applicable. Strongly recommend for newbies.

Atlas: Strategic weapon. Speed is not as important as placement, as the firepower of a slow Atlas can perform incredible ganking as well as disrupting enemy charges, especially DDC. NEVER should an Atlas carry XL. Not recommended for newbies until after gathering lots of knowledge about maps.

[Koniving]

Helmstif, on 15 June 2013 - 09:45 PM, said:

Easiest to kill due to huge torso size, thus XL engine is not recommended on 8-series.

Compare the side by side of the Pretty Baby (Awesome) and the Atlas in the bonus spoiler I put up above. Their CTs are identically sized. Though the sag of the side torsos runs them down (since they are larger in terms of vertical height than the Atlas's). I'm hoping that soon we'll see the art overpass on the Awesomes which may, possibly, remove some of the 'sag' when missile pod model swaps come along.

Edited by Koniving, 15 June 2013 - 10:19 PM.

[Vxheous]

Personally, I'd take an Atlas over the rest. You can use a Std 350 engine, and with speed tweak, go ~63 kph. Currently, I'm running at Std 325, which gives me ~58 kph.

I'm fully mastered in Atlas and Highlander, and right now, I'd prefer playing my Atlas over the Highlander. Simply put, with the Jump Jet nerf, my Highlanders bring nothing that my Atlas can't do better. I'm fully Mastered in Atlas D-DC, 4/4 Elite D, RS. Fully mastered in Highlander 732, 733, 733P. I've used Std and XL engines in my Highlanders, and much prefer using the Std.

Edited by Vxheous, 15 June 2013 - 10:01 PM.

[Redshift2k5]

Also note that the upcoming Victor will also be a "fast Assault" with a base speed of 64 and capable of pushing into the 70s(Speed Tweak alone should bring it's speed to 70kph without investing in a larger engine) . Fairly light for an assault at 80 tons, it brings ballistics unlike the Awesome, if that tickles your fancy you may wish to wait and see what July's announced mech of the month will be.

[luigi256]

Hey everyone thanks for answering my topic.

Looking like i'll be trying the stalker first but also definitely looking forward to the Victor when it gets released.

It'll be nice to have a mech for energy/missle while another is mostly ballistic it'll help me get used to them since i've mostly used only energy on my cataphract.

[Koniving]

Victor should be here next month. Unlike the Awesome and other assaults, it appears that the Victor's focus will be mainly on speed and high powered ballistics. However beyond that it's pretty clear from the image that its hard points will be severely limited.


It essentially looks like a large Centurion, much like the heavy Quickdraw looks like a large commando crossbred with a Highlander. (That head reminds me of a samurai -- is the Victor a Kuritan mech? Does anyone know?)

Most disappointing for me in the Quickdraw, is that the 4G and the 4H will essentially be identical since the only difference between them is that half of one of their variant's weapons were mounted on the back of the mech and meant to fire backwards. This functionality has been removed and all of its weapons have been shifted onto the front.


It seems that with both the Victor and Quickdraw, PGI's trying to shift the meta to high speed again to try and reduce the effectiveness of those sniping rigs people are using.

Oh, and if people haven't noticed, I tend to edit any information-giving posts I make over and over and over again until it's 100% accurate and gives out all the information it can. >.> So sometimes it pays to look over a post I've done several times within its first hour of creation.

Edited by Koniving, 16 June 2013 - 10:58 AM.

[Gremlich Johns]

Assaults trade speed for armor and firepower. Learn to go slow - around 60kph +/- is a reasonable goal for an Assault.

Frankly, you really do not need an Assault, but if you do, go Highlander and go early.

[Timuroslav]

If you want long range Harassment and Speed. I would buy an Awesome 9M. It has three Extended Range Particle Projection Canon, that fire up to 1000 meters and the mech itself goes 71 Kph. It sounds like you want to be the mobile Harasser moving cover to cover at long range. That is what the Awesome 9M is designed for. Yes, the Stalker and Atlas can Carry more P.P.C.s but the Awesome 8Q and 9M builds can mimic those without losing the speed. the Stalker is Great for bottlenecks and Defending points, but if you want Maneuverability, the Awesome is your man at the moment.

The Highlander is pretty Mobile as well, except it is not fast, the Jump jets make hill climbing a breeze and make grabbing the high point nice.

Edited by Timuroslav, 16 June 2013 - 10:38 AM.