23 replies to this topic

[Maskedsatyr]

I'm about to master my stalkers and would like to try a medium/heavy mech next. I'm interested in using ac20s/gauss/ac5s as I have not had the chance to use ballistic weapons yet. Can I have recommendations on which mech I should try to master next?

[mack sabbath]

I'm guessing most people will suggest a Jagermech as a heavy, maybe Ilya or another Cataphract variant for the medium.

You might smurfy some builds there and see if anything grabs you.

http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/

Edited by Die Primate Die, 01 July 2013 - 03:30 PM.

[ZeProme]

Catapults are great ballistics platforms. Gausspault, AC/20pault, or even a mix of AC/5, UAC/5 with some energy weapons works well.

[Xeno Phalcon]

Jager and cataph are good choices, for mediums Blackjack 1 is my poison of choice (Jump jets and can choose if im in the mood for zapy weapons or boom booms) or the hunchback I suppose sense the only centurion that can mount ac20 is the yenlowang.

BJ-1 (and the 1DC) can mount a AC20 but they end up with a paltry amount of ammo (two tons ish) unless you take a XL engine which I dont like to do, however iv done real well with a UAC5, two medium lasers and a crap ton of ammo.

[ZeProme]

Don't forget the HBK-4G and HBK-4H! They can mount ballistics but the HBK-4H is better since all you really need is an AC/20 or Gauss in it. Extra energy hard points for better use of limited weight

Here, try this build that I made: http://mwo.smurfy-ne...25a20d11a947b4e

Edited by ZeProme, 22 June 2013 - 06:18 PM.

[Op4blushift]

ZeProme, on 22 June 2013 - 05:58 PM, said:

Catapults are great ballistics platforms. Gausspault, AC/20pault, or even a mix of AC/5, UAC/5 with some energy weapons works well.

Its only the K2 that can mount ballistics, but yeah, its a decent ballistic platform. Although personally I'd recommend a Jagermech since its got the ballistics in those nice high arm mounts (meaning you can basically shoot anything you see while exposing as little of yourself as possible). Cataphract is also good, although I only have experience with the 4X which isn't so great because of its slow speed (I think it can top out at around 59kph with max engine and a little over that with speed tweak?) But yeah, Jagermech would be my choice, JM6-S variant in particular. The DD might look fun with those 6 ballistic points but there's no way you can really use all of them viably.

[80sGlamRockSensation David Bowie]

There is one popular build for the 1x/3d which is essentially a large Standard Engine, an AC20 and a bunch of med/large lasers. Its a solid design/mech that is easy to use and is quite effective in the medium/short range area. The 3D version will have Jump Jets and 1 less medium laser.

The "Battlephract"

3D Version - http://mwo.smurfy-ne...b641746c65360f5
4xmLas
AC20
AMS
3@AC20
1@AMS
13DHS
3xJump Jets
12t armor

1x Version - http://mwo.smurfy-ne...5fe514d9168e83a
5x mLas
AC20
AMS
3@AC20
1@AMS
16DHS
12t Armor

Happy Hunting <S>

[Shuyen]

I've run and mastered a HBK-4G with 3xAC/2's in it. The Dakkaback is kinda sorta an oddball, really. You have to really be in the mood to play in that certain, AC/2 "throw alot of lead downrange", kinda way. Personally, I've found it to be a really fun build.

Your mileage may vary, of course.

[Krazy Kat]

I run a fast Cent-D with a UAC5 and have lots of fun. And the Wang with the AC20 too. Both are great fun, but both suffer from the same problem as the ballistic hunchies. If you lose that weapon, you will hurt bad.

Not the best loadout, but very fun.

[POOTYTANGASAUR]

mwhighlander, on 22 June 2013 - 09:14 PM, said:

There is one popular build for the 1x/3d which is essentially a large Standard Engine, an AC20 and a bunch of med/large lasers. Its a solid design/mech that is easy to use and is quite effective in the medium/short range area. The 3D version will have Jump Jets and 1 less medium laser.

The "Battlephract"

3D Version - http://mwo.smurfy-ne...b641746c65360f5
4xmLas
AC20
AMS
3@AC20
1@AMS
13DHS
3xJump Jets
12t armor

1x Version - http://mwo.smurfy-ne...5fe514d9168e83a
5x mLas
AC20
AMS
3@AC20
1@AMS
16DHS
12t Armor

Happy Hunting <S>

or run this(improved version of you ctf-1x) - http://mwo.smurfy-ne...250b1afb36628b2 I dont need the extra dhs and the extra ac20 ammo and armor can come in handy for torso twisting and shooting ******* up.

[80sGlamRockSensation David Bowie]

POOTYTANGASAUR, on 28 June 2013 - 08:55 PM, said:

or run this(improved version of you ctf-1x) - http://mwo.smurfy-ne...250b1afb36628b2 I dont need the extra dhs and the extra ac20 ammo and armor can come in handy for torso twisting and shooting ******* up.

Waay too much rear armor, and the extra DHS would have helped new players deal/learn heat management.

Edited by mwhighlander, 29 June 2013 - 08:20 AM.

[Zordicron]

I would vote phract also. One for the varied loadouts, two for learning how much more fragile lighter mechs are compared to a stalker, and 3 for the somewhat normal costs. If you want a MC variant, the Ilya is solid. I have all phracts master 1/1 and it was a blast for all of them.
Jagers are obvious choices, but AC40 jager is so f'ing cheese I can not vote for it. Unless you have been running PPC boat stalkers, then by all means, it is a perfect fit for you.
Centurions make very good platforms for the smaller AC- AC2 and 5, LBX, AC10 even depending on how you use the missile points. Most of my cents use an AC2(or 2), streaks, and 2ML and a big standard engine. Yen Lo Wang is rawk hawk once you figure out how to play support striker and use the left arm/shield arm.

I cant vote for hunchie's either, despite the cannon loadouts. I have done best with hunchies with max engine and tons of lasers or lasers and missiles. Going under 70kph in a hunchie just gets you killed faster IMO. For reference, 260 in a hunch makes you do like 90kph after tweak. Fast enough to make it a powerful striker mech. To be fair, sliding a gauss into the hunch and making it a small sniper mech would probably be an ok loadout also. Just dont go to the front lines.

Really, besides some one off loadouts, the bigger ballistics do better on a jager or bigger, and the smaller ballistics work out if you want to try something smaller and faster.

[Kiiyor]

Yager.

The venerable Phract has a handful of tonnes over the Yager , but (IMHO) has less utility and less flexibility.

The Yager's best assets are its magnificent, svelte arms. Lurking next to your cockpit, you have an amazing 100% dakkability to employ against your foes - what you see is what you can shoot. Compare that to its nearest competitor - the Phract - at a measly 37%, thanks to its low slung, asymmetrical arm, knee and foot cannons.

If a Phract driver wants to employ all their dakka resources on the battlefield, they need to expose almost all their bulk to the enemy, lest they expose themselves to ridicule as they gloriously blast the invincible legions of dirt at their feet.

The Yagermech needs only show the barest hint of its sensual silhouette to be deadly, leaving most of its bulk protected by the same legions of dirt that the Phract prefers shooting instead of its foes. EVIDENCE:



"But the Phract has JUMPJETS!" I hear you cry. Bah! The first half of any jump sees your reticule shake like it has developed impromptu reticule parkinsons. Why would you use something that tries to stifle your ability to blast your enemies to snot?



And also.....



..... there is the humble Boom Yager. If you have a few bad matches, there's nothing quite like the awesome feeling you get when every enemy mech soils their mecha undies when your load out pops up onto their hud... or their mecha innards pop out into the dirt at their feet when you shoot them gloriously in the back. It's like self love! Shame included.

[RRRumpel]

Why has nobody suggested the Trebutchet TBT-7K?
Im playing this loadout:
http://mechromancer....1,0,1,0,0,0,0,0

Pro:
- 100KPH
- extreme maneuverabilty with torso
- extreme Damagedealer in short-range
- all weapons are ideal for hunting lights...

Only contra is the XL Machine and less Armor then those Assaults...

You can easily change the loadout to AC-10s or 2 AC-5s - without the XL an AC 20 ist also an idea!

[oldradagast]

That ID guide is one of the funniest things I've seen on this forum. All you need now is a stupidly tall Quickdraw to round out the absurdly wide Awesome!

For the original poster, the Jagermech is the premier Heavy ballistics platform of choice, though Cataphracts also offer some good ballistics mixed with energy weapons.

Hunchbacks and Centurions are also solid, though it is a bit harder to get them to carry an AC20 (only the MC Centurion can do that) while still retaining good speed for a medium. Still, they are good mechs and also worth trying, IMHO.

[Drakari]

If you absolutely need to master it, and you absolutely need to use ballistics on every build, then you'll need a mech with at least one ballistic slot on at least 3 variants. That gets you the 'phract, the Jager, the Dragon, and the Centurion. I've never piloted any of those, so I can't say for sure, but if you're looking to TRY ballistics, and from there you'll decide if you want to master the chassis with or without, the Cataphract variants all HAVE ballistics hardpoints but some of them can also be made into reasonable builds if you decide to master them without ballistics. It's not completely impossible with the others, but it does get pretty difficult.

[Elizander]

Jagers and Cataphracts and their corresponding Hero versions.

Dragons and Catapults don't have enough Dakka. Smaller mechs don't have enough weight for Dakka.

[Maskedsatyr]

Thanks for the options guys I went with a cataphract and am about to master the them. Looking back I think I would have prefered the jagermech a lot more.

[NineTails]

Kilyor wins the thread.

[Elizander]

Maskedsatyr, on 27 July 2013 - 09:24 AM, said:

Thanks for the options guys I went with a cataphract and am about to master the them. Looking back I think I would have prefered the jagermech a lot more.

Just try to fight on even ground more often. Hills are the Phract's worst enemy.