18 replies to this topic

[Sephlock]

Originally, I just went with whatever... then I moved on to sticking to and building around 250 STD and 255 XL engines (since they weigh the same as 250 XLs) and 260s for Hunchbacks.

Lately, I've been relying on the heaviest engines I can shove into a mech, and building around that- relying on speed and harassment rather than slugging ability, and I've been having a LOT of fun in my 2x AC 2x LLAS Firebrand, and some lighter mechs as well...

But I find myself yearning for fights like this.

Then I enter the mechlab...



And find myself wondering... how do you guys build your mechs? Which general principles/philosophy do you adhere to, if any- both in general and for Assault mechs.

I really don't want to have to resort to sticking 4 ppcs on an Atlas RS if I can avoid it... at the vey least, I'd like to use 4 ppcs plus an AC-10... SOMETHING even a little different...

[Soy]

Zeroth rule (so important it comes first): Mech has to be about fun, everything else is secondary, if I'm not having fun in it, I don't like that mech and won't use it.

First rule: aesthetics, if a mech looks bad or doesn't have that special something, I'm not taking it out, ever

Second rule: upgrades, if it doesn't have DHS and stuff then it's pure garbage, if I don't have enough cash for something I won't half-build it either.

Third rule: i don't build a final mech design without 8/8 elite

Fourth rule: engine size first, usually I go to a well rounded kph [of course accounting for speed tweak] - 80+ for 3Ds, 100+ for Quickdraws, 125+ for Death's Knell, 80+ for 9M, etc.

Fifth rule: Don't let heat efficiency [in game mechlab] go below 1.3, unless it's skewed by some filler LRMs or flamers [which don't rly count in heat eff].

Sixth rule: A build is never finalized, even if it's 'finalized'

Seventh rule: Survival is more important than DPS to me, thusly, I'll get an idea of what baseline armor I need and if I can shave off a bit it will be found out in game, if I need more, same thing. AMS and the risk/reward of XLs is included in this process.

Eighth rule: symmetry of hardpoints will dictate what weps I will try out first.

Ninth rule: symmetry of weapons [ranges, heat, damage, projectile speed] will dictate how i refine the build, in terms of weapons, their firing rhythm/heat discipline, and the playstyle that suits them best

Tenth rule: account for meta and adjust accordingly; this can make or break a mech being 'legit' or just simply 'fun'

Edited by Soy, 24 June 2013 - 09:23 AM.

[MeiSooHaityu]

Mech build philosphy...Daka?....daka daka daka daka....

[Finn McShae]

MeiSooHaityu, on 24 June 2013 - 09:51 AM, said:

Mech build philosphy...Daka?....daka daka daka daka....

Lately, this.

But really I am pretty obsessed with things "looking" right, probably my minor OCD. I can't run a build that has 6 LLAS in an Awesome 8q because.. those are obviously PPCs not lasers! So I keep the ones that don't have changeable hardpoints pretty close to stock (I may swap a AC10 for a 5 in a CTF or something).

I also like to keep my mechs pretty close to the stock builds if at all possible. I don't like to just ignore canon hardpoints for effectiveness. So when lurms were aweful, I still tossed at least a 15 pack in my PB or HGN, even if the optimizers were saying it was wasted tonnage (and it sure was).

Finally, I hate boating anything other than MLAS unless its dakka. You won't see me in a 3+ PPC build that isn't an awesome, and 2 is the most LLAS I'll put anywhere.

Those things ensure that I'm probably not the most effective pilot out there, but they are builds I can live with and its what is fun for me. YMMV, naturally.

[Xie Belvoule]

Boat ERPPCS and Gauss, profit....

[El Bandito]

I regularly play with mechs that give me most amount of fun to use, instead of what is the FoTM. Hence I try out every build there is, and stick with the ones that I have most fun with. That's how I managed to play this game without quitting during its worst moments.

1. Streakcat, baby! My main squeeze. Been through the worst of times together.

2. Penta-AC2 Jager-DD. Find the right timing macro and profit... ...from sheer fun, not kills.

3. LRM boating HGN-733. People laughed at my LRM Highlander. They stopped when the screen showed my uber score.

Edited by El Bandito, 24 June 2013 - 10:45 AM.

[BarHaid]

My design philosophy: Three weapon groups. This is partly based on the tonnage I run (lights and mediums), and partly my mouse. I have four buttons on it, and one of those is annoying to get at. I haven't been that good at using the number keys for firing, so I rely on the mouse. Keeps the load-out simple.

[Kraven Kor]

Step 1: Max armor, shave off excess to get to an even half-ton.

Step 2: Role?

Step 3: @#$% missiles.

Step 4: Endo Steel, Double Heat Sinks

Step 5: Guns. Lots of guns.

Step 6: Fill remaining tonnage / slots with MOAR DHS (or MOAR AMMO)

[kilgor]

I usually go for min 1.33 heat efficiency. It's pretty funny to see a boat that fired everything and overheated not be able to kill me because they have to baby their shots while I can go all out for a longer duration.

[TheMadPoet]

Mine usually centers around heat and what ranges I want to be effective at. Am I making a slow brawler? Fast Brawler? Long ranged support? Speedy light scout? But with all my builds, I try to make them as heat efficient as I can and still be effective damage-wise. I really, really suck at heat management. Itchy trigger finger syndrome.

I agree with kilgor on the 1.33 min. heat efficiency. The only time I drop below that (and not below say 1.28) is if I am sure I am not going to be firing different weapon systems at the same time, such as LRMS and med. pulse lasers.

Edit to add: I also like simple. Two weapons groups is great..and three is max.

Edited by TheMadPoet, 24 June 2013 - 03:11 PM.

[James Warren]

Fun is number one priority. There are builds like the dual AC20 jager which are undoubtedly effective but a bit of a one-trick pony, not particularly versatile and not much fun for me to play. Some chassis I just don't like the 'feel' of, especially if they have limited torso/arm movement and sluggish torso twist.

I prefer armour and manoeuvrability over fire-power in most cases; choosing max armor in most locations and a sizeable engine. I will compromise if I need a few more tons for ammo, etc. A lot of tweaking goes on between matches as I reflect on what worked well, how did I die, etc.

I usually create asymmetrical loadouts, even on variants that allow perfect symmetry. I like knowing which side of my mech different weapon groups will fire from and which side I can afford to sacrifice in a tough situation.

For weapon groups I typically keep it at four or less. Often I'll have the same weapons in multiple groups (such as one group to fire all lasers, one to chain fire one laser at a time).

[Lord of All]

afa engines, I have always made my breakpoints at HS capacities.

[aniviron]

Largest engine that heat sinks efficiently (multiples of 250, or +5 on some XLs), max torso armor, shave some off the sides, and then cram in as many guns that I enjoy as possible. Used to mean a lot of SRM+laser builds, but these are hard days for lovers of the knock-down punch-out slugfest. I tend to avoid putting many frills like bap or artemis on, I usually find having more heat sinks helps more; though again, that is a lot less true than it used to be with brawling so ineffective.

[Butane9000]

I usually wait till Smurfys mechlab is updated with a new mech and play around with the variants and possibilities. Looks matter somewhat but it isn't the deciding factor in whether I'll buy it or not. I also tend to like mech on the lighter weight scales (i.e. Awesomes, Dragons etc.)

I usually build engines around the heat sinks. So 175-200-225-250-275 etc. I'll occasionally upgrade the engine if I have spare weight and no critical slots.

I usually try to get as much armor as possible on each build. Usually no lower then 75% of total armor unless a specific build calls for it.

I also like building balanced builds. I don't like min-maxing in this game. Though some builds I run are slanted towards a specific role.

I recently bought a AWS-8T, AWS-8V and CPLT-A1 to play with as I am finishing up my Blackjacks. Now I just need to save up for the Victor.

[Johnny Reb]

My builds are: dhs and mainly endo. Then what I want to do, brawl, std w good weps, lrm, lower xl engine, but depending on chasis still want speed, sniper, dont really do it.

[xengk]

1. Pick a role
2. Pick a chassis
3. Pick a weapon to suit that role
4. Enough HS to be above 1.0 heat
5. At least 200 rate engine

Current favourite ride is a 4LLas, XL200, support BJ3.

[The Platypus]

My personal checklist at the moment.
1.DHS fo sho
2.Build around 4 weapon groups, 4th being the 'Oh ****, ALPHA ALPHA ALPHA' button.
3. As much armor on the LT, RT and CT as possible.
4.Minimum heat efficiency of around 1.3 (might dip a little into the 1.2s if I'm running lots of beam systems set to stagger fire)
5.Always use the shoulder beam hardpoint over the arms for long range lazors.
6.Weapons must have similiar range profiles (except for the missiles)
7.If it's fat and ain't got ECM, strap on the BAP and AMS.

[c0mbatphil]

gauss is the devil
xl engines in anything bigger than 40 tons is the devil
ac20's are awesome
ppc's are magic thou shant mess with
srms are AWESOME no matter what the meta sayeth
build for durability
play when drunk whenever possible

also the fatlas is fat and cannon fodder and thou shalt slaughter it first.

Edited by c0mbatphil, 24 June 2013 - 10:20 PM.

[Parliment]

It must have vroom and bang and vrroom