47 replies to this topic

[Targeting Error]

Fuzzy Bunny is quite correct. I stay only a couple hundred meters behind my fellows and open up on their targets. 60 LRMs have really evened the odds in a majority of games. I helped one quickdraw handle two atlases and a cataphract. we died, but only because a 4th mech took me from the flank.

[oldradagast]

Sorry I didn't replay earlier - i was out of town.

Thanks for all the ideas and build suggestions, and it's nice to see good results with LRM's and with Awesomes. I want this game to succeed and be more than just alpha-striking people with piles of sniper weapons. An LRM boat brings some variety in playstyle, and it's something I want to learn how to do better.

An 8R seems like a good buy, both for LRM boating and if SRM's ever get made into something scary again.

[Alekzander Smirnoff]

I run an aws-8t
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...091c69958253934

Always run behind the pack and firing LOS on a tagged target absolutely wrecks them. By the time I run dry on lrms the four mlas are all I need. I tend to not fire on targets that I know I won't hit because of the terrain, and almost never on lights.

Also I have adv. Target decay, adv sensor and I think adv UAV, I can't remember what the third module is. I'd check but I'm on my tablet at the moment.

[TheCrazySteve]

Catapult is better when it comes to just pure missiles for indirect fire, you can easily get into the 60-70 non artemis lrm range, and at a lower tonnage than the assault mechs. But if you are standing in the open with the artemis/tag combo, you can not beat the awesome.

[Jeremy Wade]

The 8R is the only LRM boat capable of hanging with the group and fighting at short ranges. A 60LRM wad from 180-300m with Artemis + Tag hits like nothing else in the game and generates less heat than pretty much any other comparable weapon system, you can get 4 salvos off before shutdown. Plus you can carry 2MLs for backup in case you leave someone's CT at one shot.

[TheStrider]

Another convert here. Had an 8R ASRM build languishing in my pile of "waiting for SRMs to return", so gave it a try.

Works good. If you can land your blows (the curse of lrms and cover) it breaks faces.

[oldradagast]

Picked up the 8R and am currently running it with 3 LRM15's with Artemis, 2 Medium lasers, Endo, Double Heatsinks, and a standard 275. It's doing quite well with an above average kill to death ratio (at least for me!) and middling damage per match with a good number of kills.

I keep the lasers on 1 button, the LRM's group fired on another, and then the LRM's chain fired on the 3rd button. I chain fire vs. fast targets or ones hiding, while I group fire against slow targets or ones out in the open or hiding under a lot of AMS.

It's been working quite well, and it's nice to win with a mech nobody respects, and it's fun to watch an enemy mech disappear under a rain of glowing steel.

Edited by oldradagast, 08 July 2013 - 08:06 AM.

[oldradagast]

Merchant, on 27 June 2013 - 08:41 AM, said:

If you want to run an LRM boat, do NOT max out all the Missile hardpoints with LRMs.
Having run Awesomes, I got more success using an 8T with 2LL, 2LRM15 than a 8R with 4LRM15 or 8V with 3LRM15.
I also got more success running a 8V with 3LL, 1LRM15.

Overall, I think the general thought used in weapon selection of stock loadouts should guide new Awesome Pilots. Pick weapons with long range including PPCs and LLs of some kind, firing from range lets you minimize your profile reducing the chance you get cored. Mixing long range Energy with Missiles allows you to keep fighting when the ammo is gone and you do not need piles of ammo.

Also, if you see my designs, I tend to like good heat management. Heck, on my 8V, I can alpha the 3LLs 4 times before Heat Warning, not many other designs can do that.

I have tried the 'piles of big LRMs' Awesome, it does not compare to mixing long range Energy with some LRMs, second is much better.

Not to bump an old thread, but I figured I'd mention that as the game has changed over time and I've played the Awesome more, I find myself agreeing more with this post.

The LRM 45 build was funny and worked very well, sometimes, but was unstable - it couldn't do much of anything up close with 2 Medium lasers. So, some games went well, others were total disasters.

I've switched the Awesome 8R to 2 LRM 15's, 2 Large lasers, and 1 medium laser. This more balanced build seems to be playing better. I don't have to hide from everything while tossing LRM's since the direct fire weapons are enough to actually hurt enemy mechs.

Anyway, everyone should play what works for them, but the point made above - that extreme LRM boating is risky and that the mech's base configuration is a useful place to start when looking for build ideas - is a valid one.

[NRP]

Alright, I was bored so I dusted off my AWS 8R and retooled it like TheFuzzyBunny's build. LOL, holy {Scrap}! So much devastation!

A couple of observations though. It runs HOT! And 6T of ammo isn't enough. You need 9T, which I think is the most you can carry due to running out of slots.

I was going to buy a STK 3H as an LRM boat, but now I'm thinking "why bother?". I doubt it would be any better of a grief machine than the 8R.

[Modo44]

As much as I dislike the idea, I also seem to be doing best when my 8T is kitted out with LRMs, not with maximum energy pwnage. Multiple builds with LRM30-40, Artemis, and whatever lasers work almost equally well.

[Dawnstealer]

I love my Stalkers and Atlasesissisisi, but the most effective LRM boat I have is this:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...02e6ebd79ccf126

LRM 55 on a platform that can take loads of damage and jump.

[NRP]

A near constant stream of LRMs tends to adversely affect the enemy's psychological well being.

[Dawnstealer]

NRP, on 17 September 2013 - 08:12 AM, said:

A near constant stream of LRMs tends to adversely affect the enemy's psychological well being.

Totally true - in the boat above, I have the LRMs set up in two different groups, the first being on chain fire. Sure, getting nailed with 55 LRMs all at once is devastating, but getting hit with 20-15-10-10-20-15-10...etc over and over drives everyone under cover.

The other advantage of that build is that by the time I've waddled up to the front lines, everyone's softened up enough that the machine gun and MLs actually do a respectable job of cleaning up.

[Bront]

I've been using a Stalker LRM build, but it's pretty similar to the LRM 30 equivalent and 2 LLs (and a Tag), and it's been darn effective. Probably going to setup the 5S as my full time LRM Boat when I get it, and throw in artemis. My 5S Build

I think you can do something similar on the AWS-8T, that's faster with a bit more non-missile firepower and ammo, though not quite as heat efficient. You could dump the 3rd LL and Endo for another HS instead and be pretty happy as well, or pull the XL for a standard, but it's still an awesome we're talking about. You could also swap out the LLs for PPCs and stick a ton more armor on the legs.

Heck, I found 2 LRM15s on my Cat C4 were more effecitve than 2 LRM20s, from a refire rate as well as ammo and bringing along other equipment.

So yes, it can be done effectively without going LRM60.

Edited by Bront, 17 September 2013 - 08:44 AM.

[NRP]

There is something about the "whooosh" sound made by 60 LRMs in one salvo though, and nothing compares to seeing that Atlas disappear under a 60 LRM blob. Anyway, it's just a different play style. I usually don't run LRM boats, but it's fun to mix it up every once in a while.

[Mellowseven]

I've been running with 2 lrm20s and 2 lrm5s. a few less missiles than 4x15s but no ghost heat. i've got tag, an er large laser and 1620 missiles. it works pretty well and i don't ever have to worry about heat.

Edited by Mellowseven, 18 September 2013 - 08:42 PM.

[Victor Morson]

Assaults are terrible LRM boats. They're not speed effective enough to maintain optimal range and can get overrun really badly.

I'd recommend:

Centurion 9D - 2x LRM15 1x TAG
Kintaro - Similar Setup with more ammo/backup guns (If you have one, The Kintaro is awful, but this at least mitigates it's biggest flaws)
Quickdraw - Similar setup to the 9D
Trebuchet 7M - 2x LRM15 1x TAG or 2x LRM10 1x LRM5 (Narc Port), 1x TAG

Again, you want to be packing at least a 280 engine, preferably bigger, and focus entirely on keeping your targets outside of minimum, but inside of TAG.

PS: All of these designs have BAP, and any missile boat should, or ECM will shut you down up close - a single Raven bubble can render you a paperweight. The TAG will let you pierce ECM at range.

[Victor Morson]

Dawnstealer, on 17 September 2013 - 08:10 AM, said:

I love my Stalkers and Atlasesissisisi, but the most effective LRM boat I have is this:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...02e6ebd79ccf126

LRM 55 on a platform that can take loads of damage and jump.

That's really awful.

Armor spent on an arm sporting a single MG, a MG, ammo for the MG, ammo in the legs (A big nono on assaults).. while I again do not advise anyone use assaults for LRM boating, this would be a HUGE improvement man:

Victor's Improved LRM Highlander

You can alpha strike the missiles now with 0 Ghost Heat (15s&10s changed to 20s & 5s, which don't link), you have a TAG to fast target 'mechs and break ECM, you have a BAP to counter 'mechs that try to get up close and speed your lock time further, your 2 ML 1 MG backup became a single ER PPC backup gun, that is effective at both LRM ranges and up close, and I increased the amount of ammo, put it into the side torsos, and added CASE.

PS: You forgot ammo for your MG in the posted build above too, btw!

EDIT: Screwed up and put both CASE on the same side torso in the first post. Fixed.

Edited by Victor Morson, 18 September 2013 - 09:34 PM.

[Johnny Reb]

My top is:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...6c7b8965eed1a28
then the new Orion makes a nice lrms boat:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...833716911a4fbdb
come tonnage limits it might be the top!
Then, the med's go to this:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...862c26618de3ed7
currently running the strk version but im sure this one will do fine.
I run lrms to much, but I enjoy it. In fact run everything. However, good lrms are a nitch and I wanna fill that!

edit: in pugs pure lrm is asking to just get killed! In a team not so much, 4 man have some backup. However, even in pugs a pure lrm boat can rack up the c-bills!

Edited by Johnny Reb, 18 September 2013 - 09:48 PM.

[Johnny Reb]

King Arthur IV, on 28 June 2013 - 09:58 AM, said:

i understand that some of you are concerned that a assault should be playing the tank role but let me assure you that aws 8R as a LRM boat does so much damage so fast that it makes up for not tanking the front line. i can destroy a atlas in 2 head on volley.

i just ran a team with 2 aws8R with 60lrm each. we had no other assaults but we destroyed 1 stalker and 2 mediums in 1-2 volley. our heavies were our tanks and they didnt need to tank for long since our damage out put was AMAZING!

Heh, if you want 60 lrms and a better?/at least lower tonnage:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...eede4d9b83d89bf