16 replies to this topic

[Grammer Pollice]

Hey all, I'm a MWO noob, but I played the hell out of MW4 Mercs both on and off line. Most of my time was spent in long range Gauss or PPC boats, with my personal favorite being a quad ERPPC Black Knight. Anyway, I was hoping I could get some help in picking a new mech to main. I'd rather stick to Heavy/Assault, but I can pilot a medium or light fine also (I heard of someone with a dual PPC Raven that sounded fun). I'd like to run a pure PPC boat, mixing weapon speeds always messed me up. Jump Jets are preferable, but not required.

Some of the Mechs I'm considering are:

Medium: Blackjack-3

Heavy: Cataphract-3D, Quickdraw-5K

Assault: Awesome-8T/9M, Stalker-3F/5S, Highlander-733P, Atlas-RS

Anybody out there that can help a noob?

[Koniving]

I can, yes.

You have the right idea thus far. For the Awesomes add the 8Q (can run 6, 9M can only run 3).

For the Highlanders add the 732 (3 PPC + gauss rifle).

Any BlackJack, actually.

Hunchbacks 4P, 4SP, 4H, and 4J can all boat 4 to 5 PPCs.

Cataphracts, add the 1X. For additional heavies, Catapult K2.

That about covers it.

But boating PPCs in large numbers is soon to semi-fruitless due to heat penalties for more than 2 fired at the same time. Then, in the long run, http://mwomercs.com/community NGNG Podcast 79, 32 minutes to 40 minutes, explains that the long-term plan is to give the PPC a splash mechanic (after they completely rewrite the splash system in CryEngine so it takes and spreads damage from a damage pool rather than multiplying a base damage).

Edited by Koniving, 13 July 2013 - 08:52 PM.

[RLBell]

I know nothing about mounting PPC's in heavies or mediums, except that the stock Catapult-K2 works, in its stock configuration, but is improved with DHS, ERPPC's, endo-steel, and a bigger engine. The two ERPPC raven-4X is fun, but fragile. I run mine with a 245XL and no jump jets. A smaller engine will allow jump jets to be mounted. The Raven-3L can mount a single ERPPC, while keeping the BAP, ECM module, and the 295XL.

I do not own any of the AWS chassis. The Atlas-RS can mount a 325std engine, four ERPPC's, and seventeen DHS. Swap it out for a 325XL and you can replace two DHS with a gauss rifle. The one problem with the HGN-733P is that losing the right side torso takes off all of its energy mounts. The difference between the Stalker-3F and -5S is that the -3F has a greater torso twist and the -5S can mount two AMS systems. Going with the Stalkers will require an XL engine for PPC's five and six.

[ShockATC]

Victor Perth, on 13 July 2013 - 08:21 PM, said:

Hey all, I'm a MWO noob, but I played the hell out of MW4 Mercs both on and off line. Most of my time was spent in long range Gauss or PPC boats, with my personal favorite being a quad ERPPC Black Knight. Anyway, I was hoping I could get some help in picking a new mech to main. I'd rather stick to Heavy/Assault, but I can pilot a medium or light fine also (I heard of someone with a dual PPC Raven that sounded fun). I'd like to run a pure PPC boat, mixing weapon speeds always messed me up. Jump Jets are preferable, but not required.

Some of the Mechs I'm considering are:

Medium: Blackjack-3

Heavy: Cataphract-3D, Quickdraw-5K

Assault: Awesome-8T/9M, Stalker-3F/5S, Highlander-733P, Atlas-RS

Anybody out there that can help a noob?

You shouldnt go with PPC boats.
Because they get heavily nerfed (thank god!!). and your mech will melt down after the first shot.
Better go with something more usefull!

[Tarl Cabot]

For the most part, I would aim at 2 ER/PPC then round out the other components, be it a gauss rifle, etc.

As to why? Besides the upcoming mechanic that will heavily penalize with additional heat those who fire more than a specific type of weapon, there is the lack of experience when things get hot once the range drop to nothing and medium/close range weapons that do not generate as much heat come into play.

The above is also important when you consider the your TYPE of play style. This isn't whether or not you like to be purely long range or a combo of long range followed by the ability to hand in there when knocking heads but if you will be pugging it, meaning no real team play but simply dropping into a match hoping everyone else knows what they are doing; or will be hooking up with a few people (1 to 3 others, or the optional 7 others for 8-man drops)? The difference between the two is with PUGs there is no guarantee support/watch your back whereas with actual team play (TS/Mumble/etc), you have people who are depending on you as you are depending on them.

As for jump jets, use them when you can. They are extremely helpful for getting around terrain features while either dropping you right into the mix or getting out of a hairy situation (primarily a highlander pilot).

Edited by Tarl Cabot, 13 July 2013 - 11:44 PM.

[Grammer Pollice]

Is there a set time limit before you can fire another pair of PPCs? Because that seems pretty easy to get around. 2 in group 1, 2 in group 2, click both mouse buttons, win.

[Bad Andy]

.5 seconds

[Major Derps]

Not another one

[Modo44]

Koniving, on 13 July 2013 - 08:49 PM, said:

Then, in the long run, http://mwomercs.com/community NGNG Podcast 79, 32 minutes to 40 minutes, explains that the long-term plan is to give the PPC a splash mechanic (after they completely rewrite the splash system in CryEngine so it takes and spreads damage from a damage pool rather than multiplying a base damage).

Thank you for this bit. Made my day.

[Koniving]

Modo44, on 14 July 2013 - 01:21 AM, said:

Thank you for this bit. Made my day.

You're welcome. (Surprised I'm still awake; but toothache. Birthday cake from the 11th has haunted me!)

Keep in mind that's a fix for the long-run, and by that I mean while it's the ultimate goal ultimately PGI has to literally rewrite a core component of the CryEngine without breaking it before either the SRM/LRM/Streak fix in splash damage or the PPC fix I quoted can come into play. We're looking at 2 months earliest. 4 months being optimistic, since there's other priorities for the script writers. In the meantime Paul's hoping the heat penalties combined with damage at 100% threshold rather than 120 will help. So don't start thinking we'll see that PPC damage spread next patch. It just isn't gonna happen that quick.

Meanwhile when the heat penalties come PPC stalkers might behave like this.


And to deal with PPC users, consider this tactic. (Long story short, I spend a fair bit of the match getting into position to sneak behind an enemy PPC Stalker and his Highlander escort and I steam roll them wtih a Hunchback 4G. Recorded in third person by Lordred in a "Camera Commando").

[Redshift2k5]

I like running 2 ERPPCs and a few backup MLASor SSRMs on a 90kpm Quickdraw. "how fast do you want to go" is an important consideration.

note that the new heat penalties only apply to alpha strikes, and you'll still be able to chainfire (or otherwise break up your firing pattern) to avoid additional penalties. Four PPCs fired 2 and then 2 should get by

[BoPop]

i find PPC boats boring. but whatever floats your... boat.

i'd rather take my ecm spider with 3ML's any day.

[Genewen]

Koniving, on 13 July 2013 - 08:49 PM, said:

That about covers it.

You forgot the Catapult K2.
I am running mine with a XL300 engine, 2 ER-PPCs and 2 PPCs (which means it won't care about the heat nerf). I know, ER-PPCs are huge in heat, but I want that damage at close range. It is not rare that my 82kph make me one of the fastest mechs in the team, so I have to return to base quite often to kick some light mechs out. With only PPCs, they'd come and hug me without me being able to do anything about it.

[Grammer Pollice]

Genewen, on 14 July 2013 - 05:26 AM, said:

You forgot the Catapult K2.
I am running mine with a XL300 engine, 2 ER-PPCs and 2 PPCs (which means it won't care about the heat nerf).

Actually they said that ERPPCs count as PPCs for the extra heat, which kinda hurts for us PPC lovers, but such is life.

For C-bills sake, I bought a Blackjack-3 that I've been playing around with. Running a pair of ERPPCs, Std 145 engine, 4 class IV jets, 8 double heat sinks, BAP and AMS. It's been fun, I stay back and plink or move up for shots on rear armor. Best game so far has been 3 kills and 5 assists, not bad for less than half an Atlas.

Next mech will probably be running 2x ERPPC, supported by ether a pair of Gauss, or ERLarge lasers, maybe some SRMs if they catch that buff. Any suggestions in that regard?

Edited by Victor Perth, 14 July 2013 - 08:34 AM.

[t Khrist]

This thread makes me sick.

[Jyi]

In my opinion, you will want to invest in a Cataphract 3D. It is currently one of the absolute best sniping mechs, if not THE best. It can fit jj's, 2 ERPPC and 1 Gauss, it has good figure for spreading out damage, good weapon locations for poptarting, nice speed and can still have decent armor. Also, it will NOT be affected in ANY WAY by the "boating heat nerf" that will be introduced in the next patch.

Forget the assaults. They may be the name of the game now, and even a while after the patch - as PPC's and ERPPC's won't immediately be counted in the same pool for the new heat mechanics - so you can still mount 2 PPC + 2 ERPPC and avoid the heat. But soon enough, they will be balanced out. Also, in the high end meta the mechs uncapable of jumping will not be as good, so you can count Atlas and Stalker out, because they'll just be rather easy targets for poptarts. And, when you look at it, the Highlander can't really fit so much more weaponry than CTF-3D, it runs helluva lot slower and is a lot easier to hit, so the advantage of having some more armor is pretty much negated. Well, I guess a couple of assaults will always be nice to draw fire from enemy.. but do you really want to be the prey when you could be the hunter?

edit:

Oh, and forget the Quickdraw. It's not a PPC-boat, it's a runner. You can maybe do it with 2 PPC/ERPPC and some support weaponry, but it doesn't work for poptarting because weapon locations don't support that.

Out of mediums, I'd say you can make a decent PPC-boat out of one of the Trebuchet's, but all the variants with jj's suffer from having energy slots in arms, which are hanging low. Or you can make a PPC + Gauss -platform out of the 7K, but it has the disadvantage of not having jj's, so in high end meta it'll once again be a target. One of the BJ's might fit a PPC + Gauss with jj's, and they have high weapon locations.. but they might be a tad bit light to make it work well. Don't know for sure, haven't tried.

Edited by Jyi, 14 July 2013 - 09:08 AM.

[Koniving]

Koniving, on 13 July 2013 - 08:49 PM, said:

Cataphracts, add the 1X. For additional heavies, Catapult K2.

That about covers it.

Genewen, on 14 July 2013 - 05:26 AM, said:

You forgot the Catapult K2.

Did I?