167 replies to this topic

[Finn McShae]

I'm not having quite so much fun with my Victor, but I don't have the cbills for an appropriate XL engine yet, so I'm stuck running kinda slow for a mech that's gotta get in hugging distance to do what I want (close range brawl).

Apart from that it fits my style better than Atlas or Stalker.

[Psikez]

Run mine with a big phat standard, love my victor...because V is for victor....y

Edited by Psikez, 18 July 2013 - 06:36 PM.

[Narcissistic Martyr]

The extra speed lets you exploit openings and out maneuver your opponents so you can crush them.

[Anjian]

I got three Victors on Master now, a Dragon Slayer, a 9B and a 9S. Sometimes I get 3, 4, 5, or even 6 kills in a match, with damage ranging from 250 to 700 (highest I ever delt on a Victor was over 800). But there are times when I felt this mech is just pure crap and very tempted to pull the sell button on it in rage. I often feel that if I got a game with high scores and damage, it was more of luck and fortunate circumstances coming together. I feel the height and angle of its arms makes me hit obstacles and even friendly fire unintentionally. As Assaults go, assaults are supposed to be either the wedge or your formation or the fire support, and the Victor is neither. Instead it acts like a huge medium, like a skirmsher, more in the same vein as a Centurion, Trebuchet, Dragon or Quickdraw. Its not going to stand up to an Atlas or Stalker one on one, especially if they are packing large lasers and SRMs, and quite questionable against a HIghlander. I don't have this overwhelming sense of superiority when I pilot my Victor, then when I do with my Highlanders or Misery, or sometimes even with my Cataphracts. My favorite prey are Catapults, along with Awesomes, Jagermechs, Cataphracts and Dragons, then HIghlanders, Stalkers and Atlases.

Lately the mech has exploded in popularity, which is a kind of a surprise since Dragon Slayer didn't seem to have the first month popularity that Firebrand and Heavy Metal enjoyed. I see other pilots doing quite well with it, but then again, I have seen our Victors get steamrolled easily.

[Lucian Nostra]

Victor is most deff not a waste.

Run mine with a 350XL, ac/20 trip Srm 6 and 2 mediums,78 kph with jets and very nimble. The staggered missile launch is also pretty handy when you get the hang of it for longer shake times.

I also run a Highlander with the same loadout and they play very different, the Highlander is more a get in there and slug it out while the Victor is much better at openings to lay the hurt on.

[Bishop Steiner]

Skadi, on 18 July 2013 - 05:26 PM, said:

Im not bad Bishop, and im willing to prove that wrong anyday, but XL's in anything above a light I consider scuicide, it just dies to easily, and no the speed wont help you in a mech the size of a victor against people who know how to aim using the high alpha meta... it is what it is.

*Shrugs*

Well tell that to the 8 Mans I been running in. 8 man, PUG, whatever, the Victor has been a total wrecking ball for me. Only time it has let me down is when I do a stupid, or I suffer PUG/Team failure and find myself facing off with the whole enemy team. And even then, as often as not, I take 1-2 down with me.

So, I am not one of those who will say my way is the only way, I have always said that PGI might be (a little) smarter than we give them credit for and many of these chassis DO shine once people actually use them in roles they were intended for (I use mine as a Destroyer/Escort for my Big Uglies, as I have the mobility to be anywhere in the fight I am needed, or to contain any salients. And even when I do go down to Side Torso damage, I would say about half the time my CT is vaporized too, so not much to do about it. But my deaths have only come about 10-15% from ST damage.

Guess I'm saying it seems to work for me. (except when it don't)

[Bishop Steiner]

Anjian, on 18 July 2013 - 07:05 PM, said:

I got three Victors on Master now, a Dragon Slayer, a 9B and a 9S. Sometimes I get 3, 4, 5, or even 6 kills in a match, with damage ranging from 250 to 700 (highest I ever delt on a Victor was over 800). But there are times when I felt this mech is just pure crap and very tempted to pull the sell button on it in rage. I often feel that if I got a game with high scores and damage, it was more of luck and fortunate circumstances coming together. I feel the height and angle of its arms makes me hit obstacles and even friendly fire unintentionally. As Assaults go, assaults are supposed to be either the wedge or your formation or the fire support, and the Victor is neither. Instead it acts like a huge medium, like a skirmsher, more in the same vein as a Centurion, Trebuchet, Dragon or Quickdraw. Its not going to stand up to an Atlas or Stalker one on one, especially if they are packing large lasers and SRMs, and quite questionable against a HIghlander. I don't have this overwhelming sense of superiority when I pilot my Victor, then when I do with my Highlanders or Misery, or sometimes even with my Cataphracts. My favorite prey are Catapults, along with Awesomes, Jagermechs, Cataphracts and Dragons, then HIghlanders, Stalkers and Atlases.

Lately the mech has exploded in popularity, which is a kind of a surprise since Dragon Slayer didn't seem to have the first month popularity that Firebrand and Heavy Metal enjoyed. I see other pilots doing quite well with it, but then again, I have seen our Victors get steamrolled easily.

totally disagree.

I find it quite easy to stand one on one against ALL other Assault Chassis. Precisely because I CAN hopscotch all around them, spreading damage or getting missed entirely, while laying out alphas just as fat as any Atlas could hope for.

[Angel of Annihilation]

Bishop Steiner, on 18 July 2013 - 04:31 PM, said:

lolz.

Or learn how to pilot, and what it's role is. I'll tear any highlander's head off and pizz on it's reactor, one on one in my Victor. Almost as good of armor as a Stalker, easily able to deliver a 60+ alpha withoput cheeze or heat multipliers, JJS and near 80 kph speed, while almost never looking at my heat scale.

Methinks you need to work on the "piloting" part of piloting. It's a horrible turret, and a mediocre sniper. Both of those are roles for people who can't pilot anyhow.

Yet another time I have to agree with you.

As you probably recall, I made a post not too long ago about how the XL requirement would be the downfall of the Victor so I definately wasn't a pro-Victor man there for a while.

However now I am completely sold on the Victor as being the absolute best Assault mech, at least for my playstyle which I believe is similar to how you play.

My 9S runs at 78 kph has almost 500 armor 4 JJs and has a 66 damage alpha running 3 different weapon systems, my 9K runs at the same speed, has just slight less armor, 6 JJs and 56 Alpha including an ER PPC for long range fire, my DS runs the same speed, 4 JJs and has the lowest alpha but pairs up a Gauss and a ER PPC for a 25 damage long run punch backed up by solid short range firepower for when it gets all warm and cozy.

I can run completely dance around a Stalker, out circle an Altas and typically match it alpha for alpha plus pretty much keep up with the mediums on my team if I decided to flank with them. I totally blow away the firepower of any heavy mech as well, including a Cataphract (though they can be a real tough fight depending on loadout). Lastly, I have the speed and mobilty to most of the time pick my fights. Too many enemy, withdraw and hit them from another angle or catch them with their pants down and just destroy them.

The Victor is definately one of the best mechs in the game once you understand how to make the best of them.

[Bishop Steiner]

Viktor Drake, on 18 July 2013 - 07:16 PM, said:

Yet another time I have to agree with you.

As you probably recall, I made a post not too long ago about how the XL requirement would be the downfall of the Victor so I definately wasn't a pro-Victor man there for a while.

However now I am completely sold on the Victor as being the absolute best Assault mech, at least for my playstyle which I believe is similar to how you play.

My 9S runs at 78 kph has almost 500 armor 4 JJs and has a 66 damage alpha running 3 different weapon systems, my 9K runs at the same speed, has just slight less armor, 6 JJs and 56 Alpha including an ER PPC for long range fire, my DS runs the same speed, 4 JJs and has the lowest alpha but pairs up a Gauss and a ER PPC for a 25 damage long run punch backed up by solid short range firepower for when it gets all warm and cozy.

I can run completely dance around a Stalker, out circle an Altas and typically match it alpha for alpha plus pretty much keep up with the mediums on my team if I decided to flank with them. I totally blow away the firepower of any heavy mech as well, including a Cataphract (though they can be a real tough fight depending on loadout). Lastly, I have the speed and mobilty to most of the time pick my fights. Too many enemy, withdraw and hit them from another angle or catch them with their pants down and just destroy them.

The Victor is definately one of the best mechs in the game once you understand how to make the best of them.

by the stats quoted, I am gonna guess we are running the IDENTICAL 9S build. I call it "BEAST MODE".

I find most people who have issues with them fail due to a few things:

1) They try to TANK in it. For that, it is indeed fail. It gives up 20 tons of mass, and 4 tons of armor to the Atlas. The ATLAS is the Tank.

2) They want to build a Sniper. It is passable at that, but a sniper build doesn't really benefit from speed, so or usually need full JJs, so a HIGHLANDER is better for that, and Ground bound, the Stalker.

And to those of limited imagination, or who are tactically challenged, that is ALL any mech labeled "Assault" can do. For those of us who haven't gotten complavcent and lazy due to the 3-4 month Snore....errr SnipeFest, it is a welcome addition.

What the Victor does do was touched on by someone else... it's a Dragon or Centy.... but on massive Roid Rage and with JJs and way better armor. It flanks, it cuts off overextended mechs of ANY weight class, and yes, it can duel ANY mech in the game 1v1.

Edited by Bishop Steiner, 18 July 2013 - 07:25 PM.

[Psikez]

Anjian, on 18 July 2013 - 07:05 PM, said:

Its not going to stand up to an Atlas or Stalker one on one, especially if they are packing large lasers and SRMs, and quite questionable against a HIghlander. I don't have this overwhelming sense of superiority when I pilot my Victor

I flat out disagree with this. I have had a number of opportunities since purchasing my Victors to go one on one with other assaults and I've flat out stomped every one. The ability to jump in a brawl while maintaining heavy ballistics and energy weapon movement on the arms is a HUGE advantage

[Kiiyor]

Bishop Steiner, on 18 July 2013 - 05:02 PM, said:

LOZ. Don't make me call you a BAD too, Skadi.

XL in a Victor is only suicide for those who can't pilot. XL works fine in a Vic, just like they have been run fine in Highlanders since they came out. The myth is that Assaults cannot run XLs. The Altas and Stalker can't, for the most part, because NOTHING makes either mobile and both have pretty easy to core side torsos. Who knows with the Awesome, it gets CT cored out most times so fast, it's a moot point. But VTRs and HGNs? Shine with XLs. And the Victor does so better than the HGN because I can mount just as much firepower, nearly as much armor but have WAY superior mobility. Donkey Kong arms catch a lot of incoming fire.

If I get caught flatfooted on Alpine by an enemy team, yes I am toast. Guess what? I'm toast in an Atlas or Stalker in that situation, too. But in my experience, I can avoid getting caught flatfooted more often with the Victor in the first place. (both times you got me out I was PUGing and rather lost the lottery. Not saying I would have taken you, but I would at least not have been facing half your bloody team with some decent PUG support)

Suicide has been the times I tried running the thing WITHOUT an XL. Porky engine for the speed with the firepower of a Dragon! Woohoo!

Yoooouuuu forgot the part where there is more than one way to drive a mech my friend!

My evidence is all personal/anecdotal, but thus far I've run 60 matches in XL Victors, have died 33 times, and only 8 of those deaths were from ST loss. The rest were from blatant, face humping stupidity.

Edited by Kiiyor, 18 July 2013 - 07:47 PM.

[Angel of Annihilation]

Bishop Steiner, on 18 July 2013 - 07:20 PM, said:

What the Victor does do was touched on by someone else... it's a Dragon or Centy.... but on massive Roid Rage and with JJs and way better armor. It flanks, it cuts off overextended mechs of ANY weight class, and yes, it can duel ANY mech in the game 1v1.

Yeah pretty much the perfect description of the Victor.

[Bishop Steiner]

Kiiyor, on 18 July 2013 - 07:26 PM, said:

My evidence is all personal/anecdotal, but thus far I've run 60 matches in XL Victors so far, have died 33 times, and only 8 of those deaths were from ST loss. The rest were from blatant, face humping stupidity.

127 Matches, 68 deaths. 4-5 from outright (a few gangrapes were ST also, but I was dead no matter what, so sorry if I don't count them) ST destruction, about 10 from full body disintegration, and the rest assorted oops and booms. In that I had the first 2-3 days with my DS, which has the highest death count and lowest KDr (yet highest W/L) learning the ins and outs of the Chassis. And 2 weeks with it running only basics.

My 9S was also run with only basics until Tuesday, when I finally got my 9K, which not coincidentally, despite not being my preferred model, I GXP'd to Master (seriously, when you have a million plus, what else do you do with it?) along with the other 2, and it has the lowest death rate yet. That despite the first half of Tuesday playing in a medicated stupor where I spent 4 hours getting CT cored in literally EVERY mech I dropped in, be it Victor, Stalker, Jager, whatever.

(aka, there are many outliers which skewed things more negatively than it should be, and I am seeing it even out with time)

Edited by Bishop Steiner, 18 July 2013 - 07:46 PM.

[Anjian]

Bishop Steiner, on 18 July 2013 - 07:12 PM, said:

totally disagree.

I find it quite easy to stand one on one against ALL other Assault Chassis. Precisely because I CAN hopscotch all around them, spreading damage or getting missed entirely, while laying out alphas just as fat as any Atlas could hope for.

Yeah, spreading damage while your torso carries an XL engine isn't my idea of survival.

[Bishop Steiner]

Anjian, on 18 July 2013 - 07:48 PM, said:

Yeah, spreading damage while your torso carries an XL engine isn't my idea of survival.

So your ideal of survival is simply to tank? Then yup, the Victor won't ever fill the role you want it to.

On the other hand, it is as fast or faster than the Cataphract, carries armor close to a Stalker, can match an Atlas for it's alphas (mine kicks out 66 pts with barely any heat) and can pogostick all over the place. Works for me.

[Anjian]

Nope, I run for cover. And when I mean head to head, I mean straight up against a Stalker or Atlas I don't mean running around them --- heck EVERY MECH can do that. Screw that, if you mean running around a Stalker, even a Spider can do that. Plus running speed doesn't mean turn speed. The game seems to have enacted principles of momentum and smaller lighter mechs will brake and turn directions faster. A fast assault feels like a fast truck not a sports car and when it starts to turn, the momentum keeps moving it forward.

The ability to go head to head is for Assaults to threw wedge into an enemy position. That is what ASSAULT means. I doesn't mean SKIRMISH like what you do. I can skirmish with mediums for god sakes, and I have seen good pilots on Quickdraws and Trebs do over 700 or 800 dmg. And by the way, if the assault got a good torso twist (3F) and good and fast arm movement, it can also handle fast mechs.

The number one killer of my Victors in my play experience are LRMs. You can't spread damage and they just hit your torso period. The Victor is a bit of a torso shot magnet. Like I attack a Stalker and his Awesome partner not too far a away throws a boatload on you from 400m away. You are not going to jump or run fast enough from that. Hence in a game, I like to hunt Catapults especially.

Edited by Anjian, 18 July 2013 - 08:23 PM.

[Bishop Steiner]

Anjian, on 18 July 2013 - 08:18 PM, said:

Nope, I run for cover. And when I mean head to head, I mean straight up against a Stalker or Atlas I don't mean running around them --- heck EVERY MECH can do that. Screw that, if you mean running around a Stalker, even a Spider can do that.

The ability to go head to head is for Assaults to threw wedge into an enemy position. That is what ASSAULT means. I doesn't mean SKIRMISH like what you do. I can skirmish with mediums for god sakes, and I have seen good pilots on Quickdraws and Trebs do over 700 or 800 dmg. And by the way, if the assault got a good torso twist (3F) and good and fast arm movement, it can also handle fast mechs.

The number one killer of my Victors in my play experience are LRMs. You can't spread damage and they just hit your torso period. The Victor is a bit of a torso shot magnet. Like I attack a Stalker and his Awesome partner not too far a away throws a boatload on you from 400m away. You are not going to jump or run fast enough from that. Hence in a game, I like to hunt Catapults especially.

Yes, you can skirmish in lighter chassis. Can you do it with a 66 pt alpha and 15 tons of armor? Didn't think so.

[Nauht]

Shhh guys.

Don't need to preach about the Victor too loud.

Yep you're perfectly right Anjian, best just move onto an Atlas or HGN.

[Bishop Steiner]

Nauht, on 18 July 2013 - 08:23 PM, said:

Shhh guys.

Don't need to preach about the Victor too loud.

Yep you're perfectly right Anjian, best just move onto an Atlas or HGN.

you know, you have point.

Yup. Victors suck. In fact I am gonna get off the forums now and sell all mine to buy reasonable mechs like PPC Stalkers.

[ThePieMaker]

Waste of money? lol not if you have 160 million cbills.