3
To answer some questions:
First off, to address the PB OP-ness. This mech is far from being easy to play well. While this mech has just gotten back above a 400 dmg average with 480 games played, my DDC with 88 games played, has an avg of 435 dmg per game. I've had plenty of extremely frustrating games that make me question my sanity and why I keep playing this mech. But I do because it rewards you heavily when everything does go right and the playstyle capitalizes on it. And it's a hell of a lot a fun to play carrying around as much firepower as an assault with the speed of a medium. The Heavy Metal, Dragon Slayer, and Misery are all hands down better mechs in less capable hands. Even the Ilya and YLW are tipped as being better than the PB by most players. At the end of the day its not the mech that makes the biggest difference, nor is it just the pilot, its the pilot who know how to play a mech to its strengths.
@Bront: Artemis: Before a couple patches ago, It was nearly required to have artemis if you were running srm6's since 2 of the missiles tended to stray pretty badly. srm4's were okay without it. However with Artemis, and especially since they adjusted artemis to give even tighter groups, I find hitting targets from mixed ranges under 280m that much easier. For me, killshots from the srm's seem to come easier since they are more likely to hit the same location. Now, Artemis is one of those things I have to have on every mech I have that runs missiles.
@Namesarestupid: Arm Lock I use quite frequently. If its a fast target I open with the LPL without arm lock, then armlock for the 2 MPLs, and readjust aim for the srms. I know arm lock isn't required for the 2 MPLs since they are both torso mounted, but having the recticle's lined up just helps me aim that much better. And since the PB has the best torso twist in the game, the slowdown from arm locking is barely noticeable against most targets.
@Kiiyor: The stop lag can be annoying often, but you are correct, you have to find ways to be moving as often as possible. I start out matches waiting, sometimes for a while, and just working on positioning. Once I engage a target I never stop moving until I'm out of direct fire, unless I'm able to park myself behind a target whose focus is elsewhere. For change of direction I actually just U-turn in the direction with the least back exposure as possible.
@Elizander: I like your first build with the 18 dhs in the XL400.
@NRP: Same with your Xl400 build, they fascinate me. Unfortunately I'm obsessed with pulses, and really despise regular lasers. I can't stand the long duration, I find i'm spreading the damage too much since generally I'm moving at full speed. Pulses definitely have their drawbacks, the range mostly requires a lot of patience to not engage targets 1v1 unless they are 300m or less. But I love the way they sound, look, and they seem to work just fine for me. They are very effective against facehuggers.
Thanks again for the support. I'll gladly answer any other questions people have about the PB and how I play it.
BTW: The only mech I have beef with is the new Victor Class. They are basically a better version of the PB/9M AWS in nearly every way. Just as fast. Thinner profile, Jump Jets (especially since the ramp movement change), and a big ballistic gun arm (which destroys awesomes the easiest) Id probably get a few, but Im pretty happy with where I'm at, and gonna take it easy until CW most likely.
Edited by Aethos, 29 July 2013 - 01:26 PM.
