24 replies to this topic

[PaintedWolf]

How dangerous are they really? Many are relatively slow, their range is low, they are vees that can have tracks blown off and basically become structures on the map. So are SRM Carriers really that dangerous and/or useful on the battlefield, or is it all just fluff/intimidation factor? I mean, how does Battle Armor do against SRM Carriers?

[Ravakahr]

Personal Opinion I've never liked SRM Rockets there impossible to aim with on a moving target. Previously the SRM 6 did 15 damage collectively same as lrm ..... 15? I believe, I'm sure I'll be corrected somewhere. Just like everything takes skill to aim with. I'd personally prefer streak 6 - in mass. I tried streak 2 in mass and it was fail. not enough damage barely tickled them. I like that they bring it over from other mech games but I've never ever found a purpose for streak 2

[Epoksi]

Out of ambush they can be nasty and of course lots of SRM's mean lots of chances for criticals.
If seen they can be destroyed quite easily

[The Basilisk]

Since this question is more aimed at the TT and not at the MWO Gameplay I have to say:
YES SRM-CARRIER can realy ruin your day. IF they are utilized by a skilled player.
See them more like semi movable weapons emplacements or traps than as combat vehicles.
In campain or scenario gameplay they are quite useful for trapping large slowmoving units, delivering unexpected backstabs, or sealing of choke points. Besides they are realy realy cheap.
In open terrain they are little more than party poppers. But gone hull down at the entrance of a canyon or teamed up with mechs in a wood scattered terrain they can be nasty.

[Tokra]

If you play with double blind (like Megamek) they are the most deadly you can think about.

But if you can see where they are, like on normal TT you can easy avoid these and they become close to useless.

[Atlas3060]

SRM carriers are beasts when hidden. I've seen Assaults just dissapear when 10 SRM packs on one carrier find juicy criticals.
I was throwing buckets of dice like a game of Shadowrun.

However they are weak. I think of them like Claymore mines: hide, place, pull the trigger, watch things just go up in smoke.

If you are lucky in a city fight or use terrain to your advantage they live a little longer, but aren't strong.

One thing I love to do is proxy my SRM carrier for an AC carrier. They are the same chassis according to fluff and there's not a mini for that. People just ignore it at long range, thinking they'll pick it off later and BOOM.

Now LRM carriers those are fun, evil, and voilate certain things that are illegal in 6 States without even trying. *dark chuckle*

Edited by Atlas3060, 25 July 2012 - 01:04 PM.

[Skylarr]

SRM Carriers are not meant for fighting in open terrain. With 10 SRM-6s they are great for fighting in Cities and canyons. Imagine walking your assualt lance into city to find it defended by SRM Carriers (1,932,800 C-bills), UrbanMechs (1,471,925 C-bills) and LRM Carriers (1,872,000 C-bills). Lets not forget the Infantry support.

[SakuranoSenshi]

At the risk of repeating what's already been said, yes, they are dangerous. They still must be properly deployed, though. Just as an Atlas can be either an awesome Mech-killer or the most expensive loss ever, depending on how well it is piloted and what it is used for, SRM Carriers are best with some support and used from cover or ambush; if you put them on an open plain they will either be avoided or annihilated.

[Beazle]

SakuranoSenshi, on 26 July 2012 - 07:04 PM, said:

At the risk of repeating what's already been said, yes, they are dangerous. They still must be properly deployed, though. Just as an Atlas can be either an awesome Mech-killer or the most expensive loss ever, depending on how well it is piloted and what it is used for, SRM Carriers are best with some support and used from cover or ambush; if you put them on an open plain they will either be avoided or annihilated.

At the risk of repeating what's already been said, erm... well...

Seriously, yes they can be. If used correctly. They can do LOADS of damage to battle armor and infantry, as well as mechs, and are absolutely deadly to other vehicles. Pretty much everythings already said about them is true, but I want to add one more point.

SRMs are crit seekers.

Because of the mechanics of how hit locations function in TT, SRMS are less likely than other weapons (that do the same damage) to blow through the armor of a single location, but MORE likely to get a through armor critical. So, in a way, they actually become more dangerous against assault class mechs and vehicles (which have enough armor that you probably won't blow through it easily anyway). This is especially true against other vehicles, since they are more prone to criticals.

Ok, i lied, i'm gonna talk about 2 things.

INFERNOS!!! Yup, you got a few tons of SRM ammo? Make just one of them inferno ammo. See a mech that's running hot? Push him over the edge with a salvo of flame!

[SakuranoSenshi]

Beazle Excellent explanation of why they are so dangerous and nice catch on the Inferno, I'd forgotten that stuff. But aye, they can make even a heavily armoured mech have a really bad day, unless they're spotted well out outside range and either engaged from there or bypassed. Let's face it, we'd kill them from range. ;-)

[Thom Frankfurt]

Okay... let's go with the law of averages.

I'm a gunner of a SRM carrier, I'm waiting in a darkened alley watching where the alley opens up onto the main street for something to cross by. Movement. I glance at my primitive sensors to confirm that the 80 ton Zeus in my sights is an enemy mech. It is. I mash down on the triggers unleashing a swarm of sixty missiles that quickly screech off leaving behind contails of white smoke....

Let's say that only half of the rolls hit. That would be I hit with five launchers. Let's say that I have average rolls for how many missiles hit. That would be four missiles from every launcher, so that would be twenty missiles 4x5=20. Okay that is twenty, two points of clusters of damage, for a total of fourty points of damage. Sure it stings but most mechs can take that. But it's the twenty rolls for hit locations that hurt. The damage gets scattered out like all missile damage does, but there's a great chance of you rolling either a head shot or a critical hit during your twenty rolls.

In TT rules a mech pilot dies when he takes 6 headshots (a roll of 2 6's on 2 6 sided dice) whether or not the armor or head is destroyed.

On the roll of 2 1's on 2 6 sided dice there's the possibilty of a critical hit. (I'll spare the details on that) But the criticals normally happen in the torso's center, left, or right... depending on which side of your target your shooting at. The torso's are well armored and that's usually where most of the vital components are located. I.E. Ammo, weapons, gyro, engine, heat sinks and other stuff that sucks to loose.

Sure it's as slow as Urbie, and has paper thin armor, but it deserves respect.

Let's just sum it up like this.
If you find a SRM carrier out in the open, keep your distance and shoot it with extreme prejudice.
If you round a corner and there's one, pray.

[DerMaulwurf]

SRM carriers are good area denial when placed in cover. Good for ambushes and defense, especially to guard artillery.

If I'm attacking anything that is not a city, I would leave them at home.

[Atlas3060]

The only gripe I have about the SRM carrier is the weapon is not on turret for the Record Sheets.

[Skylarr]

That is because there is not enough space for all of those SRM launchers.

[Greifer]

The SRM Carrier is fantastic in an ambush situation.

One unit alone with a regular gunner of 4, at point blank, will hit with most of its weapons at a target. Fire infernos as well to cook an opponent, and its potential goes up.

As previously stated, its benefit for area denial is deadly.

Even in a non ambush situation, with the right terrain, it can keep your sniper battlemechs secure as nothing wants to close with the SRM carrier nearby.

[Burnt Nipples]

Like others have said: SRM carriers are great in cities/closed terrain, or in an ambush.

I'd like to add they work quite well as a companion guard vehicle for long range fire support tanks like LRM carriers. Get a few LRM carriers in a good position, a single or two SRM carriers directly in front of the LRM carriers (in cover if available), and a few fast harasser/spotters you've got as good a solid vehicle strategy as you will see. By the time most things weather the barage to close with your LRM carriers a single salvo from SRM carrier should finish them.

[Exilyth]

If normal LRM/SRM carriers are not enough, there's always the light SRM carrier and the heavy LRM carrier...


Outside of cities, SRM carriers work well as protection for LRM carriers.
You just have to put them into/near cover.

[Ogre Magi]

Missle carriers are formable opponutes when properly deployed. A lot of how you will deploy them depends on the era and avaible munitions. If able to get special munitions then you have a very flexable unit that can place minefields, deploy smoke screens, Inferno rounds, anti personal rounds and standard munitions that can be placed on the unit. Most SRM carriers have the storage capacity to carry several types of munitions without having to reload. Tactics can vary between the active trip mine shoot at the first target that get close enough to a layered defence with LRM carriers, mechs and battle armor supporting the line.

[dal10]

Burnt Nipples, on 29 July 2012 - 12:07 AM, said:

Like others have said: SRM carriers are great in cities/closed terrain, or in an ambush.

I'd like to add they work quite well as a companion guard vehicle for long range fire support tanks like LRM carriers. Get a few LRM carriers in a good position, a single or two SRM carriers directly in front of the LRM carriers (in cover if available), and a few fast harasser/spotters you've got as good a solid vehicle strategy as you will see. By the time most things weather the barage to close with your LRM carriers a single salvo from SRM carrier should finish them.

though they are much more expensive, i do this with a combination of Demolishers and Shrek PPC carriers. 2 shreks for long range bombardment and 2 demolishers for close in punch. if they are dumb enough to engage me in the 90-270 meter range, i can hit for up to 140 damage on something. (provided everything hits)

[ROJ]

I never took SRM carriers too seriously.. I always shoot them down from long range before they reach us.. I can say in many cases, they get shot down before they can even do some death yet they manage to do some serious critical damage before they fall down, at times.

They seem best for ambushes in tight areas or corridors but if they mobilize in open areas, then they are done.

Personally, I run most of my mech's loadout with a variety of ranges, like how it should be as MW veterans tend to claim.

Edited by ROJ, 09 August 2013 - 05:55 PM.