34 replies to this topic

[ShadowbaneX]

I still want to be able to use standard ammo with the LB-10/X. What I'll be happy with is to have it fire at something and be a solid round until just before it hits it target, then it scatters. As it is, even with the tightened cone, it's still not usable at 500 meters like it should be.

[MeiSooHaityu]

DegeneratePervert, on 23 August 2013 - 07:14 AM, said:

That, and I absolutely MURDER light mechs with my 2x LBX, 4MG, 2 ML Jager Double D.

That being said, the range increase to the LBX has buffed it considerably. Late-game, when most of the enemy team is damaged, it should be a war crime to have a good double LBX 3D or Jager on your side.

Yea, my Illya Tripple LBX10 butchered a Spider last night. It is always satisfying watching a Spider just melt. Still though, I prefer the Ultras in the Illya. I think they lessened the jamming frequency, so I don't mind using the Ultras for the Illya.

[Selfish]

The LB10x was bumped to 'viable' status last patch with Critical Damage Transfer. I'm honestly surprised they buffed it again with a tighter spread. If you're interested in the numbers, the LB10 deals ~20.2 critical damage per salvo. That's enough to rip out an AC/20, or two 10 HP items.

That's really not what people focus on though. Its higher and more common crit range means, on average, it pulls ~13 damage per shot against unarmored components. An AC/10, for example, has less of a chance to score even 11.5 damage versus internals.

It's pretty good for brawling.

[Rat of the Legion Vega]

I'm kinda mixed on the LBX "improvement". It didn't seem any more efffective on the only mech I ever use LBX with, my Cicada 3M. Maybe that's because the cicada's speed has always allowed me to close to point blank range anyway so the spread was less of an issue. In fact, I find this tighter spread detrimental to my build because one of the reasons I chose the LBX for the cicada was its ability to shotgun high speed lights and land hits in spit of the hit reg issues. Now, it just misses a bit more.

Edited by Rat of the Legion Vega, 23 August 2013 - 02:00 PM.

[Raso]

I think a slight rate of fire buff couldn't hurt. The way I see it it still has a short range and still deals less damage than a pair of SRM6s at the cost of more tonnage and with less ammo per ton. Granted, it's a whole ton lighter and crit space smaller than the AC10 but I feel it still needs a little something to make it truly competitive.

[Equalizer]

I feel the LBX is in a pretty good spot right now - its spread now allows you to reliably hit components with at least 70-80% of the pellets in ranges below 300-ish meters. I've been testing various builds the past couple of days and I can honestly tell I haven't had that much fun in MWO for quite a while. Tried single, dual and triple LBX setups and I have to agree with MeiSooHaityu on the point that carrying two is the sweet spot - 3 are too cumbersome and frankly Ilya is better with 3x UAC5s.

The builds I played most are as follows:

SIngle LBX - HGN-732: 325XL, 14 DHS, 3x LPL, 1x LBX, 3x SSRM2 - this build worked wonders in a brawl, its main selling point being the triple LPL that can quickly peel off the armor from any section while you're closing in and then just finish it with the LBX and the SSRM2s. Also kinda hilarious when people spot 732 and rush you in thinking it's a standard PPC/Gauss setup

Dual LBX - JM6-A: 255XL, 10 DHS, 2x ML, 2x LBX, 4xSSRM2 - this thing just rips apart lights that step inside the 270m radius of the SSRM2s. Oddly enough it is quite decent in a brawl as well, won multiple fights vs. other heavies and assaults in it.
Also tried dual LBX on AS7-D and AS7-D-DC as with the exact same setups as Hillslam posted above and both of these were great too.

Triple LBX - Ilya: nuff said

All in all, I find the LBX a great weapon since the last patch and it was a nice upgrade to some of the AC20, AC10 and UAC5 builds I used before.

[MeiSooHaityu]

I have been running the dual LBX10, 4MLaser Catapult K2, and I can say that although it is better, it still isn't QUITE as nice as the Dual A/C10 for damage...and that is ok with me.

The LBX is lighter than a A/C10 and because of that it allows me more speed and manuverability. It still feels like it hits less hard than an A/C10, so that feels like an exceptable trade-off to me.

Besides, one good thing about dual LBXs...It is a LOT harder for the enemy to shield a damaged chassis location from you. Good chance some of the LBX shot will find it and destroy it.

Overall,If I am still contemplating A/C10s (it is that close of a decision for me), than LBX is in a good place. I am happy with it.

[Sir Wulfrick]

The LB-10 is now very much a usable weapon. One of my Atlas builds has 2 x LB-10's, 2 x ER-LL, a nice pile of heat sinks and a nice big engine. First game out with it - 7 kills, some 700 damage. In the later stages of a match it's nothing short of horribly deadly.

Very much like where the LB-10X is at the moment.

[DarkDevilDancer]

Short of being able to use both types of ammo i think the last round of changes have made it a weapon worth taking.

I honestly dont know how they could make it work without making the AC10 useless though so keeping it as the shotgun works.

[LeShadow]

Equalizer, on 25 August 2013 - 09:43 AM, said:

[...] and frankly Ilya is better with 3x UAC5s.

Won't argue with that.

[Monky]

From my tests with LBX so far, you can pump big numbers, but those numbers don't mean anything unless you're the second line of the assault. You have no range to speak of compared to more contemporary weapons, so you either have to have the enemy come to you or be able to advance from cover with a team who can strip that armor.

If this is a good weapon, it is a good weapon in a specialist role only. I honestly think a lot of people here are simply impressed by big damage numbers, which the LBX can pull, as you can pretty much fire it non stop once you get in range due to low heat/mid level of ammo.

[Angel of Annihilation]

I am loving them. In fact I have converted all my Gauss Mounted mechs to the LB-10X now and am not looking back at all. Good thing too since they are about to consign Gauss Rifles to the scrap heap of uselessness soon.

The LB-10X is still a short ranage weapon, however that short range is now around 300m, not the 100m it once was. Additionally you can hit pretty good out to about 500m with it as long as you don't mind the damage being spread around on your target. Still even at 500m most if not all pellets will hit the mech.

LB-10X is definately my go too Ballastic weapon now.

[Scrawny Cowboy]

As long as the shot spreads for a total of 10 damage, it won't amount to much. Needs a damage bonus like within a certain distance it only needs like half the pellets to cause full damage, the rest cause additional damage. Just tossing out numbers/amounts from the top of my head but really all they're doing is like slapping a tighter choke on it with these spread adjustments...

Edited by B3RZ3RK3R, 26 August 2013 - 07:27 PM.

[XX Sulla XX]

I converted all the gauses on my Victors to the LBX. Since I normally play close range it works well for me. The faster firing rate comes in handy.

[LeShadow]

Monky, on 26 August 2013 - 07:11 PM, said:

From my tests with LBX so far, you can pump big numbers, but those numbers don't mean anything unless you're the second line of the assault. You have no range to speak of compared to more contemporary weapons, so you either have to have the enemy come to you or be able to advance from cover with a team who can strip that armor.

If this is a good weapon, it is a good weapon in a specialist role only. I honestly think a lot of people here are simply impressed by big damage numbers, which the LBX can pull, as you can pretty much fire it non stop once you get in range due to low heat/mid level of ammo.

I wouldn't call it good. But it finally works for its intended purpose. Yes, it's short range. That means you don't lead the charge. But if you're close enough you can put all that damage into a single zone. The UAC5 is, of course, still the better choice unless you really have trouble hitting Lights.