38 replies to this topic

[Thorqemada]

I am no Pro with the CTF but you have no Punch, i would not fear your build in a Medium Mech.
ML dmg can easily be spread, SRM do spread dmg themself and despite of the recent buff SRM still be much weaker than some months ago so you only have the Gauss and probably even if you hit me some of the hits dont count.

That is why 2x(ER)PPC+Gauss is so much better, you have Range + Punch and can disable an enemy with only 2 Alpha hits given that you know to aim.
Your recent build needs probably twice or thrice the amount of hits.

I cant help further bcs the only CTF i played was when SRM were a good weapon and brawling was not overshadowed by ranged combat.

Edited by Thorqemada, 27 August 2013 - 12:13 PM.

[chrx]

Naenlor, on 27 August 2013 - 11:56 AM, said:

This is the latest build i have been running, but i am always changing it, trying to figure out how to make this work.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...b6ecb8b7bda067b

Making the mech faster should increase your survivability a lot. I'd try something like this: http://mwo.smurfy-ne...5c009f4b57362f9

[Hammerfinn]

My suggestions on your build:

If you drop to SRM4 instead of 6, and take only 2 tons of SRM ammo, 3 tons of Gauss ammo, you can fit a STD 275. You can also drop the Gauss with a 275 for an AC20 and 4 tons. Or you can drop to a UAC5 or LBX10 and fit a STD 300. The extra speed should really help with flanking, and getting out of bad situations.

[Bront]

Naenlor, on 27 August 2013 - 11:56 AM, said:

This is the latest build i have been running, but i am always changing it, trying to figure out how to make this work.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...b6ecb8b7bda067b

Ick, Too slow, even for an Atlas. You'll get wasted. Mediums can lap you and dodge, lights will tear you appart, and you're a sitting duck for heavies and assaults because you're large and slow.

Try this: CTF-2X
SRM6s drop down to SRM4s, drop 1 ton of SRM and GR ammo, use Endosteel, exchange the engine for a 275.

Tradeoffs: for launching 4 less missiles (in a second volly) and 10 less GR shots, you get more leg armor, and 15-20 kph in speed (a 34% increase). SRM total shots remain the same (less ammo, but less missiles per shot), and you can move to and from safe positions faster, as well as turn and twist faster to aim better and arm block.

Edit: I see the poster above me had the same idea. Here's that build realized.

Edited by Bront, 27 August 2013 - 01:25 PM.

[Naenlor]

How did you get the 1 slot heatsink in the CT, when you have the double heatsink upgrade?

[ShockATC]

Because that is the Heatsink for the engine. Some engines require some additional heatsinks

[QuackAttack]

And get some more armor on those rear side torsos. If I'm in my Spider or Treb I'm tearing that 10pts off fast and then it's downhill from there for you. At least 15 pts I would recommend, and use your arms to protect your front torso as well.

[Darwins Dog]

Naenlor, on 27 August 2013 - 02:11 PM, said:

How did you get the 1 slot heatsink in the CT, when you have the double heatsink upgrade?

The extra engine slots will hold any kind of heatsink, they don't have a size limit.

[Royalewithcheese]

Agree about engine size being key. Also, in terms of ammo placement, ammo should go legs/head, then arms. You definitely want to keep it out of your torso, because if it goes off it will take half/all your mech with it.

[Koniving]

Long story short... If you want to fight close range with a Cataphract, you need to blind them.

Because: Flamers. Vid by Lordred. I'm the Muromets he is following.

Otherwise, it'd be better to fight enemies one on one, such as this XL using Cataphract 4x with a 170 engine.

Vid by myself.

Stock Cataphract 4x, though I had good matches with and without teams, this was the most fun of the vids.

Vid is of me. Had teammates.

[Unnatural Growth]

I'm running an ERLL, AC10, 2 SRM4's and 2 ML's. It doesn't have the punch of the 4X, but it'll take a bigger engine. I'm running a 300 in mine. Also, get that ammo out of your torso. The Gauss ammo doesn't matter, but get that SRM ammo into your legs where it belongs. Put more armor into your legs too.

Others have covered it better than I could. Just make sure you're not isolated, and don't get into a spot where more than one enemy can shoot at you at once.

By bringing a 'phract to the battle, you're violating a basic covenant of warefare...

"Try not to look important".

'Phracts are dangerous mechs, properly built and piloted. When the enemy sees you, they focus fire on you. This is unwanted attention to be sure. Make sure you have at least one assault mech, or several heavies around you, to take some of that negative attention away from you.

[Itsalrightwithme]

Naenlor, on 27 August 2013 - 11:56 AM, said:

This is the latest build i have been running, but i am always changing it, trying to figure out how to make this work.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...b6ecb8b7bda067b

There are already a lot of very good advice, let me try to collate them and add a few key ones.

• SRM ammo can and will explode. When they are on your side torso, that explosion can propagate to the center torso. Unless you use CASE.
  
• Gauss ammo doesn't explode. They make for great "critical hit / damage buffers".
  
• Gauss rifle is a glass cannon and will explode when destroyed. You need CASE there too.
  
• You definitely need more speed.
  
• Eventually you can afford some C-Bills to upgrade to Endo Steel to free up more tonnage.
  
• SRM6 aren't that great right now, especially when you are not a good shot.
  
• CTF are really squat, your legs rarely get hit.

Taking all that into account, here's what I recommend.
http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=42&l=203d49649217a8ea5ec001ad1e784756a15d5aef

CASE on Gauss Rifle, reduced SRM ammo significantly, dropped one SRM6, dropped several DHS to put in a much larger engine. You have 30 Gauss shots, so sit back and snipe a bit before you engage. Try arm/torso lock to make piloting easier. Stick with an assault buddy.

Feel free to add me to your friends list, I'll take you on a ride sometime.

Edited by Itsalrightwithme, 28 August 2013 - 04:50 AM.

[Bront]

Naenlor, on 27 August 2013 - 02:11 PM, said:

How did you get the 1 slot heatsink in the CT, when you have the double heatsink upgrade?

An engine can fit 1 HS in it for every 25 points of rating. After 10, they are no longer included in the engine weight/cost, nor do they count as engine heatsinks, but they save space, allowing you to justify using some of that weight you save from Endosteal to put in a bigger engine and still pack a few extra Heat Sinks for example (as is the case in the phrat I posted).

To do it in the mech lab (Smurfy or in game), just drag the sink over to the engine, which will usually have a spot stating (X of Y Heat Sinks).

[Prezimonto]

CTF-2X

That's what I'd try. I do really well that that build ... or a similar one that uses an ac20 ... just remember to put the ac20 ammo in the legs and head.

If you're running hot.. .chain fire the lasers.

Bigger engine = more survivable. That firepower is close to an AC40 boom jager, less ammo dependent, longer range and if you lock your arms you can put most of the laser damage on a point even in chain fire.

Case can be fine too... strip the 1/2 ton off legs a few points off the head and maybe a few points off your shield arm.

The empty arm is a HUGE benefit... it gives you a side to present to take damage while babying that gauss rifle on the opposite side.

Edited by Prezimonto, 28 August 2013 - 11:05 AM.

[NinetyProof]

1) Change to one of the builds in this thread. I personally ran my 2X with AC20/ML's with a 300 engine and cooling up around 1.47 or so ... you need to be fast and you need to be able to fire for days and days ... consider prezimonto's build that has a 1.58 heat efficiency.

2) Quit saying "a few ML's can kill me". Learn how damage works.

Armor = 1 point of damage you can take. Phract torso's are 60 and putting 50 of that into the front is fairly aggressive but is doable ... so that is 10 ML shots before your armor is gone. Then you got internals ... they are half the max of the armor you can hold (front and back) ... so that's like 30 more ... so another 6 Ml's.

So, nothing else outstanding, one of your torsos has 80 hit points and it's toast ... so that's 16 ML hits which is a great deal more then "a few".

Of course internals hit can crit ... and crits will hit your equipment, and some of that could blow up and cause additional damage and you will die faster.

An atlas torso? 84 points max armor(74 is what I put in front) with 42 internals for 116 hit points vs your 80 ... which is 23.2 ML's to remove that torso, vs the 16 it took to remove yours. Your not an atlas .. don't try to be one.

[NinetyProof]

QuackAttack, on 27 August 2013 - 02:20 PM, said:

And get some more armor on those rear side torsos. If I'm in my Spider or Treb I'm tearing that 10pts off fast and then it's downhill from there for you. At least 15 pts I would recommend, and use your arms to protect your front torso as well.

Sorry, the vast majority of time a heavy/assault mech dies is from the front. Basically, all armor on your back is *wasted* when you die from losing front armor while you have back armor ... especially untouched back armor.

Yes, there are "times" when having more back armor might have saved you, but those *should* be few and far between ... and besides, spiders will soon be a thing of the past once Hit Detection is fixed ... maybe as soon as next Tuesday!!

[Naenlor]

Ok first of all, THANK YOU EVERYONE! I was seriously about to uninstall this game, and swear it off for good. After I posted this, I thought I was just going to get flamed and trolled for being a noob. But i have read every post, Look at all the builds posted, and I have come up with this.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...1d4140c00748065

I just ran it, and got 2 kills, and over 480 damage. I can't believe speed was my biggest problem. I did take out the SRM6's, but i honestly didn't want hardpoints to go wasted, and everyone was saying that SRM's do spread damage, and i took that as they don't do good focus damage, like AC's and lasers. So i decided to go with Streak SRM's. Not as many rockets, but it makes the mech easier to pilot, because i am not trying to aim 3 different weapon's with different projectile speeds. I just keep firing, and the missles will hit their targets. I took down a light, a cicida, and ran circles around a Atlas. Didn't get to kill the Atlas, as i was the last one alive on my team, and i got spawned. But i blew off both his arms, and he was just running away from me. I was smiling ear to ear after that match.

Again thanks to everyone, and if anyone wants to run with me some, you are free to add me to your friends list and message me.

[QuackAttack]

NinetyProof, on 28 August 2013 - 12:33 PM, said:

Sorry, the vast majority of time a heavy/assault mech dies is from the front. Basically, all armor on your back is *wasted* when you die from losing front armor while you have back armor ... especially untouched back armor.

Yes, there are "times" when having more back armor might have saved you, but those *should* be few and far between ... and besides, spiders will soon be a thing of the past once Hit Detection is fixed ... maybe as soon as next Tuesday!!

My advice is more specific to him being new, and in a Phract. I'm often flanking with another light and the sides of a Phract are big, and It only takes a couple seconds to core one from behind. Experienced pilots tend to start to turn when the notice the ECM interference, but alot of folks don't notice until it's too late.
And there is another tidbit for you Naenlor, if you see low signal on your minimap, find out where from.

[Unnatural Growth]

And to expand on Quack's advice, get seismic sensor as soon as you can. Imo, it's the most valuable module to have. Upgrade it to advanced as soon as you can too. It sucks that PGI nerfed the range.

And just make sure to stay with your team.

Good luck and glad you found some success.