15 replies to this topic

[Tragic_Pain_Glove]

Considering Phract or Jager.

What are pros & cons including armor, engine etc?

[Ngamok]

CTF low slung arms, torso.

JM6 high mount arms, easier to aim over hills without being more than half your mech exposed like the CTF because of the low slung arms.

Edit: typo

Edited by Ngamok, 29 August 2013 - 06:52 AM.

[Rascula]

I would say you would be better served by either a Catapult or Jeager not a Cataphract. The higher weapon placement on both mechs makes for a much better sniper than the low down arms on the 'phract.

[Shiro Matsumoto]

K2 Catapult.

Pro: more style, guns in torso.. not as low as in Catapract, side torsos hard to hit from front

Con: Big Cockpit window for easy headshots. Side torsi easy hitable from sides...


I guess Jäger has the "highest" arms, if you choose between Cataphract and Jäger, take the Jäger.. on the other hand... people EXPECT Jägers to either have dual Gauss or AC40, and treat them this way.

Edited by John McFianna, 29 August 2013 - 06:56 AM.

[Enigmos]

Probably because they are some of the most dangerous builds on the field.

[Dalziel Hasek Davion]

CPLT-K2 - maximum 315 rated engine, no jump jets, GRs mounted in torso (mid-line)
Jagermech (all CBill variants) maximum 315 rated engine, no jump jets, GRs mounted on arms (high line)
CTF-4X - maximum 255 rated engine, no jump jets, GRs mounted on arms (low line) - slow and low
CTF-3D - maximum 340 rated engine, jump jets, GRs mounted on right arm (low line) right torso (mid-line)

I would agree with the assessment above - the Jagermech, whilst being more frangible, is a better balanced cover-sniper.with dual GRs - although you sacrifice a lot to fit that much gun in. The caveat is that the 3D offers something a bit different - bigger engine capacity and greater armour - jump jets and asymmetric gauss rifle placement (which is a bit odd - most people would use 1xGR and dual high-mount PPCs). The 4X is a decent GR platform, but "shoots from the hip" and is a slow old slugger.

[John MatriX82]

So..

-Catapult K2: pretty nice and stable platform, you can be pretty fast if you strip the armor off the arms, can reach 7 tons of ammo for the dual Gauss with a couple of mediums (xl 260-265) or smalls (xl 280).

Cons:
-GRs are tied to the torso (as eventual lasers are), so targets higher or lower than your pitch torso capability can't be shot
-Gauss are in the side torsoes along with a XL engine = GR is crit means you die. Yet the side torsoes are rather covered in this mech so..
-Head hitbox in this thing is huge. Every guy with 2PPC and a GR will one shot you easily even at range.

-Cataphract: Ilya Muromets is a good mech for the purpose, can do triple med + dual GR with a xl 280, with a decent degree of mobility and 7 tons of ammo. But it costs MCs.

So you're left with either a 4X or a 3D. The former is slow. Too slow, you'll be limited to a xl 255, low arms with ok 7 tons of ammo, a SRM4 and dual ML as backup but still too slow for the purpose and too fragile.
The latter (3D) can get jump jets, can do 3xML (even 4 with lower engines or strip the armor off the LA to get extra ammo or weight for a xl 280 or more), but you'll need to house one of the two GRs' in a side torso, that gets critted pretty fast so you're dead

This mech will require you always to expose most of its shape so side torsoes and the mandatory XL's are rather dangerous. Taking the IM in then it can be a really good candidate, but 4X isn't in no way an the 3D works better with 2PPC 1GR as a poptart.

-Jagermech
GR's are pretty high, you won't require to expose much from a cover, but the side torsoes on the Jagers are even easier to be picked than those of Cataphracts. Plus you won't be able to strip off armor from sections completely as you can do in a Catapult, resulting in low ammunition capacity (6 tons is minimum imho) total lack or laughable backup weaponry and slowness (xl 255 is almost an obliged choice unless you really tear lots of armor from legs and some from the arms).

In my books it's Ilya Muromets>K2=Jagers>other Cataphracts (3D or 4X).

Edited by John MatriX82, 29 August 2013 - 08:10 AM.

[Elizander]

Cataphracts can be frustrating dual gauss platforms due to the low slung arms. If you wish to avoid this then go Jager.

[Johnny Marek Summers]

Also remember you are buying stock, so you will need to upgrade any mech you buy or you are going to be rather fustrated.

You are going to be a priority target due to the mech you choose because of the builds you want to make.

With all Ballistics and Missiles share the same "weakness," they are dependant on ammo and there is no in-game rearm.




EDIT: added missing word.

Edited by Johnny Marek Summers, 29 August 2013 - 08:16 AM.

[I C Wiener]

John McFianna, on 29 August 2013 - 06:52 AM, said:

K2 Catapult.

Pro: guns in torso.

Ehm, and how is that a "pro"? Gauss Rifles can explode you know... That happens in a Jaeger when someone shoots your arms (mostly by accident, everyone tries to shoot your center or side torso).

In a Gausspault they will destroy your Gauss Rifles simple by trying to core you (which 95% of players aim for when facing a catapult)

+ you can survive a (much rarer) Gauss Rifle explosion in a Jager, in a Catapult you are automatically dead...

[Spheroid]

Get a stock Jager-DD with 2x gauss + 60 rounds. Easy money.

Edited by Spheroid, 29 August 2013 - 08:34 AM.

[DEMAX51]

I think the K2 Cat is the worst option of the three, due to the ballistic hardpoints being in the side torsos (which severely limits up/down aiming) and the gigantic CT & head hitboxes.

Between the Jager and the 'Phract, I think it really depends on how you intend to play the 'Mech:

Sniping? Bring the Jager, as the high-mounted arms can allow you to stay behind cover to a greater extent.

Providing fire support from the outskirts of the brawl? Take the 'Phract, as it's increased armor means greater survivability, and the higher tonnage means more secondary weapons like medium lasers.

Personally, if you've got the cash, I don't think you can go wrong with an Ilya - it's a pretty versatile build and the increased c-bill earnings are nice too.

Edited by DEMAX51, 29 August 2013 - 08:54 AM.

[Elizander]

Spheroid, on 29 August 2013 - 08:32 AM, said:

Get a stock Jager-DD with 2x gauss + 60 rounds. Easy money.

I think it works on any Jagermech too if you have the parts - 2x Gauss Jager 6x Gauss Ammo

[Orzorn]

Jaeger is one of the best dual gauss platforms, thanks to high arms and putting guass in the arms allows you to take XL engines a lot easier (although you still run the potential of dying to explosions).

[Ertur]

Cicada!
CDA-3C Dual Guass
Sure, you won't have any armor, just one load of ammo, a god-awful slow engine, and barely enough heat sinks to even be able to drop, but it'll look real pretty and you can tell your friends that you have it.

God knows you won't want to actually use it.

[Modo44]

Cataphract 4X -- super easy aim with articulated arms, rifles relatively low and not converging well at close dinstances

Catapult K2 -- rifles close to the middle of the mech, meaning near-perfect convergence at any distance; "free" weight for support lasers by stripping the ears down; rifles relatively low

Jager DD/S -- rifles high up for easy shooting over obstacles, very good for sniping; average close range convergence

I have tried the Cataphract, and the K2 with dual Gauss, and I prefer the K2. In addition to sniping, it can apply damage precisely even when something comes close (almost down to hugging distance). No other mech has that ability, and you will need it at some point.