81 replies to this topic

[Khobai]

Quote

you want to CT core a stalker ASAP

Not necessarily. If he has an XL engine then CT is actually the slowest way to kill him. the only way to know if hes running XL or STD is to look at his loadout.

[Joseph Mallan]

Coming at one from the side works well!

[Narcissistic Martyr]

Shoot it in the crotch since that counts as CT.

To be fair that works on all mechs but it's easily the best way to core the stalker.

[krolmir]

Easy mode stalker kill, aim for the area in between his legs front or back, its CT all day long, and it doesn't move when they torso twist......let the stalker griefing begin

[krolmir]

Also this goes for just about every heavy and assault in game....

[Vodrin Thales]

Dvorak, on 06 September 2013 - 05:06 AM, said:

Oh, one other tip: move one of the heat sinks in the chest into the engine. You get more crit slots back *and* double heat sinks in the engine provide more cooling than ones outside of it.

That's only true of the first 10 that come with the engine. Also if you are running an 245XL or smaller the additional heat sinks required to run the engine (up to 10) will also function as true doubles. I've tested this extensively. If you doubt the truth of my statement test it yourself.

[Vodrin Thales]

Scav3ng3r, on 06 September 2013 - 12:25 PM, said:

Case works with XL engines, didn't you know? Also, case only works about 70% of the time, so you still die to 3 out of 10 ammo explosions!

This is completely untrue. CASE will only stop the damage of an ammo explosion from progressing from the side torso to the CT. It does nothing to prevent said ammo explosion from destroying the side torso it is in. As such it does nothing to prevent death from an ammo explosion in a mech with an XL engine. You are far better off just sticking your ammo in your legs, arms, and head and just forget about CASE. Also CASE works 100% of the time for what it actually does. There is no RNG with it.

[Mahws]

Vodrin Thales, on 11 September 2013 - 09:08 AM, said:

That's only true of the first 10 that come with the engine. Also if you are running an 245XL or smaller the additional heat sinks required to run the engine (up to 10) will also function as true doubles. I've tested this extensively. If you doubt the truth of my statement test it yourself.

I tested that a couple of months ago and it showed the opposite. Only 'hidden' engine heatsinks gain 2.0, the required out of engine heatsinks for <250 engines run at 1.4.

On Smurfy:
240 + 1 exterior: 46%
250: 48%

Edited by Mahws, 11 September 2013 - 05:27 PM.

[Navy Sixes]

Scav3ng3r, on 06 September 2013 - 08:20 PM, said:

CASE works with XL engine

?

This is news to me. Again, do you have a source for this?

[Bront]

Scav3ng3r, on 06 September 2013 - 12:25 PM, said:

Case works with XL engines, didn't you know? Also, case only works about 70% of the time, so you still die to 3 out of 10 ammo explosions!

CASE works fine if it doesn't take a critical hit first (likely why it doesn't work on some occasions), and only works for XL engines if you stick it in an arm.

On topic, taking out the side torsos is effective, as you might get lucky with an XL stalker, or if not you likely took out half of it's weapons (only the 5M can Zombie). Try to stay on the mech's side, as outside of the 3F, they don't have a lot of torso turning ability. The leg potshot can't hurt either, because most folks ignore a stalker's legs (if they have nearly full armor, you're better of taking out the side torsos and ignoring them), so some folks cheat on armor there too much.

I'm a fairly new stalker Pilot, and I found the Stalker to be surprisingly squishy, but I think that has as much to do with me being used to more mobile mechs (Slowest mech I own is a 80 KPH VIctor till now) and them being big targets because, well, they're big.

Edited by Bront, 12 September 2013 - 12:20 PM.

[tdppdttdppdt]

[From what I understand here, C.A.S.E itself isn't crit-able.]

Now, back to the original question: How to bring down a stalker?

As many have mentioned, anything between the legs counts as CT.

Depending on the cover around him, the Stalker's groin may not be exposed. If you're in front, and for whatever reason, you need to hit his CT (and not his side), then simply imagine the Stalker with antlers and a big red Rudolph nose, and shoot the nose. Bam. CT. (Plus its a great mental image as he's trying to track a Jenner circling his legs. )

[Autobot9000]

I run a C.A.S.E. for the Gauss rifle in my Misery and it has always worked without a single exception.

[Bront]

With a standard engine, right?

[SethAbercromby]

The Stalker is a assault 'Mech designed to spearhead frontal engagements. The weapons loadaut is designed to use weapons with overlapping reach to increase firepower the closer an enemy gets to the 'Mech. This serves to help with the excessive heat build up the Stalker is very well known for. If you get a chance to move behind it, that'll usually tip the fight in your favor, but be wary that it generally focuses a lot of its armor to the front so if you're stuck in a frontal engagement, expect some heavy losses. I have a Stalker myself and I'm amazed how many people apparently take a lot of armor off their legs (Apparently, the Phoenix Griffin 1N only has 19 points of armor in each leg. Who the heck does that?). Doing that is a practically death wish with any 'Mech unless it's a light 'Mech and even then I'd strongly advise against it and this is especially true if you do so on a slow Assault 'Mech.

Here's my current Stalker 5S loadout for those interested: http://mwo.smurfy-ne...63da1b3cf1d312d
As you can see, even after mounting double heat sinks like a madman, the heat efficiency is still terrible. However, this is where the overlapping ranges come into play. When the enemy is held at a high distance, only the large lasers and LRMs are needed. When the enemy gets closer, the LRMs will be replaced by the medium lasers which can be fired in pairs or alpha. If the enemy dares to proceed even closer, the SRMs are used to cause as much additional damage as possible.

Edited by SethAbercromby, 19 September 2013 - 08:19 AM.

[Zerberus]

Bront, on 12 September 2013 - 12:13 PM, said:

CASE (...) only works for XL engines if you stick it in an arm.

Except for teh small detail that you can`t put an IS C.A.S.E. in an arm or leg slot....

Edited by Zerberus, 19 September 2013 - 08:33 AM.

[Bront]

Zerberus, on 19 September 2013 - 08:32 AM, said:

Except for teh small detail that you can`t put an IS C.A.S.E. in an arm or leg slot....

The fact that I didn't know that shows you how frequently I use C.A.S.E.

[Brenden]

I made my customization of your build using the same general lay out - light Autocannon on the right arm, energy weapons on the side. Whenever you have missiles, always try and have Artemis on them. it helps a lot.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...7a5bde7d26f9efb

[Bront]

Brenden, on 19 September 2013 - 09:26 AM, said:

I made my customization of your build using the same general lay out - light Autocannon on the right arm, energy weapons on the side. Whenever you have missiles, always try and have Artemis on them. it helps a lot.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...7a5bde7d26f9efb

1) Ick, single AC2? and then LPL? Bad range mix
2) Who's build are you customizing?

[Zeee]

Corusmaximus, on 06 September 2013 - 05:43 PM, said:

As a stalker pilot I can say the only thing that makes me go &quot;oh shooot&quot; is walking into focus fire without my team, or 3v1 light attacks out of range of my team. Anything else I can handle.

1v1 lights die. 2v1 I give lights a bad time.
Don't bother with my legs, they have more armor than my CT.

Same here, only thing that makes me go "Oh {Scrap}" is charging a firing line with the team still hanging back staring at the sky. i got all the stk variants coz i just love it. U can boat all kinds of stuff. 6xLL is still very viable against all mechs.

If a stk pilot doesnt cover his back when faced with lights, he probably havent played much. More often than not, in a 1v1 against a light, the light will just die after burning it down with LLs in my 3F. Even in a 1v1 with an atlas, i always go for the RT first.

I think the only best way to down a stalker is not doing it alone.

[Brenden]

Bront, on 19 September 2013 - 12:24 PM, said:

1) Ick, single AC2? and then LPL? Bad range mix
2) Who's build are you customizing?

Everyone's.
You use the AC/2 at long range to open up with then move in with the LPLs.