74 replies to this topic

[C E Dwyer]

Victors been my favorite mech since table top, and the first edition tech manual.

Whether you run ac20 or gauss, xl or standard, its the best assault out there, as long as you keep the JJ's and don't do dumb things, its stretches better than the awesome or the highlander, and as long as you move jump and shoot you'll beat a stalker or atlas pilot unless you try stand in front them, or they are clearly better pilots than you.

my advice is don't run an engine smaller than a 325, and keep 2-3 JJ's, mine run between a 325-360,

I'm not a believer in lrms on a victor, use its speed and cover to close range torso twist, jump and bring pain, when you have desided to pick your moment don't slow down, and don't forget the delay in the gauss, played correctly a victor can brawl and get multiple kills on assaults, and is nimble enough to bring fear to spiders.

no mech will do well targeted by multiple enemies, but i've found when you push and none go with you, the victor will last slightly longer than the slow..clumpsy assaults

[oldradagast]

I have a Victor B and an S. They are very, very good mechs. My K/D ratio with them is better than any other mech I have (Awesome LRM boat excluded, but since it's an LRM boat, it doesn't get into the fight so it usually doesn't die.)

Victor strengths:

1) Powerful ballistics in the right arm. Toss on AC 20, 2 UAC5's, or whatever - blaze away!

2) Decent energy weapons on the left arm. The K version is less ballistic and more energy based, but any of them can go from a PPC or 2 on the left arm to simply using some medium lasers for point defense and to sweep lights away.

3) Solid speed + jump jets. It may be an 80-ton mech, but it feels faster and lighter than that when I play it. The Victor can get around well for a mech of its size.

4) Solid hitboxes: A factor that only matters in a game with actual aiming (vs. the tabletop rules where hit locations are random) - still, this makes a huge difference in MWO. The Victor can take a beating. Just over this past weekend, I've survived matches at around 35% structural integrity while still being able to fight. Other mechs can do that, sure, but combine that with the Victor's overall abilities and you have a serious, hard to kill threat.

Victor Drawbacks:

1) No high-up weapon points. The Victor is not a mech that works well hiding behind a rock while sniping. Admittedly, you can jump snipe with it, but then you're exposed to counter-attack. So, unlike a Jager or Stalker, the Victor (like many mechs) must be more exposed to take shots.

2) Poor missile capability: The Victor can toss SRM's, often in odd patterns, and it really can't use LRM's effectively at all because of the tube layout.

Anyway, it's a good mech, IMHO.

Edited by oldradagast, 07 October 2013 - 08:15 AM.

[Pastor Priest]

I will agree with the above, the Victor is an excellent all rounder, and one of my favorites. It has great mobility and firepower, along with decent survivability, even with an XL. It isn't the best at sniping, but from short to mid range is where it shines.

[XX Sulla XX]

I would keep 3. They will be coming out with more levels and you do not want to sell them at half price and then have to buy them back again.

For a quick brawler I find the 9s to be the best. xl360, ac20, 3 SRM 6s 1ml, 4 jump jets and full armor. Have to like fighting at knife fighting distance and know how to use torso twist and jump jets to spread damage. But if done right it works really well and is great fun.

[Reno Blade]

I'm running 2LL and 2UAC5, but a std 300 engine with 13DHS and 4t ammo and 1 JJ.
Not sure about increasing to a XL engine and more JJ.
I want to do good in a 4vs4 scenario, but I'm not sure if the speed of the XL will be better than the survivability of a STD engine.

[Solis Obscuri]

There are a lot of good builds for Victors. What do you want to use them for?

[DonGardenio]

Reno Blade, on 30 January 2014 - 03:59 AM, said:

I'm running 2LL and 2UAC5, but a std 300 engine with 13DHS and 4t ammo and 1 JJ.
Not sure about increasing to a XL engine and more JJ.
I want to do good in a 4vs4 scenario, but I'm not sure if the speed of the XL will be better than the survivability of a STD engine.

Well IMO, a Victor doesn't have much of a life if it loses a side torso. Its main weapons are on both arms. Its weapons aren't particularly plentiful or distributed all over the place. A ballistics arm by itself isn't much. Conversely when you're left with just your backup lasers and srms... yeah. That survivability of the STD Engine is kinda worth snot for a Victor. Losing your RT/LT makes you gimped enough that you might as well be dead.

An XL-Engine will give you higher speed, more armor to slosh about, better weapons and ammo. Or AMS if you don't got one. Better weapons means you kill things faster, which means getting shot less. More armor makes you harder to kill in general anyway and lets you tank those hits all over the place. Moving faster lets you pick your fights and get out of danger better. Add your JJs and aerial shenanigans.

STDs are better left for Stalkers and Atlases.

[MIHAc]

Well when i wanted a new Mech, i decided on the Viktor-9B.. mainly because i wanted to try 3x AC2.
The beggining were... horrible to say the least. With a STD320 it came with it was slow. 2 or 3 times i walked into enemy lance alone... and reduced to ash instantly, as i was too slow to run away.

3x AC2 has also 1 huge flaw... you can't torso twist as you need to face your enemy the whole time to fire. So i kind of abandoned it, though it was a fun build.

Things improved after i saved up for a XL360 engine.

My primary mech is the Shadow Hawk and i find it superior to Viktor. It packs Ac10 and 2 ERLL's. I equipped my Viktor with 2xAC5 and 2x ERLL and it basicly performs about the same which i find shamefull, as i'd expect a lot more from assult.
I've tried with AC20 also... but i somehow can't make it work well for me.

One other problem already mentioned is the low weapon position... can't say how many times i waisted ammo firing into a hill i was hiding behind.

[Spheroid]

People need to stop gushing over the 9B. The Battlemaster does triple AC-2 way better from having that articulated arm.

Edited by Spheroid, 02 February 2014 - 09:32 PM.

[Victor Morson]

2x UAC/5
2x PPC

Absolutely top tier, brutal, flexible, carries plenty of ammo and runs cool. It's a super Cataphract. Try it out, you won't go back.

Spheroid, on 02 February 2014 - 09:32 PM, said:

People need to stop gushing over the 9B. The Battlemaster does triple AC-2 way better from having that articulated arm.

Tripple AC-2 is horrible and people should stop recommending it.

PS: This is one of the very best 'mechs in the game, you did not make a bad purchase, OP.

Edited by Victor Morson, 02 February 2014 - 09:43 PM.

[Roachbugg]

Yea with the huge arms on the victor to soaks damage while you twist running it without an xl just makes it a baby atlas that cant stand its ground nearly as long.

And triple ac/2 is not bad it constantly gets me huge damage numbers in my Dakkamaster

Edited by Roachbugg, 09 February 2014 - 11:48 PM.

[Dunning Kruger Effect]

So consensus is to get an XL?

I like the Victor but it doesn't "shine" beyond my Cata 3D, and the Highlander delivers more "oomph" in a fight.

What is a good XL for a Victor and that can be used on other things - a 340 comes with the trial Cicada and I can use it on a Dragon - is that decent? What is a good "universal" XL300+ engine as it would annoy me to get one and only be able to use it on one build, on one mech. The engines are ridiculously overpriced as it is.

Edited by Dunning Kruger Effect, 10 February 2014 - 02:40 AM.

[Reno Blade]

Dunning Kruger Effect, on 10 February 2014 - 02:39 AM, said:

So consensus is to get an XL?

I like the Victor but it doesn't "shine" beyond my Cata 3D, and the Highlander delivers more "oomph" in a fight.

What is a good XL for a Victor and that can be used on other things - a 340 comes with the trial Cicada and I can use it on a Dragon - is that decent? What is a good "universal" XL300+ engine as it would annoy me to get one and only be able to use it on one build, on one mech. The engines are ridiculously overpriced as it is.

I use XL340 on my Phracts and that thing is very usefull for most med/heavy and works also in Victor/BM.
I got myself a XL380 for the Victor/BM, but for now I'm running around in STD300 engine Victor

[Modo44]

Spheroid, on 02 February 2014 - 09:32 PM, said:

People need to stop gushing over the 9B. The Battlemaster does triple AC-2 way better from having that articulated arm.

Flying AC20 is what you use that Victor for. Can the Battlemaster do that?

[Dunning Kruger Effect]

Reno Blade, on 10 February 2014 - 02:52 AM, said:

I use XL340 on my Phracts and that thing is very usefull for most med/heavy and works also in Victor/BM.
I got myself a XL380 for the Victor/BM, but for now I'm running around in STD300 engine Victor

The 350 has an extra HS but the 340 can be used as the max engine on a Cent and a Cicada also I think?

A 340XL Victor would pack in PPCs and a AC20, right? Cos atm my AC20 is paired with LL (Std 320) which does not "gel" very well.

[Modo44]

Dunning Kruger Effect, on 10 February 2014 - 04:36 AM, said:

A 340XL Victor would pack in PPCs and a AC20, right?

Yes. Note that the AC20 has a very low projectile speed, so it will require separate aiming at longer ranges. 2xUAC5+2xPPC requires a lower engine rating.

Edited by Modo44, 10 February 2014 - 05:09 AM.

[ImperialKnight]

i don't understand triple AC2s. dual AC2 and one AC5 or UAC works so much better since you're going for dakka anyway. more DPS, no ghost heat

[1453 R]

Dunning Kruger Effect, on 10 February 2014 - 02:39 AM, said:

What is a good XL for a Victor and that can be used on other things - a 340 comes with the trial Cicada and I can use it on a Dragon - is that decent? What is a good "universal" XL300+ engine as it would annoy me to get one and only be able to use it on one build, on one mech. The engines are ridiculously overpriced as it is.

350XL, pretty much full stop. My 350XL is pretty much the first 'extra' XL engine I ever bought, way the hizzell back when I was still in my Flame and looking to do fast Dragon striking. I don't pilot my poor Flame too often anymore, but that engine has nonetheless stood me in very good stead with quite a few other 'Mechs. It's not as universal as a 300XL is, but it's certainly not a poor decision to own one.

As for Victors...as of last night, I own all four of them, Slayer included. I also own a 385XL engine to cram into the things, though the Slayer tends to work better with that 350XL I mentioned. As a pretty much purpose-built medium pilot, the Victor is the only assault 'Mech I can really put up with. I've made attempts and inroads on the Battlemasters from my Phoenix bucket, but they just don't do it for me the way my Victors do.

The 9S is your best bet insofar as flying AC/20 goes, and probably your best bet in general - the extra missile hardpoint gives you options the other Victors can't really do, such as triple Streak launchers to give yourself some extra flyswatting potential. If flying AC/20 is what you want out of your Victors, and you only have room for one Victor in your hangars, then the 9S is your machine.

The 9B can do flying AC/20 just fine as well, but misses the extra missile hardpoint for Streak work over the 9S. It's also got the potential for great mixed-cannon loadouts - the aforementioned 10/2/2 setup requires a lot of weight sacrifice by the standards of the surprisingly tonnage-efficient AC/20 builds - you get neither missiles nor your maximum engine rating - but it's still reasonably quick and provides an interesting alternative game. And of course Triple Dakka AC/2 builds are very possible on the 9B.

The Dragon Slayer's the ultimate sniper of the lot. Being forced to mount half its principle armament in its torso rather than its arms bothers a lot of people, but me? I don't see it as being forced to do so, I see it as being able to do so. The Dragon Slayer's been making waves recently as the best STD-engine Victor, using its left arm and torso as a dead-side shield to protect its right arm/torso armaments for the great majority of the match. Even without a STD engine and a dead-side shield, the Slayer is a more generally durable PPC user than the other Victors, most of whom will lose at least one arm, and thus half their armament, long before you're done with it.

The 9K...the 9K is the only Victor I haven't really figured out yet. Its advantage over the other two is an extra energy hardpoint in the right arm and the option to mount two additional jump jets. Neither option is really all that compelling as of this point, though I refuse to give up on the machine. The single ballistic hardpoint really hurts the 9K - it would do well as a double-5 dakkabuser, but it can't mount the twin guns required. It's forced to use either a Gauss rifle (which it's not really very good at doing) or an AC/10 if it wants to get any use out of that hardpoint at all, and a Victor with no ballistics is a sad Victor. One of these days the extra two jump jets are going to be enough to give the 9K and its half-size cannon a niche, but right now? I just don't know what to do with the thing. It's the only Victor outside my mostly-brand-new 9S I haven't double-basic'd yet, and that bothers me.

[Victor Morson]

Dunning Kruger Effect, on 10 February 2014 - 02:39 AM, said:

So consensus is to get an XL?

I like the Victor but it doesn't "shine" beyond my Cata 3D, and the Highlander delivers more "oomph" in a fight.

What is a good XL for a Victor and that can be used on other things - a 340 comes with the trial Cicada and I can use it on a Dragon - is that decent? What is a good "universal" XL300+ engine as it would annoy me to get one and only be able to use it on one build, on one mech. The engines are ridiculously overpriced as it is.

I pretty much exclusively run STD engines actually. You can get away with an XL in a Victor in casual settings, but they make very solid STD builds, in particular the Dragon Slayer.

[SpartanOfValor]

This is a build I used to run, before I went to 3 ac/2

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...365245e30ac0373