23 replies to this topic

[Mr David]

So I bought the Protector as soon as is came out. I always loved Orions playing Mechwarrior games growing up and reading the lore made it even more attractive. The Orion chassis have the perfect hardpoints for a balanced build that will be viable no matter where the meta game goes. I knew it would probably also be the only Hero mech I buy and would be my go to mech for getting cbills. After grinding out mastery of it, I couldn't shake knowing how awful the CT exposure was and felt buyers remorse. On top of that, the only way to make the Protector hardpoints do anything the VA and K couldn't do better was to use both ballistics slots.

The most successful loadout I could manage was XL350, AMS, 2LL, 2AC5 (5t ammo), 13 DHS, Endo. I ran is as a second line support mech to avoid as much direct fire as possible and was fast enough to reposition when needed. Luckily, Atlases abound and make great targets for the red team while I racked up damage and kills. Even with this fun loadout, the CT was still a big problem despite learning to twist and absorb damage.The solution came from a most unlikely place: Ferro Fibrous.

I managed to drop Endo and only 1 DHS, just a bit of arm armor and a fair amount of leg armor (which never gets hit on an Orion) and gain the 12% armor strength bonus from FF. That takes the CT front from 75 points to the equivalent of 84. The XL is also even more protected. After a few matches, it feels more like the well rounded mech it was meant to be. I wonder if the devs were trying to tell us something when they equipped the Protector with FF from the beginning?

I may play around with FF a bit more with other mechs too. Seems like a nice fit for STD 350-360 Atlas since they take such a beating and would have the crits with the Engine tonnage. Everyone seems firmly against FF in favor of Endo for heavys and assaults. I think it could be valuable in roles designed to soak up lots of damage or mechs with glaring hitbox/design weaknesses like the Orion or Dragon. Here is my new loadout.

[Bilbo]

Ferro Fibrous doesn't work the way you think it does. 75 points of armor is 75 points of armor. It just weighs less with ferro. If you gave up anything to make the swap, you screwed yourself. Take ferro on top of endo, if you have the room, or not at all.

[OneEyed Jack]

Put a different way, with FF you get 36 points of armor per ton, instead of 32, but the max armor per location is the same. 1pt of armor stops 1pt of damage, regardless.

[Mr David]

Well, there goes about 1.8 million C bills The placebo effect was nice while it lasted. Thanks fellas.

[OneEyed Jack]

Look at the bright side! It probably means you're getting better with the mech! It could also just mean you just had a few lucky games where you weren't getting hit as much, but we won't dwell on that.

[Mr David]

Another bright side, I picked up a DHS by keeping most of the leg armor off. I would like to think I'm getting better. Crossed above 2:1 k/d ratio a few days ago which is fine by me!

[CygnusX7]

Here's the protector build I've dreamed about playing;
AC20, SRMA12, 2mL, STD300: http://mwo.smurfy-ne...ee1a834fd047e9f
And 3 builds I've been running with using the VA.
2PPC, SRM20, XL340: http://mwo.smurfy-ne...8a3f1327d7f7b76
2PPC, SSRM8, BAP, XL360: http://mwo.smurfy-ne...e9dfd5e7989f80e
ERLL, SRM16, UAC/5, XL340: http://mwo.smurfy-ne...c04faf6dd1551da

Still haven't worked out a VA AC20 build I like.
AC20, SRM16, 2mL, STD300: http://mwo.smurfy-ne...fcec18da436003e

Edited by CygnusX7, 30 September 2013 - 09:31 AM.

[NovaWasp]

Std 300
AC20
2x ERLL
DHS
Endo

It's direct fire effective all usefull ranges.

[Sephlock]

Has anyone found it worth it to use SSRMs to swat lights or is two just too few given the changes?

(I'm just considering coming back to MW:O, like a battered wife thinking "this time I can change him".)

[Bilbo]

Sephlock, on 30 September 2013 - 11:38 AM, said:

Has anyone found it worth it to use SSRMs to swat lights or is two just too few given the changes?

(I'm just considering coming back to MW:O, like a battered wife thinking "this time I can change him".)

With just two, I'd stick to your favorite variety of laser. With the randomness of the hit locations, it just spreads the little damage they would do around. Of course, I generally dislike using streaks anyway. There are better chassis to swat lights with.

Edited by Bilbo, 30 September 2013 - 11:43 AM.

[Sephlock]

Bilbo, on 30 September 2013 - 11:43 AM, said:

With just two, I'd stick to your favorite variety of laser. With the randomness of the hit locations, it just spreads the little damage they would do around. Of course, I generally dislike using streaks anyway.

Yeah I thought as much. Just wanted some confirmation.

[Lightfoot]

Yes Endo Steel first, but I have also found the only way to use the Orion is not be shot at, so bad hit-boxes. Maybe they will fix the hitboxes.

[Rovertoo]

My Orion (-K) Is so awesome!
I've got four Medium lasers, an LBX, an LRM 15(+art), and an SRM6.

I had to strip my rear armor down to... really, really low... in order to reinforce my CT as much as I felt it needed, but I essentially kept the stock loadout but upgraded everything I could.

Which is kinda what I do with all my mechs, and it works out pretty well.

[Mr David]

The K is a fine mech. I have it with an AC20, 4ml, 2SRM2 and a STD 300. When using it and the VA to master the protector, I really noticed the difference in how well I can use lasers vs. SRMs. SRM's were worthless to me, especially as a primary weapon. Streaks were limited in their effectiveness as well even though they look good on paper. The VA grind was painful, but the brawler K gave me the highest k/d ratio of any mech I own and was really fun. The VA will sit stripped until I either learn to use SRMs or missles get a buff.

Brawling in the K also showed me the difference between types of fire the Orion can take well. In long range situations like the ridge in Alpine peaks and Canyon network, the CT takes major damage quickly. At closer range, its much easier to spread the damage. I had several matches where I was a zombie surprisingly. The key was to not be the lead mech on a brawl charge so when you do get damage it comes from all sides. It actually soaks it up well once in the thick of things.

[627]

This is my final Protector build:
1x AC20
2x SRM6
2x ML
STD300
14DHS

Tried a lot of loadouts, but this is one of two which worked well for me.
You could add a third ML btw. but if you drop on mordor, it's gettin pretty hot in there.

The second build is 2x LBX with 2ML and nothing more, that's my -V layout at the moment. It's a specialist build, you really need cover and some backup, but for me, the LB-X is the most entertaining weapon atm.

Oh, and pro-tip on the orion: paint it black or grey. Really. That helped a lot in staying alive, the only color left on mine is that little line below the cockpit. Get unsuspicious with an Orion, more than with any other mech.

[Mr David]

627, I painted my 5J bucket black after I noticed it 'hid' me a bit more on the Orion after the paint job. Works like a charm, especially compared to bright red. I like 2 lbx on the protector as well, but I just do much better with the 2 AC5 and fast XL engine.

[Ngamok]

PROTECTOR

Mine currently.

Also had this setup initially and worked good too:

PROTECTOR

[Bishop Steiner]

PROTECTOR

So far, this has been my best build for the Protector. Have been going back and forth with the swapping the 2 ASRM6 for a single ALRM15. Seems to function about as well either way. I'm better at midrange with the LRMs, worse off if swarmed with them too, though. My best match (1100+ damage and 6 kills) was with the ASRMs, got in a massive melee/last man stnading scenario and somehow won out. But I have a slightly higher KDr running the LRMs, probably due to less "D" in my KDr.

[Daekar]

Here is one I'm just starting to use since I found out the Gauss nerf wasn't bad.

PROTECTOR

3 Large Lasers
1 Gauss + 30 shots
Almost Full Armor
300XL
53% cooling efficiency

Only problem is, there is some leftover tonnage thanks to the slot-hogging DHS.

EDIT: If you up the engine to a 320XL, you used all the free tonnage and gain a few KPH. I'm running the 300XL because I already had it lying around.

Here is what I have put in the most matches running:

PROTECTOR

2 Large Lasers
2 AC5
LRM15
Almost Full Armor
300XL
38% Cooling

Edited by Daekar, 01 October 2013 - 02:32 PM.

[Sephlock]

The problem with builds like that (and I love them) is that sometimes you'll end up in matches where you have no choice but to watch as your teammates get picked off one after another, unable to contribute in the slightest*, then get overwhelmed.

You're too slow to have a realistic hope of flanking before the match is effectively decided- especially on the gigantic maps with distinct canyon paths**, and your odds of rushing and getting a kill before you get firing-squadded aren't much better.

It's great fun when you can rush to the middle and count on them doing the same, or wait behind a ridge with your entire team and play goalie (letting your snipers focus on sniping), but... sometimes it just doesn't play out that way.


* Except maybe by popping up to draw some fire away from them.

** Like Mordor