10417 replies to this topic

[TercieI]

DavidStarr, on 09 January 2017 - 02:06 AM, said:

Got a really short question for you guys: Warhammer, Archer, Marauder, Cyclops or Kodiak for tier 3 quickplay?

Kodiak>

IMMENSE GAP

Warhammer>Marauder/Cyclops>Archer

Edited by TercieI, 09 January 2017 - 12:10 PM.

[Tesunie]

DavidStarr, on 09 January 2017 - 02:06 AM, said:

Got a really short question for you guys: Warhammer, Archer, Marauder, Cyclops or Kodiak for tier 3 quickplay?

Honestly? Any of them would be fine. Archer would probably be the only one I wouldn't be quick to recommend, as when I used it I wasn't impressed with it. But I know some people have done very well with it.

I'm kinda surprised people are recommending the Marauder over the Kodiak... But each of those mechs I've heard good things about. However, I have owned none of the mechs on your list (except for the Archer). So don't weight what I say here too much...

[DavidStarr]

Tesunie, on 09 January 2017 - 08:55 AM, said:

I'm kinda surprised people are recommending the Marauder over the Kodiak...

I didn't give Kodiak as an option. Did you misread, or did you mean Cyclops?

Kodiak is great, I've got it as well. But since I do some faction play, I want to focus on IS mechs first. The premise behind my question is I've got one hero mech from every chassis I mentioned, and I want to elite them all, but only
have 2 free mechbays after selling all the mechs I can bring myself to sell. So out of 5 new mech lines I've got, I can only elite one. Unless I sell mechs and re-buy them some time later, but that's a huge waste of C-Bills (and would also leave me with way more STD 280 engines than I have use for. PGI loves putting that one on stock loadouts).

Edited by DavidStarr, 09 January 2017 - 11:16 AM.

[Husker Dude]

DavidStarr, on 09 January 2017 - 02:06 AM, said:

Got a really short question for you guys: Warhammer, Archer, Marauder, Cyclops or Kodiak for tier 3 quickplay?

I'd say Warhammer; there's something to be said for being able to stick with the team and not get left behind when everyone starts to NASCAR, especially in solo queue play.
Of course, with the Kodiak, even with three mechs advancing on you, by yourself after being left behind, you can usually pump out a few hundred points of damage before you go down, but the Warhammer combines good speed with decent structure quirks and very nice firepower.
Marauders may have more durability, but in general they're slower and may have slightly less punch.

[Tesunie]

DavidStarr, on 09 January 2017 - 11:01 AM, said:

I didn't give Kodiak as an option. Did you misread, or did you mean Cyclops?

Kodiak is great, I've got it as well. But since I do some faction play, I want to focus on IS mechs first. The premise behind my question is I've got one hero mech from every chassis I mentioned, and I want to elite them all, but only
have 2 free mechbays after selling all the mechs I can bring myself to sell. So out of 5 new mech lines I've got, I can only elite one. Unless I sell mechs and re-buy them some time later, but that's a huge waste of C-Bills (and would also leave me with way more STD 280 engines than I have use for. PGI loves putting that one on stock loadouts).

Just to be a wise butt, "Got a really short question for you guys: Warhammer, Archer, Marauder, Cyclops or Kodiak for tier 3 quickplay?"
You did mention the Kodiak. (Not that it's overly important, mind.)

As for mechs, I've done the rotation before, where I bought one variant of the Chassis, basiced it out and sold it. Bought the next one, basiced and sold. Then bought the one I was going to keep and elited/mastered that one. Did that with my Dragons a long time ago (back when Mechbays where more limited for me). So it is a viable option. Buy the variants you don't intend to keep first and level them out. then after you work all those through, you end with the ones you wish to keep. To be honest, I would probably use those heroes far more than any normal chassis, due to C-bill boost. But, it is nice to have more options.

You could buy more mechbays, or just try to earn them in FP. But consider, is it worth having more mechbays for mechs you may have no interest in playing ever again? If you don't intent to play some of those mechs, then sell them. Even though you don't get full return back on them, you aren't exactly wasting C-bills from it. Wasting C-bills is holding onto those mechs and letting them collect digital dust, preventing you from earning mech you actually like. (Only exception are to special mechs, as they normally come with their own bay or it's a bad trade usually to sell a MC mech for C-bills...)

On remark about all those engines, you can sell them. I recommend keeping at least one or two of every engine size you get, but you don't need 5+ of the same engine sitting in your inventory (excluding equipped engines in use). That can be a lot of C-bills sitting right there waiting to be used. (Only engines I'd recommend never to sell would be XLs, but even those can be sold if you've just got too many of them!)

Stock mechs for the record, are not made by PGI (usually). These mech configurations are designed and placed in Battle Tech lore and the Table Top version of the game. PGI just has those as the stock mechs for purchase for MW:O, as MW:O is a BT related game. A Stalker 3F isn't exactly a basic Stalker 3F if it isn't based on it's config and lore from BT. Consider it as a starting point. Like, all engines of a specific car type make and model come in a standard size for that vehicle. This doesn't mean one can't change that if they wished to, of course.

[DavidStarr]

Husker Dude, on 09 January 2017 - 11:31 AM, said:

I'd say Warhammer; there's something to be said for being able to stick with the team and not get left behind when everyone starts to NASCAR, especially in solo queue play.

Didn't check if true for other variants, but the hero variants all have the exact same speed - WHM Black Widow and Archer Tempest with 280 engine, MAD Bounty Hunter 2 with 300 (it has 5 tons more weight so it makes sense, and 300 is its engine cap) and even Cyclops with 360 (also makes sense - bigger engine for a heavier mech).

Tesunie, on 09 January 2017 - 11:50 AM, said:

Just to be a wise butt, "Got a really short question for you guys: Warhammer, Archer, Marauder, Cyclops or Kodiak for tier 3 quickplay?"

Ouch, that hurts! My sclerosis strikes again. Guess I changed my mind after asking the question, and forgot I did. Let the Kodiak stay then, why not

Edited by DavidStarr, 09 January 2017 - 12:08 PM.

[TercieI]

DavidStarr, on 09 January 2017 - 12:08 PM, said:

Ouch, that hurts! My sclerosis strikes again. Guess I changed my mind after asking the question, and forgot I did. Let the Kodiak stay then, why not

Wow, I missed that too. The KDK is far and away the best mech in the game and the easy choice when included.

[Tesunie]

I think we just got very silly for a moment. I couldn't stop laughing.

I'm happy you didn't take insult to me pointing it out. I thought it was kinda funny was all.

[DavidStarr]

Tesunie, on 09 January 2017 - 12:14 PM, said:

I'm happy you didn't take insult to me pointing it out.

I like pointing out others' mistakes, and have no problem admitting mine

Tesunie, on 09 January 2017 - 11:50 AM, said:

Buy the variants you don't intend to keep first and level them out.

Right, but I do intend to keep them all. I mean, there are two good WHMs, two good MADs, two good KDKs, at least one Archer and Cyclops... Besides, with un-quirkening and skilltrees coming, who knows what mechs will get a second life (or lose relevance).

Tesunie, on 09 January 2017 - 11:50 AM, said:

You could buy more mechbays

I will, but only on sale. On sale they are expensive (on my income/expense scale); not on sale they are too darn expensive.

Tesunie, on 09 January 2017 - 11:50 AM, said:

or just try to earn them in FP.

Already got all the easy ones Got 19 total. Didn't get any from the stockings, naturally.

Tesunie, on 09 January 2017 - 11:50 AM, said:

On remark about all those engines, you can sell them.

Good point, but you never know which engine you'll want for your next build. Besides, STD engines won't net much C-Bills upon sale.

Tesunie, on 09 January 2017 - 11:50 AM, said:

Stock mechs for the record, are not made by PGI (usually).

I thought they mgiht be inspired by lore, although wasn't sure. Frankly, I like the fact stock mechs don't come with meta loadouts (just as I appreciate that trial mechs do come with good loadouts), but I would prefer them to come with no equipment whatsoever.

Edited by DavidStarr, 09 January 2017 - 01:09 PM.

[Husker Dude]

DavidStarr, on 09 January 2017 - 12:08 PM, said:

Didn't check if true for other variants, but the hero variants all have the exact same speed - WHM Black Widow and Archer Tempest with 280 engine, MAD Bounty Hunter 2 with 300 (it has 5 tons more weight so it makes sense, and 300 is its engine cap) and even Cyclops with 360 (also makes sense - bigger engine for a heavier mech).

You generally don't want to leave stock builds on mechs after buying them, and the most frequently used builds for the Warhammer have it running just above 80 KPH using a 325 engine, which is about where you want to be in an IS heavy. You are absolutely free to customize your build as suits you, but the sweet spot for balance of firepower/armor/speed for the Warhammer are, in my mind, more forgiving than the ones for any of the other mechs.

[DavidStarr]

Husker Dude, on 09 January 2017 - 01:10 PM, said:

You generally don't want to leave stock builds on mechs after buying them

I know, but I'm too broke to buy engines right now, esp. XL. STD 280 works great for Black Widow and Archer, I like both builds a lot and have no desire to alter them. For example, Black Widow can't equip a bigger engine without losing ammo (which it already doesn't have too much of). The only adjustment I'd make is drop from 280 to 275 for 1/2 ton more ammo, but it's not worth the money right now.
STD 300 is not stock for BH2, it's its max (came with 280 as well). Nor is 360 for Sleipnir.

Husker Dude, on 09 January 2017 - 01:10 PM, said:

the most frequently used builds for the Warhammer have it running just above 80 KPH using a 325 engine

I see!

Personally, I find speed to be good for one thing only: running into the enemy team and dying alone. I know good player prefer having enough speed to relocate and gain advantage, but I never know what to do with it. I only need enough to not fall behind the team.

Edited by DavidStarr, 09 January 2017 - 01:55 PM.

[Husker Dude]

Yeah, moving about 80 should guarantee that you aren't left behind. The Marauders usually run in the mid-70 kph range, maybe close to 80 kph, which isn't bad at all, but when playing solo you definitely do not want to find yourself the tail.

[Leone]

DavidStarr, on 09 January 2017 - 01:48 PM, said:

I know good player prefer having enough speed to relocate and gain advantage, but I never know what to do with it. I only need enough to not fall behind the team.

Ha! When I started I actually downgraded my Shadowhawks to Daishi (Direwolf) speeds because I could still do so and make it to the front before half my team back when I started. It's a bit rough though. Hard to twist when your that slow. I still probably don't twist as much as I should because I learned the game face tanking everything with dual uac's and a 3/5 table top move speed.

~Leone.

Edited by Leone, 10 January 2017 - 01:24 AM.

[Whiskey Dharma]

On the issue of speed, does it help at all to build your mech underweight? Does your agility, or any other factor, improve?

[DavidStarr]

Good point, Leone! I keep forgetting engine rating also affects turn speed. Thanks for pointing it out.

[el piromaniaco]

Whiskey Dharma, on 10 January 2017 - 03:04 AM, said:

On the issue of speed, does it help at all to build your mech underweight? Does your agility, or any other factor, improve?

The bigger your engine, the faster you can turn and torso twist/pitch.

[Whiskey Dharma]

I get that. But I'm asking if it also helps to build your mech underweight. Does a 50-ton Griffin, for example, move or turn faster than a 55-tons Griffin with the same engine?

[TercieI]

Whiskey Dharma, on 10 January 2017 - 05:00 AM, said:

I get that. But I'm asking if it also helps to build your mech underweight. Does a 50-ton Griffin, for example, move or turn faster than a 55-tons Griffin with the same engine?

No. Use all your tonnage.

[DavidStarr]

Do I understand correctly that clan active probe does not counter ECM? Does it mean the only ECM counter for a clan LRM boat is TAG?

[Rogue Jedi]

A Clan Active Probe does indeed counter ECM, I have been told it only counters the ECM on the Mech you are targeting, but have seen countered ECM without it being targeted while off on my own ii Clan Mechs with AP equipped so I am not convinced about that requirement.

And as for going under tonnage, try to avoid it, you get no benefit from being under weight (same as your Mechs performance does not increase after firing 20 tons of ammo (yes I have done so in CW matches) if you have spare tonage look at increasing armor, adding more heatsinks, ammo, support equipment or a bigger engine. There is usualy something you can spend the tons on