44 replies to this topic

[627]

So no one plays with their thunderbolts? I can only see threads about Locusts and ShadowHawks, are you all start from left to right?

I especially would appreciate some info on the XL-Bolts... Viable? Or insta death?

Where are all those hitbox-threads gone?

[Johnny Reb]

It is {Scrap}, harpoints tell the tall.

[Karl Streiger]

627, on 16 October 2013 - 01:47 AM, said:

So no one plays with their thunderbolts? I can only see threads about Locusts and ShadowHawks, are you all start from left to right?

I especially would appreciate some info on the XL-Bolts... Viable? Or insta death?

Where are all those hitbox-threads gone?

Wait little bit - half the world was asleep or really really tired when the patch was ready.
I played 4 matches in a Thunderbolt - 1 in a Locust.

The Thunderbolt is a really though guy - from what i have seen. I didn't run an XL engine - and during the first slugfest battle (24 Mechs in the bowl at Forest Colony) I did loose a side torso....but the arms are great to protecd your side torsos - i don't know if anybody did shot at the missile rack - but i didn't bother to do that.
It'ts not that big.

Edited by Karl Streiger, 16 October 2013 - 01:52 AM.

[Shadey99]

I made one... http://mwomercs.com/...e-thunderbolts/ and so far no one seems to have offered anything much about it other than my initial builds I tested and the comments I made about it...

[The Amazing Atomic Spaniel]

I used the Thud last night and had a great time. Shoved an XL300 engine in, which with speed tweak gives a very respectable 80 kph. I had best luck with the TDR-5SS fitted out with 2ERLL, 5ML and an SRM6. Double heat sinks and nearly full armour. The advanced zoom modules helps keep the lasers on the target section. Played it for five matches and got 9 kills for 2 deaths, which for me is an extraordinary ratio and probably not going to last.

I also tried the TDR-5S, but the hardpoints aren't as favourable. I ended up with (IIRC) builds like AC10, ERPPC in the arm and 3ML in the torso, but it felt lacking in punch compared to the 5SS laser boat. I also tried using the missile rack with a single LRM15, but it's not great. It imposes a lot into the style of play you can use but doesn't deliver enough damage to be worth it.

[DarkDevilDancer]

I'm in the UK so it was late when the patch finished so I only played a few games, I liked the thunderbolt though just haven't had much chance to play yet.

[627]

I had this in mind:
TDR-5S

double AC5, 4ML and two SRM4 with an XL300... It all comes down to the XL or not... without XL you can drop one AC5 and fit a STD300 with a spare half ton and loosing 2 DHS...


I could do only one round in it but i hoped there were some guys on the other side of the planet when i slept

Edited by 627, 16 October 2013 - 02:23 AM.

[The Amazing Atomic Spaniel]

I'm going to try a 2AC5 build like yours tonight. In my (limited!) games so far, the Thud seems fine with an XL engine. The arms soak a fair amount of damage and the weight liberated by using an XL300 should allow 2AC5 with enough other weapons to be useful.

[Karl Streiger]

627, on 16 October 2013 - 02:23 AM, said:

I had this in mind:
TDR-5S

double AC5, 4ML and two SRM4 with an XL300... It all comes down to the XL or not... without XL you can drop one AC5 and fit a STD300 with a spare half ton and loosing 2 DHS...

Nah - what do you want to do with your Mech?
That looks like some kind of brawler - do you really want to brawl with a XL?

When you wan't to run SRMs and AC 5s why not simple take the JM6-A?????

So its seems you don't love the Thunderbolt - it is one of the most complex design in game - to make it simpler is a affront.

As hard to pilot as the stock config - but with increased fire power. (keep range until LRM ammo is gone - move in to finish them off with MLAS MG and SRM - so you have 3 weapon groups for SR combat an 2 for LR combat)
TDR-5S

Stock Config - hard to pilot - as fast as former version but without XL
TDR-5S

Edited by Karl Streiger, 16 October 2013 - 02:34 AM.

[SgtMagor]

only had time to try out a Locust

Edited by SgtMagor, 16 October 2013 - 02:40 AM.

[Mahpsy]

I've been playing the TDR's for the past 10 hours, give or take, and I love em. Sure they are a bit slow and clunky but I love the weapons I can throw on it. Haven't experimented with an XL yet so hard to say if its good or not.

[Duncan Jr Fischer]

Pretty much liked TDR. My biggest complaint (though illogical in terms of gameplay handiness, but logical lore-wise) is the size of a mech. It should be as tall as SHD is now! I feel a bit silly in this midget TDR.
Other than that, the mech is pretty decent. Takes lots of beating, and gives out enough too. Hardpoints are the main trouble, but still not bad at all. But it takes around 7mln Cbills to make a candy out of it.
Tried 5S with LL-LRM15-3ML and a UAC5, but single UAC5 now has rate of fire much lower than AC20, as it jams sooo often now. UACs are still pretty viable when equipped in 2 or 3, but TDR does not allow that.
So I ended up with swapping UAC for LBX, and it runs pretty sweet.
Though I weren't on a killing spree in my 4 drops, this mech surely is a tough one and tanks pretty well even with XL engine, while dealing some decent damage.

[Steinar Bergstol]

XL? In a Thunderbolt? A mech known for its ability to be tough as nails?

SACRELIEGE! BURN THE WITCH!

Hrmph! Thunderbolt is almost perfect as it is. Just needs endo steel and double heatsinks the way MWO works, really.

And as for its height, the Thunderbolt always had a somewhat squat, broad build. It looked like the brute it is.

I absolutely love my TDR-5S.

Edited by Steinar Bergstol, 16 October 2013 - 03:00 AM.

[Pariah Devalis]

I have absolutely been in love with it. Been running an XL and honestly only died once in a night of gaming from a side torso loss. That game, I also had missiles, so that side torso was jumbo sized. However, without packing those, and sticking to ballistic and energy weapons, the mech is great,

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...a68687f7055de93

Been having a ton of success with this one. It is fast, runs pretty cool, and can pump out a lot of precision laser damage when it isn't clobbering people with the twin AC5s. The wide stance of the mech is actually a benefit to the design, since you can park a brutalized CT behind cover, poke your left side out, and fire everything on the left side of the mech cleanly. Makes it easy to go hull down.

Alternatively:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...09ade59cacf5f9a

Runs hotter, moves a little slower, but provides an indirect fire option (though only 18 salvos worth) and has several fields of overlapping fire. The biggest downside of this one is that for whatever god awful reason, it does not matter if it is an SRM2 or an LRM20, you get the full sized trashcan on your shoulder if you take missiles.


I intend to experiment with:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...9cec4ca1322022e

Combines the speed and cooling capacity of the first variant with the indirect fire option of the second. May end up dropping the ERPPC for the ERLLas and an AMS:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...0aac2a0535a09c7

Edited by Pariah Devalis, 16 October 2013 - 04:23 AM.

[Jam the Bam]

Im loving them so far, my favourite version is the 9SE:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...b3fce027ee12783

Love the Novacat style 2 large and 3 medium layout with the splat of the SRM's for when things get close, plus the natural SRM layout means you barely need artemis as they group nicely already.

Tough mechs too, especially with a standard and those big arms.

Edited by Jammerben87, 16 October 2013 - 04:44 AM.

[Thunder Lips Express]

i love my tbolts. i have only played two so far, the phoenix and the jump jet one. the preformed well. don't use xl in them though OP so sorry, can't help you there

[Silentium]

Only ran the 5S so far, and kept the same basic weapon load except for the srm2, it didn't seem worth it. I upgraded to ES and DHS, added a standard 300 and AMS. Not sure if I'll keep the AMS though.

I like the agility it has compared to my JM6, but am not used to lrms so there is a learning curve for me. Either way, i like and will keep trying to get better with it.

[Ser Barristan]

I had quite a bit of fun with this: TDR-9S. Its pretty much stock armament but with the endo and double heatsinks it is nearly heat neutral. I think the Thud is going to be my go to mech for a bit.

[Escef]

If c-bills are an issue, the 9SE is pretty much playable out of the box. Only changes I made were pulling CASE, trimmed 3 points of armor from each leg, moved some crits around (2 JJ CT, 1 JJ/leg, ammo to head, LA sink to RT), added endo steel, an extra heat sink (LT), another ton of LRM ammo (RL), and upped the launcher to a 15.

[Training Instructor]

Lots of loadouts I want to try, just didn't have time since the game didn't come back up until midnight in Moscow.