27 replies to this topic

[Skull Leader2]

So I've been playing for a while and I have used all different types of mechs. My problem though is that every time I pilot my Tbolts, particularly the SS, I get killed in just a couple volleys. Oftentimes just from a single mech. I was killed multiple times today from 500m plus with lighter weapons like AC2 and AC5 after just a couple hits. It was like the armor was made of paper. My Jenner holds up better than my Tbolt and I've seen other mechs take a heck of a lot more damage before even losing a component. Can anyone post the hitboxes for the Tbolts and some strategies for using them. I've been using it as a long range support mech with LG lasers and PPC or two. Please let me know if you have experienced similar issues so I don't think I've gone crazy.

[Bront]

Tips with the T-Bolt

1) Don't run an XL. It's tempting, but I find the damage spread put me at being cored only 70-80% of the time, less so if I do more twisting (2 of the models don't have any weapons in the left arm).

2) Twist a bit. It spreads damage generously if you turn a little bit.

3) Stick at least a 275 engine in there. The extra speed and twist help a lot, and a standard 300 still allows for a lot of loadouts even with Endo.

4) Despite being a tough brawler, it's vulnerable at range due to being wide, so try to take cover when approaching. (this is where speed comes in). It is short though, so it's easy to find cover if you try.

The SS in particular I've only had success with when I run 5 MLs, 2 LLs, a standard 300, Endo, 18 HS, and AMS. Even then, I much prefer either the 9SE or the 5S.

[Karkland]

Bront's tips are solid-- don't use XL and buff up engine power at least a little beyond the base 260. Make use of twisting-- the torso doesn't stick out much at all so if you get a good angle you can take a lot of hits on your arms instead. I've had matches where I've been stripped of almost all my armor in every section, maybe lose an arm or two, and still walk away. The thunderbolt can be exceptional at spreading damage around.

http://mwomercs.com/...x-localisation/ is an incredible one-stop-shop for hitboxes that recently added the Tbolt. As you can see, it has a pretty good frontal hitbox for running a standard engine.

Also, DHS goes without saying. Tried using the 5SS with as many as 32 SHS and it still stunk until I switched over to DHS.

I'd suggest AMS, since it's pretty boxy and wide.

5S and 9SE seem better than the 5SS to me as well, but I've had some success using 3xML in the LT, 2xPPC in the RT (same height as the head so great for cresting), and 2xSPL in the right arm. You're simply not going to have enough heat to constantly alpha that many energy hardpoints, so instead there's a decent number of weapons for every range.

5S is pretty flexible-- I prefer running it focused on ballistics (2xAC2 and no missiles), but missiles should also be fine (same # hardpoints as the 9SE but more missile tubes available)

9SE has those jumpjets so I picked a buffer engine and 5xML with 2xSRM6 Artemis. No CT weapons but still a good zombie/brawler.

[Skull Leader2]

Thanks for the replies. I have had better luck with the other two variants but that Ss is just awful. Cannot get a good balance on it. I still think the armor is paper thin regardless. I am majorly front loaded on armor and still lose a torso side in a matter of a few seconds.

[Hex Pallett]

T-bolt SS is my favorite among ALL Phoenix 'Mechs.

Why people don't get it? It's so obvious! The single missile hardpoint is meant to be ditched, and the massive numbers of energy hardpoint makes it the obvious laserboat. It's like slapping an 4P hunchie and a cent AL together.

EDIT: SEE??

Bront, on 30 October 2013 - 01:53 PM, said:

The SS in particular I've only had success with when I run 5 MLs, 2 LLs, a standard 300, Endo, 18 HS, and AMS. Even then, I much prefer either the 9SE or the 5S.

But I don't necessarily agree about going STD. Both of my other two Tbolt are half-LRM boats loading large XL engines.

Edited by Helmstif, 30 October 2013 - 04:10 PM.

[Arctourus]

If you like sniping, make it a ranged build. Mine has two ERPPC in the right torso. this puts it up at cockpit level so you can snipe over hills. I put two mlas in the arm and an srm 6 in the left torso so I could fight off any lights or mechs that get close. It's a heat hog, but if you're careful, it works nice. You could also swap out the ppcs for erllas and see a heat reduction, as well as tonnage reduction.

[LCRacerX]

The Thud was the last of the Phoenix mechs I put time into & didn't expect it to go well. I suppose it really didn't in my first attempted builds, which were all STD engine based. Then I tried this, my "Dakkabolt" :

2x AC/2
1x LL
3x ML
300 XL
TDR-5S

The left-oriented cockpit allows you to only expose the left side of the mech with the AC/2's & ML's. I never alpha the ML's, but chain fire them. The combination of the 1/2 second blam-blam-blam from the AC/2's & the chain fired ML's is a pretty nasty bombardment. The LL is really only used against targets at longer range as a compliment to the AC/2's.

Now I've only put in 31 matches with it, but have a 2.7 W/L & 3.2 K/D. I'm sure I'll hit a wall with it soon, but for now it does well. The zippiness of the XL seems to help a bunch with survivability.

These laser-boating SS's look like fun builds to try out. On an aside, every mech I try to mount PPC's on I just do horribly in - maybe do small tweaks to your 5SS & swap the PPC's for LL's.

[Arctourus]

LCRacerX, on 31 October 2013 - 08:09 AM, said:

maybe do small tweaks to your 5SS & swap the PPC's for LL's.

I'm considering it myself. There's a part of me that loves the whole ppc sniper mindset. It's nice to know that, when it hits, there's 10 points of damage all at once (providing you don't miss). However, even after a good game where you've nailed target after target, once you see your score, it's typically not that great. I have no idea why, but I always seem to do better with lasers over ppcs. I just like to have one mech set to go with that playstyle.

[NRP]

I think the 5SS is the worst of the lot. I always lose both STs and end up running around like a stick figure with no weapons. I don't know what it is about the 5SS, but the STs disappear very quickly compared to the 5S(P) and 5SE.

[Arctourus]

went ahead and swapped things around a little. I put two llas in top instead of the erppcs. this build does much better. Now I have two mlas in the arms, two llas in the torso and with the extra free weight I put an lrm 15 in the other torso to make up for the lack of range (didn't feel like buying an erllas when I had several llas sitting in my mechlab). I went with endo to get this build, but I'm toying with the idea of removing the endo and getting an xl engine to save the weight and space. This would probably give me enough space to put some lasers in the other side torso and a few more heatsinks in to imrove heat dissipation. I was thinking of maybe going with three slas in a short range array to reduce heat but give me a punch up close.

[Rasfaratu]

my SS is loaded out as follows:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...0c1f98a823195f2

It works wonders, even on hot maps you can get several shots off with both PPC's, if people get within 90 meters, you still have 5 Medium lasers.

The weapon spread makes this mech very durable and lets you stay in combat for a long time.

Having what amounts to an AC/20 with much better range (but a minimum range) that you can fire 3-4 times depending on the map is very powerful.

The STD 285 also lets you torso twist nicely.

Edited by Rasfaratu, 18 November 2013 - 08:34 AM.

[audi man]

Im planning how to take on the tbolt when they become available for cbills, and I have come up with this:

TDR-5S

This is very much in line with my play style, so I wouldnt expect everyone to like it, but basically its like a mini HGN-732 or 733C in terms of the kind of loadouts I use.

Also, it reminds me a lot of the Summoner, my all time favorite mech :-)

Edited by gldgti, 20 November 2013 - 10:56 PM.

[Elyam]

I had great success with the SS using 2 LLAS or ERLLAS in the high RT position (high torso weapons for long-range sniping), 3 MLAS in the LT, 2 MPLAS in the RA (I prefer arm lasers to be the fast-cycling pulsers for tight-quarters against orbiting lights) and an SRM6 in the LT (plus AMS, though it's optional). Engine is 300XL. Alternatively, remove the SRM and use engine 315XL or 275 STD. Also alternatively, pull the SRM and replace the LLAS with PPCs. It's a killer design, as many people have noticed. Other variations include ERPPCs and replacing the LT MLAS with SLAS or SPLAS. Any way you look at it, this design very much embodies the old Battletech design norm evident in 3050 optimized versions of the indispensable Marauder and Warhammer - of having enough heat sinks to handle 2 long-range shock weapons which you stop using at close range to bring into play a host of smaller ones that still fit into the same relative heat scheme.

Edited by Elyam, 21 November 2013 - 08:38 AM.

[Mercer Skye]

Gird the Lurm, Thud Super Sport

Or, more affectionately known as the 'WubBolt'. Not the Furthest reaching 'Mech out there, but nothing is going to want it touching it once you start dancing with it. And yes, TAG, because who really needs all seven En.Points?

[DerMaulwurf]

Surprisingly, the 5SS is at the moment my most successful Thunderbolt-Variant. I use the following loadout:

The Thunderbomb

The "trick" is the placement of the 2 additional torso energy hardpoints.



As you can see in the picture, this is a damn good hill humper. Even Jagermechs and Stalkers have to show more of themselves, because of the slightly lower placement of the cockpit. The target you give is ridiculously small for a heavy and many shots fired by enemies with lower hard points will just hit the ground.

As an energy only build, the sustained damage output is pretty underwhelming. But the alpha of 45 damage is respectable.

As with every Thunderbolt you also have large arms and Side Torsos to protect your CT. If it had CT energy hardpoints, this could perhaps be my favorite Mech. But it's still a very effective zombie mech, if you remember to sacrifice your RT last.

Edited by DerMaulwurf, 24 November 2013 - 10:55 AM.

[Old Drunken Dwarf]

any other builds on the 9SE ?

[The Unknown Pilot]

Behold my "Spitfire" build! You gotta paint it to look like a crazed berzerker though. Likey?

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...3af3e78107b7052

Actually, I'm seriously thinking of making this my 1st owned mech. I call it "Master Blaster."

Thoughts?

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...23e851ee1b7fc84

If I only used that PPC as heat allows, my lasers are 57% cooled....so would an ER PPC be altogether a bad idea?

Thanks in advance.

Edited by The Unknown Pilot, 01 December 2013 - 03:13 PM.

[627]

Have you ever tried to use that single missile Hardpoint on the 5SS?

I'm playing around with this idea:
TDR-5SS
(armor for front/back not adjusted)

XL300, 15DHS, 2xER-LL, 5xML, 1xLRM20(4tons)

I'm not sure if this will work, maybe too hot and you get two salvos of 10 LRMs...

[GumbyC2C]

I have had a lot of success with the 5s replacing the missiles and MGs with an LB-10X. AC/10 is pretty good too

[TuntematonSika]

I've had some success with this build

It's basically a upgraded stock

Mouse config:
1: Med Lasers (Chain in hot maps)
2: LrgPls Laser, Sml Laser (Agreed, they have different ranges but where else could have i mapped it?)
3: SRM 4
4: LRM 10

In the stock i felt like it needed some more oompf for CQ,

Yes, it runs a little hotter, but thats where coolshots come in!

(forgot to change the DHS on the left arm to the right, fixed that)

Edited by TuntematonSika, 04 April 2014 - 01:43 AM.