47 replies to this topic

[Reverendk]

AAAAWAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW ****!!!!

Need some Atlas help? Don't worry I got yo ***.

Lucky for you, you picked the best atlas.

Here's what you do:
2 LBXs
2 Large Lasers
2 Streaks
1 Ams
1 300 standard

Fire both LBXs at the same time and at everything. Carry four tons of ammo for them.

Now I know you've probably got some questions but don't worry I got answers
-Who's a black sheep? What's a black sheep?
-How do I drive this panty-dropping sex machine?
-Do I really want a 1:9 twist?

-Dres, D-R-E-S yes I get suckas start, if it's alright with you I'll rip this here one apart.
-Stay with a friend, but don't drop with a friend. Like a highlander you need to drop alone because you're going to ruin any friendships you previously had when you flop your moist and throbbing robojunk out on the table and let everyone know that you're here to commit crimes and spit rhymes about the aforementioned crimes. There will be a discharge. Ignore it.
-If you shoot lighter bullets then the 1:9 should be adequate.

Haters need not apply.

[AncientRaig]

Alright, I would like to note a few more things. The Thunderbolt did have support, but it was from an unidentified mech firing twin Med lasers. Not enough to add any serious damage. Also, on that match my team barely had enough intelligence to move out of the drop zone, and when they did, they all headed the wrong way. So, unless I'm missing something, I need to drop the LRM and just go for a close range loadout, and make sure I'm running with some friends on VOIP.

*Edit* And by wrong way, I mean 8 mechs charged straight for the 'out-of bounds' zone at the beginning of the game.

Edited by Sidefire, 01 November 2013 - 12:08 PM.

[IceCase88]

Reverendk, on 01 November 2013 - 11:00 AM, said:

AAAAWAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW ****!!!!

Need some Atlas help? Don't worry I got yo ***.

Lucky for you, you picked the best atlas.

Now I know you've probably got some questions but don't worry I got answers
-Who's a black sheep? What's a black sheep?
-How do I drive this panty-dropping sex machine?
-Do I really want a 1:9 twist?

-Dres, D-R-E-S yes I get suckas start, if it's alright with you I'll rip this here one apart.
-Stay with a friend, but don't drop with a friend. Like a highlander you need to drop alone because you're going to ruin any friendships you previously had when you flop your moist and throbbing robojunk out on the table and let everyone know that you're here to commit crimes and spit rhymes about the aforementioned crimes. There will be a discharge. Ignore it.
-If you shoot lighter bullets then the 1:9 should be adequate.

Haters need not apply.

Edited by IceCase88, 01 November 2013 - 11:33 AM.

[Christof Romulus]

Reverendk, on 01 November 2013 - 11:00 AM, said:

AAAAWAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW ****!!!!

Need some Atlas help? Don't worry I got yo ***.

Lucky for you, you picked the best atlas.

Here's what you do:
2 LBXs
2 Large Lasers
2 Streaks
1 Ams
1 300 standard

Fire both LBXs at the same time and at everything. Carry four tons of ammo for them.

Now I know you've probably got some questions but don't worry I got answers
-Who's a black sheep? What's a black sheep?
-How do I drive this panty-dropping sex machine?
-Do I really want a 1:9 twist?

-Dres, D-R-E-S yes I get suckas start, if it's alright with you I'll rip this here one apart.
-Stay with a friend, but don't drop with a friend. Like a highlander you need to drop alone because you're going to ruin any friendships you previously had when you flop your moist and throbbing robojunk out on the table and let everyone know that you're here to commit crimes and spit rhymes about the aforementioned crimes. There will be a discharge. Ignore it.
-If you shoot lighter bullets then the 1:9 should be adequate.

Haters need not apply.

Possibly the single greatest post of all time.

[Christof Romulus]

Sidefire, on 01 November 2013 - 12:20 AM, said:

Alright, so I'm relatively new Atlas owner. Just got the AS7-D model. Only thing I've changed is replacing the LRM 20 with an LRM 15 and getting a STD 315 engine, as well as maxing out all the armor that wasn't already maxed. Everything else is still the AC20, four Med Lasers, and SRM 6. In the past five battles I've run, only the first one has had me feeling like a useful part of my team, and not a 100 ton pile of scrap metal. The fifth match was the last straw for me. I ambushed a Thunderbolt that was armed with two PPC's and two medium lasers at nearly point-blank range(About 150m), and emptied everything I had into his CT. I'd say about 5 AC-20 shots, two or three pulses of med laser fire, and three or four barrages of SRM 6. I barely moved his armor into the orange. He fires his PPC's twice each, blasts his lasers twice, and cores me. If I'm not mistaken, the Atlas is supposed to be a tough mech. However, I'm being consistantly anihilated whenever I engage anything. Am I doing something horribly wrong, or is something wrong with the Atlas?

So here's the deal - the AS7-D is likely the second best Atlas (While it remains my personal favorite Atlas, everyone and their mother on every forum or other form of communication is going to say the best atlas is the AS7-D-DC), and it carries with it many advantages:
1. 2 Center torso energy hardpoints
2. Wide selection of stratified hardpoint locations (Translation: You have similar hardpoints on each body location, and they are spread out, so you don't have to think about taking Missile or Ballistic)
3. 100 tons

However, there are of course disadvantages:
1. Easily targeted torso sections (Right torso always targeted first)
2. Slowest mech (64kph with the largest engine you can put into it)
3. Wide and Low set firing points (Hitting allies, buildings, and even the ground on slopes can get old fast)

With that said, done PROPERLY, the Atlas can easily overpower any other mech toe-to-toe, even with the default setup. The amount of damage that you put into the thunderbolt (if true) means that you likely suffered from net-code and managed to spread that damage all over the front of his mech, instead of on one hit-location. AC 20 + 5 med lasers = 40, SRM 6 = ??? (Hit detection with SRMs is hilariously hit or miss) But NO mech, not even the Atlas, could take 2 alphas to the center torso (80 damage) without being taken to red CT armor (most other mechs should be cored or red internals after that kind of barrage).

So, here's what's up - netcode aside, As an Atlas you have to realize that you're slow. Damn slow. Like, ridiculously slow. Like in a race with a tortoise you would need a head-start. Every mech is faster. After you get Speed Tweak it gets better, but not by much. What you need to do is stay with your team (yes, I know you can't keep up) by following them in.

The Atlas is very effective when in the company of smaller, more maneuverable mechs, and LESS effective when in the company of other large mechs (Due to the weaknesses noted above). Also, no matter what, you're going to draw fire - just because you're big and slow and an easy target. Finally, the Atlas benefits from Torso Twisting MORE THAN ANY OTHER MECH, simply due to the amount of armor, and size of hitboxes. Protect the AC 20, don't use an XL engine. Simple rules.

[Charons Little Helper]

Sidefire, on 01 November 2013 - 11:19 AM, said:

So, unless I'm missing something, I need to drop the LRM and just go for a close range loadout, and make sure I'm running with some friends on VOIP.

Either drop the LRMs or get more and focus more on middling - long-range combat. Pick your poison. Even with the armor - the atlas is big and slow enough that you better be doing some major damage to make it worth not hugging cover.

[Xie Belvoule]

As a successful and skilled atlas pilot I can tell, the atlas is a relic. As good as I am In my atlas I would be better off in a highlander. Sad fact, the atlas is outclassed by newer mechs.

[Death Mallet]

Atlas rocks.

LOL here was my very next game:

Edited by Death Mallet, 01 November 2013 - 02:06 PM.

[Alaskan Nobody]

Xie Belvoule, on 01 November 2013 - 01:09 PM, said:

As a successful and skilled atlas pilot I can tell, the atlas is a relic. As good as I am In my atlas I would be better off in a highlander. Sad fact, the atlas is outclassed by newer mechs.

That would be more a matter of you being better with your Highlander, than the Atlas being gimped IMO
I, personally, worry a lot more about Jenners or Cicadas in my Atlas than Highlanders.

I worry more about Awesomes than Highlanders - but that my just be my Elo at work (IE low enough to have good Awesome pilots, but bad Highlanders. )

[Xie Belvoule]

I'm not really any better In the highlander, it's just flat out a better mech, with better hard points, better manuvierabilty due to jump jets, higher weapon mounts, better hitboxs, similar armor, better speed. The atlas is just an inferior mech in every way, and that has become even more apparent since the problem with srm damage registration and the introduction of the hill climbing mechanics. I say this as a player who has spent many DAYS (not hours) in the cockpit of my DDC. The only thing the atlas has going for it is ECM. Sadly the other variants are never played hardly they are becoming almost as rare as the awesome or QuickDraw. I can't remember the last time I saw an RS, was probably before the introduction of ghost heat the magnum opus.

[Vassago Rain]

Xie Belvoule, on 01 November 2013 - 01:09 PM, said:

As a successful and skilled atlas pilot I can tell, the atlas is a relic. As good as I am In my atlas I would be better off in a highlander. Sad fact, the atlas is outclassed by newer mechs.

As a lifetime ASSAULT DRIVER, I can tell you, the atlas is a relic, but is not outclassed by anything. There's a reason the DDC is still warboss.

[Sybreed]

Vassago Rain, on 01 November 2013 - 03:15 PM, said:

As a lifetime ASSAULT DRIVER, I can tell you, the atlas is a relic, but is not outclassed by anything. There's a reason the DDC is still warboss.

yeah, it's called ECM

[XX Sulla XX]

Atlases are hard to pilot well. You will need to master battlefield awareness and when to push. You will need to learn how to twist and use cover. You will need to get two more Atlases and unlock elite pilot tree for them all. You will probably like a bigger engine. They will let you twist faster and turn faster besides moving faster. That plus unlocking the elites bonus to speed and twists etc will make the Atlases feel much better. If you do these things you will have a fine mech and will be a much better pilot.

[Davers]

Don't forget to use the giant arms as shields!

[Odanan]

Spheroid, on 01 November 2013 - 09:20 AM, said:

A single LRM15 is not good on the Atlas-D owing to changes in the missile tube system. I recommend the original LRM20 or LRM20+LRM10.

I recommend no LRMs at all.
Replace it with another SRM6 and upgrade your engine for the larger Std. you can fit.

And always stay closer to cover, so you can retreat if there are too many enemy mechs shooting at you.

PS: Atlas is my preferred chassis. Once you understand how it works, it is the king of the battlefield.

[CarnifexMaximus]

Loose the LRMs ASAP, juice the SRMs, DHS+Endo+350 std will enhance your movement.

Be prepared to get lit up all the time. Never take your atlas out if you are not prepared to be a focus of the enemy teams attention.

As almost everyone here has said twist like crazy, If you loose your ct armor before anything else that's a pretty good sign you are not twisting enough.

Also please remember you are the only thing in the game that mounts 19.5 tons of armor. Your team needs you up front. I've seen plenty of pug matches won or lost depending on the aggression level of the teams Atlases.

Edited by CarnifexMaximus, 07 November 2013 - 02:46 PM.

[Zarlaren]

I used to think the Atlas was invincible till all it takes is a couple lights to take your legs off. And also just cause it says 100tons don't mean it is going to shrug off 100tons worth of lrms to the chest or ac20's to the face and keep on ticking. Assault =/= invincible. Aloners will be gunned down very quickly don't ever be alone not even for paper mechs like the locust.

[Thunder Lips Express]

atlas is fantastic

[theta123]

AS7-D

This was the build i ran a long time ago. A bit hot but it ran fast and gave good results with the medium range firepower.

up close, i sticked to the medium lasers and AC10

[JigglyMoobs]

The Atlas has serious problems right now.

The biggest problem is the movement model. It has taken away the Atlas' ability to scramble over rough terrain, and this was crucial for the Atlas due to the low weapons placement. Because Atlas arm and ballistic mounts are so low, in maps with elevation changes an Atlas has to stand on high ground and expose his entire torso to shoot at enemies behind any sort of obstruction. Before the movement changes you could scramble up a hill or a high point, shoot, turn, move down into cover in one smooth well planned series of maneuvers. After the movement nerf, you're constantly getting stuck or getting slowed by terrain features, and it becomes impossible for you to disengage. Other assaults that allow you to do so are strictly better in most maps.

The only exception is the DDC, which can provide ECM cover to the team.

Having said this, I still take my Atlases out for a spin when I want the challenge. I run a DDC and an RS:

The birthday surprise DDC: STD 350, 2x LPL, AC/20, ECM, AMS optional. This mech will outbrawl almost anything if you are accurate with laser and AC/20 fire and use torso twist religiously. The trick is to fire the LPL and AC/20 together in one pulse, so you are almost always torso twisting except for the one instant when you are shooting >40 damage into your enemy's CT.

The tough as nails RS: STD 350, ex LL, 1x AC/20, AMS. To use this mech correctly you need to make good use of cover. Fire the 3x LLs together or as a chain of 2+1. Perfect for swatting away light mechs.

Other options for DDC: 2x ER LL, 2x UAC5. Use adv zoom with this mech to do long range fire support.
For a brawler: 2x ML, 2x LBX-10, SRMs. Besides prodigious damage output at close range, you can also fire everything in sequence directly to the enemy's face to make sure his view is constantly affected by screen shake, flashes, and smoke. This makes it almost impossible for him to aim well at you, but you can't torso twist because you are always firing so you are very vulnerable to fire from his buddies.

PS: Here's the LBX-10 build:

AS7-D-DC

8.75 sustained DPS, 16.5 max DPS sustained for 25 seconds once you elite the mech. It's an absolute monster, but only within 230 M

Edited by JigglyMoobs, 09 November 2013 - 03:08 PM.