12 replies to this topic

[Glucose]

With the onset of people playing around with LRMs again I figured I'd dust off my AWS-8R and take it for a spin. I found a good loadout I really like, and I'm getting 500+ dmg consistently every round playing as support,

Here's the loadout
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...3ac6fef359136c1

Make sure to use the adv. target decay module with it (and whatever else pairs well if you have the chassis mastered)

Weapon Groups
1: Med pulse
2: TAG
3: 4x LRM-15 set to NON-ALPHA

I feel it's best to not alpha those LRMs so you can cause more screen shake, not waste a full salvo on a target breaking lock, and most importantly you limit your ghost heat.

Edited by Glucose, 03 November 2013 - 07:13 AM.

[Tahribator]

Yep. LRM suppression is definitely on the rise against the repeating profileration of poptarting again. I think Awesome-8R and Cat-A1 are the best mechs in this role right now. 66 alpha of 8R is just scary.

I suggest you to use these 3 modules(when mastered);

Advanced Target Decay - Pretty obvious.
Target Info Gathering - Shortens lock-on time, a must have for quick locks.
Improved Sensor Range - To spot targets up to 1000m, IMO it's great if you're suppressing at the edge of LRM range.

You can also drop the MPL for two more tons of ammo. You're %100 dependent on your team for defense anyway, an MPL won't deter anything.

Edited by Tahribator, 03 November 2013 - 07:51 AM.

[NRP]

What is "Improved Target Acquisition"? That module doesn't sound familiar.

[Tahribator]

NRP, on 03 November 2013 - 07:48 AM, said:

What is "Improved Target Acquisition"? That module doesn't sound familiar.

Yeah my bad. It should be Target Info Gathering.

[MisterPlanetarian]

For LRM you want Adv. Target Decay and Adv. Sensor Range. Everything else is ********. If you use streaks go for 360 target retention instead of sensor range.

[Glucose]

Tahribator, on 03 November 2013 - 07:27 AM, said:

You can also drop the MPL for two more tons of ammo. You're %100 dependent on your team for defense anyway, an MPL won't deter anything.

I agree that's a decent variant. I just hate not having SOMETHING to shoot with when stuff gets in my face. Also you are out of free slots, so the exchange is 1 ton of ammo + armor for the med pulse.

Also the 8R only has 2 module slots when mastered (unfortuantely). So it sounds like the target acquistion mod + the target decay is the ideal setup.

Edited by Glucose, 03 November 2013 - 08:11 AM.

[aniviron]

Glucose, on 03 November 2013 - 08:09 AM, said:

I agree that's a decent variant. I just hate not having SOMETHING to shoot with when stuff gets in my face. Also you are out of free slots, so the exchange is 1 ton of ammo + armor for the med pulse.

Also the 8R only has 2 module slots when mastered (unfortuantely). So it sounds like the target acquistion mod + the target decay is the ideal setup.

If there's something in your face and your only weapon is a medium pulse laser, you should be focusing on getting out, not dealing damage. I've been running this, and haven't once run into a situation where I went "aw man if only I had a single laser, I wouldn't be dead here." And really, having between 1800-2400 ammo is incredibly nice- it means you can fire at targets that may or may not yield a hit, instead of worrying if every shot will deplete your limited ammo reserves. I get a surprising number of hits on shots I wouldn't normally take, and I can start firing much faster against targets I'm relatively sure of instead of waiting and seeing if the target gets held.

Normally I'd want artemis on a build like this, but I switch between this and a 4xsrm6 build where I don't want arty, and I'm not paying for the upgrade/downgrade every time I switch out. I really haven't missed it as much as I thought I would, though- especially against larger targets, it doesn't make that much difference.

[TimePeriod]

Currently rolling awe Q8 and so far it has been a lot of challenge but the victory's have been a whole lot sweeter. I've had to adjust my aim a lot as I can't afford to miss a single alpha strike. Still working on my build, 4 LL and 19 DHS with a 300 STR engine.

[oldradagast]

aniviron, on 03 November 2013 - 09:09 AM, said:

If there's something in your face and your only weapon is a medium pulse laser, you should be focusing on getting out, not dealing damage. I've been running this, and haven't once run into a situation where I went "aw man if only I had a single laser, I wouldn't be dead here." And really, having between 1800-2400 ammo is incredibly nice- it means you can fire at targets that may or may not yield a hit, instead of worrying if every shot will deplete your limited ammo reserves. I get a surprising number of hits on shots I wouldn't normally take, and I can start firing much faster against targets I'm relatively sure of instead of waiting and seeing if the target gets held.

Normally I'd want artemis on a build like this, but I switch between this and a 4xsrm6 build where I don't want arty, and I'm not paying for the upgrade/downgrade every time I switch out. I really haven't missed it as much as I thought I would, though- especially against larger targets, it doesn't make that much difference.

To each their own - I run an 8R, but keep a pair of lasers in the right arm. I understand the theory of what you're saying - a couple of medium lasers won't stop much of anything - but the problem is that I've gotten kills with those silly medium lasers. Now and then, they'll kill a wrecked mech that manages to get under LRM range. Without those lasers, I wouldn't get the kill and, unless my team saves me, I'd die.

Your mileage may vary, of course.

[Glucose]

oldradagast, on 03 November 2013 - 11:46 AM, said:

To each their own - I run an 8R, but keep a pair of lasers in the right arm. I understand the theory of what you're saying - a couple of medium lasers won't stop much of anything - but the problem is that I've gotten kills with those silly medium lasers. Now and then, they'll kill a wrecked mech that manages to get under LRM range. Without those lasers, I wouldn't get the kill and, unless my team saves me, I'd die.

Your mileage may vary, of course.

This.

[NRP]

Sounds like aniviron needs two 8Rs.

[Wrenchfarm]

aniviron, on 03 November 2013 - 09:09 AM, said:

If there's something in your face and your only weapon is a medium pulse laser, you should be focusing on getting out, not dealing damage. I've been running this, and haven't once run into a situation where I went "aw man if only I had a single laser, I wouldn't be dead here." And really, having between 1800-2400 ammo is incredibly nice- it means you can fire at targets that may or may not yield a hit, instead of worrying if every shot will deplete your limited ammo reserves. I get a surprising number of hits on shots I wouldn't normally take, and I can start firing much faster against targets I'm relatively sure of instead of waiting and seeing if the target gets held.

Normally I'd want artemis on a build like this, but I switch between this and a 4xsrm6 build where I don't want arty, and I'm not paying for the upgrade/downgrade every time I switch out. I really haven't missed it as much as I thought I would, though- especially against larger targets, it doesn't make that much difference.

Over 2000 LRMs is pure overkill, you'll never use it all. Looking at your build, I'd either drop 2 tons and add on a pair of MLAS for self defence (not much, but being completely helpless is maddening) or 4 tons from the chest and add Artemis. It seems crazy to me to bet so much on LRMs but not use Artemis. You'll still have 1620 LRMs which is still far more than you should really need/want.

Also, I don't recommend pure chain firing, but staggering between 2 sets of 30. If the enemy has AMS, it is much easier for them to defeat multiple waves of 15 than a big volley of 30 followed by another volley and so on. I run an Atlas-K (lel, I know) and the dual AMS on it can mitigate most of a single LRM15, to the point where I'll just tank it rather than go for cover.

[aniviron]

Wrenchfarm, on 03 November 2013 - 10:43 PM, said:

Over 2000 LRMs is pure overkill, you'll never use it all. Looking at your build, I'd either drop 2 tons and add on a pair of MLAS for self defence (not much, but being completely helpless is maddening) or 4 tons from the chest and add Artemis. It seems crazy to me to bet so much on LRMs but not use Artemis. You'll still have 1620 LRMs which is still far more than you should really need/want.

Also, I don't recommend pure chain firing, but staggering between 2 sets of 30. If the enemy has AMS, it is much easier for them to defeat multiple waves of 15 than a big volley of 30 followed by another volley and so on. I run an Atlas-K (lel, I know) and the dual AMS on it can mitigate most of a single LRM15, to the point where I'll just tank it rather than go for cover.

Yeah, my ideal build would have artemis, but like I mentioned, I'm not willing to pay to add and remove it every time I switch loadouts on the mech.

Regarding ammo count and firing methods, I actually fire in clouds of 60, ghost heat be damned. Unless the target is out in the open and without AMS, the benefits of the big swarm far outweigh the downside of heat on most maps. Sometimes I switch to chain fire once I'm already hammering a target, but for sure that first shot needs to be a big one, since it's the one that's most likely to hit before they get to cover, and when you chain fire you give the opponent more time to avoid your shots.

To that end, my current build has dropped three tons of ammo for a heatsink, which actually leaves me a bit under-tonned but full up on crit slots. Even then I have 1800 ammo, and still go through most of it in any good round I play. Your job is as much about suppression as it is about damage dealing in an LRM boat.