59 replies to this topic

[RavensScar]

Both Jags and Phracts can boat ballistic weapons, which seems to be flavour of the moment. However, with the weight requirements, Jags are often something of a glass-cannon (big side-torsos, XL engine, lots of ammo.) I still see Jags doing well, but I also see plenty dropped very quickly to ST kills.

Cataphracts have more emphasis on energy weapons, plus JJs on the 3D. It's also worth noting that the ballistics-heavy Phract (the 4x) has quite a brutal engine cap.

The Orion is a lot more survivable since the hitbox adjustments. It was dangerous before, but now it can seriously spread damage. The Orion has the most versatile hardpoints of any heavy - all variants have ballistics, energy and missiles in good locations. It can't boat ballistics, but if they sort out SRM hit-detection, I think Orion brawlers will suddenly become a lot more frightening.

[Turist0AT]

Jags are 5 tons lighter than Phracts. Orion is 5 tons hevier than phract and Viktor is 5 tons hevier than Orion. Consider what weapons you like and look att the hardpoints and tonnage, then decide. Tonnage = fun, firepower and flexibility (so are the hardpoints).
Unless you like speed, then why the hell do you want a heavy(unless its a jester).

Jags strugle with tonnage when you start making more than modest builds.

Edited by Turist0AT, 24 November 2013 - 04:16 AM.

[Urdasein]

Try this Jag

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...a51d58263eb59af

11 dps at 720m, 24 sec sustained
14 dps at close, 24 sec sustained

And enough ammo to dakka all the time.

Yep can't tank a lot (hint:use cover) but you out dps, out range and out heat most of people. Play on that advantages and win.

You will learn to love terra therma with that: put yourself on the caldera entrance, slightly on the side to not block teammates and dakka on whatever showing it face.

Edited by loupgaroupoilu, 24 November 2013 - 05:53 AM.

[Bishop Steiner]

Turist0AT, on 24 November 2013 - 04:13 AM, said:

Jags are 5 tons lighter than Phracts. Orion is 5 tons hevier than phract and Viktor is 5 tons hevier than Orion. Consider what weapons you like and look att the hardpoints and tonnage, then decide. Tonnage = fun, firepower and flexibility (so are the hardpoints).
Unless you like speed, then why the hell do you want a heavy(unless its a jester).

Jags strugle with tonnage when you start making more than modest builds.

Tonnage ain't everything. Hitbox, size and hardpoint placement make a lot of difference and that is before looking at things like torso twist and speed. And most Cataphracts give up a lot more than 5 tons or weaponry, since with their barn door side torsos, and low weapon mount meaning either full exposure or brawling range, usually means no XL.

For ballistic boating and hillhumping, the Jag is hands down king. For survivability (I can't believe I can actually say that now) and versatility, the Orion wins.

To be honest, with their hitboxes, low slung arms, size and lousy arm reflex, the ONLY things keeping the Cataphract relevant is the 3D's Jumpjets. (The Ilya is also pretty dang good, but I'm keeping Heroes out of this, plus it's a {Scrap} shoot now between the Protector, Firebrand and Ilya for king of the Heavies)

Also, the Victor is an Assault mech, not a Heavy. (A mighty fine Assault mech, at that.)

[Turist0AT]

Bishop Steiner, on 24 November 2013 - 06:45 AM, said:

Tonnage ain't everything. Hitbox, size and hardpoint placement make a lot of difference and that is before looking at things like torso twist and speed. And most Cataphracts give up a lot more than 5 tons or weaponry, since with their barn door side torsos, and low weapon mount meaning either full exposure or brawling range, usually means no XL.

For ballistic boating and hillhumping, the Jag is hands down king. For survivability (I can't believe I can actually say that now) and versatility, the Orion wins.

To be honest, with their hitboxes, low slung arms, size and lousy arm reflex, the ONLY things keeping the Cataphract relevant is the 3D's Jumpjets. (The Ilya is also pretty dang good, but I'm keeping Heroes out of this, plus it's a {Scrap} shoot now between the Protector, Firebrand and Ilya for king of the Heavies)

Also, the Victor is an Assault mech, not a Heavy. (A mighty fine Assault mech, at that.)

haha the victor is just pretending to be an Assault.

Tonnage and hardpoints arnt everything but they dictate what and how mutch weapons you can squeez in. It allsow dictates if you can put STD engine in or if you have to settle with XL (without sacrificing firepower).

I dissagre on the lousy arm reflexes, plus they are fully articulated.

Edited by Turist0AT, 24 November 2013 - 08:56 AM.

[Bishop Steiner]

Turist0AT, on 24 November 2013 - 08:40 AM, said:

haha the victor is just pretending to be an Assault.

Tonnage and hardpoints arnt everything but they dictate what and how mutch weapons you can squeez in. It allsow dictates if you can put STD engine in or if you have to settle with XL (without sacrificing firepower).

Lol.

Don't have to be fat and slow to be an assault. The Victor, use by someone who actually knows how to pilot, can scrap ANY other "Assault" Mech in the game.

and in a heavy, 5 tons doesn't buy you much firepower or engine size. SmurfyWarrior Online?

Edited by Bishop Steiner, 24 November 2013 - 08:48 AM.

[Turist0AT]

Bishop Steiner, on 24 November 2013 - 08:47 AM, said:

Lol.

Don't have to be fat and slow to be an assault. The Victor, use by someone who actually knows how to pilot, can scrap ANY other "Assault" Mech in the game.

and in a heavy, 5 tons doesn't buy you much firepower or engine size. SmurfyWarrior Online?

I know i know, was just joking about it not being an assault. Ive bought a Victor yesterday and damn what a fabulus machine.

But it does, 5 tons of ammo for example and when you are juggling speed-heat-and engine size 5 tons is nothing to sneez at..

[mack sabbath]

St4LkeRxF, on 22 November 2013 - 03:05 AM, said:

Cataphract 3D is best mech in game

My head knows this, but my heart belongs to my Ilya for some crazy reason, and not as a sniper!

[Lightfoot]

Cataphract, Orion, or Jagermech. The choice is what loadout do you like?

Orions will draw you into big guns and some missiles.

Cataphracts are big guns and some energy.

Jagers are lots of guns and some energy.

[Harmatia]

Ser Barristan, on 21 November 2013 - 11:03 AM, said:

From an opponent's prospective, specifically from a medium pilot's, I typically find Phracts to be the more difficult. A Phract can be dangerous in nearly all situations. They've got good weapons, speed and durability. Jags can come loaded for boar true but at the expense of either speed or durability. When you catch them outside their preferred engagement zone they are easier to dance around than a Phract. More often then not if you can take a shoulder off they either die immediately or have just lost a good chunk of their firepower.

I concur with this. As a medium mech pilot also, I tend to run from either pilots' attention. The Orion is also one I don't like fighting.

[Carrioncrows]

Before the orion hitbox patch, I would of said hands down the Phract or the Jager (not talking specialist jagers either but something with like 2 larges, 2 meds and a AC20 with a STD engine).

But honestly I feel orions are moving up in the world. I think as time goes on you'll see people running more and more of these mechs and there are some good builds out there but the builds that are best are the ones that brings manuverabiity, toughness and firepower.

The Orion at 75 tons is in an excellent position to do just that.

Low enough weight that STD doesn't eat up to much for decent speed and agility with enough tonnage to bring 1-2 big boy weapons followed up by lots of little ones and enough armor combined with hitboxes to soak damage.

As much as I like the phract and the Jager i'm finding the Orion to be a much more durable platform and when i run into these other mechs at the very least I can just turn it into a numbers game by simply clubing them down due to just have "More" of everything.

At the end of the day I think this is more to do with preference than anything else at this point.

These mechs are all relatively balanced for their weight.

You would be far better off trying to compare mechs with the same tonnage, as in MWO typically more tonnage is always better.

[MustrumRidcully]

Since I suck at jump-sniping, I vote Jagermech ,but if I didn't suck, I could easily see the Cataphract 3D being the best.


There used to be a time where the K2 would have filled the Jagermechs role. No more, as the Doctor said.

[Snowhawk]

So, what is the best heavy mech...?

Maybe this thread can give us an answer: http://mwomercs.com/...lance-snapshot/

[haop]

Someone already mentioned it, it depends on the playstyle and perhaps not only on raw facs. If you like a particular style you should take the mechs that fits this role at best and perhaps not the one that is considered the overall best heavy mech but does not make you happy.

At the moment my personal favorite is this JM but I have to admit that I never played a Cataphract (but an Orion):

JM6-A

Of course you should have all upgrades. But this mech provides a lot and is very flexibel. Fast, long/short range usability, maximum armor, beagle, AMS, a threat for lights, no heat problems.

[Maverick27]

Though not my absolute favorite, I've recently warmed up to the CTF-4

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...a86c188ff736933

Huge ballistic potential, CT energy weapons gives zombie potential and though it's slow, with speed tweak it's playable more in an "assault" flavor.

Edited by Maverick27, 25 November 2013 - 07:31 AM.

[Draxist]

Kinda surprised at the responses in here, but I can see why with the current meta of the AC and lasers.

Catapults used to be great missile boats, and the K2 a sniper/brawler hybrid. they suffer from an annoyingly large cockpit and CT which normally keeps em out of a brawl. I personally prefer the K2 with dual AC10's and 4 ML. it can mid-range snipe with the AC's then close to finish off with the ML's. the C1 cat also used to be a favorite of mine after turning it into a laser boat with missile for support.

the quickdraws play more of what some have coined "line-backer" role; running fast and hard pew-pewing then jumping out. they are not really meant to soak damage in a brawl. played the 5k for a while, but then dropped it as I wanted to master other chassis.

when talking about the phracts and jagers, everything has already been said about them, and they tend to be the work-horses of most lances and squads.

I have started to see more orions around, but they seem to play more support than brawling or damage soaking. something about that tall lumbering tree trunk of a mech makes it an easy target to shoot.

T-bolts are interesting to say the least, and I think time will tell more of their role. right now I could place them with the shadow hawks as being jacks-of-all-trades since they can do medium ballistics, heavy lasers, or heavy missiles.

try them all out, I know the economy doesnt allow it, but they are all fun to play

[C E Dwyer]

second poster got it about right..the new meta makes ac's the top dog and they carry them in bucket loads

[lsp]

Piney, on 22 November 2013 - 05:35 AM, said:

I run Cataphracts and Jagers, with the Cataphract being my stronger chassis. The Jagers are great for carrying some insane firepower, but they are squishy and I prefer to avoid toe to toe brawls driving them.

I'll wade right into brawls with my Cataphracts. My two favorite mechs are my CTF-3D and my Ilya.

Lol, this is a late response, but I'm just now reading through this. Phract pilots seem to think they are the badest of badass's on the battlefield. I've cored 3-4 today that tried to toe to toe with me in my on1-k, ac20 2llas 2mlas. The one must of been a cockpit shot, because I only hit him twice and he went down.

[Ghogiel]

This one time at band camp I solo'd 6 AC20 ON1s while in my 3D. I head shotted 3 of them in one alpha.


The correct answer CTF 3D is the best heavy.

[lsp]

Ghogiel, on 26 December 2013 - 05:44 PM, said:

This one time at band camp I solo'd 6 AC20 ON1s while in my 3D. I head shotted 3 of them in one alpha.


The correct answer CTF 3D is the best heavy.

Correct answer is, that is your opinion. I used to have a 3d and sold it, because it sucked ***. It all depends on the person. Right now the orion is my favorite heavy, and I don't see phracts toping the charts of any games I've been in all day. Yet my K/D ratio is 4.00, and all I've been playing is my orion.(1.24 for orion k/d, just started playing it today)

Take that back, my favorite heavy at the moment is my jm6-s with triple uac5's and a xl300. Thing rocks faces, getting 500+ damage and usually 2-3 kills or more per game. 2.0 k/d ratio in that thing.
http://i1286.photobu...zpsd4dffe93.jpg

Edited by lsp, 29 December 2013 - 10:41 AM.