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#361 Stomp

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Posted 15 January 2014 - 04:24 PM

View PostVictor Morson, on 06 January 2014 - 06:39 PM, said:


The problem is the whole cluster is 25 missiles, which can break AMS, but in chainfire is simply feeding the anti-missile system. The Kintaro can make a suitable missile skirmisher, really, but you'd be better off with something that has a few bigger launchers in the mix, even if you have to not use all 5 hardpoints. i.e. 2x 10 2x 5 or if you can fit a 15 in there, you'd benefit greatly without losing much.



Assuming you are in a KTO-18, those ML are going to end up a whopping 2 lasers. That will effectively accomplish two things: One of them is Jack. That's why I say don't worry about that close range armament at all; those 2 lasers aren't going to accomplish much in this sort of setup so it's FAR better to improve your range game, and make your damage focus on single locations.



There's a lot of this "LRM/5s don't need Artemis because they're already a tight group" think going around, but it's wrong. LRM/5s with Artemis are like heat seeking, center-torso murdering machines, that will impact the same exact location almost universally. It's a huge bump. If there were no hardpoint limitations, I'd probably be suggesting nothing but LRM/5 spam.



Again the loss of one ton and one energy hardpoint is absolutely vital to get the most out of the other 90% of your weapon tonnage.



Again, you might have to shuffle up from an all-LRM/5 setup, but it doesn't hurt your ability to stay fast and reactionary - it is virtually required to get single-locational damage. I run my Shadow Hawk with a 15/10/5 split, firing it as if it were 2x15 against AMS, for example; it's near pinpoint level damage.



I suppose I'll go point by point and explain why this particular build is so effective, at least FOR MY PLAYSTYLE. I'll preface it with that, so I don't get shot down by all the people telling me I'm "wrong". :blink:

First, my build:
KTO-18
5 LRM 5
5 tons LRM ammo
1 Medium Laser
1 ER Large Laser
XL 315 Engine
Beagle Active Probe
Endo-steel
Standard Structure
Speed: 102.1kph

This way, I have 36 volleys per LRM 5. With five tons of ammo, that equals 180 volleys of single LRM 5 volleys. Not actually much damage, if you add up the base damage of the ammo. If I hit with even half of the ammo though, I've gotten 495 damage. That's usually my end-match damage, give or take a couple hundred in either way depending on how well I did in the match. I've found, however, that moving quickly to flank and get on a mech's weaker side, or try to focus my fire from a certain direction, I can "guide" the missiles into a damaged component, at least against the average player. I try to conserve ammo by focusing mechs only being targeted and fighting my team. I can rack up a lot of damage chewing up their exposed torsos or arms. So I play this boat as a sort of harasser and fire support. I don't intentionally go after mechs unless I think I can push them back and give my team breathing room, while softening up bigger mechs. I tend to ignore anything below a Blackjack in weight, as their speed is usually good enough to avoid the LRMs, spiders excluded. Spiders tend to absorb LRMs into their legs too much, as they're always jump jetting. :mellow:

And here's why I don't mount Artemis: If I have to cough up 5 tons, I can either have no ammo, no ER Large Laser, or be slow with an XL, which is silly. So as fast as I am and with as much tonnage as I mount in LRMs already, I feel it's counter intuitive. I mean, YES, I could mount TAG and still have an ERLL. And I've tried that, but with a ML and ERLL, I can focus a Jenner or Raven down. It's only two lasers, but concentrated (I have good aim) it's 14 damage. More than an AC/10. And if I've got any kind of team support, I'll be just fine from all but an entire lance of light mechs rushing. With only the ER Large, it feels I don't take down lights fast enough.

I will readily admit though that the one weakness my build has is against mechs mounting AMS. He pays 1.5 tons, and suddenly my build is looking fairly ridiculous. But it IS a team game, and I will readily dump ammo into a Jester knowing my team is pushing him hard. If they're NOT pushing him though, I just don't waste my time. Most of the time I have plenty of other targets. And AMS only has a range of 90m.

I've attempted other LRM boats in the past, and I've always struggled to bring my damage up. Between watching 30 missiles eat dirt in my Catapult, I'd bring this Kintaro every time, and with tonnage restrictions this build will look even better. Anything slower than my 'Taro just isn't fast enough to hold those locks, and the one thing I don't count on is locks from my team. :blink: I'm usually in the midst of the fray, letting mediums get taken down right beside me as I LRM their moving heavies and assaults, giving my team plenty of time to clean up the lighter enemies. Pair my LRMtaro with a StreakTaro and you've got the perfect team of mechs to solidify a number of areas of team play: guarding rear, and putting pressure on the enemy. I've used these builds exceptionally well when I team with my GF, and have had a blast!

So I guess what I'm saying is that this LRM boat works for me. I love debating merits of builds, and I do agree bigger missile volley boats benefit greatly from these upgrades, but I'll stubbornly defend this build til it no longer works, or until PGI nerfs it into the ground. :P

#362 Tesunie

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Posted 15 January 2014 - 09:20 PM

View PostVictor Morson, on 15 January 2014 - 01:44 PM, said:


Yeah, if you don't have Double Basics, that's pretty much your entire problem right there, and probably why you have such a bum opinion of the angles.


I realize that, but even in Testing Grounds (and unless they changed it on me) the Stalker still had better, and no skills work there. I also feel that the weapon positions is better for the Stalker, as well as it's ability to shift damage away from it's CT longer. I don't mind running around with half a Stalker, if I'm still alive to continue the fight. (Even if I become a walking torso, I might still be able to capture something. One does not know.)

View PostVictor Morson, on 15 January 2014 - 01:44 PM, said:

Engine size = impacts twist speed. A proper LRM Battlemaster will have a huge engine and very responsive torso movement.


You misread some of that. The Battlemaster in my tests did have a slightly larger engine than my Stalker, and it was still feeling slower. Even on the testing grounds. If it needs a larger engine just to get to the same responsiveness as my Stalker, then... yeah. Not to mention, that 400 engine is going to be expensive as an XL, or heavy as a Std.

For a slower design, my Stalker works just as well. I'm still working on the Battlemaster though, and I'll come back with revised findings when it's got elites done. However, if what I saw in Testing Grounds was an indication, the Stalker will probably still have better twist, and it seems to also have better acceleration and deceleration.

One of my larger complaints with the Battlemaster (all of them) is it's slow acceleration and deceleration. I have never seen it with my Stalker, as far as I can recall, and once again my Stalker doesn't show that on the testing grounds. Engine size probably helps with that, but I can save a lot of weight and/or increased survivability with the Stalker by having the decent responsiveness with the smaller engine.

View PostVictor Morson, on 15 January 2014 - 01:44 PM, said:

A recurring theme in this guide is that the most important things are speed and dedication. While granted an assault is big enough to carry a few backup weapons (unlike skirmisher mediums) the Stalker fails in the speed department. In short, a fast moving BattleMaster would utterly decimate your Stalker build.


Dedication, yes. Speed? Not so much. Granted, as an LRM skirmisher, speed is important. For LRMs in general, not so much. It depends upon how you play.

My Stalker has taken on Cats, Phrats, Atlases, Spiders, Ravens... you name it and it's been taking it on. So, to say that I will lose in my Stalker is not true. It all depends upon what happens on the battlefield.

View PostVictor Morson, on 15 January 2014 - 01:44 PM, said:

Speed is everything, as is range control. You need to maintain that optimal sub 750, above 180 range to get effective damage, and also, it's a huge part of how you evade incoming LRMs yourself.

You might be going "Well I have both, so I can do whatever" which a lot of people do, but all it means is you fail either at both, or at one of those things. A dedicated brawler will destroy you up close. A dedicated boat will destroy you at range.

Instead of being superior at two ranges, you are being inferior at all of them this way.


In my Stalker, I don't need to control the range so much.. Outside 270m is good. Inside 180m is good. Between 270m and 190m, that's where my build get really scarey and everything starts to shot off. I also can evade LRMs just fine with my Stalker, either I twist my torso to a good section, or I duck back behind the hill/building/terrain I'm using for cover and let that disrupt the lock for me and the terrain to take away the LRM damage.

Anyone specialized will do me damage. That is the strength of specialty builds. However, taken out of their element, they will fail. Get too close to an LRM mech and they are useless. Stay too far away from a Brawler, and they are useless. Having a slightly more diverse build makes it so I am never "useless" and always able to protect myself and preform on the battlefield. If a fast mech decides to try and make me lunch, I can at least handle them. Your design, being a pure boat, will just become lunch with a satisfying snap, crackle, pop when the lasers get poured over you.

One of the tricks of a balanced build is to try and approach a specialized build in their weak spot. If you are a Brawler, I am going to try and either kill, or weaken, them at range. If you are an LRM mech, then I will try to avoid you at range, and close in where I can "play around with my food" and kill you. However, at the same given time, if I am fighting an LRM mech at range, I'm not going to be completely helpless against them. At the same time, if a Brawler comes into me, I can at least do some damage (or even kill) before they get me, and thus is not completely helpless there either.

If what I have experienced in my matches have any indication to me, I would have to say I've been "very effective" at each. It is the blending of the two roles and knowing how to blend them together that the key. You have to know when to stay hidden behind something and shoot LRMs indirectly, when to approach into that 270-190m sweet spot, and when to close in even closer.

You always, in your very directed and focus thinking, forget that weapons can have very good combination effects. I find that the blend of weapons (and their placement) on my Stalker is highly effective, at least in my hands. I'm still fast enough to go where I need to go, and I can still readily defend myself from people who get too close. I am effective against fast mechs because of the SSRMs, and slower targets because of my lasers. Unlike if I was a pure LRM Boat Stalker, I would become food for anyone who came close to me. If I was running a pure LRM boat, then yes. I would agree with you on many points. However, having the closer ranged weapons help balance out several glaring weaknesses that just LRM designs would have. (Plus, it's always fun to see people charge at me, and then run away. A lot of people actually seem to like sitting right in my sweet 270m-190m range, and will just let me keep them there, where I am most effective.)

View PostVictor Morson, on 15 January 2014 - 01:44 PM, said:

This seems... unwise. LRM ammo is very very explosive and those arms get hit all the time on accident. If you're running XL it'll kill you all the same from damage transfer, too.


Ummm... The Stalker almost always loses a side torso long before it loses an arm. That ammo is very safe. Not to mention, I don't run XL (deathtraps) on my Stalkers. Standard engines let me continue to run, even with half a mech left.

This is also why I feel that the Stalker is better than the Battlemaster. The Stalker has a very nice hiding spot with the arms, and the arms have missile doors to help out even more. On top of that, if the Battlemaster loses it's right torso, it loses most of it's weapons right there. If the Stalker loses it's left/right torso, I don't lose anything extra. Just literally half my weapons. It hurts, but I can still go on with better ease than a Battlemaster. While on the subject, the Battlemaster also tends to have a larger CT, which I normally lose long before I get too damaged in any other place. Most times, my Battlemaster still has yellow armor everywhere else, by no CT anymore. My Stalker, I will almost always lose a side torso, if not both, before I lose my CT. That means I absorb more damage, making better use of more armor, meaning I survive longer.

View PostVictor Morson, on 15 January 2014 - 01:44 PM, said:

LRMs are heavy enough you pretty much always need to go XL.

Those missile tubing issues are a huge deal, since the BattleMaster can deliver similar firepower all in one cluster. Also, your missile weapon layout is pretty bad and forces you to split it.

You are using:
20+10+15+15 = 60 missiles [forced split fire to avoid Ghost Heat]

You could be using:
20+20+5+5 = 50 missiles [Can fire the full salvo every single shot with no Ghost Heat.]

Yeah it's 10 less missiles, but given they all come in at once (and swam AMS to pieces in the process) you'll get far, far, far more damage out of it.


My Stalker doesn't need XL engines. My Hunchback 4SP doesn't need to. XL isn't always a need. On larger mechs (heavies is questionable, assaults more so) I find XLs to be a bad thing. It leads to them dieing a lot faster and sooner than they normally should fall. I still laugh when I meet up with a Stalker with an XL engine, and I just pop a side off with ease and they drop. I don't know why people do it on large mechs so often, but to each their own. If it works for them most matches, than that's great for them. I don't recommend it, but each person needs to do what works for them.

As far as missiles... what are you talking about? My Stalker has 2x ALRM15s. It shoots off in 2 shots of 10 and 2 shots of 5 each, which means it's 20+10=30 missiles, in those two waves. That also doesn't even start to apply any ghost heat, as it is only shooting off two LRM15s, and not anything else. IF the split shots from missile tubes counts as separate shootings, then it would count it as 2x LRM10 and 2x LRM5s, which still wouldn't get off ghost heat. (Not that I believe Ghost Heat works that way.)

My Battlemaster shoots off full 30 missile salvos, instead of the (briefly) spaced 20-10 breakup my Stalker has. However, I actually find that, most times, the break up is actually beneficial for sneaking through AMS, as it works on shooting the first wave, the second wave normally goes completely unscathed. By the time an AMS can begin to shoot at the (very close behind the first wave) second wave of missiles, it's too close and they hit. This is something I have observed many times over with my Hunchback 4SP with two LRM15s, back when they shot out of 6 holes. The second wave almost always hit completely intact, if not the 3rd too.

View PostVictor Morson, on 15 January 2014 - 01:44 PM, said:

Except I'm moving almost 90 and am not forced to stay inside of your minimum range, and at a distance, it's decidedly in the medium's favor every single time. Why? Because the medium can run at 90 degree angles to you and your missiles will hit about 80% dirt, where the slower, larger Stalker will take almost every single missile fired from the medium straight to the chest. It's a night & day difference.


You forget any twisting actions I might preform, or cover I probably wouldn't be too far from. I know how to play slower mechs. I tend to hide well when I need to. However, seen as it is nearly impossible to set up any sort of 1v1 in MWO at this time, the most we could possibly think of doing is teaming up and trying to "out preform" each other. Or, we could work together as a team, if we teamed up, we'd probably be devastating together as we each bring a different style of LRMs to the table, and I suspect that they could work very well side by side... Beyond that, I'd probably just work my way into hiding from you, and try to let a better equipped teammate (fast mech) take you on.

As you stated, you are trying to pitch your mech in it's intended role, and pitching it against my mech. Your specialized strength to my "generalized" strength. If you want to also look at it, I manage to "ambush" you, as you were too focused (in this example) on your target and didn't see me standing behind that hill. You practically run into me, and I lock and shoot you with 4 med lasers and 2 SSRM4s, and seen as you don't notice me, lets just say I get a nice clean shot at your legs. Now, you take notice of me, and I'm within 20m of you. Before you can even escape into LRM range, I get a second shot off, lets just say, an SSRM or 2 hit your damage leg again, and my lasers splash your torso. Now, you finally escape to 180m range, and now, I get to hit you for a third time with everything I got. That could be your leg before you could even escape farther, or it might be an arm... If it's your leg, you become my food, as I walk slower closer to you faster than you can hobble.

See how your "focus" strength might be a weakness when you get placed into my realm? You wanted "specialized in it's strength vs unspecialized in an area it's good at". Well, now I moved it into "specialized outside it's strength vs unspecialized in an area it's good at (and a bit where I am "specialized" at, which is 270-190m ranges)", and it's a fairly likely situation to happen on the field of combat.

(I'd also love to see your build, as I can't find it here too easily. I suspect, if you are going for LRM payload, we are probably around equal, and yet I still have other weapons besides just LRMs.)

View PostVictor Morson, on 15 January 2014 - 01:44 PM, said:

The problem is you're expecting the light to be directly engaging you.

If 90% of your firepower is LRMs and you are engaging heavy, serious threat targets, some ECM lights can literally shut your whole 'mech down. Hopefully you are using BAP to counter at least one though. Still, a few medium lasers isn't enough to deter a skilled light pilot, in particular from such a slow turning 'mech.


I expect that light to be trying to get into my rear, like what I myself would be trying to do. But you see, I'm very familiar with, and good, at tracking light mechs in my Stalker. I've killed many lights back when they had lag shields and I was only using 6 med lasers to defend myself. I've had people spectating me comment on how well I was doing, and later comment on how destructive I was being with only "half a Stalker" (personally, I was amazed I was still even alive still in that particular match). Now that I've reworked it, I feel I'm having even better results now than I did back then. Of course, HSR has come in, LRMs have changed, weapons have been balanced and rebalanced, and ghost heat is now in...

... Did you look at my Stalker? Did I post the wrong build up? 2 ALRM15s is my long range firepower. Close range I have 4 med lasers and 2 SSRM2s. The SSRM2s are there for a reason, and the BAP is there for the SSRMs, and not my LRMs to be honest (same mostly with Artemis, but I was thinking about that upgrade for my Stalker for a while now).

I have to start asking, at least from your statements, have you even owned or piloted a Stalker mech before? With a 300 engine, and with it mastered (or at least elited), it twists fairly quickly. If you kick it into reverse as a light rotates around you, you can keep them in your sights for a long time. Then, when they do finally slip behind you, swing it around the other way and kick it back into forwards.... The trick is to kick the Stalker into reverse and forwards as you turn, respectively as needed.

A skilled Stalker pilot can keep a light well enough in front of them to shoot them. With my Stalker, that's with Lasers AND SSRM4s (SSRM2 x2). That normally either kills them, or make them run away from me, usually back into my 270-190m prime range...

View PostVictor Morson, on 15 January 2014 - 01:44 PM, said:

As I've always said, everyone should feel free to run what they want, but I can say that this style is objectively inferior for LRM usage. It's easy to gain huge amounts of damage in pug games with just about any LRM boat, but I've blown away enough LRM Stalkers/Awesomes/Highlanders to know they aren't even remotely threatening to a proper Shadow Hawk or Griffin.

I have killed more Stalkers with a similar setup to yours without even taking a scratch (in a pretty much stand up fight) that the flaws in the design are really apparent. It's just hard to do much when all your shots are JUST missing, and all the incoming shots are landing into single-locations, center-mass.


As you've always said!?! All I heard from you so far is "Do as I say, or you suck".

I'm really starting you think you looked at the wrong Stalker build... Are we even looking at the same one here? http://mwo.smurfy-ne...96a221aea6eb8d2

I'm not "just lobbing LRMs". I'll shoot lasers if I need to. And if you get close, I have SSRMs as well. I'm also not going to just "hang out in the open" for you to kill me. I'll twist, and I'll turn too, if I have to. I'll redirect as much damage to my sides, and rear, if I can. Wouldn't be the first time I turned my rear to an enemy so they can chew through that armor before they can eat my internals.

Now, am I saying your skirmisher would lose against me? Not really. Am I saying you will win always? Not really. However, we are filling different roles in battle. To directly compare our two roles is unfair. It's like comparing a Sniper build to a Brawler build, and then having them start in open terrain, no cover, 1000m apart. Of course the Sniper will win. However, if that Brawler can get close to the Sniper, through use of terrain, intel from his team, and luck, he might be able to beat the sniper. However, that Sniper is probably still going to leave some marks on the Brawler.

If I had to define my Stalker's role on the battlefield, here is how I would describe it:
- Provide fire support to my team. Support lights when and where I can when I see them fighting something bigger than they are.
- Stick with the team, providing them LRM support, or close range support when needed.
- Hunt any lights that go after me or any teammate nearby. I have SSRMs for a reason.
- Shut down any ECM units I can to help my team, and if possible, eliminate them with SSRMs and Med Lasers.
- Unless otherwise dictated by some other role, if possible, get within 270m of a target, but outside 190m. Then blast with everything I got.

Overall, I fill in a Support role and/or an "LRM Brawler" concept. I'm not a "skirmisher", and I'm not designed to necessarily "lone wolf", though I still can without too much trouble if I have to. The concept is, engage closer when and if I can, but if I can't, I can at least still help my team out with LRMs, as I brought plenty of them. I also have the option of not directly engaging an enemy, giving me some power over dictating when and where I close into a foe, if I choose to do so, as I can use the LRMs indirectly.

#363 Tesunie

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Posted 15 January 2014 - 09:33 PM

View PostStomp, on 15 January 2014 - 04:24 PM, said:

So I guess what I'm saying is that this LRM boat works for me. I love debating merits of builds, and I do agree bigger missile volley boats benefit greatly from these upgrades, but I'll stubbornly defend this build til it no longer works, or until PGI nerfs it into the ground. :mellow:


Sounds like my old Stalker build with SHS that I would defend. It worked really good in it's time and in it's place. I just recently decided to spend c-bills into getting the mech more updated, with DHS among other things. I just wasn't going to do it if I had to "place the ammo in my legs" like everyone else. Now I have a new build I love, and my Stalker is updated with the new game mechanics. Best part is, my ammo didn't have to be crammed in my legs to make room for more sinks. (And with some changed game mechanics, the build is possible now, when it wouldn't have been when I first made my Stalker.)

I, too, don't mind a good debate on mech loadouts and weapon usage. Sometimes it leads to interesting revelations or conversations, if the other side doesn't just constantly tell you "Do it this way, or you suck"...

Honestly, I like your custom. Only thing I'd change would be the ER large into a normal large. With the LRMs, do you really need the extra range? I'd have to ask how you use that laser really, and if it's mostly for close range, then maybe ER isn't needed... (unless you run cool with the ER anyway....) If you have placed extra sinks in, going with normal large might permit some sinks to be removed... opening up more space?

(Can you create a close build here: http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab Unless it's a super secret build you got going on there... :blink: )

#364 Stomp

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Posted 16 January 2014 - 01:08 AM

View PostTesunie, on 15 January 2014 - 09:33 PM, said:


Sounds like my old Stalker build with SHS that I would defend. It worked really good in it's time and in it's place. I just recently decided to spend c-bills into getting the mech more updated, with DHS among other things. I just wasn't going to do it if I had to "place the ammo in my legs" like everyone else. Now I have a new build I love, and my Stalker is updated with the new game mechanics. Best part is, my ammo didn't have to be crammed in my legs to make room for more sinks. (And with some changed game mechanics, the build is possible now, when it wouldn't have been when I first made my Stalker.)

I, too, don't mind a good debate on mech loadouts and weapon usage. Sometimes it leads to interesting revelations or conversations, if the other side doesn't just constantly tell you "Do it this way, or you suck"...

Honestly, I like your custom. Only thing I'd change would be the ER large into a normal large. With the LRMs, do you really need the extra range? I'd have to ask how you use that laser really, and if it's mostly for close range, then maybe ER isn't needed... (unless you run cool with the ER anyway....) If you have placed extra sinks in, going with normal large might permit some sinks to be removed... opening up more space?

(Can you create a close build here: http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab Unless it's a super secret build you got going on there... :blink: )


Well it's not a secret per se, but now that you've mentioned it I just PMed it to you. I've found ammo in your legs isn't nearly so bad in an assault, but I rarely play them so YMMV. I mean, the Stalker mounts how much armor into a single leg? 72 points says Smurfys. I'd think it would take a lot of concentrated fire to take a leg, when it would be quicker to maim you with a side torso shot, or kill if you're a less than clever man. :mellow:

But in regards to my build, I've found I get more mileage with the ER Large than a normal Large, simply because I can use it in conjunction with the LRMs to peg a mech and soften him up with damage he can't shoot down. The Large's range is only 450m, and while that's my optimal operating ranges, I find I'm also fighting mostly farther as well. I try to attack "preoccupied" mechs, either harassed by lights or under fire from other mechs. That way, my LRMs have plenty of time to arrive and start knocking the {Scrap} out of him. I don't use the ML unless I'm being attacked up close myself, but I've gotten plenty of kills with the ERLL+ML combo, right as they're torn apart and charging me thinking I'll be worthless up close. Boy are they mistaken. 14 damage into a side torso takes half their guns or murders them, which makes them easy pickings, especially since he just bumrushed into me AND my team.

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Posted 16 January 2014 - 11:33 AM

View PostStomp, on 15 January 2014 - 04:24 PM, said:

I suppose I'll go point by point and explain why this particular build is so effective, at least FOR MY PLAYSTYLE. I'll preface it with that, so I don't get shot down by all the people telling me I'm "wrong". :P


Again, everyone is welcomed to play however they want. But a lot of people keep jumping to this "My playstyle" defense. It doesn't work that way, if you're planning to be effective. You've got to play in the styles the game accommodates, or suffer for it.

Could you go play a modern FPS and say it's just "your playstyle" to use pistols and flashbangs only? Sure. Is it in anyway a ticket to success? Nope.

The reason I pick these builds apart is for people reading this thread, to understand why they are bad, more than anything.

View PostStomp, on 15 January 2014 - 04:24 PM, said:

First, my build:
KTO-18
5 LRM 5
5 tons LRM ammo
1 Medium Laser
1 ER Large Laser
XL 315 Engine
Beagle Active Probe
Endo-steel
Standard Structure
Speed: 102.1kph


Do you really think a single Medium Laser - a single one - is going to benefit you more than a TAG in this scenario? A single medium laser has accomplished pretty much nothing ever, but a TAG has had a huge impact. This seems very unwise.

View PostStomp, on 15 January 2014 - 04:24 PM, said:

This way, I have 36 volleys per LRM 5. With five tons of ammo, that equals 180 volleys of single LRM 5 volleys. Not actually much damage, if you add up the base damage of the ammo. If I hit with even half of the ammo though, I've gotten 495 damage. That's usually my end-match damage, give or take a couple hundred in either way depending on how well I did in the match. I've found, however, that moving quickly to flank and get on a mech's weaker side, or try to focus my fire from a certain direction, I can "guide" the missiles into a damaged component, at least against the average player. I try to conserve ammo by focusing mechs only being targeted and fighting my team. I can rack up a lot of damage chewing up their exposed torsos or arms. So I play this boat as a sort of harasser and fire support. I don't intentionally go after mechs unless I think I can push them back and give my team breathing room, while softening up bigger mechs. I tend to ignore anything below a Blackjack in weight, as their speed is usually good enough to avoid the LRMs, spiders excluded. Spiders tend to absorb LRMs into their legs too much, as they're always jump jetting. ;)


You'd have a far easier time guiding those shots in to faster 'mechs if you had TAG, too, because it enhances their tracking rate dramatically.

View PostStomp, on 15 January 2014 - 04:24 PM, said:

And here's why I don't mount Artemis: If I have to cough up 5 tons, I can either have no ammo, no ER Large Laser, or be slow with an XL, which is silly. So as fast as I am and with as much tonnage as I mount in LRMs already, I feel it's counter intuitive. I mean, YES, I could mount TAG and still have an ERLL. And I've tried that, but with a ML and ERLL, I can focus a Jenner or Raven down.


I'm going to be completely honest with you: If a Raven or Jenner pilot can't deal with an ER LL and ML on a Kintaro, they are baaaaad. That is simply not enough firepower to counter lights, and on top of that, the ERLL's fairly lengthy discharge time makes it a terrible anti-light weapon.

Those powerful 2 ER LL Ravens going around? Yeah, they can't even dent a proper light. They're amazing anti-heavy but it's just a horrible, horrible weapons platform to kill scouts.

View PostStomp, on 15 January 2014 - 04:24 PM, said:

It's only two lasers, but concentrated (I have good aim) it's 14 damage. More than an AC/10. And if I've got any kind of team support, I'll be just fine from all but an entire lance of light mechs rushing. With only the ER Large, it feels I don't take down lights fast enough.

I will readily admit though that the one weakness my build has is against mechs mounting AMS. He pays 1.5 tons, and suddenly my build is looking fairly ridiculous. But it IS a team game, and I will readily dump ammo into a Jester knowing my team is pushing him hard. If they're NOT pushing him though, I just don't waste my time. Most of the time I have plenty of other targets. And AMS only has a range of 90m.


When the only problem with your build is "2.5 tons of equipment + ammo can turn my entire 'mech into a useless paper weight" it's time to rethink your build. What if TWO people have AMS? Three? Four? What if they're clustered with everyone else, covering their allies?

Suddenly you are down to 55 tons of worthlessness.

Now, say, take a Griffin running 2x15 or the 15/10/5 skew; that'll crack the toughest AMS reasonably in one huge salvo. It'll have TAG, meaning it could track your 100kph Kintaro (but not you tracking the Griffin back without TAG.) It's going to deliver way more damage - including to faster moving targets even without the lasers (Again, TAG track rates), too.

If you're looking at "How can I get the most bang for my ton?" then...

View PostStomp, on 15 January 2014 - 04:24 PM, said:

I've attempted other LRM boats in the past, and I've always struggled to bring my damage up. Between watching 30 missiles eat dirt in my Catapult, I'd bring this Kintaro every time, and with tonnage restrictions this build will look even better. Anything slower than my 'Taro just isn't fast enough to hold those locks, and the one thing I don't count on is locks from my team. :P I'm usually in the midst of the fray, letting mediums get taken down right beside me as I LRM their moving heavies and assaults, giving my team plenty of time to clean up the lighter enemies. Pair my LRMtaro with a StreakTaro and you've got the perfect team of mechs to solidify a number of areas of team play: guarding rear, and putting pressure on the enemy. I've used these builds exceptionally well when I team with my GF, and have had a blast!


Again, speed is definitely a good thing. You're honestly in an "Almost there" kind of situation. I think if you were to swap to 2x15+Artemis and throw a TAG on there, you would see an actual huge upswing in your damage. Granted I prefer the Griffin and Hawk yet due to JJs being such a huge help, but the Kintaro can do a reasonable job of it.

View PostStomp, on 15 January 2014 - 04:24 PM, said:

So I guess what I'm saying is that this LRM boat works for me. I love debating merits of builds, and I do agree bigger missile volley boats benefit greatly from these upgrades, but I'll stubbornly defend this build til it no longer works, or until PGI nerfs it into the ground. :P


Nobody's stopping you from using it, but it's definitely not defensible on any practical grounds.

#366 Itsalrightwithme

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Posted 16 January 2014 - 11:38 AM

Victor, may I suggest that you edit the first post to include smurfies of several LRM builds that you recommend? I am curious to try the GRF-3M or 1N, or maybe even the WVR-6R or 7K. I'd try the SHD, but I don't like having to switch back and forth and the 2D2 as you know is set for 12-mans ...

Thanks, man!

#367 Victor Morson

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Posted 16 January 2014 - 11:50 AM

View PostTesunie, on 15 January 2014 - 09:20 PM, said:

Dedication, yes. Speed? Not so much. Granted, as an LRM skirmisher, speed is important. For LRMs in general, not so much. It depends upon how you play.


Controlling the engagement range is always important for LRMs, even if you aren't planning on firing at full speed a lot. You cannot dictate engagement ranges when you are moving in the 50s-60s.

View PostTesunie, on 15 January 2014 - 09:20 PM, said:

My Stalker has taken on Cats, Phrats, Atlases, Spiders, Ravens... you name it and it's been taking it on. So, to say that I will lose in my Stalker is not true. It all depends upon what happens on the battlefield.


No, I'm saying against any proper missile skirmisher, your Stalker would be eaten for breakfast and that it would not even leave some chipped paint on one in return. Which is true.

View PostTesunie, on 15 January 2014 - 09:20 PM, said:

In my Stalker, I don't need to control the range so much.. Outside 270m is good. Inside 180m is good. Between 270m and 190m, that's where my build get really scarey and everything starts to shot off. I also can evade LRMs just fine with my Stalker, either I twist my torso to a good section, or I duck back behind the hill/building/terrain I'm using for cover and let that disrupt the lock for me and the terrain to take away the LRM damage.


Where you make the mistake is thinking "inside 180m is good because I have weapons that hit within 180."

The problem is reality is this: "Inside 180m is good because I have less firepower than a Jenner in a slow turning assault 'mech." Again, I would seriously pit any one of my unit's light pilots against your Stalker and you'd never, ever walk away from it.

View PostTesunie, on 15 January 2014 - 09:20 PM, said:

Anyone specialized will do me damage. That is the strength of specialty builds. However, taken out of their element, they will fail. Get too close to an LRM mech and they are useless. Stay too far away from a Brawler, and they are useless. Having a slightly more diverse build makes it so I am never "useless" and always able to protect myself and preform on the battlefield. If a fast mech decides to try and make me lunch, I can at least handle them. Your design, being a pure boat, will just become lunch with a satisfying snap, crackle, pop when the lasers get poured over you.


OK, there's a huge difference between the kinds of builds based on what you are talking about. Let me break down the difference and why one is bad, one is good.

BAD: [BRACKETED BUILDS] - Builds that have weapons with different range cut-offs and limited overlap. These always result in a 'mech that is inferior to what it could be in two brackets, rather than being the good in either. This is effectively what you are doing it; it is not adding flexibility, it's taking it away.

GOOD: [ALL-RANGE BUILDS] - Builds that use weapons that are reliable at (most) any range. This is why the AC/5, UAC/5 and PPCs are so popular in the competitive community. They are highly responsive, fire at the drop of the hat, and can do long range, close range, or anything in between just fine without having "cut off" zones where X or Y gun stops working (outside of the small minimum on regular PPCs.)

View PostTesunie, on 15 January 2014 - 09:20 PM, said:

One of the tricks of a balanced build is to try and approach a specialized build in their weak spot. If you are a Brawler, I am going to try and either kill, or weaken, them at range. If you are an LRM mech, then I will try to avoid you at range, and close in where I can "play around with my food" and kill you. However, at the same given time, if I am fighting an LRM mech at range, I'm not going to be completely helpless against them. At the same time, if a Brawler comes into me, I can at least do some damage (or even kill) before they get me, and thus is not completely helpless there either.


Except, again, that's why LRM boats need speed: So they can't be hounded like that. Your Stalker will NEVER close the distance on my Shadow Hawk. Your Stalker will NEVER do severe damage to my Shadow Hawk, long or close - in particularly long - of any serious consequence, unless it's legged or something. However my Shadow Hawk would deliver about 90% of it's ordinance right into the top of your 'mech, smacking your CT every single salvo thanks to TAG/Artemis/all the other stuff we've talked about.

Again, I'm not saying this because of personal skill or anything, I'm saying this because that's just how the mechanics are right now. I've mass murdered LRM Stalkers more than any other kind of LRM boat out there and it plays out the same every single time.

As a side note, with a TAG, you do at least stand some chance of winging the medium in the process. Without one, you have no hope.

View PostItsalrightwithme, on 16 January 2014 - 11:38 AM, said:

Victor, may I suggest that you edit the first post to include smurfies of several LRM builds that you recommend? I am curious to try the GRF-3M or 1N, or maybe even the WVR-6R or 7K. I'd try the SHD, but I don't like having to switch back and forth and the 2D2 as you know is set for 12-mans ...

Thanks, man!


Will do man. ;) I don't think Smurfy's works on my tablet but I will take care of it as soon as I'm on the regular comp again. It might though, going to have to give it a shot!

Edited by Victor Morson, 16 January 2014 - 11:55 AM.


#368 MechPorn

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Posted 16 January 2014 - 06:38 PM

View PostVictor Morson, on 09 December 2013 - 09:20 PM, said:

Thou shalt carry at least 25 missiles per salvo.
Unlike many weapon systems, there is a direct counter to LRMs - the Anti-Missile System (AMS). This will decimate a number of missiles in each flight, and all allied AMS will cover teammates. As such, you need to make sure you are firing at least 25 to 30 missiles per salvo or the vast majority of your firepower will be shot down before it reaches the target.

This all depends on how you launch your missiles. There are ways around the Anti-Missile System currently in place:

1. Launch one, then launch the rest right after.
a. The AMS will target the first set of Missiles coming, allowing the huge punch on the second more deadly volley.
b. If you have enough Ammo, you can wear down their ammo for the AMS (usually players will only take one ton).
c. Launch them all at once for a big impact.
2. You can get away with just a few launchers and you don’t need to have a minimum of 25 missiles per salvo.
3. As with any defense in place, study were the Anti-Missile Systems are. Then move your ‘Mech to more advantageous positions to limit their impact.

View PostVictor Morson, on 09 December 2013 - 09:20 PM, said:

Thou shalt always inspect thy missile port numbers.
On top of hardpoints and weapon sizes as limiting factors, next we have to talk about Missile Ports. This can get a bit confusing. Basically, for every launcher port in a location, one missile can be fired out of it. Some launchers will dynamically reconfigure when this happens, such as on the Catapult, while others are fixed. Often these fixed ports are NARC or Streak ports that allow for a single missile at a time and do not update; this can be found on the Trebuchet.

You should always make sure that at a minimum, all of your missiles can clear the tubes without impacting the weapons recycle rate. i.e. an LRM/20 in a single port launcher will take longer to fire than to recycle!


One of the best tactics with missiles is to stream them. This bounces their cockpit around and makes it difficult to continue to aim at enemy ‘Mechs. Having more missiles then your “ports” allows for greater streaming of the missiles and spaces them out over a longer period of time. This secondary or third salvo from one launch is awesome for this.

If your basic strategy is to throw out all your salvos at once, or stick to cannon, I could see your contention for matching up your ports.

View PostVictor Morson, on 09 December 2013 - 09:20 PM, said:

Thou shalt always carry a Beagle Active Probe (BAP)
Aside from it's advantages in the targeting department, BAP is notable at countering the LRM's worst enemy - the ECM. Up close, without BAP, a single ECM 'mech will interrupt your targeting - rendering your weapons and any in flight missiles suddenly useless. This alone, in addition to it's targeting properties, make this a must have item for every LRM boat. No exceptions.


BAP is the worse tool to counter ECM. The only one you might have any success against, is the Atlas. The rest of the ‘Mechs can dive into your 180 meter range too quickly. The only reason to take it (and I have it most of my LRM boats) is to increase your targeting range and speed of targeting enemy ‘Mechs. If you have issues with ECM, it is better to take TAG.

View PostVictor Morson, on 09 December 2013 - 09:20 PM, said:

Thou shalt always carry Targeting Acquisition Gear (TAG)
The other counter to ECM on the battlefield, aside from PPCs (which cause a brief window a target can be locked) is TAG. For only a single ton, TAG is the single most important piece of gear for an LRM 'mech. It can:
  • Interrupt ECM inside of 750m
  • Speed locking times dramatically
  • Make a lock hold for longer, if they get to cover
  • Tightens missile grouping, allowing for more on-target damage
  • Strengthens missile tracking, allowing for accurate hits against lights & mediums!
Since there is little downside other than a visual signature for firing it, you can place it in a group with your missile weapons in addition to all other weapon groups, and not even have to worry about micromanaging it. It's superior in every single way to the NARC (which takes ammunition, is four times as heavy, and does not stack with Artemis) and a must have piece of gear without exception.


I agree.

View PostVictor Morson, on 09 December 2013 - 09:20 PM, said:

Thou shalt always carry Artemis!
Another must have piece of gear for a properly fit LRM 'mech is Artemis. Artemis will greatly tighten the missile spread, stacking with TAG, when you have line of sight on a target. This makes the difference between damage that is spread out and mostly useless, and that is clustered up and devastating. Any LRM equipped 'mech without Artemis, which also speeds locking time, is at a grave disadvantage to dealing damage.


Artemis is junk. Why would I add one ton and one slot for every missile launcher that I put on my ‘Mech. With four launchers that is 4 tons or 720 missiles that I lose putting that into the ‘Mech.

Getting a slighter tighter pack on the missile launches will not help you against light and medium ‘Mechs. Maybe after they fix LRMs targeting against fast movers, this can change. But, you also have issues with ‘Mechs just turning around can spread the damage out on even an Assault.

Balancing between slightly tighter missile pack for “maybe” slightly more damage or slapping more speed, more ammo, more weapons, more armor or more gear is a no brainer. Dump the Artemis for more more more.

View PostVictor Morson, on 09 December 2013 - 09:20 PM, said:

Thou shalt never defy Ghost Heat
The much hated mechanic Ghost Heat is in particular confusing with LRMs. In summary, you will begin taking unnecessary heat if you exceeed two "primary" launchers, sizes 10-20. LRM/5s do not count towards this limit. This means that the following math is accurate at the time of this writing:

2x LRM20 2x LRM5 (50 Missiles) = No Ghost Heat
1x LRM20 3x LRM10 (50 Missiles) = 4x LRM/20 Ghost Heat
3x LRM15 1x LRM5 (50 Missiles) = 3x LRM/15 Ghost Heat, none from LRM/5

It's just gets more confusing but that's the gist. You want any design to have TWO main launchers, with additional LRM5s, and no more than that. You also do not want to chain fire or group-fire delay LRMs as missiles-per-salvo is needed.. see commandment #1.


LOL. There are times to throw the full salvo, pairs, or stream them. Just saying do it my way, is silly.

1. Sometimes it’s wise to take that ghost heat to get that kill, to make the enemy “decide” that going over that hill “is” a bad idea.
2. Sometimes it’s wise to stream people while they are engaging your allies to continually bounce their ability to aim.
3. I throw away launches to force enemies back into cover, or make the lights seek cover instead of rushing my allies and so much more.
4. That warning that appears on your enemies screen is more your ally, then your enemies.
a. Fear of damage.
b. Fear of being targeted.
c. Fear of being killed.
d. Fear of being seen.
e. Fear of the open spaces on the map.

View PostVictor Morson, on 09 December 2013 - 09:20 PM, said:

Thou shalt take an Adv. Target Decay Module
This module is absolutely key of you enjoy LRMs at all, and is more must have gear. Adding several seconds of a maintained lock once the signal is broken, this allows you to sink many, many shots taken on victims that have gotten to cover than you ever would otherwise. Saves literally tons of missed ammunition.


Agreed.

View PostVictor Morson, on 09 December 2013 - 09:20 PM, said:

Thou shalt always stay over 88kph
Without exception, missiles should be put onto 'mechs that can move quickly; the closer to 100 the better. LRMs need to stay within 180m (minimum range) and 750m (where TAG functions) to do the most damage, and in order to do that, they need to be fast enough to keep their distance and range shots!

A fast moving LRM boat can flee to allies against a close range attacker, can keep minimum distance on a heavy attempting to close with it (firing all the while), and also dodge a large number of incoming LRMs, allowing them to bring down far, far heavier LRM boats. With the Ghost Heat limits, the optimal number of launchers can be placed on a medium like a Centurion or Shadow Hawk without issue!


This is a silly rule, reminds me of Monty Pythons Silly Walk skit. There is no minimum or maximum speed for Missile ‘Mechs. It all pertains to your skill, allies, pugs, and so much more.

View PostVictor Morson, on 09 December 2013 - 09:20 PM, said:

Thou shalt always try to maintain line of sight!
While indirect fire is what new players most often complain about and feels like an easy way to get damage, it should be a last resort when you are crippled or when you have some spare ammunition and are on your way to better shots.

To do the REAL damage, you need to be maintaining direct line of sight with a TAG lock. That's how your missiles go from an annoying scatter shot rain, to a brutal focused ball of death. Positively always be jockeying for these kinds of positions, furhtering the importance of moving quickly!


Why would you show yourself…you have an indirect fire weapon that causes a large amount of damage and fear? Better to remain anonymous and only let them see your name when you kill them.

View PostVictor Morson, on 09 December 2013 - 09:20 PM, said:

Thou shalt always control their fire!
When using different sized launchers, you need to make some calls on how to operate them. Effectively:
  • Against AMS - Wait until your largest longer recycles before firing a new salvo each time.
  • Against non-AMS - Continually fire as fast as your launchers can recycle until you become too warm, then switch to group fire.
Again, avoid chain fire against AMS targets, and in general a big group is better than chained shots; I make an exception when using mismatched launchers since this can allow you to gain a lot of extra DPS against a non-AMS target.


Again…depends on the situation.

#369 1453 R

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Posted 16 January 2014 - 08:05 PM

PEOPLE.

SERIOUSLY.

AMS does not have all sorts of funky-munky bizarre rules and stipulations and behaviors you can massage and manipulate like the enemy A.I. in an MMO. You cannot 'fox it' by firing an LRM-5 a second in front of your main attack. You cannot get waves of missiles past it by sacrificing smaller waves of missiles.

The AMS system does not shoot down enemy missiles. It is not a gun with ballistics and targeting algorithms. Yes, it spews little bullets and makes a bullet-spewing noise, but so does the machine gun and the machine gun is a hitscan weapon functionally identical to an unlimited-beam laser. The AMS is a dome of missile death centered on your BattleMech. Any missile salvo entering the dome will lose one missile per tic of AMS 'fire' while it is in the dome. If a salvo enters multiple domes, it loses multiple missiles, one per each dome's tic. The only way to reduce AMS' effect against your missiles is to reduce the amount of time your missiles are in the AMS death-dome, or to increase the number of missiles in the dome such that AMS can only tic through so many of them.

LRMs cannot employ the former method, which is the territory of point-blank SRM fire, but the latter method is freely available. AND IS THE ONLY THING THAT WORKS. Spreading out your salvos, in any way, only means that the AMS missile death dome gets more tics with which to ablate your attacks.

Can we please dispense with the "How to Fool the AMS" tomfoolery now?

Edited by 1453 R, 16 January 2014 - 08:05 PM.


#370 MechPorn

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Posted 16 January 2014 - 08:51 PM

View Post1453 R, on 16 January 2014 - 08:05 PM, said:

PEOPLE.

SERIOUSLY.

AMS does not have all sorts of funky-munky bizarre rules and stipulations and behaviors you can massage and manipulate like the enemy A.I. in an MMO. You cannot 'fox it' by firing an LRM-5 a second in front of your main attack. You cannot get waves of missiles past it by sacrificing smaller waves of missiles.

The AMS system does not shoot down enemy missiles. It is not a gun with ballistics and targeting algorithms. Yes, it spews little bullets and makes a bullet-spewing noise, but so does the machine gun and the machine gun is a hitscan weapon functionally identical to an unlimited-beam laser. The AMS is a dome of missile death centered on your BattleMech. Any missile salvo entering the dome will lose one missile per tic of AMS 'fire' while it is in the dome. If a salvo enters multiple domes, it loses multiple missiles, one per each dome's tic. The only way to reduce AMS' effect against your missiles is to reduce the amount of time your missiles are in the AMS death-dome, or to increase the number of missiles in the dome such that AMS can only tic through so many of them.

LRMs cannot employ the former method, which is the territory of point-blank SRM fire, but the latter method is freely available. AND IS THE ONLY THING THAT WORKS. Spreading out your salvos, in any way, only means that the AMS missile death dome gets more tics with which to ablate your attacks.

Can we please dispense with the "How to Fool the AMS" tomfoolery now?


I did not know this. I was assuming that it was a impacting just the volley first via the visuals in the game.

#371 Tesunie

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Posted 16 January 2014 - 10:13 PM

View PostStomp, on 16 January 2014 - 01:08 AM, said:


Well it's not a secret per se, but now that you've mentioned it I just PMed it to you. I've found ammo in your legs isn't nearly so bad in an assault, but I rarely play them so YMMV. I mean, the Stalker mounts how much armor into a single leg? 72 points says Smurfys. I'd think it would take a lot of concentrated fire to take a leg, when it would be quicker to maim you with a side torso shot, or kill if you're a less than clever man. ;)

But in regards to my build, I've found I get more mileage with the ER Large than a normal Large, simply because I can use it in conjunction with the LRMs to peg a mech and soften him up with damage he can't shoot down. The Large's range is only 450m, and while that's my optimal operating ranges, I find I'm also fighting mostly farther as well. I try to attack "preoccupied" mechs, either harassed by lights or under fire from other mechs. That way, my LRMs have plenty of time to arrive and start knocking the {Scrap} out of him. I don't use the ML unless I'm being attacked up close myself, but I've gotten plenty of kills with the ERLL+ML combo, right as they're torn apart and charging me thinking I'll be worthless up close. Boy are they mistaken. 14 damage into a side torso takes half their guns or murders them, which makes them easy pickings, especially since he just bumrushed into me AND my team.


Looks good. I figured if you had a couple extra sinks to cover the ER, then dropping the ER for a large and dropping the extra sinks could clear up some room. However, the ER laser gives you punch, even if ECM might be in the way. I do like your build. The small launchers keeps the weight down (instead of the larger ones), and you can still (something Victor isn't thinking about) group fire them into a single large burst, as much as you can chain fire and shake someone, harass and damage them.

Out right ignore Victor about lasers. Those can in fact scare away some light mechs, or if anything can at least do some damage before they kill you if you aren't lucky. Personally, I probably would so something different. I'll message my ideas to you, but your build looks nice to me. Especially for a medium.

View PostVictor Morson, on 16 January 2014 - 11:33 AM, said:


Again, everyone is welcomed to play however they want. But a lot of people keep jumping to this "My playstyle" defense. It doesn't work that way, if you're planning to be effective. You've got to play in the styles the game accommodates, or suffer for it.

Could you go play a modern FPS and say it's just "your playstyle" to use pistols and flashbangs only? Sure. Is it in anyway a ticket to success? Nope.

The reason I pick these builds apart is for people reading this thread, to understand why they are bad, more than anything.


So, once again, "anyone can play what they want, but you suck if you don't do it my way" statement.

Playstyle. The reason I can play a Hollander 3 styled Cicada 3C well, even when people tell me it's a horribad build (and keep being told it needs DHS, even though it already never overheats with SHS). Or why my Cicadas are bad because the "Jenner can do it better". Or why my slow AC20/LRM Shadowhawk is bad, yet I commonly outperform most of my team in it. Or why my LRM/laser hunchback is so bad, but yet I commonly do good damage with it, and preform better than over half my team, AND have lots of fun with it. My Raven 4x, which is so inferior to to any other Raven build according to other people, is one of my highest killers (and no one else thinks of having a light mech stand near their team, supporting them till the time is right to rush in and attack, then withdraw back behind the team). Or my Locust 3S, which is called the worst locust variant in the game, and I have my Locust 3S going 80-90 KPH with the smallest engine possible on it, 2 LRM5s and 2 SRM2 w 2 tons LRM ammo and 1 ton SRM ammo, yet I out preform my other Locusts in kills, assists AND damage in my "terribad Locust" "Slow light mechs sucks" mech.

My playstyle combines many different weapons systems and tactics together, making them more effective in my hands than in most other player's hands. Can these builds work for the generalized masses? Most times, no, because they don't/wont play them the same way I do. This is called, playstyle. I have a style of play that works well for me, even if it doesn't work well for other people, if might even be close to suicide for other people. This is why many of us chime in that "this is the build I use, and it works well with my playstyle". This is fact. We all play things differently.

Honestly, if I tried to play an LRM mech in the skirmisher like you do, even with the same exact builds as you use, I probably wouldn't/couldn't get half the performance you do. I'd probably drift too close to the enemy. Not have enough mouse buttons for all the different weapon groupings (my mouse only has 2 buttons on it). I would probably stand still (get stuck, land/jump at the wrong time) and get killed quickly. Or, knowing how my luck works, I'd have a light on me too soon, and they would follow me and slowly rip me apart before I could deliver most of my weapons payload. I might even drift too far away from the team, because I might not be use to moving so much (not really, as I tend to play a lot of light/fast mechs stil)l, and become gang killed by half of the enemy team focus firing on me. I might charge too soon. Join in too late. Fire indirectly too much...

Basically, your style of game play doesn't equal the same way I play. What you do, how you do it, and what comes naturally to you might not work for me at all. It's like with art, I can draw well in an Anime style. Some people can draw well in a realistic style. Others can only draw stick figures. Even if I show them how I draw, it might never work for them, because it might not be an art style that is intuitive to them. Same for this game and how to play our mechs.

View PostVictor Morson, on 16 January 2014 - 11:33 AM, said:

Do you really think a single Medium Laser - a single one - is going to benefit you more than a TAG in this scenario? A single medium laser has accomplished pretty much nothing ever, but a TAG has had a huge impact. This seems very unwise.

You'd have a far easier time guiding those shots in to faster 'mechs if you had TAG, too, because it enhances their tracking rate dramatically.


To continue on from last quote, one case in point is right here. You think a single laser can't do much, but once more fail to realize that it's paired with a large laser as well. So that's two lasers. He might also be better than you at keeping those lasers on target, meaning they might be better "for him" at taking on, and out, light mechs. It's no different than saying that a single SSRM isn't going to be effective against a light mech, but when paired with, say, two or three medium lasers, it starts to add up to being rather threatening. (And if that light comes at you with a red leg/torso, those lasers/SSRMs might be the difference between him eating you, and you easily scaring him away, or killing him.)

Don't know about everyone else, but as I said, my mouse only has two buttons. I don't have a button for TAG on many of my mechs, and I'm not going to flicker it or waste shots to activate TAG. Or go all pure LRMs and gain the huge blaring weaknesses of doing so.

You realize, as you say this, that I've had lights somehow outrun SSRMs fired at near point blank, and they somehow turned and dodged them as they exploded harmlessly off their backs... (don't ask, but I've seen it happen a few times already). Either this is more of the hit reg not working right, or missile tracking strength doesn't always mean what you think it does...

Besides that, we never argued that TAG wasn't a worth while upgrade. However, we don't see it as the end all be all of LRM usage. My LRMs hit and do plenty of damage and tracking without TAG. Also, unlike you, if my LRMs aren't doing the job, then I can still close in if I must. I don't even have to expose myself if I don't want to and wait for my team to get ride of the ECM... (situation dependent, team dependent)

View PostVictor Morson, on 16 January 2014 - 11:33 AM, said:

I'm going to be completely honest with you: If a Raven or Jenner pilot can't deal with an ER LL and ML on a Kintaro, they are baaaaad. That is simply not enough firepower to counter lights, and on top of that, the ERLL's fairly lengthy discharge time makes it a terrible anti-light weapon.

Those powerful 2 ER LL Ravens going around? Yeah, they can't even dent a proper light. They're amazing anti-heavy but it's just a horrible, horrible weapons platform to kill scouts.


Or he is good? Have that crossed your mind? Could he be more skilled with those two lasers, and with the chassis, to be able to threaten and take down such builds or mechs? Is this actually even a possibility in your mind? I've found large lasers to be very effective at hurting lights. In most cases, a large can deal more damage in a shorter time than a med laser, simply because it does more damage per "tick", even if it does run longer.

Talk to my wingman. He piloted a dual Large Raven (back a while ago, before it became "meta" for them) with SSRMs (I think) (because they where larges and not ERs, he saved on sinks). He could handle other light mechs, even with no Streaks and only his lasers. I watched him personally take on other "light hunting ravens" and kill them with just his large lasers before they could kill him, and he'd take two of them on (usually an ECM commando and ECM Raven working together). I'm not joking here either.

Of course, to you any laser is a bad weapon for anything. Seen as 4-6 med lasers is not enough to defend yourself from anything... ;)

View PostVictor Morson, on 16 January 2014 - 11:33 AM, said:

When the only problem with your build is "2.5 tons of equipment + ammo can turn my entire 'mech into a useless paper weight" it's time to rethink your build. What if TWO people have AMS? Three? Four? What if they're clustered with everyone else, covering their allies?

Suddenly you are down to 55 tons of worthlessness.

Now, say, take a Griffin running 2x15 or the 15/10/5 skew; that'll crack the toughest AMS reasonably in one huge salvo. It'll have TAG, meaning it could track your 100kph Kintaro (but not you tracking the Griffin back without TAG.) It's going to deliver way more damage - including to faster moving targets even without the lasers (Again, TAG track rates), too.

If you're looking at "How can I get the most bang for my ton?" then...


Ah, but HIS ENTIRE MECH ISN'T USELESS. He can still fight with his ERLL and med laser, and still be able to group fire his LRMs (or very quickly chain fire them, and if he can shoot them close enough, AMS probably wont even touch his second and fourth waves of missiles, at least from my observations with missiles and AMS) to try and punch through. Or, as he stated, he could just use one volley at a time to rapidly drain the AMS systems of ammo. If he can get enough of them to waste their ammo on a single LRM5 volley, he might leave the enemy team more vulnerable to other LRMs, or his own if he still has ammo. With this concept, let them cluster. He will just drain more AMS ammo faster that way.

Oh, and same goes for you. What if there are 5-12 AMS in range of your incoming LRMs? I'm sure even your Skirmisher LRM mech would become hard pressed against that. His Kintaro on the other hand can at least still fight with those lasers...

Okay, you want to talk about breaking through AMS, wouldn't the best way be to bring as many tubs as possible to launch in one volley (by your narrow concepts of AMS), and launch them all at once? LET IT RAIN! Artemis would be a hindrance now, as it takes up too much weight. Better go without it so you can cram more launchers in... oh wait... CONTRADICTION!

You just don't get it. Do you? There are so many different, and very viable, ways to play LRMs. Some are, yes, more effective at dealing damage than others, but even I've been known to shoot LRMs I knew would miss, just to press a sniper back into cover and protect my team. But you wouldn't understand this, would you? It wouldn't be "damage effective".

View PostVictor Morson, on 16 January 2014 - 11:33 AM, said:

Again, speed is definitely a good thing. You're honestly in an "Almost there" kind of situation. I think if you were to swap to 2x15+Artemis and throw a TAG on there, you would see an actual huge upswing in your damage. Granted I prefer the Griffin and Hawk yet due to JJs being such a huge help, but the Kintaro can do a reasonable job of it.

Nobody's stopping you from using it, but it's definitely not defensible on any practical grounds.


Once again, "Do it my way or you suck", as he is "almost there". It's what works for him, like my Stalker works for me.

View PostVictor Morson, on 16 January 2014 - 11:50 AM, said:


Controlling the engagement range is always important for LRMs, even if you aren't planning on firing at full speed a lot. You cannot dictate engagement ranges when you are moving in the 50s-60s.

No, I'm saying against any proper missile skirmisher, your Stalker would be eaten for breakfast and that it would not even leave some chipped paint on one in return. Which is true.


We have different roles we are preforming with each of our mechs.

I'm more or less an LRM brawler, using them at closer ranges, but have them to also help support my team if possible/needed.

He's a medium, mobile LRM support, who is not intended to work by himself, but in a team (much like my mech). He's designed to attack unsuspecting pray, people who are too distracted with a teammate to bother with a medium mech.

You, on the other hand, are designed to be a solo operator as an LRM skirmisher, who is designed to flank, move, and deal as much damage as possible before you need to back away. Your design needs to control range or it fails.

The difference is, our designs don't need to control ranges, so when the fight comes to us, we can hold our own. A fast mech gets to you, you... what? Try to out run a Jenner? Wait, no. You basically die without giving much of a fight once he's on top of you... But if that doesn't happen, you will take anyone else apart, especially if they are unaware of you, or are not near any cover. (I never said your strategy was bad, but it isn't the only effective thing around.)

View PostVictor Morson, on 16 January 2014 - 11:50 AM, said:

Where you make the mistake is thinking "inside 180m is good because I have weapons that hit within 180."

The problem is reality is this: "Inside 180m is good because I have less firepower than a Jenner in a slow turning assault 'mech." Again, I would seriously pit any one of my unit's light pilots against your Stalker and you'd never, ever walk away from it.


Just some common light builds I hear about.
My Stalker has 4 med lasers and 2 SSRM2s for close range weapons. That's 30 damage total, 10 of which will, in theory, "always hit". (I also know my mech very well, and I can, in fact, keep a fast target in my sights longer than you think.)

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...f6704081e9382c4 - 6 med lasers, and not enough cooling to normally handle them for long. A striker. Now, let me do the math: 6 med lasers (which seem to do nothing in your opinion anyway) deal 5 damage a piece. That's 30 damage total. Seems like the same to me, but your opinion of lasers and their damage makes it so I trump with the SSRMs, as they aren't lasers. So, we have 6 med laser Jenner doing 0-3 points of damage per alpha in your opinion... (as you keep saying 4-6 med lasers are useless.) (Really, it's 30 damage vs my 30 damage, sarcasm aside.)

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...c6ffb5465f4c271 - My current Jenner build for myself. Has 4 med lasers and 2 SSRM2s... wait... that sounds familiar. Well, compared to my Stalker, that's 30 damage vs... 30 damage! Again! Same exact armaments! And I can run them cooler on my Stalker, longer, and STILL have my LRMs...

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...075ce51a10cc86f - A semi-typical Spider (or at least something close to the Spider I run). 1 Large and 2 Med lasers. That's 19 damage total. Once more, vs my 30 damage of my Stalker... and I have 10 damage of SSRMs...

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...75a18d8a8823912 - A Raven 3L build, though I'm not overly familiar with Ravens overall beside my 4X. But, 3 med lasers and 2 SSRM2s. That 25 damage total, vs my Stalker's 30 damage...

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...82ed6a2cda16ef3 - A Commando build I know use to be a big deal. 3 SSRM2s. 15 damage. That's half the fire power of my Stalkers 30 damage...

So far, seems like I match, or exceed, many of these common light builds with my close range weaponry. This means, I'm a threat to them. Especially with 10 SSRM damage. I have the armor to take their hits, can they say the same? So, what you say is basically a lie. Congrats. (Either that or you still didn't really look at my Stalker build.)

As far as "your unit's lights" vs me and my Stalker, if it could be kept as a one vs one, I'd take it. I think I'd even come out on top too. Why? Look above. I have, typically, as much weaponry as they do, and deal as much damage as they do. But I have more armor. My rear armor is a lot of lights front armor (some exaggeration included).

View PostVictor Morson, on 16 January 2014 - 11:50 AM, said:

OK, there's a huge difference between the kinds of builds based on what you are talking about. Let me break down the difference and why one is bad, one is good.

BAD: [BRACKETED BUILDS] - Builds that have weapons with different range cut-offs and limited overlap. These always result in a 'mech that is inferior to what it could be in two brackets, rather than being the good in either. This is effectively what you are doing it; it is not adding flexibility, it's taking it away.

GOOD: [ALL-RANGE BUILDS] - Builds that use weapons that are reliable at (most) any range. This is why the AC/5, UAC/5 and PPCs are so popular in the competitive community. They are highly responsive, fire at the drop of the hat, and can do long range, close range, or anything in between just fine without having "cut off" zones where X or Y gun stops working (outside of the small minimum on regular PPCs.)


So, we agree. All range weapons are normally better than bracket ranged weapons. So, the LRMs are junk. So... why did you waste making a guide for a "junk" weapon that you "know" is junk? (Sarcasm)

Anyways, if Bracketed weapons are bad, then by THAT logic, balancing out the "bad" bracket weapons with some direct fire all range weapons helps to counter the weaknesses of the bracketed weapons. Yes?

My Stalker may be "best" in an 80m window between 270-190m (I cut 10m off from the LRMs minimum range for a small buffer zone), but it can easily function outside and inside that range "bracket". I also tend to use my LRMs as indirect far more than you would probably suggest. However, I'm also not afraid to get my own locks. Also, a lot of brawlers and other players seem to like staying inside that nice bracket range from my observations. They seem to just like to let me pummel them with all my weapons. Even then, I've taken out Atlases with my close range only weapons, as I concentrated my Lasers into a side troso, and my SSRMs seemed to do the same somehow. Got lucky? Maybe. But I did get him anyway.

For the record, I'm talking about a Balanced Build, not a "Bracketed Build". I didn't design the build to be effective in one bracket, but to not be "useless" at any one situation. Especially with how slow the mech is, it NEEDS to have those defensive weapons, as you so clearly pointed out.

You also forget, builds don't have to be made for "solo" use only. My builds, many of them, are designed to work within a team. They typically do very intuitively. A lot of your builds and suggestions are for a more "solo" style of play, and that isn't bad either. Your builds are also more "high risk, high reward". My builds try to mitigate the risk, but that typically also mitigates and reduces most chances of a higher reward. However, when things go really bad, I'm normally still a good performer, at least placing enough damage to be considered contributing. With you, when things go really bad, you can do less damage than me, as I mitigated the risk. That is the difference between a Specialized "high risk, high reward" build and a balanced "mitigated risk, normalized/stable rewards". I normally, even at the worse "head shot out" matches, still tend to do at least 200 damage, and maybe even a kill already. (I have a screen shot of that match end score if you really wish.) Your worse case would be to have the first mech you see be a fast mech, who kills you with you doing 0 damage. Your risk is greater. And because I normally do at least 200 damage and upwards to (so far I've maxed at) 800 damage with 1-4 kills, I have more stable rewards and less risk.

See the point of a balanced build verse a specialized build yet? You might see larger "kills/damage" amounts on a more regular basis, but when you wipe, you can really wipe bad. I'll still see those higher damages, and I might see the high spikes of kills/damage less often, but I'm a more stable performer, with more stabilized results.

If you really want to see the comparison of what I am talking about, post a build up here, and post the corresponding stats. If possible, post the stats that relate to when you started that specific build. (For me, the match number will be low, as I just redefined my Stalker, but I have the break off stats I can use to separate old stats from the new ones. Or we can just lump all of my Stalker's stats together, old and new, and compare. However, my Stalker has a low match count from when they started to track individual mech stats, as it was already mastered before that system was put into place.) With this information, we can see average stat numbers on damage per match, damage per ton per match, and k/d with that mech. (Too bad it doesn't keep track of assists. I have bad luck getting kills, as someone always seems to slip in the last bit of damage on me, even if I did all/most of the work killing the target.) This system may not be perfect, but it would give up some concepts to at least compare, and wouldn't be each of us just throwing "cherry picked best matches end screens" up.

View PostVictor Morson, on 16 January 2014 - 11:50 AM, said:

Except, again, that's why LRM boats need speed: So they can't be hounded like that. Your Stalker will NEVER close the distance on my Shadow Hawk. Your Stalker will NEVER do severe damage to my Shadow Hawk, long or close - in particularly long - of any serious consequence, unless it's legged or something. However my Shadow Hawk would deliver about 90% of it's ordinance right into the top of your 'mech, smacking your CT every single salvo thanks to TAG/Artemis/all the other stuff we've talked about.

Again, I'm not saying this because of personal skill or anything, I'm saying this because that's just how the mechanics are right now. I've mass murdered LRM Stalkers more than any other kind of LRM boat out there and it plays out the same every single time.

As a side note, with a TAG, you do at least stand some chance of winging the medium in the process. Without one, you have no hope.


For the another time in this post I AM NOT AN LRM BOAT! Stop comparing me as though I am a boat! My mech CAN be hounded my a light, and I will either kill it (I actually hunt them down when I see allies being attacked by them), or scare it away to go pester someone else who will fight back less.

You missed the point of my example. What if you made a mistake, and GOT too close to my Stalker? Once you are placed outside of your element, you become useless, where as I don't HAVE an "outside my element". High risk, high reward. Mitigated risk, normalized rewards. You also think in terms of one vs one. I'm part of a team. So are you. We have to consider that as well, as my build is designed to work within a team, unlike your design. Also, you are comparing two different battlefield roles, and trying to determine one is better over the other by how they would deal against each other, of course in your builds "best" area. Well, by your logic, a Brawler is inferior to your LRM Skirmisher, as you can "trounce" them easily before they can "chip your paint". Well yeah, you took that Brawler, placed him outside his prime area, and place yourself in your prime area. Of course he is going to lose!

30 damage, max close range. You do 0 damage. Your typical armor on any one point is 52 points of armor. That's also 26 structure. If I can hit with 3 bursts, I can take a leg off. If you get within my "magic" zone, that's 60 damage potential. Yes. At that range, my LRMs will hit you, as you wont move fast enough to dodge them all, or even most of them. So, yes I can maim, or even kill, you with my close range weapons, situation dependent. So, to say you "always will" kill me, is an outright lie. The advantage may be in your favor, but never underestimate your opponent.

PS: If I twist to the side, your LRMs will hit mostly my side torso. Not my CT. Even with TAG and Artemis, and "Magic movement bonuses" or anything else you come up with. The Stalker, unlike the Battlemaster, has HUGE side torsos. They can easily get damage redirected to them and away from my CT. I've done it many times already, to LRMs among other forms of fire. You will probably have to take both my sides off before getting my CT destroyed, or very close to it. I normally die in my Stalker with no torso left at all.

Once more, you compare my Stalker to other "LRM" Stalkers, who was probably "LRM boats", whom my own Stalker has eaten alive itself, but surviving their LRMs long enough to get in close, and kill them with no farther damage. Sure, they can beat me up, but I typically win against them just because I don't "specialize" strictly into LRMs.

Now, once more, you are failing at this comparison issue, as you compare my LRM Brawler directly to your LRM Skirmisher, and pitting each against the other with no other team being considered. I am not the same build as you. I am not working with the same strategies nor tactics in mind. My mech is built to fulfill a different role on the battlefield than you. What you are comparing would be the same as comparing a Brawler Atlas, with a poptart Highlander. With your logic and comparison strategy, if you are the Sniper, you would place the Atlas at 1000+m away from you, with a nice hill between you. And then kill the Atlas with "no chipped paint". If you were arguing the brawler, you would have the fight start within 500-200m from the Highlander, with lots of cover, and you would "sneak up" on the Highlander and kill it, with maybe a dent in your armor as you "take a side from the XL sniping Poptart" quickly and with ease.


As for the TAG comment, "Obi wan kenobi, you are my only hope." Or "(without the Matrix of leadership we have) No hope. No hope, no hope at all." I still refute your opinion on this, as I can leg/arm/kill fast light mechs with my mech, with LRMs or not. You move slower. So, sorry. I can hit you. I can kill you. You are not indestructible. I can win. How easy, how often, or how well I can win is a different story, but it is possible. Even if the advantage is yours, I can win. It is possible, even if it isn't likely.



And for the record:
My new Stalker: http://mwo.smurfy-ne...96a221aea6eb8d2
My old Stalker: http://mwo.smurfy-ne...3a07913ba3ee52c (Something like this, exacts not guaranteed)
My old score with old build:
Matches: 21 Wins: 10 Lose: 11 W/L: 0.91 Kills: 22 Deaths: 15 K/D: 1.47 Damage: 6,010 Damage per match: 286.19 Damage per ton per match: 3.37
Total Score:
Matches: 38 Wins: 18 Lose: 20 W/L: 0.90 Kills: 37 Death: 25 K/D: 1.48 Damage: 13,256 Damage per Match: 348.84 Damage per ton per match: 4.10
My New Score only:
Matches: 17 Wins: 8 Lose: 9 W/L: 0.89 Kills: 15 Deaths: 10 K/D: 1.50 Damage: 7,246 Damage per match: 426.24 Damage per ton per match: 5.01

Damage may not be a complete indicator, but bringing it up almost double over my older mech per match, raising the damage per ton per match up by 1.64 (67.26% more damage per ton per match extra), increasing my K/D over my older design... I'd have to say this mech is effective. 200 damage in a match last I knew was considered "contributing" by most standards, and seen as I average 426.24 damage per match, that's "contributing x2" as my average match (meaning I probably do 200 damage worse, and 800 damage best or there abouts, or I average as many 800 damage matches as I do 200 damage matches), means I'm probably doing fairly well, if not exceeding in most matches.

I must be doing something right I would think, or is 400+ damage average per match with 1.5 kills per death (I get more assists anyway) "not doing it right" or "doing it just wrong" or "it's bad". I'd have to strongly argue against what you say, and have to listen to my own experience on the mech, as well as what the analysis of the available statistical data is telling me.

What do your stats say? Something close to mine I'm guessing? Better? Even if it is better, that doesn't mean you are any more or less right than I am. My mech, by it's stats, is effective in a match. No matter what your "opinion" may say otherwise. Cause what you spout is just "opinion", not "fact".


Just to sum this up, we never said you didn't make good points or that many things you mentioned where bad. Your guide makes a lot of good points and suggestions. However, I disagree with the "attitude" behind it being "the only way" to do it. Your tips can help improve, but there are more ways to do the job is all we are saying.

#372 Tesunie

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Posted 16 January 2014 - 10:34 PM

View Post1453 R, on 16 January 2014 - 08:05 PM, said:

PEOPLE.

SERIOUSLY.

AMS does not have all sorts of funky-munky bizarre rules and stipulations and behaviors you can massage and manipulate like the enemy A.I. in an MMO. You cannot 'fox it' by firing an LRM-5 a second in front of your main attack. You cannot get waves of missiles past it by sacrificing smaller waves of missiles.

The AMS system does not shoot down enemy missiles. It is not a gun with ballistics and targeting algorithms. Yes, it spews little bullets and makes a bullet-spewing noise, but so does the machine gun and the machine gun is a hitscan weapon functionally identical to an unlimited-beam laser. The AMS is a dome of missile death centered on your BattleMech. Any missile salvo entering the dome will lose one missile per tic of AMS 'fire' while it is in the dome. If a salvo enters multiple domes, it loses multiple missiles, one per each dome's tic. The only way to reduce AMS' effect against your missiles is to reduce the amount of time your missiles are in the AMS death-dome, or to increase the number of missiles in the dome such that AMS can only tic through so many of them.

LRMs cannot employ the former method, which is the territory of point-blank SRM fire, but the latter method is freely available. AND IS THE ONLY THING THAT WORKS. Spreading out your salvos, in any way, only means that the AMS missile death dome gets more tics with which to ablate your attacks.

Can we please dispense with the "How to Fool the AMS" tomfoolery now?


As much as I'd love to agree with you, I'm sorry. My experience in the game, particularly with my Hunchback 4SP with an LRM15 launcher in a 6 tube slot, says otherwise. I have often times seen the AMS continue to shoot for a short while after all missiles in a volley are destroyed before switching to the next volley (by volley, I don't mean individual missile volley, but each "wave" individually). The thing that I see is that, after it ducks in so close, the AMS stops shooting at the closer wave, and instead moves on to the next wave that is "in range", as AMS doesn't effect missiles once they get so close. (Last I understood.)

Even with the new tube placement, I still see this pattern in my Hunchback, where the first wave will take the brunt of the AMS, and the second wave will go in almost entirely intact. Same for my Stalker.

However, I am not claiming that a single LRM5 will "entertain" the AMS long enough for the second wave to break through, but it will help to some extent. However, to say the trick doesn't work at all is counter to what I've actually seen in the game itself on a fairly regular basis. It will help, but that doesn't mean it will "stop all missiles from the second wave from being damaged". Some will probably still go down. I shall admit I found around 10 to be a good number at this "trick".

My Hunchback shot out 12-12-6, and I saw that the first wave might get shot down to the lase missile, but it was enough of a "distraction" for the second wave of 12 to hit. Then the last wave of 6 typically got half shot down. This is the pattern I observed. How effective this is over "massed firing of lots of LRMs", I can not say. But personally, it seems like either method seems to work about equally, but I personally can't say with any guaranteed proof if my observations is a better "trick" or not...

(They may have also changed AMS and I haven't noticed the change as well. I am not all knowing... ;) Though I try. ;) )

#373 Victor Morson

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Posted 17 January 2014 - 02:46 AM

View Post1453 R, on 16 January 2014 - 08:05 PM, said:

PEOPLE.

SERIOUSLY.

AMS does not have all sorts of funky-munky bizarre rules and stipulations and behaviors you can massage and manipulate like the enemy A.I. in an MMO. You cannot 'fox it' by firing an LRM-5 a second in front of your main attack. You cannot get waves of missiles past it by sacrificing smaller waves of missiles.

The AMS system does not shoot down enemy missiles. It is not a gun with ballistics and targeting algorithms. Yes, it spews little bullets and makes a bullet-spewing noise, but so does the machine gun and the machine gun is a hitscan weapon functionally identical to an unlimited-beam laser. The AMS is a dome of missile death centered on your BattleMech. Any missile salvo entering the dome will lose one missile per tic of AMS 'fire' while it is in the dome. If a salvo enters multiple domes, it loses multiple missiles, one per each dome's tic. The only way to reduce AMS' effect against your missiles is to reduce the amount of time your missiles are in the AMS death-dome, or to increase the number of missiles in the dome such that AMS can only tic through so many of them.

LRMs cannot employ the former method, which is the territory of point-blank SRM fire, but the latter method is freely available. AND IS THE ONLY THING THAT WORKS. Spreading out your salvos, in any way, only means that the AMS missile death dome gets more tics with which to ablate your attacks.

Can we please dispense with the "How to Fool the AMS" tomfoolery now?


Thanks for saying what I was about to, heh.

There is one exception, which is missiles streamed through a NARC port, that does actually cause AMS a problem for some reason. That is the only exception I'm aware of, and it's not very worthwhile beyond a laugh.... and it's not something I've even tried since missiles got recoded, so it's probably dead now, too.

AMS Is an anti-missile AOE weapon pretty much, and trying to stream missiles will just give it more time to knock them right on down. The more missiles in a salvo, the more will get through, period.

Edited by Victor Morson, 17 January 2014 - 02:48 AM.


#374 Victor Morson

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Posted 17 January 2014 - 02:59 AM

View PostTB Xiomburg, on 16 January 2014 - 06:38 PM, said:

This all depends on how you launch your missiles. There are ways around the Anti-Missile System currently in place:


Answered in the above post..

View PostTB Xiomburg, on 16 January 2014 - 06:38 PM, said:

One of the best tactics with missiles is to stream them. This bounces their cockpit around and makes it difficult to continue to aim at enemy ‘Mechs. Having more missiles then your “ports” allows for greater streaming of the missiles and spaces them out over a longer period of time. This secondary or third salvo from one launch is awesome for this.


No, this sucks even if the target doesn't have AMS, because the missiles will be landing all over their 'mech, instead of into nice tight locations at once. It's chip damage when you could have kill damage.

View PostTB Xiomburg, on 16 January 2014 - 06:38 PM, said:

BAP is the worse tool to counter ECM. The only one you might have any success against, is the Atlas. The rest of the ‘Mechs can dive into your 180 meter range too quickly. The only reason to take it (and I have it most of my LRM boats) is to increase your targeting range and speed of targeting enemy ‘Mechs. If you have issues with ECM, it is better to take TAG.


Did you read the reasoning behind BAP at all before you wrote this?

A single ECM Spider walks into your range without BAP = LRMs offline. Including inflight ones.
With BAP = Business as usual.

It's not a decision between TAG and BAP, it's a requirement to mount both.

View PostTB Xiomburg, on 16 January 2014 - 06:38 PM, said:

Artemis is junk. Why would I add one ton and one slot for every missile launcher that I put on my ‘Mech. With four launchers that is 4 tons or 720 missiles that I lose putting that into the ‘Mech.


There's not a facepalm macro big enough for that statement.

Because without Artemis the spread is too wide. Meaning that extra 4 tons of ammo is just going to spray around on numerous components, and not actually hit the same location and kill it efficiently. With a proper setup you will do much more constructive, critical location damage, and it more than covers the price.

720 missiles landing like an annoying light rain versus some Artemis missiles all slamming into the torso. I'll take option two.

View PostTB Xiomburg, on 16 January 2014 - 06:38 PM, said:

1. Sometimes it’s wise to take that ghost heat to get that kill, to make the enemy “decide” that going over that hill “is” a bad idea.


Know what's even wiser? To design your missile boat from the ground up to have no Ghost Heat, so that you can always fire all of your missiles without any penalty whatsoever. Then you don't have to debate "overheating for the kill" because you'll be running really pretty cool in the first place.

View PostTB Xiomburg, on 16 January 2014 - 06:38 PM, said:

This is a silly rule, reminds me of Monty Pythons Silly Walk skit. There is no minimum or maximum speed for Missile ‘Mechs. It all pertains to your skill, allies, pugs, and so much more.


I've been over (on this very page!) the reason speed matters with a missile boat. Range control is everything, and regardless of allies and other factors, without that speed you cannot maintain range control.

That's to say nothing of the fact that a high speed, jumping LRM boat utterly works slower models every.. single.. time.., but like I said, I covered that on this very page!

View PostTB Xiomburg, on 16 January 2014 - 06:38 PM, said:

Why would you show yourself…you have an indirect fire weapon that causes a large amount of damage and fear? Better to remain anonymous and only let them see your name when you kill them.


Because indirect fire is horribly scattered and unguided, resulting in worthless chip damage.

Artemis + TAG + LOS damage, however, is HIGHLY focused and will slam primarily into one location per salvo. Also it's improved tracking speed (TAG) will allow it to hit moving targets - even faster ones - where the indirect LOS tracks so poorly you're lucky to hit with even a single missile in the cluster.

HUGE DIFFERENCE.

#375 Victor Morson

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Posted 17 January 2014 - 03:06 AM

View PostTesunie, on 16 January 2014 - 10:13 PM, said:

Just to sum this up, we never said you didn't make good points or that many things you mentioned where bad. Your guide makes a lot of good points and suggestions. However, I disagree with the "attitude" behind it being "the only way" to do it. Your tips can help improve, but there are more ways to do the job is all we are saying.


Your Stalker builds are Bracket Builds, which I just talked about up above and why they're bad.

Instead of having a Stalker that's powerful at all ranges, you have:

A 'mech that's inferior to a Jenner up close (4 Meds, 2 Streak/2s - none of the speed, turning, or jets.)
A 'mech that's inferior to a Cent/Hawk/Grif LRM 'mech at range (Similar firepower, no TAG, no speed to control range)

i.e. you keep touting it as a 'mech that can "handle anything" but in reality, it's bad at handling two things, and there really is a key difference between having a well rounded range build (again, AC/5s are a prime example of a gun that can claim that) and a 'mech that's outclassed in every situation.

Edited by Victor Morson, 17 January 2014 - 03:10 AM.


#376 Itsalrightwithme

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Posted 17 January 2014 - 05:41 AM

View PostTesunie, on 16 January 2014 - 10:34 PM, said:


As much as I'd love to agree with you, I'm sorry. My experience in the game, particularly with my Hunchback 4SP with an LRM15 launcher in a 6 tube slot, says otherwise. I have often times seen the AMS continue to shoot for a short while after all missiles in a volley are destroyed before switching to the next volley (by volley, I don't mean individual missile volley, but each "wave" individually). The thing that I see is that, after it ducks in so close, the AMS stops shooting at the closer wave, and instead moves on to the next wave that is "in range", as AMS doesn't effect missiles once they get so close. (Last I understood.)


What you "see" is not how it is modeled in the game. 1453 R said it exactly: with AMS there is the visual effect and there is how AMS-missile interaction is modeled, and these two are different things.

Similarly with MGs, it is hitscan like lasers are. The MG bullet trail is purely misleading visuals.

#377 Buckminster

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Posted 17 January 2014 - 06:04 AM

Victor,

I've TL:DR'd a lot of this thread, but I have a question - have you posted a smurfy of a "good LRM build"? I've read your commandments, and a lot of stuff I agree on, but it seems that a lot of your "must haves" conflict if you try and cram them all into a single mech. 25 tubes of ALRM, plus BAP and TAG seems like a tall order on a mech that's moving 90kph. My LRM25 Griffin meets a lot of points, but doesn't have Artemis and BAP, and only runs around 80kph. I feel that dropping the LL to add a bigger engine and Artemis would do more harm than good.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...75b76757b25b392

It seems that a mech with enough weight to add all the accessories would have a hard time reaching 90kph.

Edited by Buckminster, 17 January 2014 - 06:06 AM.


#378 Charons Little Helper

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Posted 17 January 2014 - 07:49 AM

View PostBuckminster, on 17 January 2014 - 06:04 AM, said:

Victor,

I've TL:DR'd a lot of this thread, but I have a question - have you posted a smurfy of a "good LRM build"? I've read your commandments, and a lot of stuff I agree on, but it seems that a lot of your "must haves" conflict if you try and cram them all into a single mech. 25 tubes of ALRM, plus BAP and TAG seems like a tall order on a mech that's moving 90kph. My LRM25 Griffin meets a lot of points, but doesn't have Artemis and BAP, and only runs around 80kph. I feel that dropping the LL to add a bigger engine and Artemis would do more harm than good.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...75b76757b25b392

It seems that a mech with enough weight to add all the accessories would have a hard time reaching 90kph.


1st - the LRM commandments assume speed tweak - in which case your mech will be moving at 89.1 kph.

It's not a bad build - though I'd reccoment putting in artemis - and it's low on ammo. Maybe something along these lines - http://mwo.smurfy-ne...a80d97177fbe779 - though my personal build drops AMS for an XL 300. (I would put in an LRM15/10/5 - but there's a bug with the missile tubes which won't let you put the 15 in the big slot.) Also - I use the N for the 30% bonus $. :D

I really don't think it's worth the tonnage to put backup weapons on the LRM skirmishers this guide is designed for.

Unlike Victor though - I do think other LRM builds are viable. If you want backup weapons - try something like this - http://mwo.smurfy-ne...fa3550469eb78e9

2 arm mounted larges is enough to have a shot against a light - though if he gets to you when you're alone & he's undamaged you're still doomed. But if you get chased down by a light when you're alone and he's undamaged - you're doing something wrong. :)

Though the 71.3kph isn't enough to move tactically - it is enough to move around the battlefield strategically to some degree.

Edited by Charons Little Helper, 17 January 2014 - 07:50 AM.


#379 Buckminster

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Posted 17 January 2014 - 08:16 AM

I've thought about putting Artemis on, but with the current launcher layout that's 4 extra tons. I could maybe shift it to two 10s and a 5 or something similar, but I really like the fast reload speed of the smaller launchers.

I do hate that missile bug, else I'd be running a 15/5/5/5. And I'll probably rebuild this on my Phoenix variant down the road - that 30% is nice - but I'm just trying to get all my variants through basic right now. :D

4 tons of ammo has been plenty, but I haven't had any crazy long engagements yet. Again, with the 5s on there I can do little 'test fires' at distant targets that I wouldn't want to do with a 15 or a 20. Sometimes I get the hit, sometimes it makes them move, sometimes it's a waste - but at 5 missiles it's not a lot of ammo to spend.

The large laser has been a god send - it's the focus damage that's saved my tuckus and pulled in some kills. Just this morning I had an Atlas that I was pestering. One of my missile volleys must have hit ammo, because it hurt him bad, leaving him with just his AC/20. He came rushing at me through the buildings (on the peninsula on Crimson Strait), got into my face and landed a couple good hits on me. But that laser right into his center torso meant I was the one walking away.

So maybe I'm misreading the intent of Victor's commandments. But he's very adamant about the fact that you just shouldn't mount LRMs if you can't follow the rules, and I don't quite agree with that.

Edited by Buckminster, 17 January 2014 - 08:17 AM.


#380 Tesunie

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Posted 17 January 2014 - 08:21 AM

View PostItsalrightwithme, on 17 January 2014 - 05:41 AM, said:


What you "see" is not how it is modeled in the game. 1453 R said it exactly: with AMS there is the visual effect and there is how AMS-missile interaction is modeled, and these two are different things.

Similarly with MGs, it is hitscan like lasers are. The MG bullet trail is purely misleading visuals.


By "See" I mean, I actually see the first wave go down, and then I see my second wave slam into the enemy mech, my reticule flashes red, their paperdoll flashes red, and damage becomes applied. Even if the entire first wave of missiles gets blown up, I see the second wave of missiles do their damage and apply it upon contact.

MGs may be "hit scan" weapons with the "graphics don't line up", but LRMs are missiles, with their graphics (are suppose) to line up. If I see a single missile hit (with exception to hit registry and HSR possibly dropping the hit), then that single missile is suppose to do it's damage.

Now, I'm not saying that you might be right or wrong here, I'm just stating something I've observed in the game and how it's effected my LRM damage from my observations. Other people seem to agree with me, others don't. I'm not sure myself if it's actually having the effect I think I'm seeing or what, but it's what I see in the game.

If one wishes to overcome AMS, even I suggest one throw as many missiles as one can to overwhelm the system all at once, but I have seen the quick wave (from having a high number launcher in a low tube slot rapid waves kinda speed) work at sneaking missiles through.

Basically, I go as much by what I see as by what I seem to notice as results for damage. How "effective" it is, I don't know, but it does seem to work somehow. (Too bad none of the testing grounds mechs have AMS on them, then we could test this more carefully and actually get some more conclusive information.)

View PostVictor Morson, on 17 January 2014 - 03:06 AM, said:


Your Stalker builds are Bracket Builds, which I just talked about up above and why they're bad.

Instead of having a Stalker that's powerful at all ranges, you have:

A 'mech that's inferior to a Jenner up close (4 Meds, 2 Streak/2s - none of the speed, turning, or jets.)
A 'mech that's inferior to a Cent/Hawk/Grif LRM 'mech at range (Similar firepower, no TAG, no speed to control range)



And you "LRM Skrimisher" builds are also Bracket Builds. Congratulations! Thank you for pointing that out yourself.

My Stalker has the same or MORE firepower than a light at close range, or did you not see what I posted? I actually CAN keep targets in front of my guns to shoot, and to hit, them. Have you ever actually piloted a Mastered Stalker 3F? It's actually fairly quick torso twisting, twists over 90 degrees each way, and if one hits reverse or forwards (depending) they can turn even faster. My Stalker also has a lot of armor OVER the Jenner. I can take a few hits from the Jenner, but the Jenner can't take them back so well.

Pictures of the "unskilled" testing ground twist rating of the Stalker 3F.
Spoiler


My Stalker, as you also mentioned, has "similar firepower" as a medium LRM boat, even without speed control, or TAG.

Guess what, I made a mech that is as powerful as a Medium LRM boat, and as powerful as a Jenner (what is considered a powerful light) on ONE CHASSIS! And I basically have the armor and health of each of them combined! So, I created a slightly slower mech, that can out preform most lights/mediums at range or up close. That means, I don't need to worry so much about what range you are at with me, as I'll still be able to fight you "as effective as a medium mech" most times, yet take damage like an assault (and, go figure, move like an assault).

View PostVictor Morson, on 17 January 2014 - 03:06 AM, said:

i.e. you keep touting it as a 'mech that can "handle anything" but in reality, it's bad at handling two things, and there really is a key difference between having a well rounded range build (again, AC/5s are a prime example of a gun that can claim that) and a 'mech that's outclassed in every situation.


It can handle any range, and most any situation. By handle I mean "be able to fight and do damage, if not win". Handle doesn't mean "Kill anyone in any situation". Just that I'll be able to at least DO something, no matter what basically happens.

For the record, you mention AC5s (meta) as a well rounded build. I've 1 vs 1 a 4 AC5 Cataphrat, and killed him by, at first having him at LRM range, then keeping him in my "kill zone" range. He damaged me, yes, but I won. Then I fought a Catapult, who ran away and I took an arm off him (but he took a side from me with his lasers), and then an Atlas found me, and he killed me as I was too heavily damaged by that point.

Now, if weight balancing was in the game, I could see a bit of a point if you said "you have an Assault that runs like two mediums for firepower put together" compared to "being an assault with fire power of one to counter the assault on the enemy team", however, that isn't the case here. I made a mech that is effective at close and long ranges. More effective than an LRM boat/sniper at long ranges? Probably not. More effective than a Brawler at close ranges? Probably not. However, I can fend off lights, support my team, and help in close combat when needed and never be "useless" at any one thing.

Now, seen as TAG is such an issue with you, what if I removed a med laser and tossed in TAG. Would that change your opinion? Then I would be "weaker" than a light in close combat (Jenner comes to mind), but I'd become "better/same" as your medium builds with LRM effectiveness (in your opinion). What if, instead, I always teamed up with an ally, and he always brought TAG into the game for me, and worked with me? Then, I can still defend myself with my close range weapons when needed, and take full advantage of my friend's TAG system... TEAMWORK! Wait... you haven't even considered this option, did you?

View PostBuckminster, on 17 January 2014 - 06:04 AM, said:

Victor,

I've TL:DR'd a lot of this thread, but I have a question - have you posted a smurfy of a "good LRM build"? I've read your commandments, and a lot of stuff I agree on, but it seems that a lot of your "must haves" conflict if you try and cram them all into a single mech. 25 tubes of ALRM, plus BAP and TAG seems like a tall order on a mech that's moving 90kph. My LRM25 Griffin meets a lot of points, but doesn't have Artemis and BAP, and only runs around 80kph. I feel that dropping the LL to add a bigger engine and Artemis would do more harm than good.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...75b76757b25b392

It seems that a mech with enough weight to add all the accessories would have a hard time reaching 90kph.


I know what he's going to say, the "Large laser is useless, drop it for TAG, BAP, Artemis/Ammo and go all LRM Boat". It's what he's told everyone else in this thread so far... :D

Personally, I rather like your build. It seems rather good to me, depending upon how it is played. (Victor will also tell you that a single large laser will do nothing in a match.)





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