39 replies to this topic

[Carrioncrows]

Tbolts are the hardest to kill mechs in the game. They simply take punishment and never go down.

I've walked away from matches with 17% hp left. It's nuts how much dmg they can take.

I love my Tbolts. Yeah they don't throw out damage due because I use a STD engine in all of mine but it never fails to disappoint.

[luxebo]

Since you haven't gone through Cicadas, I think you should take on that and Thunderbolts. Dunno about Locusts and Awesomes, they are a bit underclass by now, as you've gone through all the other mechs already. Cicadas still have scouting value in them, and Thunderbolts are once again durable mechs, not superior, but just there, average mech.

[East Indy]

If you only follow the meta, maybe not. However, if you're up for breaking into the mixed-weapon/support playstyle, the 5S is perfect.

[Malleus011]

They're good, solid, soldier heavies.

[Kanatta Jing]

Rhaythe, on 17 December 2013 - 12:17 PM, said:

I should probably have mentioned that I never bothered to buy what I needed to kit out the battlemasters, but nor did I spend an inordinate amount of time on them. I'm curious as to what you use them for.

Alpha striking with 6 medium lasers. That is what Battlemasters do. All the extra tonnage and slots is for secondary things.

dragnier1, on 17 December 2013 - 01:00 PM, said:

I was thinking if the tbolt is durable wouldn't that make it a decent brawler? ie full ml/mpl + srm6 on 5ss?

It's okay as a brawler, better as an all rounder starting in the back and working it's way to the front.

[Escef]

Kanatta Jing, on 17 December 2013 - 06:12 PM, said:

Alpha striking with 6 medium lasers. That is what Battlemasters do. All the extra tonnage and slots is for secondary things.

Pretty much. It took me a long time to find "my" Battlemaster with the 1G. I rigged it with a LL, 2xPPC, 4xML, 375XL, 21 double sinks, and 512 armor. Use the PPCs at range, spice with the LL, swap out the PPCs for the MLs close in, Alpha if the heat's low and you have a good shot.

The 1S was an easy mech for my to load out. 2xLRM10, 2xLRM15, 4xML, 13 sinks, 300STD, endo, 9 tons ammo, 496 armor. It's not a complicated or exciting build, but it's a solid support platform with enough close in firepower to scare away frisky lights.

The 1D I'm not in love with, and haven't found a great load out for it yet. Right now I have it with a 350STD, 3xLL, 2xML, 21 double sinks, and 512 armor. It works ok, but I feel like the ballistic points are going to waste, especially as it has fewer energy points than the 1G.

[FupDup]

Escef, on 17 December 2013 - 06:32 PM, said:

The 1D I'm not in love with, and haven't found a great load out for it yet. Right now I have it with a 350STD, 3xLL, 2xML, 21 double sinks, and 512 armor. It works ok, but I feel like the ballistic points are going to waste, especially as it has fewer energy points than the 1G.

What I run on it is 2 AC/5, 1 ERPPC, and 4 ML, with an XL 370 (I think) and a lot of DHS (I don't remember off-hand). It's relatively fast, packs a good punch at all ranges, can take a beating, and can run reasonably heat-efficient (can fire several alphas in a row, then switch to ML or ERPPC only plus the 2 AC/5 while you cool down).

Edited by FupDup, 17 December 2013 - 06:42 PM.

[Kanatta Jing]

Escef, on 17 December 2013 - 06:32 PM, said:

The 1D I'm not in love with, and haven't found a great load out for it yet. Right now I have it with a 350STD, 3xLL, 2xML, 21 double sinks, and 512 armor. It works ok, but I feel like the ballistic points are going to waste, especially as it has fewer energy points than the 1G.

4 medium pulse, 1 PPC and 3 machine guns. It does brawl good but not as good as my 1G, and my 1G has an LRM 10 for when it's stuck in the back and feeling bored. The 1D just isn't all that great.

[Escef]

FupDup, on 17 December 2013 - 06:36 PM, said:

What I run on it is 2 AC/5, 1 ERPPC, and 4 ML, with an XL 370 (I think) and a lot of DHS (I don't remember off-hand). It's relatively fast, packs a good punch at all ranges, can take a beating, and can run reasonably heat-efficient (can fire several alphas in a row, then switch to ML or ERPPC only plus the 2 AC/5 while you cool down).

Yeah, I was just tooling around in Smurfy and came up with something similar, but with a 375XL and a Gauss instead of the AC5s. The ACs are probably a better choice. I think one thing that screws me up with the 1D is that I prefer to assign light ACs (5s and 2s) to the right click of the mouse, as holding it down feels more natural for sustained fire for me, and allows me to still comfortably left or center click. The problem is that those weapons are on the left arm, so I... right click for left arm? It just feels awkward.

[FupDup]

Escef, on 17 December 2013 - 06:48 PM, said:

Yeah, I was just tooling around in Smurfy and came up with something similar, but with a 375XL and a Gauss instead of the AC5s. The ACs are probably a better choice. I think one thing that screws me up with the 1D is that I prefer to assign light ACs (5s and 2s) to the right click of the mouse, as holding it down feels more natural for sustained fire for me, and allows me to still comfortably left or center click. The problem is that those weapons are on the left arm, so I... right click for left arm? It just feels awkward.

I personally prefer to have pinpoint weapons (PPCs, ACs) on left click and then secondary weapons on right click or number key 3 (for my Battlemaster, M1 = 2AC/5, M2 = ERPPC, K3 = 4ML). It helps with accuracy, at least for me.

Edited by FupDup, 17 December 2013 - 06:55 PM.

[Escef]

FupDup, on 17 December 2013 - 06:54 PM, said:

I personally prefer to have pinpoint weapons (PPCs, ACs) on left click and then secondary weapons on right click or number key 3 (for my Battlemaster, M1 = 2AC/5, M2 = ERPPC, K3 = 4ML). It helps with accuracy, at least for me.

I have left click rigged for group 1, right click for 2, and center click is group 3. I can easily move my index finger between left and center (groups 1 and 3) while holding down right click with my middle finger (group 2, which I generally use for sustained fire weapons like AC2 or 5).

[xengk]

NRP, on 17 December 2013 - 12:21 PM, said:

I'm going to say yes. I actually quite like Thunderbolts, particularly the 5S and 5SE. For some strange reason, I always lost the side torsos on the 5SS and it always ran hot, but it was pretty effective with 2 PPCs or 2 LLs or 2 LPLs + 5 MLs and a STD engine.

I run my 5SS with 2x PPC and 5x MLaz, supported with 18 DHS and STD 275.
It runs hot quickly when in a brawl but it is great at PPC peeking with the high shoulder.

My 9SE is a support brawler, running 2x LLaz, 3x MLaz, 1x ASRM6 and 1x ASRM4, with 14 DHS and STD 275.
The LLaz is the primary weapon, chain firing for a constant burn yet kept heat manageable.
Close range MLaz and SRM for when I reach brawling range.
From experience, SRM of 10 or below seems to be less affected by hit detection, as I have scored kills with them.

Still haven't found a good built for the 5S, even though I have completed Master on all TBolt.
Currently function as a close range LRMboat with 1x LRM15, 1x LRM10, 2x LLaz, TAG, BAP, 12 DHS and XL 300.

[Johnny Reb]

Not a fan, just keep the prime.

[OneEyed Jack]

luxebo, on 17 December 2013 - 02:54 PM, said:

Since you haven't gone through Cicadas,

They just don't interest me. I had a Noisy Cricket for kicks, but I have Lights when I want to play a Light, and the Cicada just seems like a clunky Jenner to me.

[Mavairo]

There's very few things I get nervous of wading into with my Tbolts. (especially as I am also a Dragon pilot. I'm Used to maxing every last bit of armor, and twisting and staying mobile etc to stay alive. Now gimme a mech that's heavier a lil slower, and with bigger gun hardpoints. Yeah. It's like that)

I've been known to play bullet shield for my team mates in Tbolts. And then turn around and deliver a 52 point alpha into the face of an enemy mech and blow off a torso, arm, leg whatever. The Phoenix variant the 5S is one of my faves.

T Bolts are very robust in a furball especially after you play with their armor biases. And if you arm them right heat management really isn't much of an issue.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...3dd83de1c36d72a I actually shut down less in my Tbolts, even my most hot (5ML 2LLs) of the Thunderbolts than I do some of my most heat efficient mechs. Partly because of the varying engagement ranges I think. Though there are times when you just say "You see that mech? ***** him"

[Mercer Skye]

One huge reason to run Tbolts;

I like big upper leg actuators and I cannot lie....

'Mech Pilots can't deny...

When a Tbolt walks in with a itty bitty waist

and myomer motors in your face...

Edited by Mercer Skye, 17 December 2013 - 09:42 PM.

[Ice]

I like my TBolts, mainly my 5S
TDR-5S: ERLL, LRM20+LRM10(5tons of ammo), 3xML.
TDR-5SS: 2xLL,5xML.
TDR-9SE: ERPPC, 3ML, 2xSRM6.

[Karl Streiger]

Its the toughest beast i ever have driven in MWO ... it even feel thougher as an Atlas.
Although you have to make some serious decissions -> fire power or durability
With AMS, CASE and STD engine - there isn't enough place left to build up a good punch.
Last not least you almost have to use mixed weapon load out - not the best choice for the current meta.

[Mercer Skye]

Thud Fire Support (5S)

Not for fans of slower 'mechs. Have yet to want to build it differently. This is not a missile boat, however, regardless of the looks. 'Only' 900 missiles. Also not a frontline 'mech. This is the fella that hangs out just behind the frontline, lobbing 300m LRM30 hell on the enemy, and scraping lights off the assaults with triple MLas and Mguns for cleanup. Case makes sure anything blown off doesn't knock you out of the fight.

Thud Laser Brawler (5SS, 'Super Sport')

The thinking man's laser boat. Don't let the heat efficiency fool you. The high mounted large lasers (Feel free to go ER, but meh, not worth the extra heat) are for peaking ridges and engaging at range. The quintet of mediums are for close engagement, the twin's on the arm for sweeping lights, and the torso triplet for slower brawling (That does mean three total laser weapon groups). The LRM10 and two tons of ammo (Notice no extra missile gear), is purely for the inevitable 'stuck behind the ridge' scenario, where peaking a ridge will likely get your cockpit knocked off. Amazingly durable, and on the occasions you have to Alpha, just about anything in front of you will melt.

Thud, BrawlBolt (9SE)

A very fun build (When hit detection isn't messing with you). The epitome of the 'cave rusher' of the tactic of the same infamous repute. Sturdy, and darn near unkillable (Seriously, have been cherry red almost everywhere by the time a match has been over and still not gone down. The biggest downside is obviously the short range, which can very easily be negated by dropping two external 'sinks and swapping for an XL engine, and tossing a large laser or two in. As far as up close, from around the corner and melting people's back armor though, it's one of the better builds I've come across.


All three of these are very sturdy, and are usually more than adequate to do 'clean up' towards the end of the match when only a couple 'mechs remain. I'm sure there are much more 'meta' capable builds floating around, but I'd highly recommend these (as I'm sure a lot of people have a metric butt ton of medium lasers lying around) as at least starter builds for moving up through the eficiencies.

Regardless, just wanted a more serious reasoning as to why I've kept my TBolts around after having mastered them out. They call the Victor an 'Assault that plays like a heavy,' well antecedent to that is the TBolt, a 'Heavy that plays like an Assault.'

[MischiefSC]

Like all the Phoenix mechs save the Shawk it's at best underwhelming and largely inferior in every way. Put a STD in a Jag or Phract and do everything it does better. Weapon loadouts are meh, it's fatter than the Jag and an easier target. As NPR said the SS isn't bad for an energy boat but don't mistake 'not bad' with 'good'. Take one up against a meta kit Phract and see where it gets you - smoked, if you were wondering.