17 replies to this topic

[Sagamore]

I'm leveling Thunderbolts right now and have got some pretty successful builds on all three variants. I've been doing work in matches and getting some kills. After destroying one enemy he was joking in chat that he couldn't believe he died to a Thunderbolt. I did a bit more digging online and lots of players think that the Thunderbolt was DOA.

I see a lot of them in game but thats probably because they were just released. Do you think they will go the way of the Quickdraw?

[Bilbo]

Sagamore, on 19 December 2013 - 09:51 AM, said:

I'm leveling Thunderbolts right now and have got some pretty successful builds on all three variants. I've been doing work in matches and getting some kills. After destroying one enemy he was joking in chat that he couldn't believe he died to a Thunderbolt. I did a bit more digging online and lots of players think that the Thunderbolt was DOA.

I see a lot of them in game but thats probably because they were just released. Do you think they will go the way of the Quickdraw?

They don't fit the meta. Keep on keeping on as long as you are enjoying it.

[SgtMagor]

there good mechs, but there more of a support unit, hit n run skirmishers imho.

Edited by SgtMagor, 19 December 2013 - 10:10 AM.

[FireSlade]

Bilbo is absolutely right about them not fitting the meta. So far I have found them to excel at mid to long ranges which means brawling is out and people like to put SRMs and SSRMs on them which leaves an easy to hit hunch on the shoulders that weakens the chassis. On top of that there is only one variant that has ballistics and there is not enough room to put multiple cannons. Personally the Thunderbolt is one of my favorites along with the Quickdraw; two very durable chassis and some of the few mechs that I could get into the single digits of armor remaining and survive the match which is tough considering that I run XLs in them.

[AlmightyAeng]

They can be good strikers, or good fire support. I think a lot of people were thinking they'd be more 'brawly,' especially with the lore behind these guys.

However, in practical terms, the shape of the 'mech doesn't lend itself well to XL's (hooj side torsos) and the number, type and placement of weapons doesn't do as well vs. similarly tonned heavies who want to facehump you with dakka.

I gave up brawling in mine...though I hold out hope for a 9SE SRM jump-striker...one day...when HSR is less screwed.

[verybad]

They can't provide the power that the Jag or Catapult have in that tonnage.

It's not that they're bad mechs, just not excelling.

Part of the problem is that in TT they're considered tough, partly because the're better armored than most other mechs in that range. However MWO allows you to rearmor to however you want up to the tonnage limit. So the Jagermech for instance, always a poorly armored mech in TT suddenly loses it's main weakness.

Then all that's left to compair are the Hardpoints, and the Tbolt's aren't as good.

I would actually like it if they limited mechs rearmoring as they're planning on doing with the Clan Omnimechs. Perhaps some changes (like 10% base, then skill them up to a 25% modifier value).

Mobility and hardpoints are all that matter in a mechs effectiveness, armor is meaningless as you have freedom with that.

Just as was discussed in MW4, for years; complete freedom in a value actually reduces the variety on the battlefield over time, as the best survive and the less powerful lose favor.

An armor change restriction based on the mechs initial value would be good for the game IMO.

Another thing that would help the game possibly would be to have external things like missile racks get separate hitboxes as in MW4. I'm highly doubtful that will happen, but I think most people agree that adding space to a mech's hitboxes without adding power makes the mech easier to kill.

Edited by verybad, 19 December 2013 - 10:21 AM.

[Ngamok]

FireSlade, on 19 December 2013 - 10:11 AM, said:

Bilbo is absolutely right about them not fitting the meta. So far I have found them to excel at mid to long ranges which means brawling is out and people like to put SRMs and SSRMs on them which leaves an easy to hit hunch on the shoulders that weakens the chassis. On top of that there is only one variant that has ballistics and there is not enough room to put multiple cannons. Personally the Thunderbolt is one of my favorites along with the Quickdraw; two very durable chassis and some of the few mechs that I could get into the single digits of armor remaining and survive the match which is tough considering that I run XLs in them.

You can easily put 2 AC/5s in with 3 medium lasers and 2 streaks with an XL engine or swap out the 2 ACs with one AC/10 and a Standard. I brawl pretty well with it and it takes a beating. My 5SS is all energy and my 9SE is LRMs with mediums and a TAG.

People who say the TDR is bad is that as a pilot.

[Sandpit]

I've got a great 4LL build that works surprisingly well. You just have to learn what a particular mech's strengths and weaknesses are

[Shadey99]

I think, like verybad said, the Thunderbolts fall into the same trap as the Locust: Other mechs do it better. What 'it' is, is usually the meta-centric role they envision. This is why you often hear 'Why take a Locust, when a Jenner does it better?' and even further back 'Why take a Cicada if a Jenner can do it better?' (Which is why the 3M is the most used Cicada with it's ECM and ballistic slot which the jenners do not have).

That said, I did pretty darn well in my Thunderbolts when I was leveling them up until I mastered them...

[TercieI]

They're not bad. They're also not good. Really, really OK mechs. I mastered three and enjoyed them and I'll keep them in my Mechbays because they could be great in an energy-friendly meta, which could always happen.

[FireSlade]

Ngamok, on 19 December 2013 - 10:21 AM, said:

You can easily put 2 AC/5s in with 3 medium lasers and 2 streaks with an XL engine or swap out the 2 ACs with one AC/10 and a Standard. I brawl pretty well with it and it takes a beating. My 5SS is all energy and my 9SE is LRMs with mediums and a TAG.

People who say the TDR is bad is that as a pilot.

I was referring to twin AC/10s, Gauss, and AC20s like the Jagermech and CAT-K2 can do. I probably should have worded it better. Problem right now is that ballistics hit hard and have a much higher ROF and energy points just cannot keep up to be viable (PGI really needs to do a balance pass on them). I agree though with your statement "People who say the TDR is bad is that as a pilot." A good pilot looks for the mech's strengths and uses it instead of putting a meta style build in it, find out that it does not work as they had hoped and then says that it is a ****** mech.

[Pariah Devalis]

Indeed, what the TDR lacks in excelling at one one thing, it gains in survivability. Those monster arms, if exploited, will keep a TDR moving for far longer than it has any right to - even with an XL engine. I just run mine with about the least meta setup I could go for with a Gauss, ERPPC, and three Mlas. Kicks *** despite it not being AC/LLas spam or brawly. Fun, too.

[Varent]

cant speak for the other variants, but this is my go to with the phoenix mech. Quite enjoy playing it as an in close brawler.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...66824e577223f9b

[C E Dwyer]

They're not liked because ballistics with zoom module is the current meta.

the fidelity of the zoom made sniper overhaul everything else, the module needs a nerf of somewhere between what it is and what is was, to lower effective range without nerfing anymore weapons..

won't help the heat on energy mechs but it will mean that the ballistics are not so deadly at extreme range, allowing med laser builds to close more.

half the thuds probles are it isn't an effective support mech as its energy based, and its not a good brawler with an xl, so speed becomes an issue, and its half dead just getting into effective range currently

[Steve Pryde]

I like this config but in comparison the Jagermechs/Catapult mechs are much better chassis because they have much better weapon slots.

[Escef]

The Thud simply fails to be an exceptional design. Even before the PPC nerf the 9SE would just have been a jump-sniping PPC boat.

It's not bad, it just fails to be great. And in some people's minds, that alone is offense enough.

[Damocles69]

They do not combine ballistic energy and JJ hard points. As a heavy they are useless. For 5 more tons you can take a caraphract 3D and do everything a thunderbolt can do but do it better. Or, for the same weight you can take a jaggermech which is the better chassie

[IceCase88]

Grinding out the the thuderbrolts has been a tough grind. Before some helpful tips I would only average 200-300 damage and I tried a variety of builds. As mentioned above, it is not a spectacular mech or a meta changer. It is just average to slightly below average. It has the worst attributes of the Awesome, Dragon, and Hunches and none of their good ones. I find it to be pretty fragile. However, it is solid mech working in with other mechs. You are not going to win very many 1 on 1 battles. My best builds are ones that hit at all ranges and are minimalistic. Place yourself in the middle of your lance and pound away at the enemy.