136 replies to this topic

[Victor Morson]

The Griffin is arguably the best LRM medium right now, but the style is definitely viable and in fact, mediums are bar none the best place to field LRMs.

I wrote an applicable guide here:
http://mwomercs.com/...s/page__st__160

I really need to get some new video, I recorded this before Christmas break:


With the right config, you will be able to hammer 90% of your missiles straight into heavier missile boats, while avoiding 80% of the return fire entirely (and taking scattered damage for the rest). Mediums are the perfect missile platform, all around.

EDIT: That's my 15/10/5 Shadow Hawk. Again, I think Griffins are slightly more optimized for this very specific niche, and I plan to buy them when they go Cbill.

Edited by Victor Morson, 07 January 2014 - 02:46 PM.

[Charons Little Helper]

Yeah - I think the griffon just beat out the Treb as LRM skirmisher supreme. Reason? Torso twist. The griffon's torso twist is so great that you can run directly away from someone while keeping them both locked & tagged.

Other than that - The 7m Treb is a solid LRM skirmisher. (I prefer the 7m to the 5n due to their jumpjets)

[Victor Morson]

rdmgraziel, on 07 January 2014 - 02:43 PM, said:

I've had better luck with launchers of equal size, when I've managed to get LRMs to work for me, so you may wish to try the LRM 30 on the GRF-1N instead with 3 10s instead of a 20 and a 10. I had some success with 4 LRM5s on the GRF-3M, but it was highly team dependant (but I'm not great with LRMs). When it panned out, it worked great.

The reason for your "luck" with certain 'mech and launcher sizes is the missile tubing. Check Smurfy's when building a missile 'mech to make sure the tubing is acceptable. Some missile bays will not dynamically upgrade and spew up horrible 6/6/6/2 bursts for a 20, for example, to say nothing of the occasional NARC Port.

Also you want to make sure you have two "primary" launchers of 10-20 size, and then throw on the 5s. Any more primary launchers and you start hitting Ghost Heat, though it's arguably manageable with 3x10s.

[Goregrimm]

Victor: After reading your guide I went back and reworked my Griffin-1S. First match I scored almost 700 damage and that was running out of LRM ammo. I dropped 2 jump jets added another ton of ammo and am going to do a couple more drops. Thanks for the excellent information. I despise being soaked with LRMs but I can see the appeal now. I have been doing it all wrong.

[Void Angel]

Except that my Battlemaster heavy missile boat isn't over 88 kph, I fully endorse Victor's guide. It highlights many of the things that people who've been around long enough to know better still do wrong.

[Warge]

Hunchback HBK-4J: 2*LRM10 (Artemis) + 6*ML.

[xengk]

Warge, on 07 January 2014 - 07:42 PM, said:

Hunchback HBK-4J: 2*LRM10 (Artemis) + 6*ML.

Mine drop the number of MLaz to just 2, throw in a TAG on the head, and load up on ammo.
Max XL 275 engine for 90kph top speed.

[wintersborn]

When the Griffin is available for C-Bill I might play with it, maybe something like this GRF-3M

Its just a fast 20LRM alpha for AMS mechs and chainfired LRM5's for non AMS/Troll shake or chasing Lights. I know it has no back ups and that is why it appeals to me a pure role mech designed to make you keep your distance and pick your battles.

Of Course you could always make another streak boat or a 20/10LRM with back ups but why not try something different and dangerous since I only PUG.

[Vimeous]

Mediums make a fun lrminator.
For me the GRF-1N has been most successful in recent times although I've also had some success with the WVR-7K.
The TBT-7M and 5N also work well.

I've tried the GRF-1N with a 10|10|20 build but the reload and heat cause sync complications. 10|10|10 makes it easier to control heat meaning more missiles in the air rather than less.
Chained lrm10's don't always need arty either as they don't spread too much.

Admittedly I've been tempted to drop the defensive ml's for more ammo but pug-life makes that a risky proposition.

Edited by Vimeous, 09 January 2014 - 05:47 PM.

[Victor Morson]

Vimeous, on 09 January 2014 - 05:46 PM, said:

Mediums make a fun lrminator.
For me the GRF-1N has been most successful in recent times although I've also had some success with the WVR-7K.
The TBT-7M and 5N also work well.

I've tried the GRF-1N with a 10|10|20 build but the reload and heat cause sync complications. 10|10|10 makes it easier to control heat meaning more missiles in the air rather than less.
Chained lrm10's don't always need arty either as they don't spread too much.

Admittedly I've been tempted to drop the defensive ml's for more ammo but pug-life makes that a risky proposition.

I'd recommend consider dropping the lasers for a faster engine; also you want to move the ammo out of your arm. Always try to strip arms to either 0 or a very low amount of armor that you aren't using - the very low thing if you plan to use them to "shield."

10/10/10 also causes - small but present - Ghost Heat. Try this:

Griffin 15-10-5

If you are fighting AMS wait for the 15 and fire all of them at once.
If you are fighting non-AMS hold it down.

It's the same load out that's on my Shadow Hawk, but is slightly superior as it will fire all the missiles a single clump, rather than trailing a few behind. This even further increases single-location damage, and helps when facing AMS swarms.

[Sandra McCrow]

My heart screams at those slow and none to 1 JJ Griffins. KTO can do LMR 30 with ?/?/5 just as well then.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...93e96903021786c
- I've been running this with a success and after trying KTO-18 I can say those JJ make ton of a difference. Swaping 1ALMR15 and 1ML for ALM10+ALMR5 could be a good idea though.

[Revorn]

If you are walking with the Big Boys and tend toward accurate LRM Support, Try this one.


2 LRM 20 Atremis, with TAG at short Range can be funny.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...0fd00d0d2709ddb

[Vadafallon]

This is one of my favs. And in my opinion the only LRM boat. Its pretty fast and it rains a lot of screen shaking onto targets.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...0918b051d00f053

[Flyto]

Yes, mediums can be viable LRM platforms, in different ways to heavies.

You gain speed and agility to get into position for direct-fire engagement at medium range, and to keep away from things that want to close with you.

You lose the ammo capacity that you need if you want to hang back and lob missiles over hills at other peoples' targets that they lose the locks on 50% of the time.

I have 40 LRM tubes on a KTO-20 (I don't recommend that mech, it's because it was my third Kintaro and I couldn't think of anything else to do with it). It's not always successful, but it can be quite fun. You have to play much more proactively than a heavy or assault LRM mech, and try to make every salvo count.

[rolly]

Drool. Thanks guys for posting this. I was wondering what to do with my Griffin.

[Sandra McCrow]

Every Griffin can wield ALRM30, 3M I would rather run with 4SSRM2+ERPPC or ALRM15 or 20 and three streaks. When they will finally release Griffins for C-bills I think I will buy another 3M to put both builds in the stable. And the game would become much more interesting when more ppl start to wield something else but non-AC 55-ton mediums.

[CX 1237]

As previous posters have stated, yes, mediums are very viable lrm-boats.

My two goto mediums are: LRM Bomber Golden Boy + adv. target decay and adv. sensor range modules.
The loadout is pretty self-explainatory for this one, tag and let it rain. MLas for cqb. Sure, I could fit an XL engine and moar ammo/heatsinks/bigger lazors, but the STD was what I had and the extra survi...annoyability can't be beat!
And the Griffin ahoy
TAG on arm for easier marking of targets, LLas in chest for extra dps if someone isn't hiding as good as he should, jj's for extra maneuverability. 300XL because I'm using it on all my Griffins.

[Victor Morson]

CX 1237, on 10 January 2014 - 11:34 AM, said:

As previous posters have stated, yes, mediums are very viable lrm-boats.

My two goto mediums are: LRM Bomber Golden Boy + adv. target decay and adv. sensor range modules.
The loadout is pretty self-explainatory for this one, tag and let it rain. MLas for cqb. Sure, I could fit an XL engine and moar ammo/heatsinks/bigger lazors, but the STD was what I had and the extra survi...annoyability can't be beat!
And the Griffin ahoy

It's been said before, and I'll say it again: Never, ever, ever buy a Golden Boy. No, not even then.

The KTO-18 can run this exact same configuration, sans one medium laser (which isn't a down side anyway); plus it can run more effective LRM configurations that involve 20s, 15s, and 10s too. The above model should have XL at the very least.

Again, KTO-18 vs Golden Boy..

• Hardpoints : Golden Boy by 1 energy hardpoint
  
• Accel/Decel: KTO-18
  
• Torso turn: KTO-18
  
• Arm movement: KTO-18
  
• Top speed / max engine: KTO-18 by a lot
  
• Missile tubing: Tie
  
• Price: KTO-18 (CBILLS not MC)

CX 1237, on 10 January 2014 - 11:34 AM, said:

TAG on arm for easier marking of targets, LLas in chest for extra dps if someone isn't hiding as good as he should, jj's for extra maneuverability. 300XL because I'm using it on all my Griffins.

Again I continue to support running sans backup weapons on a missile medium, as more ammo for your investment is better than lasers in almost every case, but I do agree with TAG on the arms. It's incredibly flexible there and allows you to tag on the go far better than a torso mount.

[jper4]

i use the KTO 20 for one of my very few LRM mechs. dual ALRM 15s, 4 tons of ammo i think, TAG, couple MLs, forget the engine but it goes 85ish with tweak. lets you run around the back of your team's battle line and pick out whatever is getting shot at most and let her rip and keep moving to another location so they can't snipe me. don;t run out of ammo til near the very end of the match if at all (i try to avoid the early everything's intact long range shots until i find something damaged to go after)

may have target decay on it too, i forget, haven;t played it in a week or so.

[CX 1237]

Victor Morson, on 10 January 2014 - 12:45 PM, said:

It's been said before, and I'll say it again: Never, ever, ever buy a Golden Boy. No, not even then.

Sure, the stock versions may be better, but I'm a sucker for shiny heromechs. Be they good or less then that, I've got one of each.

As for the backup weapons; I once ran out of lrms (all 11 tons of them) in my CAT-A1(C) in a skirmish game. I had to resort to jumpkicking a SHD to death. It wasn't pretty!

tl:dr; If possible, bring backup weapons, your main will run dry.