18 replies to this topic

[Odd Thomas]

So far I'm find myself comfortable as an Atlas brawler and as a mid/long range Jager.

But... the Victor has me stumped. Looks great on paper but with my build, I'm neither a brawler nor long range - tend to die quickly or am cautious & do little damage.

How is this Victor-S played best?

2 X LL
AC20
1 X SRM6
Speed- ~ 80 kph (XL)
2 JJ

Edited by Odd Thomas, 07 January 2014 - 02:10 PM.

[Drakenn]

Honestly I find that if you are going to run missiles, you have to fill more than 1 hardpoint. if you can't, then it is best to put that weight elsewhere. that could be heatsinks, bigger engine, etc. I enjoy my victors, and I find that what makes them fun is the speed.

[AaronWolf]

I don't usually pilot Assaults. But the Assaults section in the guide section has some good stuff that may help.

http://mwomercs.com/...tor-first-mech/

May be about the 9B the most, but still useful information. There is not a super lot changing from either chassis.

And this one has a 9S, with some info.

http://mwomercs.com/...r-9s-questions/


Also, hello to a fellow Floridian!

[Victor Morson]

This is likely the most popular build for the Victor:
Victor Standard Competitive AC/5+PPC

A highly competitive, well rounded build you're not likely to go wrong with.

This is also a popular setup
Victor AC/20 Brawler
Faster AC/20 Victor + Ferro

The non-Ferro is .06 tons unoptimized (I'll try to fix that in an edit shortly), but overall this is also a very powerful setup - while the PPCs have a minimum range, keep in mind they recycle at the same pace as the AC/20, so it's an exceptional brawler.

Those are the two most common Victors you'll encounter for the 9S in serious games.

Edited by Victor Morson, 07 January 2014 - 02:35 PM.

[Katus]

Drakenn, on 07 January 2014 - 02:11 PM, said:

Honestly I find that if you are going to run missiles, you have to fill more than 1 hardpoint. if you can't, then it is best to put that weight elsewhere. that could be heatsinks, bigger engine, etc. I enjoy my victors, and I find that what makes them fun is the speed.

Speed and jumping ability. I like to max out my JJ and engine then build my loadout on top of that.

[Israel Finklestein]

Victor plays like a heavier heavy rather than an assault. There are two pretty solid ways to play this mech

1. Direct fire support (x2 ERLL, x2AC/5)

2. Mid range alpha striker (x2 PPC, AC/20)

[DONTOR]

Drakenn, on 07 January 2014 - 02:11 PM, said:

Honestly I find that if you are going to run missiles, you have to fill more than 1 hardpoint. if you can't, then it is best to put that weight elsewhere. that could be heatsinks, bigger engine, etc. I enjoy my victors, and I find that what makes them fun is the speed.

COMPLETLY AGREE

[Victor Morson]

Israel Finklestein, on 07 January 2014 - 02:16 PM, said:

Victor plays like a heavier heavy rather than an assault. There are two pretty solid ways to play this mech

1. Direct fire support (x2 ERLL, x2AC/5)

2. Mid range alpha striker (x2 PPC, AC/20)

1 is better with PPCs, too.

[Bront]

That's similar to my build (I have an SSRM rather than the SRM6, to disuade lights and not have to alter my aim in a brawl for SRMs), and I'm quite effective with it. Keep in mind though that while it's a brawlable build, it's best when flanking or working with other mechs, as the XL can make it vulnerable. You need to twist the torso a bit more, and try to use the speed and maneuverability to your advantage (go over obsticles, jump-snipe occasionally, find alternate attack routes, etc).

How is it best played? Depends on you. If you play it more like an atlas, maybe you need to drop the XL engine.

Also, remember you have arms, the Victor can snap shoot and take out lights pretty well as well.

Edited by Bront, 07 January 2014 - 02:30 PM.

[xMEPHISTOx]

Odd Thomas, on 07 January 2014 - 02:06 PM, said:

So far I'm find myself comfortable as an Atlas brawler and as a mid/long range Jager.

But... the Victor has me stumped. Looks great on paper but with my build, I'm neither a brawler nor long range - tend to die quickly or am cautious & do little damage.

How is this Victor-S played best?

2 X LL
AC20
1 X SRM6
Speed- ~ 80 kph (XL)
2 JJ

I personally like the VTR9S and pretty much all my victors as jump snipers as they are similar to a CTF3D but more armor and in some cases can be faster and also more heat efficient. I do not think of them as good brawlers and would never use as such as there are much better assault mechs for that job rather than a victor.

My favorite 9S build.
xl335 (67.8 or 74.5 w/speed tweak)
15DHS (1.44 heat efficient)
Full 100% armor.
Endo Steel
2/4 JJ's
2 PPC
1 AC20 w/4 tons ammo (of course with todays patch/ac20 nerf may switch it up, will have to play it to see).

Note: forgot to mention...I have an extra ton but no slots available, was supposed to be for the bigger engine but never got around to buying it.

Above mech in action in video below (pre ac20 nerf vid).




***edit to replace vid w/better one.

Edited by xMEPHISTOx, 07 January 2014 - 04:18 PM.

[Elyam]

320 or 340XL, full jets, AC/10, 2 MPLAS, SRM-16-A

[FireSlade]

Odd Thomas, on 07 January 2014 - 02:06 PM, said:

So far I'm find myself comfortable as an Atlas brawler and as a mid/long range Jager.

But... the Victor has me stumped. Looks great on paper but with my build, I'm neither a brawler nor long range - tend to die quickly or am cautious & do little damage.

How is this Victor-S played best?

2 X LL
AC20
1 X SRM6
Speed- ~ 80 kph (XL)
2 JJ

I run this for my VTR-9S (if you have a 360xl use this)and I max out the JJs which is the first thing that no one does. Then it is all a matter of forgetting that I am piloting an Assault and treat it like one of my Cataphracts. I constantly jump to throw off aim and spread the damage to the legs or to out maneuver a light. I vary my throttle to 1/3 or 2/3 so change movement speed and my torso is always swinging to bring the AC20 in line or the twin LL. Again it is all about movement and spreading damage which is different some from how you pilot an Atlas.

[luxebo]

Besides poptarting, you could also go full brawler (pretty much mini-Atlas, this could relate to your previous Atlas experiences), you could go troll as an LRM boat (not a serious idea though it could do decent with 9S, better to do something else, plus especially if you don't like LRMs), and you can go full ballistic sniper (like triple ac2s, though it isn't a fully competitive build and runs hot, or dual ac5s, single ac2 for dakka, etc). Victor's are pretty flexible.

I think I would suggest if you like that build to either push down large lasers to medium lasers and get as many SRMs as possible, or push up the large lasers for er ppcs/ppcs while removing the SRM.

[kevin roshak]

I run a XL325, 14DHS, Endo, 2LL, AC20, 2srm4 with 2 tons srm and 4tons AC20, max JJ.
Works pretty well, i run it on the -B variant but works just as good on the -S (I assume)
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...5a1145dd0c78164

Edited by kevin roshak, 07 January 2014 - 06:18 PM.

[Victor Morson]

kevin roshak, on 07 January 2014 - 06:18 PM, said:

I run a XL325, 14DHS, Endo, 2LL, AC20, 2srm4 with 2 tons srm and 4tons AC20, max JJ.
Works pretty well, i run it on the -B variant but works just as good on the -S (I assume)
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...5a1145dd0c78164

XL AC/20+SRM Victor

Swapped out the 2 LL for an ER PPC that works at both long and close range, upgraded the SRMs from two non-Artemis 4s to 2 Artemis 4s and an Artemis 6. Now capable of moderate damage at medium range and way more on-target alphas.

[luxebo]

Although not really relating to the topic Victor, how would the AC20 and AC10 (mainly AC20) changes affect the Victor or any other mechs alongside?

And totally off topic, how are the Grid Iron Hunchie (I suggested something similar, though now it seems like a gimped 4G from experience), the 'Garth' Cicada champ, and the other Hunchie changes (I seen 4J without hunch completely, 4P have a smaller hunch, 4SP not really affected besides enough tubes to launch LRMs, 4G and 4H affected by type of ballistic and amount in hunch)?

[Victor Morson]

luxebo, on 07 January 2014 - 07:52 PM, said:

Although not really relating to the topic Victor, how would the AC20 and AC10 (mainly AC20) changes affect the Victor or any other mechs alongside?

Not following the question entirely - which changes specifically?

luxebo, on 07 January 2014 - 07:52 PM, said:

And totally off topic, how are the Grid Iron Hunchie (I suggested something similar, though now it seems like a gimped 4G from experience), the 'Garth' Cicada champ, and the other Hunchie changes (I seen 4J without hunch completely, 4P have a smaller hunch, 4SP not really affected besides enough tubes to launch LRMs, 4G and 4H affected by type of ballistic and amount in hunch)?

The Grid-Iron looks like {Scrap}. Well, it doesn't look like {Scrap} (it should be called the Angry Bee or something, because that fits it far, far better), but it's basically a Hunchback with all the typical Hunchback problems... and not much else going for it.

We REALLY needed either a jumping Hunchback, or a IIc-ish twin-hunch Hunchback, or a better gun mounted no-hunch hunchback. What we got was a Hunchback with some random hardpoints thrown onto it.

[luxebo]

Victor Morson, on 07 January 2014 - 08:41 PM, said:

Not following the question entirely - which changes specifically?

AC20's and AC10's fire a hell lot slower (only really AC20's, AC10's don't feel changed at all).

Victor Morson, on 07 January 2014 - 08:41 PM, said:

The Grid-Iron looks like {Scrap}. Well, it doesn't look like {Scrap} (it should be called the Angry Bee or something, because that fits it far, far better), but it's basically a Hunchback with all the typical Hunchback problems... and not much else going for it.

We REALLY needed either a jumping Hunchback, or a IIc-ish twin-hunch Hunchback, or a better gun mounted no-hunch hunchback. What we got was a Hunchback with some random hardpoints thrown onto it.

The two things that bug me about it is that the lore about it sucks badly. If they traded the ballistic for a missile, then maybe it would be better, but it really does look like a crappy variant of the 4G. I think they could've removed the head laser for some JJs, better speed cap, maybe still even bigger hunches, but seriously, it's stupid in my opinion. Should be completely reworked. Might even take the throne of being worse than a Golden Boy, and that's saying a lot, especially after mastering Hunchies.

Edited by luxebo, 07 January 2014 - 09:10 PM.

[Johnny Two Legs]

I've had some pretty good success with the Victor 9B with a 2.5 K/D ratio, 1.4 W/L ratio (mainly pugging), and a lot of games with an average damage of 480 per game (after 350 games).

I run it with close to max armour, ES, 2 JJ's, XL330, 2 AC5 and 1 AC2 and as much ammo as you can fit. Has a 1.72 heat efficiency. Runs about 89kph IIRC.

Weakness is the right arm however with that speed, torso twisting and JJ's you can protect it very well. Obviously left and right torso's are fragile but again you have the mobility to avoid focus fire on these and also not being in the front line means you should be the primary focus... Until you start firing.

The 2 AC5's and 1 AC2 put down some serious DPS for long periods of time without overheating and you have the ammo to back it up. I've rarely died from an ammo explosion, probably no more than a half dozen times.

It's not a brawler and excels around 300m-700m ranges. Be a 2nd rank mech, behind the fAtlases and Highlanders. Most players move into cover when you fire on them, very few stand up and fight.
If they move, then you're doing crowd control and that's one aspect that I like about high DPS ballistic mechs, they're good for controlling/imiting movement of other players.
If a mech chooses to fight then you have the DPS to destroy a damaged mech quickly, the torso twist speed and JJ's to spread damage to many locations, and the speed to move into cover or a better position quickly.

J2L