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Nothing going up here should be a huge surprise for experienced ‘Phract pilots. Having mastered the chassis, I’m putting all my findings together in one place for the discovery and aid of new pilots.
This thread is also intended as a place for more experienced players to compare notes. I am creating similar reports for the other chassis I have mastered, utilizing the same format; the write-up on the Catapult is already complete. You can find it here:
---> http://mwomercs.com/...60#entry3102460
I'd appreciate your feedback, and hope to start a discussion in the comments. "Like"s are appreciated, as always.
Here follows an analysis of the cataphract's perks and downfalls in MWO.
Disclaimers:
During this guide, I occasionally find myself considering the IM, 4X, and 3D more carefully than the 1X and 2X. This is because I don't own and never have played either of the latter two. Sorry if my descriptions and tactical notes don't factor in their more ideal play styles.
Secondly, and this is big, I come across pretty critical in my ratings of all the 'phract's stats. The rating scale, as I attempt to explain at the beginning of that section, only considers the degree to which that aspect of the 'mech helps or hinders it in combat. The reason for the lukewarm ratings is not because of their inadequacy, but because of their relative unimportance or unremarkability (for most of them, that is).
General Overview:
The cataphract is an ugly brute, but that’s not why people don’t like to look it in the face. Of all ‘mechs in the game, the ‘phract tends to carry the largest percentage of its tonnage in weaponry, and most of that in ballistics. With a good mix of direct fire weapons, all variants are competitive. The cataphract is normally slow, and its shape and weapon placement work against it in many cases, but the chassis is still a fine brawler and a deadly member of the team in any match. DPS and suppression builds work well on this chassis since it’s an ideal platform for ballistics weaponry.
Each and every variant can hold its own in a fight, and all of them operate fairly similarly. The ‘phract is tough but not invulnerable, and will deal and take heavy damage in any one-on-one confrontation. It is best to keep out of the focus of your enemies in order to deal the most damage possible in a match. Typically, you can drive any other ‘mech back into cover by blasting his face open with your tremendous firepower- offence as a defense, for reals. The ‘phract is good at range as well as in a brawl, but normally needs to stay near its teammates to be safe from lights and medium harassers. Three variants really stand out among all the ‘mechs in the game: The 4X, the 3D, and the IM, all of which will be covered later.
There are five variants with the following hardpoints:
1X: 5e, 1b
2X: 3e, 1b, 2m
3D: 4e, 2b, 4JJ
4X: 2e, 4b, 1m
Ilya Muromets: 3e, 3b
-where "e" denotes energy hardpoints, "m" missiles, "b" ballistic, "JJ" jump jets, and "AMS" cotton balls. Unless otherwise specified, all chassis have 1 AMS hardpoint in the side torso. Note that the Muromets is a hero 'mech (and probably the best one out there, too).
NOW FOLLOW THE RATINGS.
I've assessed the ‘phract on five axes, each on a scale from 0 (sucks, crippling overall performance) to 5 (buy the 'mech for this alone). All these ratings are meant to reflect the degree to which that aspect of the 'mech helps or hurts its performance. If some aspect either is sub-par in relation to other 'mechs, or is damaging to the ‘mech’s performance, it will receive low marks. No composite score is given, due to the simple fact that it is futile to weigh any 'mech chassis against any other on an immutable rating scale.
Speed:
This scale measures the 'mech in terms of its stock speed and its average speed on level ground.
|▓|▓|▒|░|░| 2.5/5
The ‘mech has average speed, but to increase its speed requires a sacrifice of firepower or survivability. Slowness is generally not a huge issue, though.
Variants of the cataphract come with different-sized engines. Most come with a STD 280, driving them at a modest 64.8 KPH. With this engine, the ‘mech can’t sling around the kind of firepower which gives it its popularity. The 4X comes with a STD 210, leaving open enough tonnage to scare Poseidon out of the hot tub, but at the cost of moving at Atlas speed. Ideal is the XL 280, which leaves lots of tonnage but decreases survivability sharply.
All in all, the ‘phract can’t boast much speed without giving up something. In general, as a core-group brawler or sniper, this slowness doesn’t hurt performance overmuch.
Maneuverability:
This scale considers the 'mech's ability to move across and target in terrain.
|▓|▓|▓|░|░| 3.0/5
The cataphract has average abilities in terrain-handling.
Many ‘phracts have good arm-mounted firepower, and the arms are always very flexible. However, this short-legged ‘mech can get caught on barriers which don’t seem to bother some other ‘mechs. Due to its lack of both speed and jump jets, the ‘mech has a tough time on slopes. This typically does not interrupt the pilot, as the ‘phract normally attacks across flat terrain.
Below, at entry #2, MWHighlander has posted a list of movement profiles and the 'mechs in them. Turns out the 'phract is categorized as "medium", meaning that it slows on any slope steeper than 30 degrees. This is about middle-of-the-road, and is the same as for the Jagermech and the Dragon.
Firepower:
This scale weighs the 'mech in terms of its damage potential during an average drop.
|▓|▓|▓|▓|▓| 5.0/5
The 'mech has adequate firepower. Adequate, that is, to level a small town with a sneeze.
Free Weight (found by stripping all weapons, ammo, and extra heat sinks off the stock design):
1X, 2X (STD 280): 30(+3) tons
4X (STD 210): 35(+3) tons
3D, IM (XL 280): 36(+3) tons
-where the (+3) tons can be accessed by purchasing endo-steel structure. Variants are grouped by stock engine size. Armor varies on these chassis; the more reasonable of any two variants is used to give tonnage.
I and most other serious players of the chassis elect to use smaller or XL engines in order to open up the full potential of this ‘mech, which largely centers on using its excellent hardpoint mix to produce large amounts of consistent bang. PPC and large-laser arrays are common with 1X and 2X. The 3D brings a mix of weapons suited for brutal pop-tarting, the likes of which is unacceptable in polite company with alpha-strike damage in the 30’s or 40’s. The Ilya and 4X bring a sideways rain of ballistics fire, defining a whole new kingdom of long-range DPS. Getting a ‘phract? It’s because you want to brutalize the enemy and leave him shivering in his ejector seat.
Design:
This scale centers on the 'mech's shape and hardpoint layout.
|▓|▓|▒|░|░| 2.5/5
The ‘phract has a wide torso and low-set guns, making it cumbersome.
The cataphract suffers from the old low-set weapons issue. If you’re peaking over a hill, the enemy can always shoot first. Try not to attack uphill when possible. Since your team Atlas has the same problem, he’ll be choosing a route which should be O.K. for you, too.
Survivability:
This scale measures the 'mech's relative ability to hold together under fire.
|▓|▓|▓|░|░| 3.0/5
The ‘phract is wide and easy to hit, but spreading damage is easy due to the shape of its torso.
The big ugly ‘phract is- get this- actually shaped like a walking barn. Your enemy has to be blind to miss your torso in a scrum, and your enemy can almost always hit your CT unless you are twisting actively. Fortunately, the boxy sides of the ‘mech give you a good chance to distribute damage across your side torsos. Armor is quite heavy all round. Your average-to-low speed means you’ll be easy meat if you don’t pay attention to your team’s movement at all times; you can’t run and you can’t dodge in the cataphract, so you’d better be close to your teammates.
This image comes from [GUIDE] HIT BOX LOCALISATION by Rainbow Unikorn.
---> http://mwomercs.com/...x-localisation/
Over all, of all the aspects rated above, only one is really important to the functionality of the cataphract: its firepower. All these issues and shortfalls can be countered by good piloting. This is a flipping brawny ‘mech, and the reasons for the low and average scores is simply that it doesn't have anything but firepower that matters. Load up, and kill an entire race if it suits you.
Other notes on the chassis:
XL Engine Viability: It’s hard to say, and comes down to a balance of survivability and firepower. Driving my ‘phract, I die due to loss of side torso as often as not. On the other hand, and this is no exaggeration, the cataphract’s best defense against damage is to drive its attacker away by shooting at him with the large number of cockpit-shaking weapons it can carry. Therefor, it’s probably best to make the jump to XL, since you can use your uniquely apocalyptic loadout to protect yourself.
Role/ Battle Location: Core group sniper-brawler. The cannon-heavy loadouts of most cataphracts are suitable for both long and short range. Due to its normally slow speed (and the way the game always has worked), the ‘mech is best suited to staying close to friendly ‘mechs to defend it from enemy harassers. AMS is hard to fit onto the ‘phract, so the team can help you there, too.
Skill level: Relatively low, though no ‘mech in this game is a piece of cake to drive. The ‘phract basically needs to know when to show itself to snipe or otherwise attack, which is normally when only one enemy would sight him at a time. You blast that one target until he either dies or runs away (there is no other option for him), and then you get back with the group. Torso-twisting is essential in this ‘mech if you want to survive, since your torso is easy to tear up. You are especially vulnerable to light and medium harassers, due to your slow turn and twist rates, and to the natural disadvantages of ballistic weapons against fast-parallaxing targets.
Guides to specific variants:
1X and 2X:
I have no experience with these two, but I expect that large lasers, large pulse, and PPCs define their respective loadouts. The 2x is the only cataphract which mounts serious missile hardpoints; streaks and SRMs are likely a good choice to cover you at close range.
DarthPeanut and GhostBadger (below) submit that in these two variants, a large standard engine and an AC20 can make a tough, quick brawler. In such builds, the numerous other hardpoints are filled out for short-ranged DPS with medium lasers and (where applicable) SRMs. Sounds brutal.
4X and IM: Both of these carry numerous ballistics hardpoints and the free tonnage to use them, resulting in very high DPS. The 4X is known for its 4xAC5 build, which can dump a truckload of damage on any ‘mech in line-of-sight. At 13.3 damage per second, firing in chain or burst, expect great results whenever you get a good shot. The Ilya is well suited to the 3xUAC5 build, which can put out a burst of firepower unmatched by anything else in the game: until your guns begin to jam, those three amigos are putting out 20 damage per second, enough to theoretically strip an Atlas’s center in five seconds. With the 4X, it is good to maneuver and position such that you can maximize on your sustained high firepower; the Muromets is best used as an ambush predator.
3D: This is a strong contender in any contest where killing things is a goal, with jump jets and a couple of high-mounted energy points for PPCs. Jump-sniping in this ‘mech is about as good as it gets. I try not to play it because I feel spoiled when I walk out of almost every match with 3-5 kills and bunches of damage. Makes my other ‘mechs look stupid.
Main tip: Follow the Atlas. Keep him safe. The Atlas loves you and wants to protect you, but he needs your help.
---> _http://mwomercs.com/...fracking-atlas/
EDITS: Added disclaimers| started adding referrals to comments below.
Edited by Oogalook, 05 February 2014 - 07:44 PM.
