22 replies to this topic

[JC Daxion]

I have been messing around with these and i am wondering if they are worth bothering with.. Do they work well in pairs? or do you need 3? Singles worth trying? So far they just seam like limited ammo ER-lasers, that are hard to hit with, as you need to stack a lot of shots at 2 each to do any damage.

Curious how people use then, or what the main use of them is, or what weapons you combo with them...

[M4NTiC0R3X]

I tend to use one ac2 as a backup for a larger ac, supress fire when you need it but will keep your heat about level w/ where its at. Or I use two ac2s and fire them at the same time for nonstop 4damage mayhem. Dont chain fire ac2s quickly or ghost heat will be outrageous by the 8th shot

[M4NTiC0R3X]

I tend to use one ac2 as a backup for a larger ac, supress fire when you need it but will keep your heat about level w/ where its at. Or I use two ac2s and fire them at the same time for nonstop 4damage mayhem. Dont chain fire ac2s quickly or ghost heat will be outrageous by the 8th shot

AC2s are nothing like lasers, the ability to put out damage on a whim




Sorry multipost, stupid mobile phone doesnt allow edit

[Modo44]

Too hot to be really good, but lots of fun for poking people at range if you have good aim. 3 seems to be the magic number.

[Koniving]

A still possible design if you go slightly slower on the AC/2 firing rate. Like 0.02 seconds slower (you won't even notice). This is a twin AC/2 twin AC/5 combination.


If the vid doesn't answer your question, nothing will.

[TheCaptainJZ]

I've gotten many savior kills with fast firing weapons such as the ac2 sometimes. It tends to get enemies to focus attention on you so could be tactially useful.

[Redshift2k5]

M4NTiC0R3X, on 15 February 2014 - 10:11 AM, said:

I tend to use one ac2 as a backup for a larger ac, supress fire when you need it but will keep your heat about level w/ where its at. Or I use two ac2s and fire them at the same time for nonstop 4damage mayhem. Dont chain fire ac2s quickly or ghost heat will be outrageous by the 8th shot

If using chainfire they never ghost heat. If you fire them in a complicated sequence where any bullet fires more often than .5 of a second, then sure, the heatscale gets ridiculous. It's very easy to set up AC2s to fire in a faster sequence, but don't.

My 3 AC Shadowhawk has my highest single variant KDR.

Edited by Redshift2k5, 15 February 2014 - 10:40 AM.

[Barkem Squirrel]

Two AC 2's do make you a target, forget that a priority target with 3 or 4.

It depends on the mech and how you like or good at playing. Shadowhawks, Jagers, Black Jacks, the other heavies and assults. even the raven 4X. (yes, I did that for a while learning the AC 2.)

One point above is heat, two ac 2's are hot, but slip in an AC 5 and an AC 2 and the heat is greatly reduced. I did that on an LRM Atlas DDC. The heat reduction is only about 1.25 per second, but you maintain a hit every .52 seconds while having an ac 5 or greater every so often.

One other option with the Firebrand is the LL or ERLL with the AC 2 that is even hotter.

I run with 4 or 3 AC 2's on the Jager S,and make atlases or anything else back up for cover. Give me 4 seconds on most targets and it is dead or 3 and it is cored and fodder for lights that you can call in. Again this is mostly a team game to win, so help the KDR of a locust. On some maps I can deny use of some avenues of approach or huge areas from one point. That in of it's self forces the other team into kill zones if done right. I normally run the Jager with 2 ac 2's and 2 AC 5's, it is better on heat and damage.


The shadow Hawk 5M I run with 2 AC 2's, streak's, ML's. This set up has allowed me to leg lights at long range that were stopping and peaking. Also to peck at other mechs and force them to react or contain them.

The two above are similar, but set for different play stiles.

The other is to keep steel on target while larger AC's are cooling down. Many experienced players will torso twist then turn to fire all weapons or wait for you to fire then turn. By having the AC 2 constantly firing they are less likely to turn. The Highlanders are a good example, have an AC 10 or LBX 10 and the AC 2 in the arm. The same can be done with one AC 2 and LRMs on the highlanders or Jager A.

Two AC 2's are dangerous, but three or four can just melt mechs. You could jump snipe with them, but the rate of fire you can lay down, no. Fire from the ground and hammer someone. Remember Ghost heat starts at 4 and with out chain firing they are just too hot. Plus having three allows for back up weapons and heat sinks. The 6 AC 2 Jager is fun, but speed and ammo issues make it bad.

Edited by Barkem Squirrel, 15 February 2014 - 11:42 AM.

[Koniving]

Modo44, on 15 February 2014 - 10:20 AM, said:

Too hot to be really good, but lots of fun for poking people at range if you have good aim. 3 seems to be the magic number.

Alternatively, combine 1 AC/2 with a much lower heat high output weapon (LB-10x, AC/5) and it's pretty effective too.

But yes, as Modo mentioned it's really hot if you stack 'em.

[JC Daxion]

Would you say a pair of AC-2's would group better with an AC-10, over an AC-20? I tired it with an ac-20, and felt that it just didn't mesh well.. though i only did a few drops so hardly many to really use the weapon

[Modo44]

The AC2s fit together with AC5s and UAC5s when you do not have space/tonnage to add the bigger guns. The projectile trajectory is virtually the same over the optimal range. The bigger guns work better separately, or in pairs of the same thing.

[Koniving]

Round speed of the AC/2 works well with Gauss, but iffy.

Ac/2 round speed works well with AC/5 and UAC/5. This was the original mix combination (AC/2 + AC/5, AC/2 + UAC/5 but found the pinpoint to be troublesome for jump brawling. Traded for shotgun and AC/2, then later shotgun and AC/5).

[mikelovskij]

Victor 9B with 1Ac5, 1 UAC5 and 1 AC2 in the same group (and one PPC) is quite hilarious, it has a strange shooting rythm.
I don't however suggest using builds that focus on more than two AC2 because of their low burst damage and high heat production (compared with other cannons).

[The Basilisk]

AC2s are quite common weapons for backing up larger ACs or for laying down supressing fire while targeting bigger weapons.
Got 2x AC2+1UAC5 in my BLR-1D for softening enemys up when ammo runs low and the match is near finish or the fight gets close I finish them with my 5 M-Lasers.

[JC Daxion]

Koniving, on 15 February 2014 - 10:37 AM, said:

A still possible design if you go slightly slower on the AC/2 firing rate. Like 0.02 seconds slower (you won't even notice). This is a twin AC/2 twin AC/5 combination.


If the vid doesn't answer your question, nothing will.

Ok.. i get it now.... They really do combine well with the Ac-5's.. I tired them with an Ac-20, and swapped out a pair of machine guns with 2 AC-2's,, which felt like i lost short range DPS. I went back to dual machine guns and like it better. But... I will be thinking about a mech one day that will use the combo load out.. I have been wanting to try a 4 Machine gun Jager as well....

[Koniving]

JC Daxion, on 16 February 2014 - 11:22 AM, said:

I have been wanting to try a 4 Machine gun Jager as well....

Go 6 or go home.

[Bront]

AC2s are longish range DPS weapons. While they can outrange many other ACs, the damage gets very low very quickly (you're starting at 2 in the first place). They also generate a lot of heat due to rapid fire. DPS wise, they're pretty high though.

I like mixing AC2s and AC5s, and find they're ultimately more efficient that way.

[Osric Lancaster]

Redshift2k5, on 15 February 2014 - 10:39 AM, said:

If using chainfire they never ghost heat.

That's because one ac/2 spits out bullets and damage at the exact same rate as any number of ac/2s in a group chain firing. . . Unless you are group firing there's really no point to multiple ac/2s. On the other hand, group an ac/2 and an ac/5 and they compliment each-others timing well.

[eleazr]

Redshift2k5, on 15 February 2014 - 10:39 AM, said:

If using chainfire they never ghost heat. If you fire them in a complicated sequence where any bullet fires more often than .5 of a second, then sure, the heatscale gets ridiculous. It's very easy to set up AC2s to fire in a faster sequence, but don't.

My 3 AC Shadowhawk has my highest single variant KDR.

I can't say enough good things about my 110 kph, triple deuce Shadow Hawk. I do rapid fire my AC2s, but in short bursts only. Mostly I do it when I'm trying to suppress the other guy and I have plenty of heat to work with. I have no idea if rapid fire is better at joggling the other guy's elbow or not, but it's just too much fun not to do it some times. (and yes, I'm a total nubee)

I never have liked the AC5/AC2 mix. The third AC2 has better DPS, better range, and uses the same stash of ammo. An AC5 needs it's own special ammo and can't share. Since I'm running a DPS build instead of an alpha build, it makes more sense to me to just leave the 5 at home. I don't usually have a heat problem, but then I avoid brawls where I'm shooting nonstop.

[xengk]

I pack 2 AC2 on my BJ1DC and fit it with the fastest XL engine it can hold.
It does run hot when I maintain a barrage.

The way this mech is played is as a support sniper, hang back abit from the group and fire upon a target until he notice me. Then fallback and relocate with the speed the XL 235 provides to fire upon another target.
Main problem would be a pair or more lights that have manage to slip behind the line and flanking the group, my 4 SLas and dual AC2 can put up some resistance to a single light but a pair will be too much handle, and best is to run back to the main group.