23 replies to this topic

[VirtualRiot]

I'm still fairly new to this game, been playing for 2 months or so on and off. My first big purchase was an AWS-8Q. The meta would say that this is a terrible mech, and I did really bad with it for a long time.

But then I realized that the awesomes weakness is that it has a huge middle hitbox.
I moved as much armor as I could out of my legs and left arm into my front torso armor, people tend to almost always aim for the centre.
Now its awesome. I can tank almost anyone 1v1 as long as I keep my front facing them, which is easy.
Granted if I get flanked it can be over really quickly but most games seem pretty straight forward.

Do you guys think we could see a resurgance of the viability of the awesome? I'm not a vet by any means of the word, so tell me what you think, and maybe some other tips I could use to make my awesome game more awesome

[wanderer]

You do know that you could just add more armor tonnage instead, right?

But you still can't change that it's easy to hit that CT, nor change the maximum armor the CT can carry. You can allocate a lot of the maximum to the frontal CT, but the point is that it's easy to core and difficult to spread damage across it's LT/RT by comparison to it's 80-ton cousin,the Victor.

You're making the best of it, though. And that's the right idea.

[Clit Beastwood]

I think you'll find that the more matches you win the less survivable the awesome becomes. They can be super useful in some situations, and a fast awesome can be a sneaky surprise... But they're just too easy to hit. That being said... I love the dang things looks like a linebacker in full pads what sort of builds are you running? I've found that some of my buddies love the 8r when I run my TAG spider. Usually a stalker would serve the role better, but the awesome... I'd say it "moves" well.

[Ngamok]

They still make awesome (no pun intended......or maybe) LRM boats with back up weapons.

[Warblood]

this is the 8Q build i use, it is not a brawler so keep your self back in a supporting position with some cover close by..
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...3d5aa8700c8634e

i use the ppc for ranged.. the 2LpL fire together to hit critical spots n the 2LL on chin fire.

also drop coolshot 6 n 9x9 on it.. it does run hella hot, but its a wreckin machine..

[TehSBGX]

Try tossing an XL engine in it if you haven't already. It might be handy since everyone immediately goes for your center torso any ways.

[Mechteric]

Its a bit better than it used to be, but not enough to make it a clear equivalent of the likes of a Victor. Its still just a bit too wide physically, hitbox changes won't fix that, it needs geometry fixes.

[ArchSight]

I do the same with my armor.

I use this build on the AWS-8Q to maximize damage and long lasting survivability. Having the ability to do more damage at once lets it do better than jump snipers in the right range of 450 meters. Going 60 too 66kph makes the jog into 450 not so bad but having the element of surprise is needed to keep mechs from running away before it gets within range.

AWS-8Q

Weapon groups I use on it are set to shoot as:
Left mouse button, Group 1 = left torso 2x Large Laser for left side cover peeking to limit exposure.
Right mouse button, Group 2 = Right torso 2x Large Laser for right side cover peeking to limit exposure.
Keyboard 3, Group 3 = Right Arm Large Laser for independent wider shooting arc with arm and accuracy.
Group 4 = Alpha Strike all weapons. I don't use it because of ghost heat but have it for rare chances of only getting one shot off.

Positioning the mech in medium ranges gets the best results. Screenshot to show it can do well if used in the right circumstances. Ambushed them from behind.

Spoiler

TehSBGX, on 26 February 2014 - 11:05 AM, said:

Try tossing an XL engine in it if you haven't already. It might be handy since everyone immediately goes for your center torso any ways.

A XL engine takes SIX more slots that could be used for two more double heat sinks or weapons on the AWS-8Q. The AWS-8Q is a 7 energy hard point varient of the awesome that has a max engine cap at 300 unlike the other varients that have higher engine cap rating.

Edited by ArchSight, 26 February 2014 - 01:41 PM.

[SirLANsalot]

AWS-8Q

Dual AC40 Jager build....in PPC form.

19DHS, 2 ERPPC 2 PPC. On cold maps, ER's will, kinda, warm you up, and the normals will do nothing to your heat. On hot maps (terra therma) use the normal PPCs as much as possible. However it is the "dreaded" dual AC20 that everyone cries about....yet this has twice the range and no ammo constraints. Hmmmm I wonder.........

[Lightfoot]

Awesome 8Q loadout is 3-4 PPCs, 3 ERPPCs, or 5 large lasers, but you can't do that in MWO even though you can in every other iteration of MechWarrior. MWO is GunWarrior due to all the Heat nerfs. Until PGI makes MWO Heat function like Battletech I would avoid the Energy-only mechs. In MWO support for Energy weapons on Assaults is as secondary weapons at best.

ELO makes any Mech work so it's hard to discern balance from ELO bracketing, but in a unit v unit battle the AWS doesn't have the firepower to make up for the huge CT target.

[Lightfoot]

SirLANsalot, on 26 February 2014 - 02:03 PM, said:

AWS-8Q

Dual AC40 Jager build....in PPC form.

19DHS, 2 ERPPC 2 PPC. On cold maps, ER's will, kinda, warm you up, and the normals will do nothing to your heat. On hot maps (terra therma) use the normal PPCs as much as possible. However it is the "dreaded" dual AC20 that everyone cries about....yet this has twice the range and no ammo constraints. Hmmmm I wonder.........

This mech overheats too much for a duel or fire-fight. Even staggering the PPCs and ERPPCs to avoid 6xERPPC Ghost heat this loadout will fire twice, shutdown, maybe take damage, and then take 10-12 seconds to zero out the heat, meanwhile the AC mechs are pummeling you on every weapon recycle with just as much damage. For shame PGI, look what you have done.

[Adiuvo]

SirLANsalot, on 26 February 2014 - 02:03 PM, said:

AWS-8Q

Dual AC40 Jager build....in PPC form.

19DHS, 2 ERPPC 2 PPC. On cold maps, ER's will, kinda, warm you up, and the normals will do nothing to your heat. On hot maps (terra therma) use the normal PPCs as much as possible. However it is the "dreaded" dual AC20 that everyone cries about....yet this has twice the range and no ammo constraints. Hmmmm I wonder.........

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...bf7fe46fea6697e

Anyways the problem with it is that it overheats with only 3 shots. It has zero sustain capabilities and would be terrible in a drawn out fight.

[Mycrus]

Awesome are cool.... They are fun to play with but not a chassis I would suggest to the inexperienced.... For a very long time the 4 lurmapocalypse 15s awesome was my missile boat of choice until the lurm battlemaster...

Awesome will benefit from SRM buffs and woefully needs a quirk buff for mounting pee pee Cee.

I mastered my awesome during the height of the goose rifle and pee pee Cee meta... and that is all variants even the baby

[Lyoto Machida]

Ngamok, on 26 February 2014 - 10:21 AM, said:

They still make awesome (no pun intended......or maybe) LRM boats with back up weapons.

I'd say the BLR-1S made the Awesome LRM boats obsolete...just my opinion though.

[A Man In A Can]

Adiuvo, on 26 February 2014 - 05:09 PM, said:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...bf7fe46fea6697e

Now with a backup weapon and a fully expendable left arm so you can zombie.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...52afc11d312944f

[Purlana]

Anytime I see an Awsome I think to myself, this will be Awsome! They can't turn fast enough to escape from being cored in the back from my light. Also most of them are long range build and have no close range abilities

Edited by Purlana, 26 February 2014 - 06:01 PM.

[Elizander]

They should probably add a perk that increases heat dissipation of Awesomes to make up for the low engine cap on most models (preventing you from getting more HS) and increase the range of motion of the arms and perhaps the torso twist range. Removing the movement penalties on the Pretty Baby would be nice also. It's already penalized with rather bad hardpoints compared to most models.

[mekabuser]

arm mounted weaps very nice in awesome. ITs acquired taste like a dragon, but can bring the pain. Seems to get where it needs to go nicely ala terrain doesnt hinder it much, on e of the victors shortcomings.

[Lightfoot]

Mechwarrior Mousse, on 26 February 2014 - 05:57 PM, said:

Now with a backup weapon and a fully expendable left arm so you can zombie.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...52afc11d312944f

No AMS? You are brave because the Awesome's gigantic Center Torso makes it die to LRMs like a Jenner standing still. Even at 66.7 kph.

[A Man In A Can]

Lightfoot, on 26 February 2014 - 07:46 PM, said:

Well, nothing's stopping someone from dropping two heatsinks, or a heatsink and some armor to get AMS if they want it. But of course that would mean reducing precious cooling efficiency.