19 replies to this topic

[MaoutheGreat]

Today I bought myself several new Mechs: Yen Lo Wang, Boar's Head, Firebrand, Ilya Muromets, BlackJack BJ-1, and Thunderbolt TDR-5S. And I got to thinking, which we all know is a bad thing, and I asked myself, "should I remove the XL engines from Boar's Head and Firebrand and put them in my BlackJack and my Yen Lo Wang and sell off the STD engines I pull out from them?" The answer I came up with myself was yes. Then I realised I could ask people with more experince with this than me. So what doesn't an XL engine belong in and what should they be put in, and is it worth it to sell off the engine I don't want or keep it as placeholder until I can get better ones?

[cSand]

Well an XL engine is lighter, so you can go faster and pack more weapons, but it goes in you shoulders, so if your shoulder is blown off you die.

Basically, standard = slower but longer life
XL = lighter but more fragile

Also I wouldn't sell engines or any other parts, they are nice to have so you can try other builds later one

Edited by cSand, 28 February 2014 - 11:19 PM.

[Kaeb Odellas]

Yeah, don't sell engines. I got into a habit of selling duplicate engines, trying to have only one of each rating and type at a time and swapping it out when I needed to. I really regret that decision now with daily First Victory bonuses and the really crappy UI 2.0 mechlab.

[Bishop Steiner]

YLW absolutely should have a 300XL. Ac20 w/ 4 tons ammo and 2 medium pulse lasers. It's the surgeon's scalpel of MWO. Just remember to use cover and our left arm as a shield.

And IMO, the Ilya only shines with an XL, too. Preferably a 340xl.

Thing is none of your Xls fit the other mechs, so it's a matter of all new gear.

[FireSlade]

Sell the 400xl engine and buy a 300xl with it and some more funds, since the 400xl is the hardest to fit with useful weaponry and only a couple mechs can use it while the 300xl will be one of the most used engines that you have. The 280xl that came with the firebrand will be useful in the future so keep that. The rule of thumb is to never sell engines and equipment (except the command console, single heatsinks, and CASE) and try not to sell big expensive weapons (might have to if you are having issues with having weapons stay in place, long story) so that you are not grinding as long to build a mech up. Depending on my play time, it takes me 3-5 days to save up 10 mil without the premium time or hero bonuses so knocking 5mil off of a mech bill is worth it.

Good picks with the mechs, especially the heroes. A recommendation for a future hero that I think everyone should have because of its uniqueness is the Heavy Metal (comes with all the bonuses of the others but will play 2 types of music for each kill).

Good luck and good hunting.

[Malcolm Vordermark]

I have two general rules to recommend.

1) Never sell engines unless you have duplicates.

2) Front line mechs take standard. Second line and really just about any other role you can think of take XL.

[Col Jaime Wolf]

dont sell any xl engine, i have as many as 3 xl300 or whatnot (cant find them all now cuz of UI 2.0) but never sell any XL of significance, sell only standards IF YOU ARE SURE YOU ARENT GOING TO MISS IT. but generally keep all engines unless you have a gross excess IE 5 or more

[Unnatural Growth]

I would keep every XL. I would only sell standard engines over 200 size IF I had several spares in that rating.

+2 about swapping engines in the new UI. It is a royal pain in the @**. I think I have 8 or 9 XL 300's in various mechs, and I'm still having to swap them around. Have to buy more engines I guess.

Save that XL 400 for a Battlemaster build.

[Dreamslave]

Bishop Steiner, on 28 February 2014 - 11:35 PM, said:

YLW absolutely should have a 300XL. Ac20 w/ 4 tons ammo and 2 medium pulse lasers. It's the surgeon's scalpel of MWO. Just remember to use cover and our left arm as a shield.

And IMO, the Ilya only shines with an XL, too. Preferably a 340xl.

Thing is none of your Xls fit the other mechs, so it's a matter of all new gear.

basically not this.

[OmniJackal]

I run almost everything with an XL these days because everyone always focuses CT. I seriously die to loss of ST maybe 1 out of every 20 matches. It's like tunnel vision. All anyone ever sees is that CT. I on the other hand can't count how many times I've graped Jagers quickly by focusing on their ST. I even run centurions with XL now and it's always CT death.

[Bishop Steiner]

Dreamslave, on 01 March 2014 - 09:27 AM, said:

basically not this.

Oh right, I forgot, the only point of Centys is to be a ZOmbie,..... unless you actually know how to drive. I've been using the YLW since it was first released, the only change being DHS when they were added and at that point swapping my mediums and 2 SHS for DHS and 2 medium Pulse. Have always been able to break 500 damage and 3 kills as a minimum floor unless I just get stupid or my team got rolled. Guess I don't know what I'm doing tho.

And now that the Centy gets CT cored very easy.... yeah, even less reason to run an XL....oh wait-.......

Edited by Bishop Steiner, 01 March 2014 - 09:55 AM.

[MaoutheGreat]

I took the XL 280 out of the Firebrand and switched it with the STD 180 from the Yen Lo Wang. In a couple of weeks I'm going to buy the Heavy Metal and more Mech Bays (8 currently with 6 filled). I'm saving up now for an STD 300-400 to run in the Boar's Head and an XL 200 to run in my BlackJack. I'm not messing with the engine form the Ilya just yet. I'm not going to mess with the engine from my Thunderbolt at all.

[Malcolm Vordermark]

MaoutheGreat, on 01 March 2014 - 10:17 AM, said:

I took the XL 280 out of the Firebrand and switched it with the STD 180 from the Yen Lo Wang. In a couple of weeks I'm going to buy the Heavy Metal and more Mech Bays (8 currently with 6 filled). I'm saving up now for an STD 300-400 to run in the Boar's Head and an XL 200 to run in my BlackJack. I'm not messing with the engine form the Ilya just yet. I'm not going to mess with the engine from my Thunderbolt at all.

The STD400 is not going to leave much room for weapons. It seems most people suggest engines in the 325-350 range for the Atlas.

[MaoutheGreat]

Future Ilya Muromets build: ILYA MUROMETS

Future Firebrand build: FIREBRAND

I'm having a bit of trouble with my Yen Lo Wang and my Boar's Head. I can't seem to get into them. The Yen Lo Wang mostly. I'm looking for a good build for my Boar's Head that won't make it run hot, but I keep drawing blanks.

Future Boar's Head build: BOAR'S HEAD

If I do the grouping right then I shouldn't overheat, but I have to wait for my heat to dissapate before I use my next array of lasers.

Edited by MaoutheGreat, 02 March 2014 - 12:38 PM.

[MisterPlanetarian]

Some minor alterations to your Ilya muromets build: Here.

*full armor in the torso

*armor is more front loaded

*ammo moved to limbs to minimize risk of an ammo explosion killing your engine.

[Malcolm Vordermark]

MaoutheGreat, on 02 March 2014 - 12:30 PM, said:

Future Ilya Muromets build: ILYA MUROMETS

Future Firebrand build: FIREBRAND

I'm having a bit of trouble with my Yen Lo Wang and my Boar's Head. I can't seem to get into them. The Yen Lo Wang mostly. I'm looking for a good build for my Boar's Head that won't make it run hot, but I keep drawing blanks.

Future Boar's Head build: BOAR'S HEAD

If I do the grouping right then I shouldn't overheat, but I have to wait for my heat to dissapate before I use my next array of lasers.

The Ilya Muromets build looks good just a few suggestions: you only need 1 ton of AMS ammo, ammo in the sides with an XL is a bad idea, and 40 armor in the legs makes me nervous.

You should really consider getting at standard engine for the Boar's Head. I'm glad to see you armored up the legs but 84 might be excessive. Probably 70 is good. If anyone is that determined to leg your atlas they have to stand where you can shoot them for a while. Finally, a single LRM20 doesnt seem like the most effective use of tonnage. Consider dropping it and getting a ballistic of some kind.

Theres not much to worry about with the Yen Lo Wang. Put an AC20 with about 3-4 tons of ammo and anything else you can fit. I think most people try to keep the speed around 90-100kph.

[MaoutheGreat]

I just don't like the way the Yen Lo Wang plays, I can't get a feel for it. The only reason I don't use the the Ballistic harpoint on the Boar's Head is it sticks out like a sore thumb and people have a tendency to target it. Not using the Ballistic hardpoint and using the Missle hardpoint instead has increased my survivability and my damage output. With the Ilya Muromets I don't have much a problem with ammo explosions, but I do have problems with lights circling me and CT coring my back.

[SgtKinCaiD]

My 2 cents :
- try not to sell engine, especially xl
- but on the contrary, try to use the same set of engine rating on every mech : STD 225-250-275-300-325-etc., XL 255-280-300-325-350-etc.

[seymourbalzac]

I'd highly recommend using a STD engine in your Firebrand and Boars Head, those mechs tend to lose their side torsos before their center torso. YLW put an XL 300, A/C 20 with 4 tons of ammo and 2 ML's, thats the build I have and I love my wang, I'd say an XL is probably better for the Ilya but a STD would work too. My main piece of advice when choosing engines is try to figure out before hand how often or how easily side torsos are shot off on the mech. If the mech looses its side very easily then a STD all the way, if it never looses its then an XL all the way and if it looses its side sometimes then its personal opinion. The only exception is light mechs, always use an XL for lights because you want to be running as fast as you can in a light.

[MaoutheGreat]

Alot of people don't aim for my side torsos very much, I think it's because it's a given I might be running STD engines in them to keep them from being taken out too quickly. So I don't lose my side torsos very often and I am keeping my side torsos just as well armored as my center torsos and I fully armor my arms so I can twists my arms into the way of any thing too dangerous.

Update on the Firebrand build: FIREBRAND

Edited by MaoutheGreat, 03 March 2014 - 08:53 AM.