32 replies to this topic

[Sagamore]

The AS7-BH build I finally settled on was 4 ML, 2 PPC and 1 AC20. Its a monstrous 60 pt alpha. Runs pretty hot but still manageable.

Though I end up playing my AS7-D(F) and my AS7-D-DC more.

The main problem with being an Atlas is you are pretty much the first thing people want to kill. This is why having an ECM in the D-DC makes it the obvious choice for most Atlas pilots. Not only are you invisible to sensors but you become the parade marshal and are rarely left without a posse. Its a no brainer really... my D-DC solo pugging since stat reset has 30 W 8 L (3.75 WLR), 74 K 14 D (5.57 KDR). My other Atlases can't touch those stats.

[Rebas Kradd]

Swinebeast, on 25 April 2014 - 10:00 AM, said:

Good point Rebas, in canyons I found I pretty much planted myself on a flank like a turret, waiting to catch mechs coming around the canyon. Actually I was cought in the craziest LRM storm that way.....I ended up soaking up god knows how much ordinance, couldn't see $##t, totally disorientated! ended up torso twisting while backing up all the way back to base only to get stuck on some rock/turret/map bug, just as I was rounding a high cliff face to safety....lol...I remember looking down and thinking "WTF is that? reverse dammit!"....lol. So happened the lrm boats backed off due to base turrets I expect and I was left alive but a smouldering wreck.....lol we won I think, no help from me tho, I was too cherry red and she'll shocked to peak my one good arm out for a shot....lol

Yeah, unless you're in close quarters, the Atlas is best for tanking, ECM, and drawing fire for the rest of the team.

[_____]

Don't give up on the Atlas if you enjoy a challenge. When you do well, you'll free really good about it. My best Atlas games are when I push into a group of enemy mechs (hopefully they're not all assaults), and fire at all of them in sequence. You're not primarily trying to kill them but distract them from killing your buddies (who are hopefully pushing with you). By not focusing on one enemy, you're also torso twisting which spreads the damage.

Once on River City, my DDC dropped from the dropship site down to the lower city right in the middle of another Atlas, a Victor and a Jager. Shot at all 3 of them within the span of a few seconds, destroyed some components and tore up armor. I died, but my team won.

Another game yesterday where my team was huddled beneath one of the bridges in Terra Therma and a group of 5 or 6 enemies just outside of the mouth of the lava river. I was piloting my bullet magnet - AS7-D with red paint and dual LB10X. I pushed out and did the same thing, rotate between targets with the LBX's and med lasers. Fortunately my team pushed out behind me and wiped out that group while they were focus firing on me.

[CCC Dober]

Yeah, the Atlas is definitely a Mech you should stick with. Of all the variants I've tried so far, the DDC is the most forgiving thanks to ECM. I wouldn't necessarily say the other variants are worse, but you are well advised to team up with other ECM Mechs, preferably a DDC or something else that doesn't outrun you. Cheers.

[Alaskan Nobody]

Dawnstealer, on 25 April 2014 - 09:33 AM, said:

As someone who runs Atlases on occasion, the BH is a REALLY weird mech. If you aren't running six lasers in the arms, you might as well be running the RS instead. And once you decide that...

I would argue against that - moreso for those that already have the Heroes than are looking at buying them

Yes you get the same builds as you can put on other mechs, but you get them with the Cbill bonus, and if you cannot make good use of the unique hardpoints, you might as well make some use of the chassis.

Having said that, the build on my BH you can put on any of the Atlas.

Koniving, on 25 April 2014 - 09:40 AM, said:

On a similar topic, I said how much I was actually pretty unhappy with that purchase.
Until I went with 4 Large Pulse Lasers. Now I'm reasonably content.

MMMmmmm, Lare Pulse

Fuggles, on 25 April 2014 - 10:40 AM, said:

I highly suggest burst damage weapons such as large or large pulse lasers, ac20s, and srms (when they work) versus dps weapons or lrms. Use the arms to soak damage, they have tons of hitpoints to soak damage. If you face tank damage, you'll drop your torsos real fast.

This bit would be key for most mechs, but especially with the Atlas, you have massive hitboxes - which includes your CT.
(with the cockpit as the exception )
Learn to twist well, or you will find yourself going down with 80%+ remaining.

[Koniving]

Dawnstealer, on 25 April 2014 - 09:33 AM, said:

If you aren't running six lasers in the arms, you might as well be running the RS instead. And once you decide that...

It's true yet it's not. You'd be maximizing its unique advantage if you do use 6 energy weapons in the arms. But even so, it's a potentially faster Atlas than the RS. It also has other perks that put it above the RS which also give it some positive flare even if you don't capitalize on the arms.

We'd just be missing the 'point' of having it. An LRM + LB10-x + 6 ML Atlas can be pretty nasty and yet very heat efficient but it's pretty situational. Though 4 LPL has been the best build so far. That + good speed = a lot of meat to slap the label Boar's Head on.

[Alaskan Nobody]

Koniving, on 25 April 2014 - 04:56 PM, said:

Though 4 LPL has been the best build so far, for me.

Fixed that for you - ran way to hot for my taste, as I tended to fire them all when feeling overwhelmed.

[Koniving]

Shar Wolf, on 25 April 2014 - 05:38 PM, said:

Fixed that for you - ran way to hot for my taste, as I tended to fire them all when feeling overwhelmed.

Two and two. Left arm = left click. Right arm = right click.

Click. "Thump thump thump." Click. "Thump thump thump."
Gotta control your firing, remember each is actually slightly superior to an AC/20 with better optimum range.

Great against lights. See leg? Zap. Armor's gone. Zap. He be legged. Zap. Crippled and now cored. Zap. Dead.

Of course they're my only weapons, with everything else in DHS and engine. So I could do two or three alphas before I overheat if I was desperate. But mostly cool faster than I heat up.

Also considered throwing in tags to see my convergence before I even fire. Actually with how well it's worked with detecting my convergence for Jagers I'm gonna do just that. They'll function as laser pointers to let me know exactly what I'll hit when I press the trigger.

Edited by Koniving, 25 April 2014 - 06:38 PM.

[Alaskan Nobody]

Koniving, on 25 April 2014 - 06:36 PM, said:

Two and two. Left arm = left click. Right arm = right click.

In all seriousness, its a large part of why I don't like Jenners - and why I like the SL TDK builds.

[Appogee]

Swinebeast, on 25 April 2014 - 08:28 AM, said:

is this experience normal and do I just need more practice to realise the potential of the chassis?

Your experience is actually pretty typical.

Atlases are much bigger and slower than Heavy Mechs, so even though they have more armor, it doesn't compensate for the fact that they are easy to hit, and hard to twist and distribute damage.

The D-DC is the by far the premier Atlas, because it gives you an element of surprise, and helps you avoid most LRMs. Further you will find larger Mechs will cluster around you for your ECM protection, multiplying your personal attack capability.

So, my advice is, tough it out with the Atlases and get three of them Elited, which doubles their basic perks. Buy the D-DC next.

[Swinebeast]

Thanks again all for the info!
Ok second try of your setup Koniving and im much more at ease. I like the punch and decked out with heat sinks its not all that hot, still have room for AMS.
Just played caustic and bagged a couple, no real heat issues, I found when im running a little warm I chain fire my left and right arms, which also allows me to tap the mouse and fire off the pulses one at a time which drops heat even further while still being offensive. Then when its frosty I change back for instant firepower again.
One thing still bugs me, seeing a light peaking in the distance, but I cant reach out and touch him....lol.

[Koniving]

There's always something, though you can 'touch' them at 599 meters and still scare them. At 600 you don't do any damage.

Glad to hear it though.

[Water Bear]

This might have already been said, but the thing about the atlas is that it has a particular role to play that is distinct from that of the FB (=Firebrand?). The FB is a DPS boat, the Atlas is a tank. Even on a good day in my -DDC I don't usually post good damage numbers, but what they will do is lead a charge.

A simple (and canonical) example of when an Atlas is necessary is when you have 2+ lances of DPS mechs (ie Firebrand, Victor, Battlemaster, and other similar chassis) piled up behind a choke point with the enemy team on the other side. If you can get enough intelligence to know that your side can win the fight, you can lead the charge in an Atlas. You'll get your teeth shot out worse than you've ever known, but behind you will roll in the DPS that can't take shots due to XL.

I personally get warm tingly sensations when the screen shake slowly dies down as my team pours around me like the teeming horde it is.