14 replies to this topic

[HellFox83]

I've never been a fan of the Inner Sphere Medium mechs. Alot of them have issues with speed as stock or not enough tonnage for me to find a build I liked. However for the sake of attempting to master the Chassis I did learn the Hunchback and Cicada. (which was painful with Cicada, the 3M is the only one with a unique utility)

My Hunchbacks I inevitably turned into energy boats that could move at 92 KPH which made them effective skirmishers. However, when I saw the stats for the Clan Mediums they probably will give the IS mediums a run for their money. With great speed out the gate with longer reaching energy weapons coupled with jump jets (not sure about Stormcrow on that, confirm anyone?) they effectively are what I do with my IS mediums. Coupled with omni pods for a variety of weapons and you have a pretty solid skirmishing mech.

However, I do note that IS mediums can probably pull off the poptart meta better than Clan mechs due to weapon placement (see shadow hawk and the like that have JJs and hardpoints on their shoulders) allowing them to jump over, peek, and shoot. It will be a tough call in the match ups but like anything it will come down to teams and skills of the pilots.

[FupDup]

Play a Shadow Hawk or Griffin and you'll be able to get good speed and firepower with an IS medium, plus JJs and good hitboxes to boot. They can pretty much be configured for any role and they can do it well.

I'm not sure how they'll stack up to Clan mediums, however. A lot of it will depend on hitboxes, hardpoints, etc. It could go either way, really.

[Malcolm Vordermark]

Also, no JJs on the Stormcrow.

[Gigastrike]

The Stormcrow lacks jumpjets, but that's really the only thing that could threaten its place as king of all medium mechs. If you can get over that, I think you'll enjoy the rediculous speed and firepower and hitboxes and hardpoint distribution.

Edit: but, yeah. You strike me as someone who has never tried any of the IS 55-tonners.

Edited by Gigastrike, 10 June 2014 - 09:41 PM.

[Mcgral18]

I think it's safe to say the clans will have better brawlers than the IS meds, but the IS will have much better poptarts.

Ryoken doesn't have JJs, and the Nova only has 16 tons of pod space. Although the Nova has 16 hardpoints...which can mount an astonishing amount of short range firepower.

Hitboxes will be an issue, though. Those arms house 90% of the Nova's firepower, yet have the same armor as a Wang. In fact, a Nova can remove any med's arm in a single alpha strike, assuming you can keep the beam on target. This could pose an issue, and they can only survive two meta strikes before falling off.

The Nova will lack shield arms, but pack obscene amounts of firepower.

Ryoken can have plenty of missiles...30 SSRM tubes+ERML? 26 SSRM tubes+ERLL?! Both have a 75 damage alpha strike...while moving at 106 after speed tweak...That will hurt. It also has the tonnage to go with a heavy ballistic, ammo and 4 backup lasers. This thing will be a very effective striker.

Edited by Mcgral18, 10 June 2014 - 10:02 PM.

[Corwin Vickers]

I always just stuck jumpjets on my Stormcrow.

Stupid MWO

[BLOOD WOLF]

FupDup, on 10 June 2014 - 09:35 PM, said:

Play a Shadow Hawk or Griffin and you'll be able to get good speed and firepower with an IS medium, plus JJs and good hitboxes to boot. They can pretty much be configured for any role and they can do it well.

I'm not sure how they'll stack up to Clan mediums, however. A lot of it will depend on hitboxes, hardpoints, etc. It could go either way, really.

The pilot can play a role as well; For the better or worse.

[Gigastrike]

Mcgral18, on 10 June 2014 - 09:44 PM, said:

The Nova will lack shield arms, but pack obscene amounts of firepower. Not too sure on the Ryoken.

The Stormcrow can fit a roughly equal amount of weapony in its torsos as its arms, which is good because its torso is specifically designed to be shielded by the arm.

[HellFox83]

Gigastrike, on 10 June 2014 - 09:40 PM, said:

The Stormcrow lacks jumpjets, but that's really the only thing that could threaten its place as king of all medium mechs. If you can get over that, I think you'll enjoy the rediculous speed and firepower and hitboxes and hardpoint distribution.

Edit: but, yeah. You strike me as someone who has never tried any of the IS 55-tonners.

I did try the Griffin and the Shadow Hawk. Couldn't make them work, although that is probably due to me picking the wrong variant that didn't work for me or just lack of engines and weapon choices at the time. Regardless I didn't really like them so I sold them off.

I mostly play Assault, Heavy, or light, with the Mediums pretty much collecting dust as my team haven't really needed them unless its the Cicada for a light lance.

Edited by HellFox83, 10 June 2014 - 10:05 PM.

[HellFox83]

Mcgral18, on 10 June 2014 - 09:44 PM, said:

I think it's safe to say the clans will have better brawlers than the IS meds, but the IS will have much better poptarts.

Ryoken doesn't have JJs, and the Nova only has 16 tons of pod space. Although the Nova has 16 hardpoints...which can mount an astonishing amount of short range firepower.

Hitboxes will be an issue, though. Those arms house 90% of the Nova's firepower, yet have the same armor as a Wang. In fact, a Nova can remove any med's arm in a single alpha strike, assuming you can keep the beam on target. This could pose an issue, and they can only survive two meta strikes before falling off.

The Nova will lack shield arms, but pack obscene amounts of firepower.

Ryoken can have plenty of missiles...30 SSRM tubes+ERML? 26 SSRM tubes+ERLL?! Both have a 75 damage alpha strike...while moving at 106 after speed tweak...That will hurt. It also has the tonnage to go with a heavy ballistic, ammo and 4 backup lasers. This thing will be a very effective striker.

I can see that, and my playstyle prefers brawling so I am liking what I am hearing. As far as the risk with the Nova its pretty much the same risk I usually take when I bring out Helios (Hunchback-4P) cause once his main gun is gone that is pretty much all his laser firepower gone.

[Mcgral18]

HellFox83, on 10 June 2014 - 10:15 PM, said:

I can see that, and my playstyle prefers brawling so I am liking what I am hearing. As far as the risk with the Nova its pretty much the same risk I usually take when I bring out Helios (Hunchback-4P) cause once his main gun is gone that is pretty much all his laser firepower gone.

At least with the Nova, you only lose half your arsenal.

And that's still 6 lasers, same as the Hunch's hunch. Plus 4 MGs. Let's say 2 ERMLs and 4 ERSLs for 34 damage.

[HellFox83]

Mcgral18, on 10 June 2014 - 10:17 PM, said:

At least with the Nova, you only lose half your arsenal.

And that's still 6 lasers, same as the Hunch's hunch. Plus 4 MGs. Let's say 2 ERMLs and 4 ERSLs for 34 damage.

That is quite a bit, although it still can be satisfying melting someone down with the solar beam on the Hunchback it will probably just as satisfying with the Nova and its got jump jets on it. Poor Hunchbacks....

[El Bandito]

I'm gonna mount 8 CMPLs on a Nova and go all Ezio Auditore on those assault mechs' rear torsi.

Definitely will be video worthy.

Edited by El Bandito, 10 June 2014 - 11:03 PM.

[Mott]

At first i thought (influenced by my new found BJ-Arrow fetish) "Yay, lightly armored tasty treats for my quick and nimble ankle biter!"

Then i thought, "Holy M'Fer... those clan mediums pack intense firepower... the Nova can core my BJ by firing HALF it's weapons!"

All i really know is there are going to be some epic battles after clan pilots get a feel for their mechs.

A Ryoken vs Shadowhawk battle would be intense... SHD would have the advantage at range w/ cover... but the Stormcrow would chew him up and spit him out <500m

[mogs01gt]

IMO the real issue is IS mediums vs Clan heavies. The Clan Mediums are going to run hot unless they have ballistic variants. They also do not have any high mounted hardpoints.

The Clan heavies on the other hand are going to be running relatively at the same speed with twice the firepower. Plus they will most likely have better hit boxes. The two Clan heavies we are getting trump the comparable QD and Dragon(both are fast).

Edited by mogs01gt, 11 June 2014 - 07:04 AM.