349 replies to this topic

[Ace Selin]

Well my build is Ultra AC10 plus 5 ERSML, I go into Heavies/ Assault's who are surprised at what big guns I have & will often back up or die, with me jinking left/right while moving into them.

PUG match results (with a second guy on my team in Nova doing real well too & the third respectable too):

Edited by Ace Selin, 03 September 2014 - 08:29 PM.

[Tarriss Halcyon]

To be honest, my most dangerous Nova is my NVA-S. Two ER-ML, four ER-SL, and two LB2X. Sure, barely enough ammo to make two minutes, but once those two popguns start to sing, anything damaged in my direct LOS starts to suffer, especially if already damaged.

In one of the earliest games I played in it, I was talking about the effectiveness of the build (We had three Nova pilots on the team, the week of the Clan release). I made a comment on how effective the Nova was with LB2X, and they basically said it was better as a knifefighter. Well, it was Caustic, and the first thing I found was a Victor, with a Jagermech buddy.

Vic went down once I got into 450 meters, the LB2s doing their work to shred his engine, while the Jager went down after only a few moments. Ever since that point, at least one of those Nova pilots, aside for myself, has been employing that build, and found similar success with it.

The key to the Nova, in any form, is restraint. If you want to carry LB2s, you have to sacrifice ammo and/or heat sinks, so you have to have a lot of restraint on the trigger. Same with the laser variants.

Just, whatever you do, don't try the 3xUAC2 setup. It's 3xUAC2, and an ER Large. It's got pretty much no survivability after the enemy sees you. I still run a 2xUAC2 NVA-B for the lols, but it's not an easy mech to do anything with.

[Angry Kylo Ren]

The nova is a great mech.

[The Great Unwashed]

Before the clan release the first kill under 30 seconds was usually spider getting rear-ended by a twin Gauss Jager or somesuch, but lately you see more and more Nova's grinning away from the scene of the crime...

[That Dawg]

Oh, that first alpha of the morning before the really heated battle starts...if you can catch someone sitting there not realizing you just waddled into range....and can get that whole 2 second cook into their armor..............*POOF*


quick check of the scroll list- you know...that happy one lower left, two or three "component destroyed" notifications....thats just perfect!

[Soul Tribunal]

Now I am not nearly as experienced of a Pilot as many many of the other players on here but I have truly found great success in all my Nova's (I have all 3 variants).
I Tend to mix and match Omni Pods to get what I feel is my perfect 'mix'.

For the Prime that I run, it mounts a pair of torso Ultra AC2's for that Rapid Fire Mech shaking action, backed up by a Quartet of lasers.
So far the best winning strategy for myself is to let the brawl or engagement happen and then move in and unleash hell at point blank range. The absolute volume of fire a pair of Ultra Ac2's even though they do low damage, is impressive.
When supporting my force I tend to use my guns to 'mission kill' a mech. I.e. blowing off arms and legs with relative ease.
I like closing the range and getting right into the thick of it before unleashing my weapons.
Something I feel he Nova can do well at. Regardless of speed specifics.

-ST

[Lily from animove]

Tesunie, on 03 September 2014 - 10:58 AM, said:

What would really help bring the Nova some love would have been the Nova D (If I have the correct one). This would open up missile hardpoints, which could compliment the energy aspects of the mech.

Personally, I've been finding the Nova Prime (trial) to be a very nice mech, depending upon how you field it. It isn't a straight up "melt them" mech, as if you use it too bluntly, you are the one likely to melt yourself first. I requires a lot of skill to use a Nova Prime well, and a lot of fire control and heat management.

Can't say anything about the Ryoken as of yet... as I haven't exactly been able to do much (besides a few matches on the test server) with it. And, to be honest, I found I had better results with the Puma and Nova than I did with the Ryoken. (AKA: To each their own?)

wait for thr Stormcrow, and you Nova will catch dust if you choose a mech by its Battle efficency.

DarthRevis, on 03 September 2014 - 11:15 AM, said:

How about Jump Jet up onto a building? Don't see the Stormcrow doing that do you?

Trying to compare the SCR and the NVA is silly, they are different mechs made to do different things also saying the NVA is the worse clan mech shows me you either one have not played the adder (lol, i like them but most do not) or two dont know what you are talking about.

They are not as fast as the Stormcrows or Adders and are not gonna fill the same role that other faster more diverse mechs can. Its not going to get FF or Endo and that is fine. I dont want VANILLA warrior where all mechs are the same, can do the same jobs and just cosmetically are different. Nova is laser boat and does a damn good job at it too!

Also, why cant you put ER Large Lasers or Pulse Lasers or a Nova? Because my Prime does it just fine also see the occasional PPC and 4 ER or 3 Pulse Build.

yes put your superhuge nova on the roof! Oh yeah, put some toplights on it and a sirene in case the oldest and blindets mechwarrior has not noticed your 2 alpha strikes and the nova is gone papermech. JJ's do not equal out the +7t and more speed the ryoken has.

And yes I still consider the nova one of the worst clanmechs. So in which way does the nova differ to the stormcrow? the Nova profile is horrible compared to the SC, has a lot less podspace, it onyl can mount more lasers, which only counts for CERML or CERSL/CERSPL. So when you put Pulse lasers on the nove, you can do the same on the stormcrow. Because nova podspace now is too small for puting more firepower into them compared to the stromcrow. And then why using any loadout on a Nova that the stormcrow can too? YOu would be in any case better in a SC, because higher arm points, more armor, more podspace fr whatever you like.

so what job can the Nova do, that the SC can not do? I cna still baot up to 7 lasers on the SC, so nova's only advantage is more lasers. But the firepower isn't higher because both laser boatings would reach heatcap very soon, and only the SC because of more podspace can way more efficiently cool down.

The Adder is not that pointless as people say, 4 CERML work fine, or CERLL. or 4x6 CSRM6 are a hell of a fun. Especially when you are playing an an assault mechs wingmen. Also mainly to keep other lights on distance who start to run quite fats when they eat a volley of 24 SRMS

So you don't want vanilla Warrior, but you accept that the SC can totally replace the roles of the nova + forfill much more other purposes.

Nova is the most inferior mech by the mechanics it has.

JagdFlanker, on 03 September 2014 - 04:02 PM, said:

the Nova is a good - but not great - solid mech. i'l take it every time over the Summoner though - now THATS a horrible mech

unfortunately for me i can't trust myself with the stock Prime since i happen to have a habit of triggering a full alpha when i get a perfect shot - which never ends well for me as well as the target lol. best loadout for *me* is 7 ERMLas

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...b936dd7d2ffe6a6

so i get just a little ghost heat on an alpha, but not a stupid amount. plus since there's so much room i fill up on DHS and can get a decent amount of volleys in before i have to pull back to cool down. the torso mount is GOLD when you lose your arms on occasion

try to make this build with a stormcrow, play both mechs with the same skills, and you know how "useless" the Nova actually is. Why not to put this loadout on a Nova? Because you put it on a stormcrow and laugh your ass of how much more it works on a SC. SC can do this way better, way cooler. and oh more HP, better hardpoints. Well no JJ's but that is nothing to worry about by the benefits theSC has over the Nova.

ThatDawg, on 04 September 2014 - 05:13 AM, said:

Oh, that first alpha of the morning before the really heated battle starts...if you can catch someone sitting there not realizing you just waddled into range....and can get that whole 2 second cook into their armor..............*POOF*

you don't need a nova for this result. and in 2 seconds you can only deal 12x7 damage, thats not enough for the most medium+ mechs, unless you shoot the head. So you need some lights/low mediums being totally unaware to make this happen. And this is something nearly any clanmech can do.

And those people who put 10t in AC's + lasers, sry I doubt these builds do a such a job at all, because you don't even have much ammo to sustain a proper firepower.

Especially an AC 10, put it and + 4CERML on SC, and see how you perform. It will be far better than the Nova.

The Nova does work, but so much inferior to a SC. And anyone that can be decent ina Nova can be far better in a SC.
I still use my Nova most, because I like how it look, but evertime in the SC is like: Why is this mech so easy mode compared to the Nova. Wait until the SC comes out, and see how many Novas are left on the battlefield.

Edited by Lily from animove, 04 September 2014 - 06:12 AM.

[MasterBLB]

Lily from animove, on 04 September 2014 - 06:11 AM, said:

(...)
try to make this build with a stormcrow, play both mechs with the same skills, and you know how "useless" the Nova actually is. Why not to put this loadout on a Nova? Because you put it on a stormcrow and laugh your ass of how much more it works on a SC. SC can do this way better, way cooler. and oh more HP, better hardpoints. Well no JJ's but that is nothing to worry about by the benefits theSC has over the Nova.
(...)

Yepp,and with solid targeting computer onboard.

[Gorgo7]

I Pilot the Nova to great effect.
Lots of lasers. All MLaser and SmLaser.
Runs hot. Ruins things.
Good jumper. Slow for 50 tons.

Problems with the Stormcrow include weak armour. Mouthy pilots.

Cheers!

[That Dawg]

^ LOL


my best to date in the nova, and a new build.
I run the S as I really dont like having "prime" on the scoreboard.
medium lasers FTW, NO arty btw

[Dakkaface]

Lily from animove, on 04 September 2014 - 06:11 AM, said:

And yes I still consider the nova one of the worst clanmechs. So in which way does the nova differ to the stormcrow? the Nova profile is horrible compared to the SC, has a lot less podspace, it onyl can mount more lasers, which only counts for CERML or CERSL/CERSPL. So when you put Pulse lasers on the nove, you can do the same on the stormcrow. Because nova podspace now is too small for puting more firepower into them compared to the stromcrow. And then why using any loadout on a Nova that the stormcrow can too? YOu would be in any case better in a SC, because higher arm points, more armor, more podspace fr whatever you like.

The Stormcrow is inferior for light laser spam. Which lets be honest, is the preferred playstyle of many a mechwarrior. I and several other pliots in this thread have talked about how our previous favorite was the HBK-4P - and the Nova is that, only meaner and more mobile.

Lily from animove, on 04 September 2014 - 06:11 AM, said:

so what job can the Nova do, that the SC can not do? I cna still baot up to 7 lasers on the SC, so nova's only advantage is more lasers. But the firepower isn't higher because both laser boatings would reach heatcap very soon, and only the SC because of more podspace can way more efficiently cool down.

12 Small/med lasers speaks for itself. No ammo issues, and with 5JJ, you can position yourself where you want, take your staggered alpha, and move. I'm not going to say that the SC isn't better than the Nova in general, but the Nova is still a solid mech and can outperform the Stormcrow on some maps. Canyon Network was always a nightmare to navigate in my Swayback, but the Nova can hop right over those walls. The mobility game is a good tradeoff betwen the Nova and the Stormcrow - Stormcrow's faster and potentially punchier, but the Nova can come at you from unexpected angles and will SAVAGE you if you don't deal with it.

Lily from animove, on 04 September 2014 - 06:11 AM, said:

Nova is the most inferior mech by the mechanics it has.

Maybe once the Clan lasers get nerfed, sure. As it stands it is a critseeker extroardinaire, combining critseeking MG's or LBX2's with can-opening Clan small and medium lasers. You play wingman for an assault or heavy and things die VERY fast. The Stormcrow has one ballistic slot. One LBX AC isn't going to match the internal chewing power of 4 MG's or 2 LBX2's.

As for the assertion that enemies will immediately notice the Nova, turn and obliterate it - lasers have the advantage that they have no cockpit shake and make little noise. Pick your targets, focus fire on somone getting hit with missiles and AC's and they pay you little mind. NO mind if you're out of their line of sight.

Is the SC a better mech in general? Yes. But the assertions that the Nova does nothing of worth on it's own, that the SC is better in all cases or that it's the worst Clan mech, are all flat wrong. The Nova is much less flexible than the SC, but it's still a worthwhile mech. The title of Worst Clan Mech clearly belongs to the Summoner.

Edited by Dakkaface, 04 September 2014 - 01:54 PM.

[That Dawg]

If we're talking Nova vs. Stormcrow and which one is better....I wont build any mech, invest much time into a mech that has no ballistic slot, no jumpjets.....everything else, I can work around.
Until we can call what map we want.. I'll take the wide open need for speed maps where a storm crow would "better" over the nova like alpine, possibly manifold...but dropping into canyon, manifold, that horrid night map, forest colony etc...the nova is more practical.
Watching stormcrows, that I used to fear, get stuck, tangled up and get shot to hell trying to get out of a situation, I'm leaning to the nova for my medium
just my .02, your mileage may vary

[Tesunie]

Lily from animove, on 04 September 2014 - 06:11 AM, said:

wait for thr Stormcrow, and you Nova will catch dust if you choose a mech by its Battle efficency.

You do realize who you are talking to... and what I've been known to drive around the battlefield, right? (Here is a hint, I bring in stock mechs from time to time, and I do actually like the Locusts...)

If we are on the mention of efficiency, did you know that a Locust that does 100 damage in a match has the same efficiency as an Atlas who did 500 damage? Per ton invested of course...

I don't always gauge a mech by efficiency though, but rather how well they work for me personally and how much fun they are to use. So far, the Nova Prime has been a very fun ride for me. Can't say much about the Ryoken yet as I haven't really used it much, besides a little on the last public test server...

[OznerpaG]

Lily from animove, on 04 September 2014 - 06:11 AM, said:

JagdFlanker, on 03 September 2014 - 04:02 PM, said:

the Nova is a good - but not great - solid mech. i'l take it every time over the Summoner though - now THATS a horrible mech

unfortunately for me i can't trust myself with the stock Prime since i happen to have a habit of triggering a full alpha when i get a perfect shot - which never ends well for me as well as the target lol. best loadout for *me* is 7 ERMLas

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...b936dd7d2ffe6a6

so i get just a little ghost heat on an alpha, but not a stupid amount. plus since there's so much room i fill up on DHS and can get a decent amount of volleys in before i have to pull back to cool down. the torso mount is GOLD when you lose your arms on occasion

wait for thr Stormcrow, and you Nova will catch dust if you choose a mech by its Battle efficency.

try to make this build with a stormcrow, play both mechs with the same skills, and you know how "useless" the Nova actually is. Why not to put this loadout on a Nova? Because you put it on a stormcrow and laugh your ass of how much more it works on a SC. SC can do this way better, way cooler. and oh more HP, better hardpoints. Well no JJ's but that is nothing to worry about by the benefits theSC has over the Nova.

i would never waste time putting a Nova loadout on a Stormcrow when it has waaaaay more varied and effective loadout options. the Nova is a 1 trick pony - but it's a great trick and i'l let the Nova do what it does best

Edited by JagdFlanker, 04 September 2014 - 08:03 PM.

[Lily from animove]

Dakkaface, on 04 September 2014 - 01:53 PM, said:

The Stormcrow is inferior for light laser spam. Which lets be honest, is the preferred playstyle of many a mechwarrior. I and several other pliots in this thread have talked about how our previous favorite was the HBK-4P - and the Nova is that, only meaner and more mobile.

the SC can still spam 8 LL, so its also superior to the HB. and why should you use lightlasers on the SC, you can simpyl use ML, and put in loads of DHS giving you the same Firepower with better heat management. Also the HBK has a way better torso twist friendly profille than the nova. you cna always hit a Noca's CT, of its turned to 90degree, a hunchbakc can not be hit in the CT if twisted right.
And on Alpine your 12 Lightlaser nova is quite pointless unless you opponent is not doing some stupid stuff. then you watch the scene happening on a mid range basis where the light lasers deal nearly no damage. Light lasers are extremely situational and rely on the unawareness of your opponent to let you get close. I also pulled of 4 kills and laods of damage on forest colony with 12 CERSL tc 7, 4mgs and lots of HS. But this wont work contsantly vs. decent players.

Quote

12 Small/med lasers speaks for itself. No ammo issues, and with 5
JJ, you can position yourself where you want, take your staggered alpha, and move. I'm not going to say that the SC isn't better than the Nova in general, but the Nova is still a solid mech and can outperform the Stormcrow on some maps. Canyon Network was always a nightmare to navigate in my Swayback, but the Nova can hop right over those walls. The mobility game is a good tradeoff betwen the Nova and the Stormcrow - Stormcrow's faster and potentially punchier, but the Nova can come at you from unexpected angles and will SAVAGE you if you don't deal with it.

Nova is big and fat and doesn't have a ECM, if you manage to appreaoch from an unexpected angle, then your opponent team was just unaware to a horrible degree. So this works in the pug, but not anywhere else.

Quote

Maybe once the Clan lasers get nerfed, sure. As it stands it is a critseeker extroardinaire, combining critseeking MG's or LBX2's with can-opening Clan small and medium lasers. You play wingman for an assault or heavy and things die VERY fast. The Stormcrow has one ballistic slot. One LBX AC isn't going to match the internal chewing power of 4 MG's or 2 LBX2's.

This is again quite situational, because you need to get close to the opponent with your MG's and LB'x 2x. SC just slabs a tc7 on i because it can easily do this and still cna use the same laodout slab a lbx 10 to crit the hell out of your opponent way better.

Quote

As for the assertion that enemies will immediately notice the Nova, turn and obliterate it - lasers have the advantage that they have no cockpit shake and make little noise. Pick your targets, focus fire on somone getting hit with missiles and AC's and they pay you little mind. NO mind if you're out of their line of sight.

works well in the pug, but coordinated team do have a totally different awareness and do know about your glasscannon and will deal with it rather fast, because skilled team will have 2 pilots unloading their strike at you and your whole mech is gone to nothing. Because nova is a 2stikes to death mech. veen the crappiest mech cna work well in pug, but thats not a valid judgement for the Noa's usefullness. hell I once was the last guy in the team and jumped right between 2 heavies and and assault and roeasted the CT of the battlemaster from yeollow to gone. Either because Nova is so great, or because the opps were just so poop. And objectively juding that I was overheated once in the process, I doubt the Nova was that great when 3 heavy armed mechs can not destroy you in 10 secs in you paper box mech.

Quote

The Nova is much less flexible than the SC, but it's still a worthwhile mech. The title of Worst Clan Mech clearly belongs to the Summoner.

what flexibility? it doesn't even have any Missile hardpoints. and it is hardly able to put 2 proper AK's on it. so most of the B points are stuck to MG's or AC2's. exepct from that you are stcuk to lasers. No idea how people can call this "flexibility. it is very unflexible compared to other clanmechs mechs Except the Adder maybe which has only a few Hardpoints.

JagdFlanker, on 04 September 2014 - 08:01 PM, said:

I would never waste time putting a Nova loadout on a Stormcrow when it has waaaaay more varied and effective loadout options. the Nova is a 1 trick pony - but it's a great trick and i'l let the Nova do what it does best

yes another point why the nova will be gone when SC comes out, SC can do the nova better, and on top be more efficient with better laodouts. Why should someone waste his Cbills and time for such a restricted mech? He wouldn't if he plays for real competition. The Nova will be the Awesome prenerf, A mech some use for the style and love it has, but it won't be a competitve choice.

[Modo44]

The Nova is made for boating and jump-sniping. If you only have a few weapons, or prefer to be ground-bound with more armor, it will be a sad experience. If you put a metric ton of lazors or dual ERPPCs on it, and play it like the squishy 50 ton medium that it is, you can do silly damage.

[Chrithu]

I find the Nova to be an excellent finisher mech. Wait until you can find softened up targets and then put the lasers and MGs to use for a quick kill.

[That Dawg]

Lily from animove, on 05 September 2014 - 01:56 AM, said:

another point why the nova will be gone when SC comes out, SC can do the nova better, and on top be more efficient with better laodouts. Why should someone waste his Cbills and time for such a restricted mech?

[Lily from animove]

ThatDawg, on 05 September 2014 - 02:45 AM, said:

woah couldn't you photoshop the cotton candy into a novas hand. and giv eit a brown camo xD

Edited by Lily from animove, 05 September 2014 - 07:51 AM.

[That Dawg]

Lily from animove, on 05 September 2014 - 03:27 AM, said:

woah couldn't you photoshop the cotton candy into a nocas hand. and giv eit a brown camo xD

Wut?