13 replies to this topic

[Stellar Wayfarer]

Hello everyone, I've recently built a thunderbolt so surprisingly fun and effective I just had to post it, and ask if there are any sniper builds for heavies that you've found to be particularly enjoyable? I can't post the full build ATM due to the fact that I only have my phone, but it's a TDR-5S with triple torso PPC's and dual machine guns, with an xl300, and it's an absolute blast to use.

But again, what sniper builds do YOU guys enjoy? Thanks for any contributions!

[Wintersdark]

3 PPC's is generally bad as they'll trigger ghost heat if you fire them all at once, so the payoff for the 3rd PPC is much less than for the first two. Go two PPC's, and a ballistic - the ballistic adds high damage, comparable range, and most importantly does so at negligible heat. There's a reason PPC's alongside Gauss or AC5's are so popular.

[Koniks]

2xLL, 3xML, 2xMG. You can go 2xERLL but I found it to be really hot. The 9S is ideal for this build. Although you can also get the benefit of high-mounted energy hardpoints and jump jets with the 9SE but no ballistic.

I prefer running STD engines in TDRs because they make decent tanks.

[Stellar Wayfarer]

I know about ghost heat and all that. The best part of this build is the fact that every PPC can come from the same area (LT), meaning you have to expose less than half of your 'mech to snipe with the cockpit placing. The ghost heat is negated by chain firing, and of you really want that thirty damage, you can have it for about 65% heat, which still leaves room for a couple follow up shots on chain fire. The gauss rifle combo is just too heavy, and an ac5 has significantly less screen shake and in my opinion, causes less panic than a third PPC in chainfire. That's just my experience with this build though, nothing more.

Edited by Stellar Wayfarer, 26 June 2014 - 07:27 AM.

[T0rmented]

The TDR 5SS and 5P have energy mounts at head height in ther right torsos, much beter PPC mounts than the mid height chest mounts on the 5S,

[Stellar Wayfarer]

Yes but you would have to expose essentially your whole body to fire those, as the head is basically on top of the left torso.

[T0rmented]

you obviously dont realise that head height is above chest height:

Chest mounts:


Head high mounts:


Edit: added pictures

Edited by T0rmented, 26 June 2014 - 07:48 AM.

[DONTOR]

Love me some tripple PPC on a hunchback or T bolt, chain fire for days with around 1.3-1.4 heat efficient. It really suppresses the enemy when they get hit with 6-8 ppc in a row, they generally dont try going that way again.

[AdultPuppetShow]

T0rmented, on 26 June 2014 - 07:33 AM, said:

you obviously don't realize that head height is above chest height:

Chest mounts:

Head high mounts:


Edit: added pictures

To borrow and reiterate on T0rmented's post, you only have to expose anything that's at cockpit level. Which isn't much at all.

[Stellar Wayfarer]

Tormented, you don't understand what I'm saying. The vertical height does help for hill sniping, but this mech doesn't have jj's so it shouldn't be doing that anyway.
My point on the LT advantage is that if you want to snipe from behind a building, you only have to expose less than half of your mech to alpha fire on the side. I'm talking about exposure horizontally, NOT vertically. You could use the RT build to hill snipe, but then why aren't you using a K2 catapult? With the RT PPC and LT cockpit, you literally have to expose all but one arm (and possibly the legs) in order to see and fire. In the 5S it could be as little as an arm and a side torso to fire every weapon you have. THAT is the advantage of the 5S. It exposes far less around a corner to fire, not peeking over a hill. It is fantastic at utilizing cover such as buildings and tall rocks. Not rolling terrain.

Edited by Stellar Wayfarer, 26 June 2014 - 08:57 AM.

[T0rmented]

Lol its the same horizontal exposure either side and less vertical

[Stellar Wayfarer]

No, it's not. Think about it. Step out to the left behind a building until you can fire your ppc's. On the LT, as soon as your cockpit crosses into view, so do your weapons. On the rt, you have to keep walking until your right torso is exposed as well, exposing most of your body. It's the same on the right. Walk out, and you can fire the ppc's from the rt, but you can't see the target. On both on the right side, you gmhave to expose all of your torso. But on the left, the LT has a huge advantage lol. How are you struggling with this concept? It's like looking through a vertical slot with the gun below your eye, rather than out to the side. That's how the LT is advantageous. Visualize the mech walking out from behind a building, and think about how much you have to expose to fire the weapons.

[T0rmented]

i mean no offence stellar but you are patently wrong. The position of the cockpit does not necessitate exposing more of your mech for shooting right side than left side.

[Stellar Wayfarer]

It's the position of the WEAPONS! Seriously, slide a paper from the left over the pictures you posted until it covers the ppc's, and you cannot fire them at the enemy. The paper is cover. The LT mech is covered by way more paper and can still fire all of its ppc's! How are you not getting this!? And YES, it does. If your cockpit is behind cover while your weapons are out, you still can't shoot them because you can't see them. If the cockpit were on the right torso, it would be the opposite, because you would see from the other torso. The cockpit is your eye! Come on man, understand!

Edited by Stellar Wayfarer, 26 June 2014 - 10:05 AM.