28 replies to this topic

[Shaitan Kerensky]

Please share helpful advice to improving one's abilities in the two assault mechs. If anyone posts something along the lines of "Dont, they arent good/worth it," you win a "Yes I am a troll and a moron" award and hopefully the rest of the forum with laugh at you for not reading this text. (Its only at the top to make sure that you read it)




Now on to the actual post. I am a primarily heavy pilot (Catapaults have always been my go to) who also will run lighter when the mood hits me. I have never played an assault mech before (but I did just buy 3 Atlas during the sale) and am hoping that I can get some advice/suggested builds for running the Warhawk and the Dire Wolf. I know that most don't care for the two, but I still want to run them.


*Edit* Plenty of feedback for the Dire Wolf. Does anyone play a Warhawk?

Edited by Shaitan Kerensky, 28 June 2014 - 12:07 AM.

[Vinogrady]

think before you move and try to get someone to watch your ass

[FupDup]

If you're not using ERPPCs/ballistics in both arms, be sure to check in the little box for your lower arm actuator. The ability to move your arms helps a crapload in many situations, especially close quarters.

[InKerenskyWeTrust]

I love my Dire Wolf. Lots of fun, I don't run it solo, almost exclusively while I am dropping with my unit. The build I use is 2xUAC5, 2xUAC10, 4xERML. If something gets in front of you it melts if it doesn't move away fast enough. I love it and mostly use it in flanking moves, works well for that. You have to be careful when you commit to a move because once you do you are commited almost no matter what is happening or what you run into. Which is why I don't drop solo with it, or at least very rarely drop solo with it.

Use the A pod right arm for SOME left right arm movement, makes a HUGE difference.

For some game play examples, I have several videos up on youtube.

Edited by Daoa Hakoke, 26 June 2014 - 10:16 PM.

[Sephlock]

Dakka. Lots of it.

[Vassago Rain]

Twin gauss, twin ER PPC or don't bring them.

[Khobai]

Quote

Twin gauss, twin ER PPC or don't bring them.

This.

x2 Gauss, x2 ERPPC, x4 ERSL, and x4 MG is my current build.

[xXBagheeraXx]

Personally i'd stick long range high alpha configs on it...Ye olde gauss/ppc on my prime for high damage and making money, my alt B uses a prime right arm and mounts 2 gauss 2 large lasers 4 ermediums 7 tons of ammo and plenty of sinks...80 point alpha...ive 2 shot atlases that weren't paying attention to me.

My alt A is the "missile boat from hell" 2 ppcs 1 gauss rifle with 4 tons 2 lrm 15's with about 1600 rounds or so clan tag, beagle and about 20 sinks...anything i catch in the open gets slagged very quickly, and i have a 35 point alpha for anything that tries to min range. ALso helps that i can keep raining missiles on things while im in cover cooling off from the PPC fire. PPCs can also shut down Ecm mechs from range lighting them for my missiles and revealing anything under thier ecm. The reason why i mostly stick with ranged configs on my dire wolves is that i mostly solo pug. and pugs leave you high and dry alone. Or you move up to support them, and by the time you get there they all managed to die. Ive had much better luck just plunking away at medium range with enough space between me and the horde of angry mechs that i can *try* to retreat.

Havent had much luck with Dakka builds..yeah they hurt but you have to stare at enemies to do it, and you get Ct cored really quickly. And dakka wolves get focused harder than ac40 Jaeger mechs used to.

I only grinded my warhawk alt a and B enough to basic them, I only wanted the prime. I run quad er ppcs with about 27 sinks and ams...ppc spam urrwur...

Edited by xXBagheeraXx, 26 June 2014 - 10:59 PM.

[Voidcrafter]

From my personal observations I ended up with the conclusion, that you should play a bit more like a support - especially when it comes to the Dire Wolf.
If you aint the first one in the line you'll do way more than to be ahead and take all the punishment - since once you're in the scrap there aint turning back - the turtles aint the fastest thing on the battlefield.
In fact 9/10 you'll be the slowest and largest, not to mention the primary target around.
With that in mind - try leaving something push the line for you and after that just jump out from behind with all the pain you can bring and that's that.
Yea - I know - with that much weaponary it's not quite hard to feel immortal but believe it or not - that's very far away from the truth.
Especially when it the blue/yellow rain start falling from the sky.
Always keep that in mind
And try to put yourself in a possition where the enemy won't have any other choice but short ranged battle in tight space.

[Lyoto Machida]

Khobai, on 26 June 2014 - 10:35 PM, said:

This.

x2 Gauss, x2 ERPPC, x4 ERSL, and x4 MG is my current build.

What exactly are you giving up there? Ammo?

I run the 2x Gauss 2x ERPPC build, btw.

[Titus Ryan]

2 gauss 2 ppc 2 streak 6

[Gyrok]

Use cover, as much as possible and do not get caught out of position.

When torso twisting in DW, do not just twist, physically turn away from your enemy for a moment (if facing directly while moving forward).

Move with mechs to support you (i.e. lead the charge, BE the group, not part of the group).

Find effective, relatively cool builds that either hit for high alpha, or do high sustained DPS.

Use range to your advantage, you can hit harder from farther, so take less damage and hit them for your full effect.

Make your shots count, even under fire, return fire and you will be amazed how many enemies lose nerve in a staring contest.

Do NOT get over confident, and be supremely aware of your surroundings. 1 light mech behind you NEEDS attention.

Above all else, hit what you aim at. It sounds simple, but you will be focused, and you need to kill them FAST!

[Sephlock]

What is WRONG with you people?

OBVIOUSLY he must take 6x ultra autocannons.

[RustyBolts]

Since the CT on the DW is big enough for a blind man on the HPG map to hit you when you are on Alpine Peaks, I use my DW as long range support. I use 2 lrm 20 and 4 cerlargelasers. This allows for long range direct and indirect support while allowing you to face your target without getting your CT cored by said blind man. However this set up is not as effect on all maps.

[Sable]

Vassago Rain, on 26 June 2014 - 10:33 PM, said:

Twin gauss, twin ER PPC or don't bring them.

There are better builds out there than this. Sure its a 50 point delayed alpha strike but i came up with one that has a 78 point alpha and better heat management.

[Stonefalcon]

It's not really what you take in the Dire Wolf but really more how you play it.

My main advise would be to never turn around. If it's a light on your ass you'd rather have that behind you then their main attack force. Get your teammates to cover your ass.

Never play a Dire Wolf solo.

I have my armour at 95% at the front, especially with that big CT you're gonna need the 120 points front mounted.

[Johnny Z]

Shaitan Kerensky, on 26 June 2014 - 10:07 PM, said:

Please share helpful advice to improving one's abilities in the two assault mechs. If anyone posts something along the lines of "Dont, they arent good/worth it," you win a "Yes I am a troll and a moron" award and hopefully the rest of the forum with laugh at you for not reading this text. (Its only at the top to make sure that you read it)

Now on to the actual post. I am a primarily heavy pilot (Catapaults have always been my go to) who also will run lighter when the mood hits me. I have never played an assault mech before (but I did just buy 3 Atlas during the sale) and am hoping that I can get some advice/suggested builds for running the Warhawk and the Dire Wolf. I know that most don't care for the two, but I still want to run them.

Master the mech before worrying if your doing well in matches or not. They need mastery to do very well and be able to pilot them efficiently, like all mechs but even more so for the slow assaults.

Then of course keep trying to get a load out you like alot and does well. That isnt as easy as it seems. Some of my mechs took me forever and way to many creds to get a loadout I liked AND does well.

Still fine tuning some. Got a long range, snow camo for alpine peaks and a short range greenish mech for the upcoming jungle map etc. This is of course preparing for when I can have some fore knowledge of what map/planet I will be going to and/or the ability to load a dropship with 4 mechs like some have mentioned as a possibility.

Edited by Johnny Z, 27 June 2014 - 07:28 AM.

[Archon]

Stick as closely as you can to your ECM buddies. LRMs will core you before you know it if you're not careful because you're too slow to get out from under them quickly. I also highly recommend AMS. That and everything Gyrok said. I personally like my 2Gauss 2CERPPCs 4 MLAS build with 4 tons of gauss ammo and the rest all heatsinks. Also, unlock Speed tweak and improved startup / shutdown asap; they will really help save your ass.

[Willard Phule]

I think the easiest answer is to think it out and apply some creativity.

The first couple of things you truly need to keep in mind is that they are both SLOW. I mean Sunday afternoon at Golden Corral slow. And there's issues that may or may not be resolved regarding their CTs....they seem to be inordinately large. Also, their torso twisting abilities seems to be a bit hampered. And neither of them jump.

The upside is that you can pack way more weaponry, ton for ton, than any IS assault. In pretty much any combination. And unless you get crazy with the energy weapons, they can pretty much go full bore for quite a while without overheating.

Don't put your mindset in the current long range meta and leave yourself without anything quick and painful for up close. Virtually every mech out there, most especially the other team's omnis, WILL get close to you. Expect it and deal with it.

CERMLs reach out to where IS Larges reach. Keep that in mind. And the other calibers of LBX are nasty (except for that bb gun).

[MeiSooHaityu]

Shaitan Kerensky, on 26 June 2014 - 10:07 PM, said:

Any Advice For Using The Clan Assaults?

Stay out of my crosshairs

Did I win the award?

Seriously, I am also a heavy pilot primarily, and I could never get the hang of an assault. The firepower is great, but it is such a target and moves so slow, that I seem to die so quick in an assult. Mind you, this is playing IS assaults.

Clan weapons seem to favor good range and DPS. I always imagined running a Dire Wolf like more of a fire support mech. Tons of Clan Ultra A/C5, using the balistics range as an advantage, and laying into the bigger targets like enemy assaults and heavies. Try to avoid aggroing the lights. Also, the Dire Wolf has a big CT, so more ranged engagments might help survivability.

As for the Warhawk, I haven't seen many ran. I am not sure if it tanks better than a Dire Wolf. Maybe a similar tactic, not sure.