29 replies to this topic

[Sandpit]

Good guide, shouldn't this be in the uhm... guides section though? lol

[Mavairo]

Sandpit, on 20 July 2014 - 11:29 AM, said:

Good guide, shouldn't this be in the uhm... guides section though? lol

It's also mech analysis.
Plus, let's be honest this section spreads the info around like a bad STD.

[Yokaiko]

beerandasmoke, on 20 July 2014 - 05:13 AM, said:

Leading the charge by sitting in the back spamming LRMS at 900meters out of your super uber 2xLRM15 or 3xLRM5 D-DC boat. Once your team has died while you sat in the back uselessly you switch to the role of Ned Beatty in a fresh set of tighty whities as the enemy team descends upon you for "dat redneck love." Bonus points if you complain in chat about your team not holding locks long enough for LRMs. Thats the way about 90% of the D-DCs i see ingame are played.

beers D-DC

2xLL
AC20
3xSRM4
ECM
because im the guy that goes around the corner.

My man.

.....and my build lol I run er-llas though. Need a little stink while I waddle the big ***** around.

[Sandpit]

Mavairo, on 20 July 2014 - 11:32 AM, said:

It's also mech analysis.
Plus, let's be honest this section spreads the info around like a bad STD.

yes but the players who could really benefit from this are in the guides section. It's a lot more active than most people think,it's just not as "popular" because mods tend to be very strict in trolling posts there. So instead of 500 replies, you might only get 50 but a thousand views.

Mods will probably move this thread anyhow. I just think it would help more players in that area.

[Naelbis]

Back when most builds were laser heavy the Atlas could survive 3-4 mechs firing at it from close range if the pilot was decent. Now though, not so much. My DD-C has over 100 points of armor allocated to the front CT and I have had matches where I lost over half to one alpha from a Direwold at 1000 meters...gotta love that particular build. The meta was all about long range pinpoint damage before the clans came, now I have taken fire before I made it 100 meters from spawn on Tourmaline thanks to the clans having stuff that can hit out to 1600 meters or more. It is just getting harder and harder to get the Atlas into effective ranges and keep it upright long enough to be an asset to your team.

Edited by Naelbis, 20 July 2014 - 11:51 AM.

[Sandpit]

Just to throw in though, here's a few of my Boar's Head builds
BOAR'S HEAD
BOAR'S HEAD
BOAR'S HEAD

Naelbis, on 20 July 2014 - 11:50 AM, said:

Back when most builds were laser heavy the Atlas could survive 3-4 mechs firing at it from close range if the pilot was decent. Now though, not so much. My DD-C has over 100 points of armor allocated to the front CT and I have had matches where I lost over half to one alpha from a Direwold at 1000 meters...gotta love that particular build. The meta was all about long range pinpoint damage before the clans came, now I have taken fire before I made it 100 meters from spawn on Tourmaline thanks to the clans having stuff that can hit out to 1600 meters or more. It is just getting harder and harder to get the Atlas into effective ranges and keep it upright long enough to be an asset to your team.

Don't take this personally directed at you

This is where more pilots are having to learn that an Atlas doesn't equate to "chaaaaaaaarge" and run straight in.

I'm not saying that's what you do, but that's what I've seen a lot of players use as "strategy" in Assault mechs. Now they have to adjust those tactics because they aren't successful.

[Sandpit]

BOAR'S HEAD

[Wolfways]

Oogalook, on 20 July 2014 - 08:27 AM, said:

Judging by your faction tag, you might be somewhat spoiled by the unconscionable Assaults of the Clans. Those are no decent yardstick. But, you know, the Atlas isn't the 'mech for everybody. It's an inveterate team player, and gives up the glory to its higher-DPS teammates.

I mastered the Atlas a long time ago

[Raghnall]

Atlas has been my mech of choice since beta.

The DDC seems to be the best in my experimentation. As a slow fatty, I prefer to just sort of roll up to the battle. I work them with the ER Lasers which allows some punching power at range while I close. But I do not pursue brawl in this build unless someone stumbles into me or I see a good moment to push in. But when I do get in close quarters I wreck stuff. Mostly it is playing the midfield of battle offering ECM and AMS support and occasionally lumbering in. But being so slow you do have to be careful of overextending or having teammates squirrel light mechs and leave you alone. The Atlas while sporting the best armor weight, still suffers from its slow movement and massive size profile. So you will be destroyed easily if you are out of position which means you must be methodical in selecting positions relative to others and movement across the map. (As you spend a great time exposed)

2x ERLLAS
1x AC20
3x SRM6+Atremis

Edited by Raghnall, 20 July 2014 - 04:20 PM.

[Josef Koba]

While I don't have as many drops in my Atlases as I thought, they're probably my favorite platform. In my experience, there's little middle ground in an Atlas. It either performs well or it dies easily. If you get in trouble about the only thing you can do is try to dish out as much carnage as possible because of low maneuverability and speed. It'll maul any mech in the game pretty good if you just stay calm while you die.

My most effective build is on the D-DC (big surprise there). Two AC/5s, two Large Lasers, one SRM6 and two SRM4s. The AC/5s I have on chain fire and time the shots decently enough to keep a sustainable plink going at any range. I carry probably more ammo than is generally necessary for those guns and only 100 rounds of SRM ammo (which is a new development because I recently added back the previously useless command console). Fact was I wasn't using the SRMs that much anyway but now that the SRMs are viable again, I may go back to carrying three tons of ammo. I rarely have problems with heat unless I get into a bad mixup and have to fire a lot of SRMs. In any case, I sometimes have matches over 1,000 damage but this isn't the mech I go to for maximum damage. It's just my most fun build.

For my Atlas D I use what's probably a pretty typical build of AC/20, two large pulse lasers, and some SRM launchers. Heat can be an issue but the mech will wreck things pretty good and is usually survivable.

My other Atlases have no standard build and I haven't found anything that I love running on them. Not a huge fan of gauss because explosions and PPCs aren't really my cup of tea because of heat. I might try some of the builds that have been recommended above.

In terms of tactics, well, it's been said. Many Atlas drivers think that their 100 tons means they can do more than they can. The platform can be very limiting but also very liberating. There isn't much room for error if you get separated and you should use your armor as an asset to expend at the time of your choosing. The only plus nowadays is that we're no longer the biggest fish in the pond so people will ignore you to focus fire on the Dire Wolves and Timber Wolves and Warhawks. This is still strange to me since I usually am among the first to draw fire. I'll take it though, and while the OPFOR is engaging the aforementioned fellows, I'll shot them with impunity. At Atlas isn't for everyone, but those that love them, well, love them.