59 replies to this topic

[Mister Blastman]

Mcgral18, on 24 July 2014 - 10:57 AM, said:

But can it outbrawl the SHD?

Both have good hitboxes for XLs, but the SHD has better hitboxes period. More hardpoints, more SRM tubes, same ballistic options, but nearly every SHD can mount an AC20.

JJs as well. I can't see dragons taking off. Not with superior chassis' in the game.

They can be faster, smaller, have higher side torso hardpoints and let you pick which side of the 'mech you dedicate your arsenal to.

But I hate the Shadowhawk.

The dragon is nice and stocky so you can creep around and then corner poke with it nicely. No jets aren't so bad with them ... so bad right now.

Bilbo, on 24 July 2014 - 12:04 PM, said:

It's not competing with SHD. It's competing with Cataphracts. Either way, I guess it loses.

In a pre-meta environment (jump sniping), Heavy vs. the World completely disagrees with you.

Not just one dragon... two dragons.

[Bilbo]

Mister Blastman, on 24 July 2014 - 12:36 PM, said:

They can be faster, smaller, have higher side torso hardpoints and let you pick which side of the 'mech you dedicate your arsenal to.

But I hate the Shadowhawk.

The dragon is nice and stocky so you can creep around and then corner poke with it nicely. No jets aren't so bad with them ... so bad right now.



In a pre-meta environment (jump sniping), Heavy vs. the World completely disagrees with you.

Not just one dragon... two dragons.

Not quite out of the meta world (jump sniping) yet, which is why they have been conspicuously absent for quite some time. The sale probably has more to do with the recent sightings than the JJ changes.

[Mister Blastman]

Bilbo, on 24 July 2014 - 12:40 PM, said:

Not quite out of the meta world (jump sniping) yet, which is why they have been conspicuously absent for quite some time. The sale probably has more to do with the recent sightings than the JJ changes.

Nah, we aren't. But thankfully we're seeing a lot less of it. I don't see the Dragon in any way shape or form becoming a competitive staple in top-tier play. But I do see it being serviceable and fun in PUG drops once again.

[Y E O N N E]

Jim thorne, on 24 July 2014 - 09:28 AM, said:

not sure but im seeing a lot more dragons in game now. Is anyone else seeing this? and if they are why?

I recently bought two, the 1C and the 1N. I'm still figuring out how to play them and have had my butt kicked several times (salute, Adiuvo!), but I have generally liked the 1C so far. I built it up as a brawler with LB-10X, medium lasers, and an SRM2. Recently, I've converted it into a PPC+ERPPC sword-and-board 'Mech. It has performed well in both capacities.

The 1N, I haven't played as much. I have performed worse in that one, though I've given it a build closer to the original 1C I had. I haven't dropped with it since then, so I don't know how it will do.

[Zolaz]

Seeing a Dragon on your team is like seeing a Locust. Makes me wish that they were in something that produces well. There are just better mechs in that weight class worth buying. Personally, I sold my Phoenix package Locusts without mastering them. I did master the Dragons, but sold them all. Just like I sold the Awesomes after mastering them. No need to keep bad mechs.

[Mavairo]

I break out mine when I need a refresher in proper battlefield tactics, strategy, piloting and aiming.
When you're only rocking 2 LPL and an AC10, you learn how to make your shots count very very carefully.
Or when you're packing 2 LL 1 AC10, 2 MGs.
Or 1 AC20, 4ML
Or 2 SRM4, 1 AC10, 2 LL.
or 2 ML 2 LL 1 AC10

When your CT is that large you learn how to engage enemies who are most vulnerable to your attacks, and how to best position yourself to evade returning fire REAL quick, and learn to make the most out of your 89+ kph speed. (the minimum ANY dragon should run imo)

Whenever I start doing some bone headed moves in my TDRs, Atlases, VTRs, and Cataphracts, I go to my Dragons and play until their KDR starts increasing steadily again, and when I start seeing things like this
regularly.
I also break them out when I'm coming back after a more than one week break from the game. They are excellent warm up, and training mechs and can yield very surprising results when piloted correctly. Then you get in your other mechs, stomp face all ***** night for a week straight because it's SO much easier when your mech can spread the damage around, in addition to using the same strategies and tactics you apply from your Dragons. (factoring in mobility differences obviously)

Why do I pilot a Dragon? People tend to forget they're there. People forget they can carry 28 to 40+ alphas like quite a few other mechs, and that their arm articulation is among the best in the game for precision fire. People forget, that they move at 89 and better speeds (making them fun cappers), to keep MYSELF as a pilot as sharp as I can be. Is my Dragon a AAA chassis like the Phract? No. Is it AA like the TDR? No. And because of that, you force yourself to get each and every bit of performance out of yourself and the mech as you possibly can. Particularly since it generally carries only a handful of weapons.

Although I will say this, the Dragon seems to perform disproportionally well the bigger and slower the enemy target is. It can utilize it's mobility and payload quite well. The Phract, honestly I am about ready to down grade to AA status in the face of clan weaponry. It just doesn't live as long as the Dragon, and TDR. It's too flat across, too easy to strike the torsos you're trying to hit, and it can't carry MULTIPLE big ballistics, and maintain mobility without popping like a cherry on prom night. And when it becomes Slow, it Dies Horribly.

Edited by Mavairo, 24 July 2014 - 02:57 PM.

[Angel of Annihilation]

Yeah, oddly I have been seeing a few more than normal in the last few nights. However it was likely just the same die hard player that just happened to keep getting dropped into the same match as me.

[Blood Rose]

I have been running one for close to a year now and it is easily one of my favourite.
If you try to facehump larger opponents you will lose. But if you install the biggest damn XL that you can, stick a lot of armour and some damn big guns on too, you will have the ultimate flank chewer.

My Dragon 1N 'Anima Noir' mounts an AC10, 2 Medium Lasers and an SRM4. DHS and Endo for the upgrades, an XL 300 engine and maximum armour.
The other month Myself and a Shadowhawk snook behind the enemy on Canyon Network. It was like, well, when you play DND and your fighting a massive encounter, the party is really hurting and you are just cursing the Rogue(s) for running away when you notice that the enemies rear lines support have fallen silent, and then there is a hail of weapons fire and most of the other hostiles fall dead or are suddenly critically wounded. And your Rogue(s) come sauntering down from behind the enemies lines.

[CycKath]

Definitely seeing more of both the normal and Fang/Flames. Tis weird.

[MonkeyCheese]

Odins Fist, on 24 July 2014 - 09:48 AM, said:

Haven't seen a Dragon in AGES..

but anyway there seems to be a revival of the original mechs around here lately.

Edited by MonkeyCheese, 24 July 2014 - 03:51 PM.

[Mycrus]

Jim thorne, on 24 July 2014 - 09:28 AM, said:

not sure but im seeing a lot more dragons in game now. Is anyone else seeing this? and if they are why?

Nah I just started dropping again....

[Mycrus]

Zolaz, on 24 July 2014 - 02:24 PM, said:

Seeing a Dragon on your team is like seeing a Locust. Makes me wish that they were in something that produces well. There are just better mechs in that weight class worth buying. Personally, I sold my Phoenix package Locusts without mastering them. I did master the Dragons, but sold them all. Just like I sold the Awesomes after mastering them. No need to keep bad mechs.

You look familiar... were you the Battlemaster that I out damaged by 100% in a missile locust in river city? I need to look at my screenshots when I get back home...

[anonymous161]

I see shadows in every match, and it's the trial, which tells me most likely not a serious player in the game, most have their own builds that they prefer, not just the trial version.

[meteorol]

DONTOR, on 24 July 2014 - 09:46 AM, said:

Maybe your ELO dropped. JK lol, but maybe.. who knows. Personally I love my Flame its a great mech, also yes it was on sale recently.

More likely, the matchmasher pretty much completely ignores elo after a while to keep the matchfinding times bearable since they "split" the queues.

On topic:

I'm seeing alot more blackjacks since the queue was splitted, and oddly, almost all of them suck. Not only trial mechs, each and every single blackjack i see sucks. Which is strange, because while not being a "top tier" mech, the blackjack is far from useless.
Whenever i see a blackjack, i expect below 50 dmg. About 85% of the time i'm not disappointed. It seems to be a user issue, because a friend of mine still does OK in his blackjack.

Edited by meteorol, 24 July 2014 - 09:18 PM.

[CycKath]

meteorol, on 24 July 2014 - 09:10 PM, said:

More likely, the matchmasher pretty much completely ignores elo after a while to keep the matchfinding times bearable since they "split" the queues.

On topic:

I'm seeing alot more blackjacks since the queue was splitted, and oddly, almost all of them suck. Not only trial mechs, each and every single blackjack i see sucks. Which is strange, because while not being a "top tier" mech, the blackjack is far from useless.
Whenever i see a blackjack, i expect below 50 dmg. About 85% of the time i'm not disappointed. It seems to be a user issue, because a friend of mine still does OK in his blackjack.

First point: Totally yes

Second point: I don't mind seeing Trial 'Mechs (unless say all four assault slots are taken up by trials...) because it means more peeps playing.

[meteorol]

CycKath, on 24 July 2014 - 10:03 PM, said:

First point: Totally yes

Second point: I don't mind seeing Trial 'Mechs (unless say all four assault slots are taken up by trials...) because it means more peeps playing.

I don't mind seeing Trial mechs at all. I'm just curious where all the bad Blackjack pilots (not only Trial Blackjacks, all kinds of Blackjacks) suddenly came form. It's probably just coincidence, but the amount of really really bad guys using Blackjacks (like below 50 dmg bad) somehow skyrocketed in my games since the queue split.

[TB Freelancer]

Cow And Chicken, on 24 July 2014 - 12:00 PM, said:

Might be because they were on a 50% sale few weeks back.

I never saw a dragon before that, that I remember.
But after the sale I am seeing them every now and then.

C&C out.

That and guys who did buy those likely picked up a couple of Cbill variants if they didn't already have them to fully grind it up.

[Jack Corban]

This is just another discussion that showed me that what this game needs to make me happy again is a Stock Mech Matchmaking with set stock loadout to all mechs and the original BT armor values.

[Yokaiko]

Jack Corban, on 25 July 2014 - 09:11 AM, said:

This is just another discussion that showed me that what this game needs to make me happy again is a Stock Mech Matchmaking with set stock loadout to all mechs and the original BT armor values.

Feel free to start a private match with stock mechs, talk about terrible.


Like we noted back in CB since PGI never felt a need to make the STOCK mechs playable, they introduced way to many variables for the game to ever have any form of balance. Since then its been bandaid bandaid bandaid.

Edited by Yokaiko, 25 July 2014 - 11:01 AM.

[Livewyr]

I thought dragons were extinct...