45 replies to this topic

[Katotonic]

I do not and never have owned or piloted an awesome. I only know it from it's reputation as being a overheating POS with a CT that is the size of a building. (obviously not the best of reputations)

But then I saw this in the recent patch notes from the quirk system update...

• All Awesomes:
  • -12.5% heat generated by energy weapons
    
  • +10% faster heat loss
    
  • +17% Center Torso (front) armor

Have any awesome pilots tried things out? Has it made any difference? Are Awesomes now actually closer to awesome? Just curious if this might make them at least viable going forward.

[Cion]

veteran awesome pilot, have never stopped playing them.

It makes a difference so the chassis does not suck so bad so much of the time. Now you see the chassis contributing to battles more often, etc. etc. No, awesomes are NOT the new meta, or even close.

[IraqiWalker]

I have always liked the awesomes, even when they were being bashed by everyone else. The heat efficiency and the increased armor help a lot more now.

Funny enough, these problems never would have existed if they used a slimmer design closer to the original art.

[Cion]

IraqiWalker, on 31 July 2014 - 10:12 AM, said:

...
Funny enough, these problems never would have existed if they used a slimmer design closer to the original art.

yup

[Modo44]

Nope. Still a barn, still slow in most variants. Great DPS potential, but it remains an easy target despite hitbox improvements.

[IraqiWalker]

I'm waiting on the hitbox improvements, the STs are still huge, either make the STs bigger than the CT, or the other way around. That's one good way to make the AWS viable again.

[Xeno Phalcon]

Yeah still wide as all get out, nice fire support mech now but it still has issue competing with Stalker in the same role; that being said just because they arnt perfect dosn't mean they ain't viable.


Sadly the REAL fix (remodeling and hitbox adjustments) are the least likely of changes to be made, awesome dragon and quickdraw are all in dire need of model changes but the devs wont spent resources on fixing those so instead we get much cheaper 'quirks'.

[IraqiWalker]

Also, try strapping the biggest XL engine into them, along wiht SRMs, and MLs/MPLs. You will not be disappointed if you are a good brawler.

[Wrenchfarm]

I'm a big time Awesome fan, but sadly I stopped playing in them after fighting against the tide for a long time.

The new tweaks are nice. More heat dissipation is always a good thing and it does make a notable difference when you're boating energy weapons (it's also nice on the missile spewing 8R).

Sadly, the CT buff does not help the 9M or PB which will likely be running XLs (although dropping down to a STD is a more attractive option now), nor does faster cooling help with the Awesome's massive size, low slug hardpoints, and clumsy hitboxes.

The Awesome is still not a great mech, but at least it is a little more livable for those still trying to run them.

[Modo44]

IraqiWalker, on 31 July 2014 - 10:32 AM, said:

I'm waiting on the hitbox improvements,

Hitbox fixes happened, the mech also got a torso twist boost. It did not help. The model is just too big.

[Kin3ticX]

Stalker 3F - 4x ERLL, STD 315, 24 DHS
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...0829d9fc11c9f3a

24 DHS = 39.6 SHS

Awesome 9M - 4xERLL, XL 370, 22 DHS
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...cb850d893fe4e32

breakdown of 22 DHS in to SHS = 36.8

adj for 10% cooling bonus
36.8 * 1.1 = 40.48 SHS

now lets stack both bonuses together 10% + 12.5% ( because faster heat loss and minus heat generated are kinda the same thing)

36.8 * 1.225 = ~45.08 SHS

So this thing clearly out-cools the Stalker-3F as a 4xERLL build. Considering the high engine cap of the 9m as plus, the awesome lacks still the high-mount energy hardpoints and has a wider front profile.

Edited by Kin3ticX, 31 July 2014 - 11:31 AM.

[_____]

AWS 8Q is my first mech and so I've a lot of experience on this chassis. I would say the difference is very noticeable, especially on the heat side. I can't feel the durability improvement as much since it's only to one location on the mech. My STs still get blown up too easily I think.

Having said that though, between the 75 to 85 ton range, the AWS is still bottom of the barrel but not by so much anymore. I would say it's no longer a contender for "worst chassis", which should solidly belong to Locusts now.

[MisterPlanetarian]

The AWS preforms better with energy weapons on a purely mathematical level than the 5 ton heavier Stalker. The stalker still has better missile options and hitboxes/weapon mounts.

It won't be meta but it will at the very least stop being a waste of Cbills. 20% more effective laser and PPC useage over other mechs is no small matter.

[John80sk]

The changes are significant.

With 90 CT armor plus the bonus you're looking at 105 armor.

The cooling bonuses are the really the best part though, especially for energy based Awesome's.

Seen a lot of 1000+ games since the patch, which was more of a once in a blue moon thing before with the Awesome.

[MisterPlanetarian]

These AWS-8Q builds are quite fun now:


AWS-8Q: PPC
Pretty classic, basically a stock Awesome with a better loadout. The PPC's can be chainfired for 4 volleys without overheating on any map when mastered. You can fire 1 PPC every 1.5 seconds or so without overheating so it's not hard to keep up a constant barrage.

AWS-8Q: ERLL
Bigger engine and much more potent up close. It can fire the 3xERLL for a very long time if you don't trigger ghost heat.


Tried pulse but it's just not worth it with clans and their insane range out there now.

Edited by MisterPlanetarian, 02 August 2014 - 04:43 AM.

[Voivode]

I've been piloting Awesome's since they were introduced, never stopped. I have 4 of them, including Pretty Baby (people hate that mech, and get seriously butthurt when you kill them in it ) I can tell you they never were bad, people just have a habit of "staring" their target down and the hitboxes on the Awesome are not good for the that sort of assaults slapping each other in the face sort of fight.

The center torso durability buff gives it a more solid feeling, but it is still going to lose to another assault if you don't torso twist. If you do use torso twist, you can take down any mech on the battlefield.

The heat changes, however, are brilliant! I changed all my Awesome's over to high damage energy weapons. I'm talking 4xERLL or 3xPPC etc. With the heat changes, the Awesome is actually able to fill its intended (canon) role of long range energy weapon support. The Awesome is supposed to be a PPC boat, and these changes make it better at that than any other mech.

Is it worth nabbing an Awesome? Hell yes! The learning curve is still going to be a bit steep, but once you get the practice in, you'll love battering people down with your barn door of consternation!

Edited by Voivode, 02 August 2014 - 09:36 AM.

[IraqiWalker]

Th main point being: Torso Twist!

[Carl Avery]

200 public matches in my triple-PPC Awesome convinced me that the Awesome is non-viable in the public queue. Even post-buff, I still consider them unplayable in public games. Sure, I've gotten 6-kill, 800+ damage matches in the thing, on rare occasions, but occasional exceptional matches do not mean that it's a good 'mech.

The biggest problem isn't the hitboxes. Although the 'mech is oversized, it's pretty good at spreading the damage with torso twisting. The big problem is the low weapon mounts. A good 'mech will have jump jets or else high weapon mounts in order to be reasonably viable. With neither, you're going to be outclassed at direct fire, in general.

The Awesome is my favorite assault in the game, so it's a shame that it's always going to be second-rate at best. But that's how it is. Respect to the Awesome pilots who, despite its underdogginess, rock out the triple-PPC. I finally had to give up on trying that in public (mis)matches -- the new quirks definitely help, but not enough to save it from being put into a mechbay full of mothballs.

Compare:

AWS-9M, 3x PPC + 1x MPL, STD 315

TBR-S, 3x cERPPC + 2x JJ
(this is a stupid build, since it's quite inferior to the 2x cERPPC + 1x cGauss build, but even this 3x cERPPC thing does the Awesome's job better than the Awesome does)

AWS-9M, 3x PPC + 1x MPL + XL 375

Yes, the Timberwolf runs a bit hotter. No, that isn't going to let the Awesome match its general performance. That silly T-wolf build has longer range, no minimum range, jump jets, faster speed, better maneuverability, and effectively more survivability. Oh, and some extra splash damage thrown in (which, according to Smurphy's weaponlab, gives the triple-ERPPC T-wolf better DPS and better sustainable DPS than the triple-PPC Awesome -- although that is a splashy bonus, and I don't know if Smurphy's is taking the Awesome's heat quirks into account). It also doesn't take up an assault slot in the group. The only significant downside is that the cERPPCs are hotter than PPCs. That isn't gonna make up for the rest.

By the way, even the poor Thor is arguably better at the three-PPC thing than the Awesome; although the Thor will be running much hotter, it has a better armor-to-hitbox ratio, goes faster, and has loads of jump jets with which to better utilize that ghosty toasty Alpha. Farewell, invisiwalls, for I have slipped the surly bonds of dirt! Behold:

SMN-D, 3x cERPPC + 5x JJ
(also a fairly stupid build, I'd say)

Edited by Carl Avery, 02 August 2014 - 12:43 PM.

[Voivode]

I can't speak for Carl's experience, but I have almost 700 drops in my Pretty Baby, about 500 drops in my 8R, and just over 100 and 200 drops in my 9M and 8V respectively.

Believe me when I say the Awesome can go toe to toe with any mech (although I have to pull out all the stops against a Dire Wolf for sure ) and is completely viable, and not only in the public queue. I've used Awesome mechs in the new group queue, in 12 man drops, and in 8 man drops back in the day. My Awesome's have faced a lot of builds on a lot of mechs piloted by a lot of different skill level pilots.

They haven't let me down yet.

[Carl Avery]

Hmm. I'm guessing you aren't running triple-PPC, then; right? A laser-boat Awesome works quite a bit better than the triple-PPC one, I found. But, even then, other 'mechs do laser boating better [again glancing at the Timberwolf]. And -- besides -- what's the point of being in an Awesome, if you aren't using three PPCs? : )

As a pulse-laser boat, the Stalker is better than the Awesome. Same weapons, more heatsinks, more armor, better hitboxes, better weapon mounts. You lose speed, but only a couple KPH, unless you XL them.

Actually, however, now that I think about it, the Awesome might do that job a bit better now, since it has those new quirks. That just might tip the scale between these two. Well!

Compare:

AWS-9M, 4x LPL + STD 295 (you could pull a ton of armor off the legs & arm and make the engine a 300, but I don't think losing so much armor would be worth the 1.2 KPH)

STK-3F, 4x LPL + STD 300

Also:

AWS-9M, 4x LPL + XL 360

STK-3F, 4x LPL + XL 310 (no idea what to do with those 2.5 tons, other than a gratuitous Beagle)

At any rate, I agree that a total of ~400 matches in Awesomes isn't quite enough to make me an expert with them, so if you can manage to rock out the Awesome (especially the triple-PPC one!), then all the more powah & respec' to you!

Edited by Carl Avery, 02 August 2014 - 12:21 PM.