17 replies to this topic

[JC Daxion]

newbies... the cat is back for a great newbie mech.... If you are into heavies... give this bad boy a try!


thoughts by vets????


sure you need a nice XL... so grind and get an XL-275 from one of the mediums... Or buy the Ilya..... (the short cut) or get a mech with an XL-300.... though you do have to reduce fire power for this... but hey, you can get an atlas, or cent.... Or even buy a cent champion for a really nice engine... that is perfect for a jester..

Edited by JC Daxion, 17 December 2014 - 11:15 PM.

[Redshift2k5]

There are some killer Thunderbolt builds and they thrive on a much cheaper standard engine. Not sure if the K2 has enough going for it to stand out next to Cataphracts, Jagers, and the surprisingly good Thunderwubs.

[SnagaDance]

I've played both the K2 as the Jagermech as dakka-builds. Dual Gauss or Dual UAC5. I far prefer the Jagers with their high ballistic mounts over the K2.

[Koniving]

While the K2 was my first 'real' mech (I used a Jenner first but I really learned this game on a CPT-K2), back then everyone only had standard engines.

Now... a Catapult hasn't got a chance without an XL engine, as your chances of dying by CT are so strong it won't matter which way you go and the speed to power ratio between a standard and XL engine is immense.

I'm not as eager to recommend them, purely from a "financial" point of view in terms of cbills. The engine will basically eat any money they have left over after getting the mech...if they even have enough for it. Don't get me wrong, it's a great mech and I'd definitely recommend the Catapults as a second line to look into. But I can't say "get these first."

[Tahribator]

I never thought this day would come but I suggest the ridiculously quirked Thunderbolts for the new players instead. Tough to take down, high mounted energy hardpoints like the K2, similar speeds and a good mix of E/B/M hardpoints.

[Darwins Dog]

The K2 is really fun, and my favorite catapult. The quirks sync up AC/5s and regular PPCs nicely. However, I wouldn't recommend it to newbies.

If you want ballistics, Jagers are simply better at it (quirks, weapon mounts, etc.). If you like the PPCs then I would point out the TDR-9S. For cost, I would also recommend the Thuds (thunderbolts). They all run really well with standard engines (and can even be good with stock engines).

The other issue is leveling them. With both Jagers and Thuds you can play similar loadouts across all of the variants, so you don't have to learn different playstyles. With the K2 you have to learn at least one LRM boat (two if you don't want to buy a Jester).

Like I said, I really like my K2. I used the stock trial version to grind up to my first real mech. It's a lot of fun, but not necessarily a great mech for new players.

[Koniving]

Thunderbolts, since they have so many hardpoints and a good set of torso sizes... don't need XL engines (but they can benefit).

Here's a few vids on them. Every single one of these is before their hugely buffing quirks.

Spoiler

Two Thunderbolts versus a lot of stuff. (Note: You're hearing the voice before 'events' on the video, audio-sync issue.) Uses Animatronic Mechwarrior remixes. Medium ranged combat. Really show cases how tanky these mechs are even with XL engines.


These things are super tanky with standards, but they are supposed to be. Despite being 65 tons, a Thunderbolt stock has more armor than 80 ton Victors (stock) and competes with the armor of 85 ton Stalkers (stock).

Another Thunderbolt duo with Kon and MkMHppy. Uses Deus Ex music. Two matches. Some ranged canyon combat and some urban brawling.


Koniving and Lordred using two Thunderbolts versus Clans. Duking it out.


Thunderbolt as part of a 2 man team. The "Jamming" reference is about Teamspeak being really buggy. Front Mission music.

This one starts slower, but is using a much safer 'support' role to start and in the later half of the video goes into all out brawling between buildings.

[Sadistic Savior]

Redshift2k5, on 18 December 2014 - 12:45 AM, said:

There are some killer Thunderbolt builds and they thrive on a much cheaper standard engine. Not sure if the K2 has enough going for it to stand out next to Cataphracts, Jagers, and the surprisingly good Thunderwubs.

I love my K2. No problems at all handling any of the above mechs in 1v1.

I don't like XL Engines. I see a very limited use for them. I don't like the idea that simply taking out a side torso can kill me...it tripples your chances of dying really. Especially from the back, since rear side torso armor is light on almost everything. I can continue fighting with half of my mech gone.

I am distracted with my King Crabs at the moment, but the K2 is the mech I will use if I want to build up my K/D ratio. It's the only mech I can reliably get multiple kills a game on.

Edited by Sadistic Savior, 18 December 2014 - 11:16 AM.

[Redshift2k5]

There's nothing actually wrong with the K2, but I still feel other IS Heavies can fill the role better.

[Chiron]

Back to the main point of the OP, yes, the K2 is a fantastic "first heavy"

Easy to learn
Standard or XL, there are good builds even with stock.
Look at it....just look! She was the first mech that convinced me to spend real $ on a cosmetic item. (Phranken camo on k2 is just a meaner looking Jester, for less $)

There may be stronger is heavy snipers, but k2 is just a great way to start.

[Papapeshu]

SnagaDance, on 18 December 2014 - 01:48 AM, said:

I've played both the K2 as the Jagermech as dakka-builds. Dual Gauss or Dual UAC5. I far prefer the Jagers with their high ballistic mounts over the K2.

ABSOLUTELY!
Sold my K2 yesterday to free up a Mechbay.
It was that or my trusty JM6-S.

...no contest.

[TheCaptainJZ]

Catapults are decent mechs for new players. Pretty easy to use. You do have to use missiles on the other variants. The K2 was the first catapult I got and the oldest mech I own that I haven't sold back. They of course benefit from XL engines, but you don't have to start them out with them. In fact, in CW, standard engines are even more of a benefit. I've been using both the K2 and Jester in CW with standard engines and PPCs or ERLLs. Not the strongest mech for the role, but useable.

[Viperion]

Kinda fun to read..

But yeah .. K2 was my first. ever since i got it to Master level. K2 is such a beaut to pilot. Awesome handling, speed og several way to use it, such as ; Sniper, fire support, overgrown harasser and flanker. What it does shine is a hybrid between flanker and fire support. also it does do nice as a Sniper provided you got a very decent ping. (PPC build).

My typical build was not often PPC build due my ping is from 120 to 160, since im from Europe. So i added LL or LPL at the arms and 2 med and 2 machinegun at torso, then i make it as a hit and run style combined being near assaults. Suffice to say im a kind of a fire support for assaults, while they aggro the foe and i just maintain speed and fire by racing behind our assault . and it does has nice turnin rate so you can zig zag faster despite its size. True in order to make youself useful you have to use XL engine, why? the speed and weight.

So in a good match i can reach 400 to 800 dmg a round. And raking up assist and from time to time a kill. So either a K2 or a Jester can be very lethal in the hands of a cunning mech pilot with good aim. I tend to be one of the last after a round depends i manage to defend the assaults. So in my head in a lance is 2 Assault and one fast medium for med and light hunting while heavy like K2 deal with med and heavies and do some very nasty leg biting.

So yes.. its a awesome mech who is easily underestimated. But then again its all depends how well you team with assaults.

but I have agree with TheCaptainJZ. its not the best but its very usable.

P.s. I still pray for a K7 its a ballistic variant who almost resemble the Jager/Rifleman in term of position of the weapons.

[Tim East]

Read the thread title and half-expected some kind of gausskat revival or something. Not a bad way to go if past example holds true, though as many people have said, the Jager does most of the same things better. I kind of like the profile of the K2 though. Jagers feel a lot easier to ST-break to me, and a surprising number of them run XL builds (probably for weight requirements.) Still, gave me a paranoid flash that I would have to try and find something to replace my AC2 Raven as a gausskat-killer, since AC2's ate several helpings of nerf-bat-beatdown.

Probably didn't help my initial reaction that I got pinned down and sniped to death in my Cent today by a one of these and a Gauss-toting Misery today. Even if they lost because they spent all match staring at the building I was hiding behind while my team rolled theirs.

[JC Daxion]

all good advice!


I WILL SAY, I LOVED t-BOLTS, AND cAT'S.. BEFORE QUIRKS...


whoops caps!... But yea.. i really enjoy both.. and you guys are right, you really need an XL-260- XL-320 for cats.. Personally i play the C4 with a 260, the K2/C1 with a 280, and the Jester with a 320..

and yea... buy a cataphract, or another mech with an XL=300, or 320.... (a couple of the champions are really worth the 5 bucks just for the engine)


Very fun mechs.... BUt wow... the K2 with a pair of PPC's, an XL, and dual AC5's is just rocking... BUT if you wanna boat lasers, and then run dual machine guns, you can do that too.l Even Dual gauss, or Dual AC-10's are also wonderful. The A1, with SRM's and streaks... or even the C4 with LRM20's is also fun.

The best part about these mechs, is while you are still learning, you can lock on, install BAP, and do some serious damage in PUGS, or even lower end groups.. Hell, i ran with 12 mans the other day, and wish i had my LRM's as they are soo good at locking... it really all depends...

[Skull Leader2]

I'm not sure in a regular match how well the K2 holds up. However, in CW it can shine as a direct fire support mech. Having useful PPC's is great over the course of a long match not to mention if you pair them with a Gauss or some other AC mix. With ammo issues that can occur in CW, the K2 can really shine for long term firepower.

[BleuDeath]

Torso's are tiny on the k2.Run an xl.

[stealthraccoon]

I actually had good luck running mine with an xl300, med lasers in the arms, and sticking an ac10 and lbx10 in the side torsos (I only have one of each, and didn't want to shell out for a matching pair). I just linked the ac's to fire together and it makes for a good time.