164 replies to this topic

[Bront]

Looks to me so far that the Atlas is easier to shove a bigger engine in. While that 325 or 350 isn't huge, it makes a difference in torso twisting, and 5 KPH is a lot on an Assault mech.

[Wolfwood592]

Brody319, on 09 December 2014 - 10:26 PM, said:

why not bring a wubshee then? Less tonnage, faster, tanks better, less of a target, big alpha, no ammo dependance at all, wubs. nothing wrong with that.

Honestly? I can't explain why I would rather run the old atlas. I do not have a single good reason, just total personal preference man.

[The Boz]

Bront, on 09 December 2014 - 10:59 PM, said:

Looks to me so far that the Atlas is easier to shove a bigger engine in. While that 325 or 350 isn't huge, it makes a difference in torso twisting, and 5 KPH is a lot on an Assault mech.

What, being underarmed is now a *feature* eh?!

[Lefty Lucy]

Flash Frame, on 09 December 2014 - 07:09 PM, said:

The reason you take an atlas is easy.

Because you LIKE the atlas.


JESUS CHRIST PEOPLE WHO CARES IF IT'S OPTIMAL... IF IT'S TOP TIER.

God I'm so tired of hearing people go on and on about how "This mech sucks because it's totally outclassed by X."

Who the flying fet cares?! Just use what you like, and quit complaining. I swear I come to these forums and all I see is bitchmoangroanwhinecryrage.... there's so little positivity here. And I mean, sure, part of that comes from all the BS PGI's pulled over 3 years... but good lord, there has to be a smidge of good cheer left in these forums right?

It's a team game. When you bring a crappy robot you aren't just reducing your chances to do well, you're reducing your team's chances to win.

[The Boz]

inb4 "who cares about winning if you're having fun"

[Duke Nedo]

I only tried the crab very briefly yesterday, but I may still prefer the Atlas for brawling because it can fit a std350 engine and twist better. The -S is a formidable brawler! I suspect that the crabs side torsos may be a liability if you try to twist they become huge... but so far I love what I saw of the crab, especially for mid-range boom-boom-wubbing.

[Kiiyor]

Jin Ma, on 09 December 2014 - 06:09 PM, said:

ECM.

other than that.. no reason really
But they shouldn't buff the atlas. They should nerf the dire wolf and the king crab. Assaults are big enough of a presence in the game as it is.

I'd prefer some more quirks for lighter mechs. I was skeptical of the quirks for a start, but they have added some awesome flavour to the lower half of the weight range.

As for the Atlas, I think it should get tanking buffs. Big ones. An extra 20+ armour for all the torso locations, and a full third more internal structure.

Let it be the imposing, rock solid powerhouse it has always been portrayed as. The sort of "why won't you JUST DIE???!?!" mech that can lead pushes and hold locations through sheer force of will.

[John80sk]

Short answer: you don't

Long answer: The King Crab excels as a direct fire support mech, but is at the same time a little handicapped in this role. It has extremely long slung arms, and is completely unable to shield its side torsos. So, while it can bring an amazing level of pain, it also has to expose itself almost completely, and provided the other guy can hit the broad side of a barn will take damage to whatever component his enemy chooses.

Comparing the King Crab to the Atlas is impossible since they occupy completely different roles in this game. The Atlas is a spearhead brawler, while the Crab smashes faces from medium range.

Now when comparing the importance of the roles themselves, we can really see why the Atlas falls short. It's a "spearhead" brawler that goes 65 while the rest of his brawling friends go 80-110kph. In the time it takes the Atlas to get into range, a King Crab can have put down all sorts of hate while still absorbing damage because it's a threat. However, since the King Crab doesn't have to lead the charge, it's less likely to be the sole focus of damage and is effectively splitting the fire of long range and short range mechs if a brawl does ensue.

The King Crab is on par with the Direwolf, while the Atlas is a niche mech that needs to find a route to the enemy completely in cover if he wants an equal chance to have a significant effect on the match. It can be made to work, but it's heavily map and team composition dependent.

Edited by John80sk, 10 December 2014 - 01:04 AM.

[Kh0rn]

I pilot my Atlas over the King Crab because of the love of the mech itself. Plus I still prefer the Atlas as I can with out much effort remove its more dangerous weapons the arms making short work of it.

[KuroNyra]

Lefty Lucy, on 10 December 2014 - 12:28 AM, said:

It's a team game. When you bring a crappy robot you aren't just reducing your chances to do well, you're reducing your team's chances to win.

"Crappy robot" or not. It is still a battlemech who can deal damage and help.
We're talking about the Atlas here. One of the most feared mech in the battletech franchise and one of the "Ho-****" mech in this game.
because even if he lack firepower. He still have armor and if you face one, you know you won't come out of the fight unscratched.

[John80sk]

Kh0rn, on 10 December 2014 - 01:09 AM, said:

I pilot my Atlas over the King Crab because of the love of the mech itself. Plus I still prefer the Atlas as I can with out much effort remove its more dangerous weapons the arms making short work of it.

Er, you do realize that with quirks the Crab's arms have more armor than its side torsos right? Not to mention that they're a smaller target and thus less susceptible to an Atlas' SRMs? Just checking.

[Torgun]

bluepiglet, on 09 December 2014 - 07:33 PM, said:

One word, Profit.

Game breakers sell better than average meches, and and there is only one way to get hands on these KGC before Christmas.

Exactly this, the overdone torso twist speed of the KGC that allows it to keep up with fast mechs even with the standard 300 engine is just such an obvious bad decision by design for balance, but good for profit. Yes it has no arm horisontal yaw but neither does the 15t lighter Stalker and the KGC still has better torso twist speed than it with the same engine. It's all so obvious and getting a bit too ridiculous.

Edited by Torgun, 10 December 2014 - 01:23 AM.

[Johnny Z]

John80sk, on 10 December 2014 - 01:04 AM, said:

Short answer: you don't

Long answer: The King Crab excels as a direct fire support mech, but is at the same time a little handicapped in this role. It has extremely long slung arms, and is completely unable to shield its side torsos. So, while it can bring an amazing level of pain, it also has to expose itself almost completely, and provided the other guy can hit the broad side of a barn will take damage to whatever component his enemy chooses.

Comparing the King Crab to the Atlas is impossible since they occupy completely different roles in this game. The Atlas is a spearhead brawler, while the Crab smashes faces from medium range.

Now when comparing the importance of the roles themselves, we can really see why the Atlas falls short. It's a "spearhead" brawler that goes 65 while the rest of his brawling friends go 80-110kph. In the time it takes the Atlas to get into range, a King Crab can have put down all sorts of hate while still absorbing damage because it's a threat. However, since the King Crab doesn't have to lead the charge, it's less likely to be the sole focus of damage and is effectively splitting the fire of long range and short range mechs if a brawl does ensue.

The King Crab is on par with the Direwolf, while the Atlas is a niche mech that needs to find a route to the enemy completely in cover if he wants an equal chance to have a significant effect on the match. It can be made to work, but it's heavily map and team composition dependent.

Totally agree and the Man O War may be in the same boat. They have added alot of firepower to the mechs so far withe addition of the Omni mechs and quirks, it may be time to add some durability.

Its very likely in the works. The complaints about OP Omni mechs was answered by the quicks which no doubt was in the plans all along.

[The Boz]

Duke Nedo, on 10 December 2014 - 12:45 AM, said:

I only tried the crab very briefly yesterday, but I may still prefer the Atlas for brawling because it can fit a std350 engine and twist better. The -S is a formidable brawler! I suspect that the crabs side torsos may be a liability if you try to twist they become huge... but so far I love what I saw of the crab, especially for mid-range boom-boom-wubbing.

1. Is there something unique to the geometry or limitations of the King Crab that prevents it from packing an STD350? Or are we back to the "underarmed is a feature now" argument?
2. Atlas with a STD350 (hell, even with a 400) can not twist better than a King Crab with a 300.

Edited by The Boz, 10 December 2014 - 01:32 AM.

[Grantham Besat]

The Boz, on 10 December 2014 - 12:30 AM, said:

inb4 "who cares about winning if you're having fun"

l. If people really did not care about winning you would not see 90% of the cry baby threads those play for fun people like to put up daily about how unfair it is that they are bad.

[NovaFury]

Arm tanking. The atlas does it better. I feel it's more durable in general, although the Crab is also quite stronk all around.

[Lefty Lucy]

Bront, on 09 December 2014 - 10:59 PM, said:

Looks to me so far that the Atlas is easier to shove a bigger engine in. While that 325 or 350 isn't huge, it makes a difference in torso twisting, and 5 KPH is a lot on an Assault mech.

You realize that the KGC has a quirk that gives it better torso twist than an atlas no matter what engine you put in the atlas? Also, they both have exactly the same engine weights, so it's exactly as difficult/easy to put a big engine in either mech.

[SgtMagor]

for 100ton mech Atlas takes nose dives faster than a speeding bullet!

[Walluh]

Friendly reminder King Crab arms have more armor than most center torsos. It's completely illogical to try blowing them off instead of going for the side or center torso.

[The Boz]

Walluh, on 10 December 2014 - 04:12 AM, said:

Friendly reminder King Crab arms have more armor than most center torsos. It's completely illogical to try blowing them off instead of going for the side or center torso.

...which is exactly what I say to all the "Atlas can torso-twist and arm-tank better" peeps. Of which there are a lot.