81 replies to this topic

[zeves]

first thing i think is, thatl take 3 alphas to take down, second it most likely has lights hugging its ass.

[Creovex]

luxebo, on 23 February 2015 - 09:37 PM, said:

Every time I see an XL Lurm Atlas I die a little bit inside. Even back in MW4/3/2 I didn't use Lurm Atlases, why now?

But if it's one that takes down 1-2 mechs with no issues and I know it's out there, I know to watch out for it. They are evil. Once they close the 270 m range if I am not in a better conditioned heavy or a decent conditioned assault I know I'm done for (well lights can scatter away I guess but most Atlas pilots know to stick with a team which probably have streaks or similar).

The thing to watch is loadout + which variant is what matters. AS7-DDC, BH, and S are variants to watch out for. BH less so along with D and RS (though D and BH/RS likely have different weaponry if the pilot knows the quirks, otherwise once again watch for the close up in range, you don't want em to get near you). The variant you don't really have to look out for is the K, but it's still an Atlas.

The reason why an Atlas is still so strong is the tankiness. Seeing signs of the pilot simply staring straight into your soul means that you might have an easy kill, while an Atlas that is twisting and turning will be hard to kill. An Atlas can twist more so than a Stalker or Banshee and esp the Dwf/Kgc, so it definitely has merit and is still to be feared.

^^^^^ Perfect assessment. If IS ever got Clan LRMs(no min range), this would make then a little more feared.

[Insects]

In a light I don't tear them at all. I save my fear for stormcrows.
Atlas is a chance to go for a headshot with range, or torment it from behind in fast puncher.

Poor Atlas, it deserved 50% all round armor buff in perks, 100% even, game needs some actual tanking ability which doesn't die in 3 seconds.

[MechWarrior9376871]

Atlas is a bullet magnet. Just catches too many shots to be effective. I do much better in a Victor which has the same firepower sans 2 medium lasers but the agility to dodge a few shots.

I did run an atlas on an alt account during the contest. No one was afraid of it, but some people got a rude shock when the AC20 and 2 SRM 6 alpha cored them.

[CMDR Sunset Shimmer]

Monkey Lover, on 23 February 2015 - 07:45 PM, said:

Nope i just aim for the sides until it doesnt have any weapons.

Jokes on you, my Atlas has 2 CT mediums.

I run 3 atlas variants quite regularly, one's my upgraded founders D, 2 large lasers, 2 mediums lasers, SRM6 and an AC20, plenty of ammo and sinks.

my D-DC with ER larges, SRM's and the AC20. [the only one that dropping my sides will completely disarm me]

my two loyalty's, one as a slightly downgraded standard D variant, that replaces the AC20 with an AC10 so I can pack more heatsinks and ammo since I run it with 3025 tech. and the other which has a similar loadout to my D-DC, just with 3 srm4's added to the mix instead of the single 6 pack.

I run them all, and I've often had mechs turn the corner and suddenly back away from me in all of them. While I don't think that they inspire quite the same old fears that they did back in closed beta, I think part of that is because, well, we've seen them on the battlefield for so long. Those of us who are legendary founders have had them since at minimum open beta, we've seen them on the battlefield for years now, and we know how to, generally, deal with them if we encounter them.

As an atlas pilot, it doesn't matter what I have in my ballistic torso, it could be 2 machine guns, but I will ALWAYS, loose my ballistic torso first, ALWAYS. why, because people expect that to be the dangerous side, and it's ingraned, after 3 years, to shoot that side of an atlas [if you're a good player anyway]

But the same could be said for any of the old mechs, one of the few mechs that's still somewhat feared from the olden days, is the HBK-4G, but even that thing everyone knows to shoot for the hunch.

What is terrifying, is the newer assaults. as things come out new, and when they have devistating alpha's, or just hard hitting loadouts, people cringe because of the newness, the only thing that takes that away, is time.

But I think, the fact that people still jump at times when they see an atlas round a corner, is a testiment to the mech's reputation, and prowess in the hands of a good warrior.

[Tuefel Hunden]

I have two AS7-S, anyone want em?

[mogs01gt]

Lordred, on 23 February 2015 - 06:37 PM, said:

When you first square off with an Atlas, does it still intimidate you initially, or is it the product of a bygone era?
Discuss.

When they build them correctly with AC and SRMs. I laugh at the LRM boating Atlas.

[ArchMage Sparrowhawk]

most of the time, I'm a light pilot, so I see an Atlas with a mix of fear and hunger. terrible terrible hunger.

The rest of the time, I'm an Atlas pilot, and I spent it being the anchor of battle, taking cover from LRMS while training my weapons on any exposed mechs.

Atlas as a damage sponge, those days are mostly over when you have hundreds of LRM rounds freely flying all over the sky. They're too effective, and the Atlas damage sink is just not as effective anymore.

[That Dawg]

Lordred, on 23 February 2015 - 06:37 PM, said:

When you first square off with an Atlas, does it still intimidate you initially, or is it the product of a bygone era?


Discuss.

Stick a fork in it, its done. Its called PLANNED obsolescence.
The Direwolf is now the fearsome assault.
if I'm in my...any clan heavy, or any clan assault, I will walk right over any atlas, and I owned 'em all.
Just a fact, kill their weapons, shred their armor and kill the pilot. easy as 1, 2, 3.

Now, dont be sad, know that when the next "wave" of assaults is/are released, the Dire will become the Atlas.
IF the atlas were still "all that" you would simply still see them in every match, at least one, sometimes 2-3
easy as that

I know more than a couple Direwolf operators my self included, who love their whales, but are already saving for the summer release of whatever the next best thing arrives.
ANYONE selling anything does not want you to be happy sitting in last years model, now do they?

[Haipyng]

zeves, on 24 February 2015 - 05:11 AM, said:

first thing i think is, thatl take 3 alphas to take down, second it most likely has lights hugging its ass.

Heh! My favorite memory of the Atlas is when I had my Spider 5K and got behind one left behind by his team and stayed there blazing away with the ER LL and 4 machine guns. He backed against the wall with me between him and they wall. Good thing MWO is not a Sim, I would have been smushed spider with arms and legs sticking out. Eventually cored him out from the back.

With my slow LRM heavy boat, they are not something I want to run in to although honestly the lights scare me more on that. Otherwise they are another mech to battle. Strengths and weaknesses.

[CMDR Sunset Shimmer]

mogs01gt, on 24 February 2015 - 06:14 AM, said:

When they build them correctly with AC and SRMs. I laugh at the LRM boating Atlas.

Agreed if you're BOATING LRM's, you're doing it wrong.

LRM DDC's and S's make me die a little inside.

HOWEVER, having a single LRM system can be surprisingly effective. While I understand other mech jock's disdain for the weapons system, I've grown to have an affinity for having at least an LRM10, if not a 15 on most mechs that have more than 1 missile hardpoint. And especially on my Atlas's.

While that singular LRM10 doesn't seem like it'll do much, the additional damage I'm dealing till my bay goes dry, is simply less damage I have to work for once I get into the fight with my main weaponry, it's a tool, and an especially useful one in CW, where every little bit of damage can mean the difference between a loss and a win.

I understand the desire to specialize mechs, to want the strongest hardest hitting alpha at your chosen range... bit I will forever advocate the utility of varried loadout's till I'm blue in the face.

[Ens]

I fear Banshees more than any Atlas. We all know the D-DC and the S are heavy hitters in close range...but that´s all, since they´re going way too fast with hitboxes far to big....

The Atlas´ Torso just twists too slow to spread damage effectively

[Alienized]

all you can do these days with an atlas is beeing at the front, smash the first enemy you see and hope that the team rushes out from your back while you take the damage and hopefully kill it too.

im not driving it alot anymore since people are too scared to walk behind it, knowing you gonna be in trouble when the atlas dies.

atlas feels alone these days.

[Cricket504]

I think the question is best answered like this. Your team and the other team face off on your map. There is a DW, KC and AS the other team has approaching your team, what one are you going to call out to target for focus fire on first. Most of the players I play with will say either the DW or the KC would be the primary target.

[That Dawg]

"giving" the kingcrab ecm would mothball every atlas in the game

[DjPush]

YES. Atlas is still very deadly!

I love my Boars Head!

http://www.twitch.tv...uards/c/6188798

[Jaeger Gonzo]

Its just fat boy to beat.

[Voivode]

I don't really fear any mech, they all have their strengths and weaknesses. A Dire Wolf or King Crab I know to avoid direct confrontation with. If I see the side or rear of a DW or KC, I drop everything and unload as fast as I can into them. They are just juicy targets from the flank.

An Atlas I know to avoid close engagements with as they are superior to most every mech in a knife fight. Target side torso to reduce the firepower.

See a Timberwolf? Shoot off a leg.

See a Cataphract, side torso.

Jenner, center mass. Firestarter, legs.

Centurion with an AC20, shoot the gun arm.

I guess that's a sign that the game is relatively well balanced, that I don't really fear any mech and have an idea of what vulnerabilities to exploit on any given mech I might encounter.

[Scout Derek]

When I see an Atlas, I think "Stripped Dire Wolf, huehuehue", and just back off. The Atlas will never again be the scary giant after . The Dire Wolf killed it's presence after it came out, and is basically now a "Cheap Dire Wolf". Hell, even the king crab outperforms it now, and sometimes even the Dire Wolf.

[Roadbuster]

FupDup, on 23 February 2015 - 06:39 PM, said:

Depends on how much distance is between us...

This pretty much sums it up.


Imho, Atlas became the worst 100t assault mech. At least for me.
Easy to destroy side torsos -> most weapons gone.
Only good at short range -> limited hardpoints and low hardpoint position make it an awful long range mech (LRMs on Atlas ).
Either too slow to effectively torso twist, or not enough firepower to be a real threat when going "fast".
XL friendly...LOOOOL, jk.

The most effective role for an Atlas these days is to be a damage sponge and tank a bit for the team, provide ECM or brawl, if you ever get a map for brawling and survive long enough to get into range that is.

Aaaaahhh, the joy of piloting an Atlas