28 replies to this topic

[Hippy]

I am interested in reading your inital thoughts of weapon load outs especially in respect to less armoured mechs.

My view in past BT/MW games and especially tabletop has been to stick with energy weapons as I like to avoid mushroom clouds in my internal structure from ammo explosions where possible. Better to manage heat and if I can't I would prefer not to have 25 reloads of SRM sitting in my torso next to my reactor. I appreciate more armoured mechs and more support orientated roles it makes sense to go with LRM's A/C etc.

I am also thinking that ammo reloads between missions will also cost Cbills that the average newbie has to fork out for when starting that could be better spent elsewhere like the bar, paying off bounties on your head and well Geisha Girls...

Oh and am I missing something but will Machine guns and their associated ammo be wasted as their is no planned infantry or vehicle combat to my knowledge.

But conversely I guess if the ammo weapons make a wicked sound and visual effect I might just have to use it for the fun factor. And which pyromanic amoung us can resist inferno SRM rounds if made available.

Wishing all of you a great gaming experience.

[NuK]

under 55 tons, maybe. I think that's just part of the risk/reward of each of the components. Want a gun with reduced heat, limited usage and the possibility of destroying your mech w/ an errant shot? That's watcha get when you load up with autocannons!

that said, in battletech online or whateve rthat game was called 10 years ago, i LOVED my sniper mech (can't remember name, but looked a bit like a rifleman) w/ 4 AC2s...plinkin' people from across the map and blowing off their beloved weapons before they could ever fire them at me.

The customization and theory crafting of this game is what has me so excited. I'm pretty much about as stoked as one could be.

Good point about reloading guns. Hopefully they make that cheap or trivial, as that could tip the balance towards energy weapons pretty badly otherwise. Maybe energy weapons will cost more to repair if they are destroyed? *shrug*

[McGruff]

I will stick to a good combination of energy and ballistic weapons - but the ammo has to be placed with care on your mech i agree.

[Vaktor]

Well it will be interesting to see how ammo will play a role in this game given that ammo explosions did not really happen in Mechwarrior4. I think it will all have to come down to balance and how well they achieve the cost/benefit/liability of ammo vs energy weapons.

[Dragonsbane]

I love ballistic weapons when fighting at close quarters, so I will take the risk when the situation calls for it.

[famguy1]

Ammo and weapon management depends on the class you're using. Light mechs don't need powerful weapons, because their main purpose is to locate enemies and they are not very good for battles. But heavy and assault mechs need to use weapons, that require ammo. So many weapons are more than for visual and sound effects. Also put your ammo in places, you think are least important. If possible, put you ammo in cockpit(IF possible), because if that is destroyed, you are dead anyway.

[BFalcon]

famguy: it does depend though - sometimes Lights can make good skirmishers - running around behind the enemy unit and shooting from outside the medium laser range (which is what most mechs have in the way of rear-facing weapons - even though they're not active yet). Long-range, but decent-damage weapons on such a mech are useful - particularly if you intend running the weapon dry before it has to run the risk of getting shot at. Such a mech can be used to attack the rear armour on a mech unit or to harass, for example, the assault while the rest of its unit is engaged, allowing your own assault to concentrate on the other members of its lance (while hopefully not sacrificing the light in the process).

[Zso Sahal]

Honestly, it depends on your play style more than anything, and as noted before, its a risk/reward calculation. A lot of guys like to play it safe, stacking ML's out the ears, and then cramming in as many heat sinks as necessary, then claim this is min/maxing to make themselves feel better. My personal opinion, is that a loadout can tell you a lot about the pilot. Lets take an example; the Hunchback IIC. Its a suicide mech, or your worst nightmare depending on the skill/ insanity of the pilot.

I personally like ACs, and my dream mech is a Mauler fitted w/ 4 LAC5's. Or several RAC5s. i'm not picky. (and yes, I know I'm going to have to wait a LONG time for those fits.) Yeah, my leg or arm might explode, but who cares. Play fast and loose w/ an AC Mech, conservative w/ a laser boat, and just keep range w/ a missile carrier. Whats the worst that happens? You blow up. Best scenario, you ruin the guy who has to wait for his heat to level off while you're hammering him w/ an AC or 1/2 dozen MGs.

[Elizander]

I read somewhere I can't remember and I don't even know if it was an official post that energy weapons cost more to purchase and repair as opposed to ballistic and missile weapons to make up for the cost of reloading ammo. I could be totally, completely wrong though.

[Nicola]

I am loving this community!

Just came from the Diablo 3 forums... /shudder

[Nimblewright]

CASE will be my friend when I can get it

[80sGlamRockSensation David Bowie]

One or two large bore Autocannons never hurts. Just be sure to ALWAYS include a CASE. (Good news for Kuritans)
In related House Kurita tech, we get the ERPPC and ERLL. (Other houses will prolly get them too, but maybe for a higher price?)

[Theodor Kling]

Well..light mechs can use ammo based weaposn as well.. maybe even better then a medium. If your amour is breached i a light one you´re screwed pretty fast..ammo explosion or not.
And never underestimate a Hollander Running past you at top speed to ram down slugs into you from a distance where a small mech is had too hit.

I am more interested in the choices we might get concerning ammo. The more advanced munitions for ACs are not yet available in 3050, but I would realy like to have a mixed cluster and standart load for LB-X cannons so i can swich in battle, adapting to different ranges.

And I realy hope to see more then just standard missiles.
Imagine the fun of sending your force one of two possible ways, let the enemy scouts believe that the other is undefended just to walk into a minefield your Catapults laid using Thunder LRMs.
And of course Infernos of all ranges. I just can see Jennes flanking enemy assault mechs , spitting out Infernos to force shutdowns and make them stationary targets for the heavy hitters.

[BFalcon]

Elizander, on 30 June 2012 - 07:14 AM, said:

I read somewhere I can't remember and I don't even know if it was an official post that energy weapons cost more to purchase and repair as opposed to ballistic and missile weapons to make up for the cost of reloading ammo. I could be totally, completely wrong though.

Might have been my post in another thread - I suggested that it might be the case (and should be).

Nimblewright, on 30 June 2012 - 07:17 AM, said:

CASE will be my friend when I can get it

CASE will be ALL our friends when it turns up... it's a Davion's dream come true... those autocannon shells are going be constantly in the back of my mind - not least how painful they're going to be when they cook off...

[Stormlight666]

The one thing that is never really brought up, is the simple fact that you can SEE laser weapons firing through the air.

Nothing says "Hey look where i'm standing" than a PPC shot firing at someone (especially if you miss).

The AC's: Not as easy to spot where they're sniping from and it leaves the mech being fired on wondering "Where the hell am I getting hit from!" as they're getting bounced around by the impact.

[Dragonsbane]

Nicola, on 30 June 2012 - 07:15 AM, said:

I am loving this community!

Just came from the Diablo 3 forums... /shudder

Lol... I like to look at D3 forums from time to time just for the lols

[Theodor Kling]

Oh yeah CASE will be realy a must on some mechs. A rifleman or Jaegermech without it just begs to explode

[Dark Fury]

Personally I've always been an energy weapons first kinda guy. Get a good mix of long and medium range energy weapons, manage your heat, and when the time comes launch the all out ALPHA Strike. You'll be a sitting duck, but if it hits you win, if you miss well then you usually deserve to lose.

[Ogryn]

Well, they have confirmed that CASE is planned, even tho it is on the list of gear that might not be in right at start. Once CASE was introduced, I took it on every mech that had ammo. Short and sweet version: CASE (Cellular Ammo Storage Equipment) protects a mech from ammo explosions gutting the whole thing. You still lose the ammo, you still took pilot damage, and it still ripped the snot out of the side torso location it was mounted in. But since a ton of MG ammo would do 400 pts of damage... it was better than losing the whole thing.

I've found that with proper heat management, the user induced ammo explosions from heat wasn't a huge problem. Ammo explosions from critical hits tho, that's what CASE is for.

Overall, cannons and ballistic weapons tradeoff limited ammo and heavy weight for comparatively low heat and decent ranges compared to damage output. A MLaser does 5 damage at 9 range for 3 heat and 1 ton. An AC5 does 5 damage, 1 heat and 8 tons. At 18 hexes. Yes, you can mount 8 medium lasers for the same weight. Yes, that is 40 damage, but also 24 heat. And no matter how many you pile on, you are still going to be limited to a max range of 9 hexes.

I have a personal love for the thrumming/booming sound of the autocannons. And the fact that 2 of my favorites from the tabletop will be in at launch? Yup. Ultra5 and LB10 for the win.

Going from the developer statements and the videos, laser fire is also more of a damage over time situation. I've always preferred to frontload my damage. I shoot, I hit, I deal listed damage to the impact point. If I really want to crit seek, that's what the cluster rounds are for.

[Wahaka]

One thing I have been wondering, and have not seen an answer too that will effect my choice is, If I go with my Favorite AC's. Will you be able to reload ammo at your Base? or is what you start with what you get? I'm betting on the latter, Which will mean having to mix it up.

It would suck in a long match being left standing with no ammo. lol