22 replies to this topic

[Shadewolfe]

I can't decide whether I want to put an XL into these mechs or not. Maybe some other people can give their experiences and opinions?

[John80sk]

Yes, the enforcer is XL friendly. ST's and CT distribute damage pretty well.

[Mad Dog Morgan]

If you're not running an XL on the enforcer, you're probably operating the chassis incorrectly.

[process]

Yes, it's XL-friendly. Absolutely necessary if you're gonna run heavy ballistics on the 5P.

[SilentScreamer]

I run XLs in both the 5D and 5P models. Survivability seems better with extra speed then relying on twisting to soak damage like in a centurion.

Most players want upfront damage, the best way to do that is to use an XL engine to free up tonnage for weapons. However, the 4R model can do quite well with a Std engine, 5 medium lasers and an AC5 or 10. If you deplete your ammo or loose your right arm, use your right side as a shield.

I don't expect to be the top scorer but I have fun playing and get a kill or two.

Edited by SilentScreamer, 29 May 2015 - 05:53 AM.

[GreyNovember]

Just don't stick a Gauss in one of those arms if you do. I made one pop that way at the start of the match.

[Papapeshu]

Just mastered the 4R using an XL260, 2JJ, 5MLas, AC10/3ton ammo
It's a wreckin' machine!
Ok, so everyone has a few bad games where you get steamrolled, but more often than not I'm easily clearing 500+dmg with 3+kills
Just don't get cocky in it.

[Corbenik]

Vaskadar, on 29 May 2015 - 05:34 AM, said:

If you're not running an XL on the enforcer, you're probably operating the chassis incorrectly.

I run standard and have great games on my XLess Enforcer.

[warner2]

Vaskadar, on 29 May 2015 - 05:34 AM, said:

If you're not running an XL on the enforcer, you're probably operating the chassis incorrectly.

Well don't underestimate what you get from a full shield side and the ability to take damage at a 60% reduction and keep surviving.

I'm not sure any chassis really XL friendly outside of a light it's all a trade-off.

[stalima]

warner2, on 29 May 2015 - 03:25 PM, said:

Well don't underestimate what you get from a full shield side and the ability to take damage at a 60% reduction and keep surviving.

I'm not sure any chassis really XL friendly outside of a light it's all a trade-off.

The catapult says HI

[Catalina Steiner]

C J Sparrow, on 29 May 2015 - 06:15 AM, said:

Just mastered the 4R using an XL260, 2JJ, 5MLas, AC10/3ton ammo
It's a wreckin' machine!
Ok, so everyone has a few bad games where you get steamrolled, but more often than not I'm easily clearing 500+dmg with 3+kills
Just don't get cocky in it.

YES! Nearly the same build as mine... this mech is a serial killer!

The Enforcer is very XL-friendly, I run XL250 in all my three variants.

[Koniving]

Firestarter-esque hitboxes on a Hunchback-sized mech.

Trust me, you'll be fine.

[Tahribator]

I only played 8 matches in it, but from what I've seen the ENF tends to get cored in its sides more than its CT. It's not as drastic as the Hunchback, but ST deaths are definitely more common compared to the 55 tonners and non-HBK 50 tonners.

I wouldn't call it XL friendly, though running XL's is pretty much a must. The ENF is not a brawler, it's a second line damage pumper so an STD doesn't benefit it much. You need the tonnage to pack a decent ballistic weapon, jump jets and a decent sized engine for 90+ KPH speeds.

[Bloodweaver]

It's very tanky. You tend to take tons of side-torso hits in the Enforcer, so standard engines are 100% effective. This is especially true of the -4R, since it has the most energy hardpoints. Those give you the best damage-per-weight ratio, which allows you to spend more weight on the engine, thus allowing you to bring the 'Mech to its full potential while running a STD. Based on comments here and there, the -4R seems to be a much better performer than the -5D for most people, and this is probably why.

That being said, XLs are a fine option as well. You do take a lot of ST damage, but you can also spread it around all three torso sections, and even your arms, pretty easily. This is because the Enforcer is very small for its weight, compared to other medium 'Mechs. Smaller 'Mech = smaller hitboxes. Smaller hitboxes make it easier to spread your damage.

Just learn to twist effectively before trying out XL builds, or you might end up thinking they're too vulnerable. They're not - Enforcers are very hard to put down with lasers, even XL Enforcers. But you do need to have at least a fair idea of how to mitigate incoming damage in order to reap that benefit.

The -5P benefits the most from XLs, natch.

Edited by Bloodweaver, 29 May 2015 - 07:01 PM.

[Insects]

XL all the way for enforcer.

[Nightshade24]

GreyNovember, on 29 May 2015 - 05:49 AM, said:

Just don't stick a Gauss in one of those arms if you do. I made one pop that way at the start of the match.

CASE. for 0.5 tons, it is worth it.

[SilentScreamer]

GreyNovember, on 29 May 2015 - 05:49 AM, said:

Just don't stick a Gauss in one of those arms if you do. I made one pop that way at the start of the match.

Nightshade24, on 29 May 2015 - 07:10 PM, said:

CASE. for 0.5 tons, it is worth it.

Unless MWO CASE for Inner Sphere mechs works differently then tabletop....

CASE only protects areas past where the CASE is located. Example- CASE is located in the right torso of an Enforcer, and that mech suffers a Gauss explosion in the right arm :
1) explosion will destroy the right arm.
2) explosion will carry into the right torso and damage or destroy the right torso.
3) CASE in the right torso will prevent damage from spreading to the center torso (if any damage is left un-applied).
At that point, damage to the center torso doesn't matter because your right torso and the XL engine contained in it are gone and your mech is destroyed/inoperable.

Clan mechs automatically have CASE, including the arms, so if a Clan mech has an arm mounted Gauss the explosion should be contained to the right arm only and not spread to the right torso.

[Bloodweaver]

Nightshade24, on 29 May 2015 - 07:10 PM, said:

CASE. for 0.5 tons, it is worth it.

No it's not. Not in this case. CASE will do absolutely nothing to protect you if you've got an XL engine. CASE works like this:

Ammo in side torso gets crit, explodes. Causes 40 damage.

ST only had 20 health remaining before the ammo exploded. Side torso gets destroyed, but there's still 20 damage "left over." This gets transferred towards the center of the 'Mech, so in this case, it gets applied to the CT.

However, you had CASE in the ST. So that "left over" damage doesn't get transferred! Hooray!!! No CT damage!

Furthermore. Anytime damage transfers from one component to another, it undergoes a reduction(60%, I believe). So out of the 20 damage that was "left over," 12 damage goes to the CT.

If the ammo explosion occurs in an arm, first it affects the attached ST. If the ST also gets destroyed in the process, it then continues to affect the CT. However, BOTH transferences undergo the damage reduction - so the CT only gets 36% (60% for arm to side torso, and 60% of that for side torso to CT)of the original "left over" damage. This continues to be the case for all incoming damage once the relevant components are destroyed - if you've got an enemy who's lost his left ST, and you shoot him in the remaing left arm hitbox with 10 damage, only 3.6 damage will actually reach the CT. This is why Centurions used to be so tough - they had large hitboxes for both their side torsos and their arms, and their arm hitboxes remained quite large even after the arm was destroyed.

Anyway. None of this really matters once you install an XL engine. Anytime a side torso is destroyed, your 'Mech dies. CASE only prevents damage in the destroyed component from being transferred to the next component. That's it. It does not prevent incoming damage (which includes damage coming from your arm) at all - it only prevents outgoing damage(i.e., damage going to your CT).

In fact, it's hardly ever worth it even with STD engines. Usually you can pad ammo to prevent critical hits simply by building effectively, saving you a half ton every time.

Also, I highly suspect that GreyNovember is very mistaken about whatever happened in the match he mentions. Having a Gauss explode in your arm would only destroy its adjacent ST if it was already pretty low in health, and he says it happened at the beginning of a match... something doesn't add up.

Edited by Bloodweaver, 02 June 2015 - 06:15 PM.

[WrathOfDeadguy]

Gauss got blasted by a huge alpha just before the ST took a huge alpha, but the Gauss didn't actually explode until the ST was already cored out? Wouldn't be the weirdest thing that's happened in this game. *edit* Especially if some goober "tested their guns" into his backside with a Cheesewhale. That'd do the job.

But yes, Enforcers are XL friendly. Even if you can run effective builds with STDs on them, you'll usually get more out of having more guns and/or equipment. Leave the zombie antics to the CN9s and HBKs- they actually have hardpoints in the right places to pull it off.

Edited by PS WrathOfDeadguy, 02 June 2015 - 06:46 PM.

[Bloodweaver]

Honestly, the ENF may do better at (pseudo-)zombie antics than even the venerable CN9, now. The Cent's hitboxes were changed, drastically. Whereas it used to have only a narrow strip for a CT, very large STs, and very large arms that kept soaking up damage even after being destroyed - it now has pretty standard, easily-hit hitboxes. The ENF may not have CT/head harpoints, but it honestly doesn't need them. It has good maneuverability, and more to the point, it's a small 'Mech - smaller than the Blackjack, if I'm not mistaken! Small 'Mech = small hitboxes. And they are arranged very well too. Even from a head-on angle, the ENF's center-torso "plate" at the front of its chest is tiny! And it's pretty hard to hit from any angle but directly in front of it. Kind of like a front-CT version of the Timber Wolf's horrifyingly flat and fairly small rear-CT.

Overall, the ENF is probably the best-balanced 'Mech in the entire game, as far as STD vs. XL engine choice goes. STD gives you fantastic durability, and XL opens up serious firepower options. Most other 'Mechs clearly benefit from one far more than the other, but the ENF benefits equally (but differently) from both... would that all 'Mechs were so well-designed.

The actual looks, on the other hand? Atrocious

Edited by Bloodweaver, 02 June 2015 - 08:03 PM.