2 replies to this topic

[Nine-Ball]

Alright, was just running through the quirks and how they relate to each mech.

Essentially the difference between the mechs (aside from favoring ML in the 3M vs MPL in the 3S) is one of burn time. 3M has a base -10% duration reduction on ALL energy weapons, plus an additional -10% duration reduction on the ML.

The 3S packs -10% cooldown (vs just -12.5% cooldown on 3M) on all energy weapons, ontop of -12.5% heat generation. Toss in -10% and +10% range for the MPL and it seems better then the 3M, right?

It all depends on what you favor more: More range or more firepower and less duration?

Well let us look at the weapons.

3M Medium Laser Duration - 0.9 burn time

3S Medium Pulse Laser Duration - 0.6 burn time

Difference of a 3rd of a second which is seemingly forever when wanting your lasers to puke out that damage before you start rotating your torso to spread out the damage against you.

Add in the quirks for the burn time and you get..

3M Medium Laser Duration - 0.9 x 20% (0.20) = 0.72 burn time (shaving off 0.18 seconds)

3S Medium Pulse Laser - 0.6 (no quirk)

So after quirks the 3M's ML's operate just a hair longer then LPL's (0.67 vs 0.72.. difference of 0.05) while only 0.12 longer then the 3s MPL. Honestly this makes the 3M so much better on so many levels.

Sure you are sacrificing 1 damage per weapon if going ML over MPLs, but you are also getting (ontop of the 3M's 20% range bonus for ML's) the ability to deal full damage over an increased range of roughly 40-50m. Might not seem much, but at 351m (20% ML range bonus plus 10% module bonus) you are dealing full damage instead of half the damage MPL's would be dealing at that range (if that.. dealing as much gimped damage with the ML's you are looking around 650m..). Add on the fact you are saving an extra ton for other things, and its win-win all around.

But wait, there's more!

Let us look at the 3S's strength of faster cooldowns for the MPL vs 3M's default cooldown for all energy weapons (we will still be using 3M's medium lasers).

3M Medium laser Cooldown - 3 seconds x 12.5% (0.125) = 2.625

3S Medium Pulse Laser Cooldown - 3 seconds x 20% (0.20) = 2.4

A difference of 0.225 seconds. Unless you are specifically boating either type of weapon, is a difference of 0.225 seconds worth anything?

Well, let us add on the modules (12%) and skill (5%) for both weapons then

3M Medium laser Cooldown - 3 seconds x 29.5% (0.295) = 2.115

3S Medium Pulse Laser Cooldown - 3 seconds x 37% (0.37) = 1.89

Same difference of 0.225 seconds.

Lets check out the range (with modules at 10%) then.

3M Medium Laser Range - 270 to 540 (20% quirk bonus, plus 10% modules) = 351 to 702

3S Medium Pulse Laser Range - 220 to 440 (20% quirk bonus, plus 10% modules) = 286 to 572

So, packing Medium Lasers on a 3M you get: 12.5% cooldown, 20% range, 20% decreased laser duration

Medium Pulse Lasers on a 3S you get: 20% cooldown, 12.5% less heat generation, and 20% range.

Oh yeah forgot about heat generation

3M gets no quirks, so default 4 heat generated per trigger pull

Meanwhile,

3S gets 12.5% less heat over ALL energy weapons, so... 4 x 12.5% (0.125) = 3.5

So an 8th of your heat generated per MPL shot.

I guess it comes down to whether or not you want to boat MPL's on the 3S as the quirks are specifically designed for it (even the less heat is intended to alpha them.. 6 x 4 = 24 vs 6 x 3.5 = 21), which makes it sort of a one-trick pony in that regard.

However, with the base 20% laser duration (10% general, plus 10% specific quirk) on the 3M means you can slap on MLs and still keep their inherent range advantage over MPLs while having them burn almost just as quickly (Not too many people can tell the difference of 0.12 seconds). Heck, even with just the 10% duration bonus you can turn your LPL's from 0.67 to 0.603 which is a hair's breath away from MPL's duration (0.6.. difference of 0.003).

Anyways, figured I'd just let it be known.. 3M > 3S! *cough* If my math is wrong feel free to point it out and call me a dunce :>

[Domenoth]

Cryll Ankiseth, on 10 June 2015 - 01:10 PM, said:

Anyways, figured I'd just let it be known.. 3M > 3S! *cough* If my math is wrong feel free to point it out and call me a dunce :>

Not saying your math is wrong, but I didn't see you factor in that the 3S gets 6 extra damage per alpha over the 3M. You might have mentioned it, but I didn't see where.

Edit:
Or are you including the 3M arm hardpoints? In which case you'd be activating Ghost Heat with each alpha and you'd probably hit the ground at least some since the arms are so low compared to the shoulders.

Edited by Domenoth, 10 June 2015 - 01:33 PM.

[Nine-Ball]

Domenoth, on 10 June 2015 - 01:30 PM, said:

Not saying your math is wrong, but I didn't see you factor in that the 3S gets 6 extra damage per alpha over the 3M. You might have mentioned it, but I didn't see where.

Edit:
Or are you including the 3M arm hardpoints? In which case you'd be activating Ghost Heat with each alpha.

Yeah, sorry about that. Forgot to clarify that point a bit more.

Assuming you are doing an Alpha with just the 6 torso lasers, regardless of anything else you have on the arms. 6 ML's deal 30 damage, while 6 MPL's deal 36 damage.

I was thinking of doing a STD375 3M with 8 ML, but after looking at the numbers it just doesn't make sense to do it over the build I am currently using.

375STD with 8ML and nothing but DHS you are have a heat score of roughly 1.31. Not too shabby. 40 damage. Firing to get around ghost heat you are generating 32 heat.

350XL with 4ML (16 heat), 2 LPL's (14 heat), Goose Waffle (probably the deal breaker for this build) 1 heat.. 57 damage (15 of which is instant.. for 1 heat).. and you generate 31 heat, however with only 3 extra DHS's you have a heat score of 1.22

What irks me about the 3S is that is also has two Missile hard points. So while you might favor the MPL's and its bonuses, you are losing two extra energy points (more for flexibility then anything.. using all 8 is too hot) and the ballistics hardpoint. It might be my personal preference, but ballistics tend to work better with energy weapons then a mere two missile hardpoints would. But who knows? Might have to test out a 2 SRM6 and 6 MPL 3S one of these days.