1
EDIT: To be impossibly specificly clear I am talking only about one specific variant. With Clan mechs you don't have variants per se because of omnipods so the comparison isn't valid since the WVR has locked hardpoints and the clan mechs do not. If you insist on including clan mechs, then refer to variants that have only stock omnipods.
I'm not talking about a chassis either. You could argue that the Hunchback has more diversity, but that is counting all of its variants.
I'm talking out of one single variant. Like all possible WVR-7K builds against all possible HBK-4J builds (which is a contender for versatility as well).
Look at all of this:
All-rounder - XL275, 5 JJ, 1 LPL, 2 MPL, 2 SRM6 + 4t ammo. This was my first build, and I still think it's a legit thing. You have the longer range of the LPL for when the enemy is staying at range. But then once the fight begins, alternate between LPL, MPL and your 12 damage SRM blast. When you see a component that's red, LPL it; when you see a bunch of components that are orange, SRM them. When there's incoming fire, jump into the air to tank with your legs, and you can also spin in mid-air to spread damage evenly around the mech.
This build trades the MPLs in for ML, allowing the aSRM6 instead of SRM6 for the spread reduction advantage. You can even go one further by taking the LPL out for a LL, allowing an XL295 instead of 275. And then you still can have either one more ton of aSRM ammo, two more JJ, or one of each. Or for those without Radar Derp-Perversion who are unsure about their ability to use cover you could use that last ton for an AMS + a half ton of AMS ammo.
Mid-range brawl capable - XL275, 2 JJ, 2 LPL, 1 ML, 2 SRM6 + 2.5t ammo. The right side is crit padded out since other than an SRM6, there's nothing on the left side, enabling you to use it as a shield of sorts. I only put that little ammo because the SRMs are for if you end up in a brawl; mostly you'd stay just to the edge of the engagement and LPL people. This removes an SRM6 for much better heat efficiency, better jumping and an MPL instead of an ML in the head.
The idea is to stay further out and primarily use the LPLs from a place that is difficult to reach without the greater number of JJ, and then if enemies get close to you SRM and MPL them to make your escape. You could theoretically remove the SRMs and replace with LRMs, for a longer-range direct and indirect fire-support mech, but that reduces the cooldown and range quirks to 10% (all missiles) from 20% (SRM6 only).
LRMverine - XL275, 3 LRM10 + 7t ammo, 3 ML. This takes that LRM idea and runs with it. You'd want to stay back from the brawl - 400 to 500 meters or so - dumping LRMs into the enemy. Therefor you need no JJs, and you have 3 ML to fend off lights. You could trade 2t ammo to put 2 MPLs into the arm instead of 2 ML.
Also, eFTy posted below and said he wants a TAG in the head instead of ML - almost certainly a good idea. That said, there are likely mechs that would do this better. So if you want LRMs but still want to make use of the WVR chassis... I bring you the next build:
Wolvserpport - XL275, 2 JJ, 2 ERLL, 3 aLRM5 + 5t ammo. eFTy had a point about TAG, so here's that build. Pure and simple long range direct and direct fire-support. The head laser was removed in favor of two JJs, so that you might have a better chance of reaching certain spots for ERLL sniping that a mech without jets might not be able to find. That's a toss up though, up to each player. Likewise you could go 2 LL instead of 2 ERLL for heat reasons.
In this build I say engage stuff within 750m (10% missile range quirk) with the LRMs as you move into position. Then once you have line of sight go ahead with those lasers. Try to strip armor with the LRMs and then hit the open components with the lasers. The 12.5% laser duration reduction quirk isn't anything crazy, but it does help you pump damage faster from a sniping position, so as to reposition that much faster.
Finally we have the Wolverbrawl - XL295, 5 JJ, 3 MPL 3 SRM + 4t ammo. 86.9 kph, and 95.6 kph with speed tweak. This thing is a monster. You can close the range to the enemy much more quickly with the larger engine in order to bring your close-range weapons to bear. With MPL range module and quirks, you have an optimum range of 272 m, max range 544 m. With SRM6 quirks and cooldown and range modules you have 356 meters on range and a cooldown of 2.88 seconds (2.74 s with fast fire efficiency unlocked). Due to quirks you can twist 25% faster than would otherwise be the case, and you can jump 35m to tank with your legs.
You could also drop one or two JJ for either a half ton or a whole ton more SRM6 ammo f you want; personally I find that the high jumping and jump-spinning is crucial to being able to brawl despite the XL engine as well as for jump-snipe alpha poptarting (MPL duration is so short that you'll be able to get most of the beam duration on target while your missiles fly towards that target provided you fire the MPLs just before you reach your jump apogee and your missiles just as you begin to drop back down.
I am loving this last build - it is just a vicious beast. And this coming from somebody who doesn't like SRMs due to the short range and ammo considerations! I highly suggest giving te last build a try f you only try one of the builds listed above.
--
Anyway, thoughts on these builds? Do you agree or disagree that this is the most versatile single variant of any medium mech? Do you agree that it's a bit of a sleeper that not many people talk well about / is rarely seen on the field? I'm interested to see what people have to say!
Edited by grendeldog, 25 May 2015 - 12:44 PM.
