10 replies to this topic

[LordBraxton]

Beep beep beep beep beep, oops I'm doing it right again.

Now that it's been out for almost a month: A report on MASC

I think the game I just had (a very average game, only 575~ dmg and 1 kill) illustrates MASC's potential to me. I have a hard time touching anything besides my Executioner because of it. I know my Elo isnt that bad because I see Lords\CSJx\4 20\other good clans in my solo and group drops.

I saw an ally run to flank a couple lone target icons left behind during a some frozen city 500 Nascar racing. I joined my fellow and ended up brawling with 2 Atlai. A 2v2 kind of seperated from the battle. One enemy was classic Atlas brawler and the other a LL+AC10 std engine Boar's Head. Sadly they aren't the scariest of mechs these days, but 2 of them at 150 meters is probably the worst way to run into them.

In my EXE I run
UAC5
UAC10
4ERSL

(Nova looked like an ERPPC in one arm and some ER medium lasers in the other.)

Not the most frightening loadout for a 95 tonner.... but I've got MASC, JJs, and solid DPS and suppression.

-First off, the only reason I was able to flank with the nova is because MASC and JJs allow the EXE to traverse rough terrain like it isnt even there. The landing is what slows JJ's relative ground speed and MASC negates that along with being the sprint key.

-Using this mobility I came flying over the hill into the pit in the city on the epsilon side of the dropship. Flicking a burst into each Atlas's face drew aggro from my Nova buddy recklessly charging ahead of me.

-All 4 mechs in this fight were fresh, both sides were using focus fire, both sides had solid DPS in the correct range bracket, but I came out of the fight without any internals showing.

-By feathering MASC on the charge (4-5 second charge down the hill and to their right) I splashed their lasers and autocannons all over my arms and sides, all while still maintaining UAC facetime. The rapid speed change throws off lead and even laser aim, as close as at 150-100 meters.

-After the enemy first volley, I slammed break, reversed, and hit MASC right as I knew the LL cooldown was getting close. The rapid acceleration backwards threw the closer atlas so far off that he missed an entire alpha. The brawler spread SRMs and lasers all over me, missing with his AC 20 entirely.

-By this time, about 7 or 8 seconds into the fight, the combined attack of me and the nova have shredded the brawler Atlas. 8 seconds in, his RT is gone, and by the time the Boar's Head is firing again, about 10 or 11 seconds into then fight, the Boar's Head is alone. I am minimally damaged.

-At this point the Boar's Head gets a solid alpha off on me, taking my right side down to orange armor as I twist. Had my timing and awareness been better, I could have toggled MASC again before he got his autocannon on me, either making him miss or likely making it hit my arm\other side.

-I end the fight by charging past the Boar's Head with MASC, leaving him flailing looking for targets as two superior power creeped mechs tear him down.

TLDR

MASC isnt amazing because it helped be kill two poor old Atlai.

MASC is amazing because I avoided almost half their damaged entirely at 100m~ and dispersed over half of the rest over my armor. All with minimal torso twisting in a facetank DPS build.

Who else has thoughts on MASC, a month down the line.

Edited by LordBraxton, 17 July 2015 - 01:22 PM.

[Twilight Fenrir]

I love MASC, If I could, I would put it on every single mech I keep slamming Capslock when I get in a pinch, trying to escape to no avail when I'm in anything but my Koala XD

Like you, I tend to pull about 5-600 damage per match in my Koala, unless I get unlucky. And I'm never left behind like the rest of the assaults on nascar maps It's a close call which I like best for assaults, my KGC-000(L) or my Koala Prime (I)

I would like to see a slight decrease in 'heat' buildup, or a slight increase in cooldown, but very slight. The HPS is 3 IIRC, and the cooldown is 2PS. If it was 2.6 up, OR 2.2 down, I think it would be absolutely perfect. But there's nothing wrong with it as it sits, I'd just like that personally

I cannot WAIT to fly around with my Shadowcat. That thing will be more maneuverable than anything else in the game. And it will be deadly.

Edited by Twilight Fenrir, 17 July 2015 - 08:06 AM.

[Kain Demos]

I don't like how the speed boost is nowhere near what it should be and agree that the duration or cooldown could be better. This is going to be more obvious on the Shadow Cat than it is on the Executioner.

The fact that you risk damage at 75 is kind of silly too as you end up with 1/4 of a gauge not in use. In the testing grounds I checked to see if you can even survive a push above 90 and the answer seemed to be no.

Edited by Kain Demos, 17 July 2015 - 08:13 AM.

[Twilight Fenrir]

Kain Demos, on 17 July 2015 - 08:13 AM, said:

I don't like how the speed boost is nowhere near what it should be and agree that the duration or cooldown could be better. This is going to be more obvious on the Shadow Cat than it is on the Executioner.

The fact that you risk damage at 75 is kind of silly too as you end up with 1/4 of a gauge not in use. In the testing grounds I checked to see if you can even survive a push above 90 and the answer seemed to be no.

Hahaha, I didn't realize you died before going over 90% XD

Though, one thing that IS really nice, is that when you stop using MASC in the red, the damage stops too. It could very easily have been programmed to continue to damage you until you fell beelow 75% again, and I'm very glad this is not what they did.

[DONTOR]

I got a B**** reading that...

I LOVE MASC
On mining collective I ran toward the center of the map only to be met by 5-6 mechs cresting the center ramp, i was taking heavy fire. I slammed MASC to reverse, JJ and twisted up over the side and behind a building in one fluid motion. Theres not one other mech in this entire game that could do that maneouver. I avoided certain death, and went on to kill 4 other mechs, which i surely would not have done had i been cut down then and there.

Thats when I realised MASC is epic, and I cant wait for the Shadowcat.

Although the cool down is way too long for the 7 seconds that you get to use it, and the speed boost is probably a little too low also, but still...

Edited by DONTOR, 17 July 2015 - 08:27 AM.

[Kain Demos]

DONTOR, on 17 July 2015 - 08:26 AM, said:

Although the cool down is way too long for the 7 seconds that you get to use it, and the speed boost is probably a little too low also, but still...

My feelings exactly. As it is now I just using it for enhanced peeking/rocking. When the hard details on MASC were released I was really disappointed in the speed bonus amounts, especially the Mk II.

[Twilight Fenrir]

DONTOR, on 17 July 2015 - 08:26 AM, said:

I got a B**** reading that...

I LOVE MASC
On mining collective I ran toward the center of the map only to be met by 5-6 mechs cresting the center ramp, i was taking heavy fire. I slammed MASC to reverse, JJ and twisted up over the side and behind a building in one fluid motion. Theres not one other mech in this entire game that could do that maneouver. I avoided certain death, and went on to kill 4 other mechs, which i surely would not have done had i been cut down then and there.

Thats when I realised MASC is epic, and I cant wait for the Shadowcat.

Although the cool down is way too long for the 7 seconds that you get to use it, and the speed boost is probably a little too low also, but still...

Actually, ignoring Speed Tweak, the MASC on the Koala is 27%, vs the 30% TT rules, so it's super close. (this is based on top speed without speed tweak, to top speed w/MASC and speed tweak.)

Unfortunately, the ShadowCat will wind up with a lesser boost, as they decided to scale back the percentages on lighter MASC units for some reason... The Koala gets a 20% buff to top speed, the Shadowcat will get a 10% buff. So, with speed tweak, and MASC activated we're looking at a top speed of 117.6 vs the 130 of TT.

[LordBraxton]

Personally, I find the acceleration to be MASC's value in MWO (even though it was all about top speed in TT, as acceleration wasnt really simulated)

It will be interesting to see if that has diminishing returns on the shadow cat as well...

Isnt it 300% accel by default?

That means we'll have shadow cats dancing like locusts.

[Kain Demos]

Twilight Fenrir, on 17 July 2015 - 11:29 AM, said:

Actually, ignoring Speed Tweak, the MASC on the Koala is 27%, vs the 30% TT rules, so it's super close. (this is based on top speed without speed tweak, to top speed w/MASC and speed tweak.)

Unfortunately, the ShadowCat will wind up with a lesser boost, as they decided to scale back the percentages on lighter MASC units for some reason... The Koala gets a 20% buff to top speed, the Shadowcat will get a 10% buff. So, with speed tweak, and MASC activated we're looking at a top speed of 117.6 vs the 130 of TT.

Which that 130 in TT would be equivalent to 143 here giving it brief periods of Arctic Cheetah/Ice Ferret Speed.

[Mister Blastman]

I love mask. The powers of it are amazing.



My favorite was the car that shot the red saws. The helecopter was really cool, too.

Oh... we're talking about 'mechs? Err. Sorry.

[Scout Derek]

LordBraxton, on 17 July 2015 - 07:37 AM, said:

MASC isnt amazing because it helped be kill two poor old Atlai.

MASC is amazing because I avoided almost half their damaged entirely at 100m~ and dispersed over half of the rest over my armor. All with minimal torso twisting in a facetank DPS build.

Who else has thoughts on MASC, a month down the line.

This. This alone, being able to spread damage.

On crimson strait I was pinned down near the big ship near the platform. Using MASC I sped around to meet up with my allies and give a good push. As I did I pushed, giving my allies hope as I tossed my fresh(not badly damaged) mech at 3 damaged and one fresh.

I killed three including the fresh before succumbing to losing both side torsos.

In the end around 600 damage and 3 kills + a win for the team. (Twas a good fight too!)