59 replies to this topic

[TwentyOne]

Amsro, on 09 August 2015 - 07:03 PM, said:

<----------------- One of Eight

I will be interested in my Mauler, but the Heavy Metal will always be a great mech to me.

HM is amazing for having fun. 5 JJ 68kph and +30 armor quirks on each arm.

[NeoCodex]

Bought Highlanders on sale, expecting they will be complete, total junk.

Result: ended up carrying matches last man standing with average match score of 100+. Non-elited, first few nights. They were slow as ****, but with that crapload of armor on 732B I wasn't affraid to trade face-to-face a little longer, and you know what, with that short burn time on large lasers it traded just nice with most things, and I was really surprised how well it did. It was far from easy of course, but those were some really good, and very close games.

Ran the same build on the Heavy Metal as well, but with all weapons on arms this comes as an advantage and a disadvantage. So I went ahead and opted for biggest XL and full JJ build on this one. With 732B being so sluggish, I wasn't even able to use my left shield side as well, so the damage was spread all over on that one - got rarely a side torso destroyed. Following this logic, XL on the HM, it kind of made sense to try since you can't have a shield side on this one. Worked just as fine, as well.

Actually much better than my Executioners. There, I said it. A lot better. But that's because of the build. 3 quirked large lasers and gauss rifle with crapload of armor buffs can trade efficiently. I tried the PPC/AC on the 732C, but, meh, it's ok at best. It's slow, yes, but the weapons are just better and runs cooler than anything I came up with on the Executioners. It would be interesting to run follow up matches on the Zeus, which can run the same build. Don't remember their quirks, but they certainly felt a lot more fragile altough more mobile.

At this point I'd say, yeah, the Highlander is actually not bad. I wouldn't recommend it, but I would dare say it's quite above average, at the very least they belong in the upper tier 3. Actually, Gman puts them on top of Tier 4 out of 10 tiers for ALL weight classes combined in his newest tier list, which is actually a huge deal if HGN is top Tier 4 from all weight classes in the game (and I was thinking T3 assault between T1-T5). You can run full meta builds with laser quirks and insane armor buffs (slight mobility too), what else would you want? If you gave it Cauldron Born style shoulder mounts this thing would be completely, utterly broken.

Did this hipe me for the IIC tough? Not really. Allready have the Exe and what makes the Highlander work is the quirked IS lasers, putting clan weaponry on this machine without all the other buffs the IS Highlander has I don't think it's an advantage. Medium lasers need to be boated, which I don't think IIC has enough hardpoints for, and large lasers burn too long for the bad hardpoint locations it has, so you have to go.. large pulse again, which still have a longer burn time, for higher tonnage. And with the low slung hardpoints, it will always come to trading face-to-face, so you can't cover poke with this - when you do engage, it will always be a trade, so you better make it worth while and use the advantage, because with your double armor you can afford to trade. And for that the extra armor and short burn time on the IS makes it better (as it is right now).

I hope this sheds some positive light on the IS version. I actually, really, dont' see an advantage in the IIC, except if you like boating clan autocannons/gauss rifle with a few medium lasers. It will be faster, but, if they leave the armor buffs on the IS, not nearly as tanky, and your hardpoints will still remain where they are..

Edited by NeoCodex, 09 August 2015 - 10:59 PM.

[Ryllen Kriel]

I love my Highlanders. The Maulers will be nice, but it's apples and oranges for me. I'll play a Mauler completely differently than a Highlander.

[Davers]

LORD ORION, on 09 August 2015 - 05:41 PM, said:

Point system is coming for mech choices.

Can't complain until we see it and those IIC mechs are out

We have no idea what the point system means though, so it's hard to have faith in it. They say the points will determine the tier/quirks...how will that be so different from what we have now? Is there a limitation of points in a match?

[El Bandito]

Davers, on 09 August 2015 - 10:29 PM, said:

We have no idea what the point system means though, so it's hard to have faith in it. They say the points will determine the tier/quirks...how will that be so different from what we have now? Is there a limitation of points in a match?

Perhaps they will take hardpoint locations/XL viability/Magic Jesus Box in consideration?

[Davers]

El Bandito, on 09 August 2015 - 10:31 PM, said:

Perhaps they will take hardpoint locations/XL viability/Magic Jesus Box in consideration?

Don't they kinda do that already? Didn't ECM mean less quirks? How much of a difference in hardpoint locations going to make? And lastly, what is to encourage players to play the bad mechs? I really don't think anyone likes having super quirked mechs that made higher tier mechs look bad (Tbolt vs Victor for instance).

[El Bandito]

Davers, on 09 August 2015 - 10:35 PM, said:

Don't they kinda do that already? Didn't ECM mean less quirks?

Actually, the ECM capable Arctic Cheetos has more/better quirks than Mist Lynx, so jury's out on that one.

Davers, on 09 August 2015 - 10:35 PM, said:

How much of a difference in hardpoint locations going to make?

Banshee-3M players will tell you all about it.

Davers, on 09 August 2015 - 10:35 PM, said:

And lastly, what is to encourage players to play the bad mechs?

There are many ways to do it, not just by chassis, but by class as well--increased rewards for example.

Davers, on 09 August 2015 - 10:35 PM, said:

I really don't think anyone likes having super quirked mechs that made higher tier mechs look bad (Tbolt vs Victor for instance).

The entire reason why super-quirked mechs exist is due to the clear disparity between Clan tech and IS tech. Unless PGI does a complete re-balancing of them, the hyper quirks will likely to stay, I am afraid. So yeah, blame PGI and blame their shoddy and hasty implementation of the Clans.

Edited by El Bandito, 09 August 2015 - 10:47 PM.

[Cyborne Elemental]

Yeah.. Banshee, Battlemaster, great hardpoints, and it does make a difference.

Quirks pretty much define which "bad" mechs are playable and in some cases even competitive now.

Take a look at the Wolverine, before quirks barely anyone would toutch it, it was all Griffin, and now the complete opposite since Grif got minimal Quirks, but Wolverine got godmode quirks.

Or Quickdraw-5k, how often did you ever see Quickdraws? I love mine now, and I see them quite regularly since the quirkening.

Then some like Orion, and Awesome which are still left behind, mostly because of their own Geometry, Gorilla arms that shoot terrain more than they can the enemy, are still completely substandard in comparison to other mechs.

[Davers]

El Bandito, on 09 August 2015 - 10:40 PM, said:

Actually, the ECM capable Arctic Cheetos has more/better quirks than Mist Lynx, so jury's out on that one.

Well, originally I thought they did. But the whole quirk philosophy seems to have changed since it's inception.



Banshee-3M players will tell you all about it.

I meant, what 'point difference' will it be. Will it be enough to change it's tier on it's own merits?

There are many ways to do it, not just by chassis, but by class as well--increased rewards for example.

Increased rewards are nice, but you will still earn more in a good mech than in a bad one.



The entire reason why super-quirked mechs exist is due to the clear disparity between Clan tech and IS tech. Unless PGI does a complete re-balancing of them, the hyper quirks will likely to stay, I am afraid. So yeah, blame PGI and blame their shoddy and hasty implementation of the Clans.

I think Battletech is more to blame. They made Clan mechs better, in almost every category, across the board. When you have even teams mixed with the ability to pilot whatever you want, you kind of end up with Protoss units costing the same as Zerg.

[lshtaria]

I used to love the Heavy Metal. Unfortunately lack of quirks power creep balance e-sports meant it got left behind.

Couldn't quite find the right words to use.

[STEF_]

Mister D, on 09 August 2015 - 10:17 PM, said:

Actually, thats pretty much how people play from my experience.
Why else would the majority of players be using clan mechs with cheese builds.

That is all I see, except they're rarely on my team

..aaaand Highlanders are the assault I enjoy most in these days.
I must thank PGI sale.
I was expecting a trash-ish 90 tonners (reading forumer's opinions), and I found myself carrying the team with them

[Cyborne Elemental]

I bought a Highlander 732-B as well during the sale.
Had all of them unlocked from way way back, kinda quit playing them after clans and after the JJ megaNerf.

Used to enjoy the 733-C with AC-20, but I find myself being forced into Gauss/LL or Gauss/PPC builds with them.

Its a tough mech IMO, that engine cap as well as being very limited for Hardpoints and critspace always gets me.

[Xetelian]

Alistair Winter, on 09 August 2015 - 05:08 PM, said:

I'm sure the eight people who still use the IS Highlander will be devastated.

Cut me to the quick you did.

[Speedy Plysitkos]

QuantumButler, on 09 August 2015 - 05:38 PM, said:

The IS highlander is hot garbage already and no one in their right mind uses them, you already don't see any of them.

if you are talking about CW leets, then yes. But 97% of mwo pop, dont play cw.
And in regular play, its good to pilot any mech. You can be good in all. 90% is in pilot. 10% in metal.

[QuantumButler]

Stefka Kerensky, on 09 August 2015 - 09:20 PM, said:

Pfff.... plebs doesn't know how to have fun.

Or doesn't know how to make things work.

I bought 3 highlander during the sale, and have k/d ratio between 1,9 and 1,6, with 500dmg average per match. Solo que only.

"The IS highlander is hot garbage already and no one in their right mind uses them, you already don't see any of them."

None in their right mind uses meta only and easy cheesy only.
Unless you are a kid liking the easy stuff and easy win, and doesn't like the challenge or to be challenged.

Don't assume people who prefer not to drive terrible piles of scrap only drive metamechs.

I like to drive hunchbacks and centurions, but the Highlander is a good contender for the crown of worst assault in the game, it doesn't even compare favorably to the Awesome or Victor, let alone the actual good robots of Stalker, Zeus, and King Crab.

I mean, we all have our waifu ****mechs, that's fine, we can even do well in them, I love the Centurions, but the highlander is really just a pile of hot garbage, the mech equivalent of a MWO flamer.

Edited by QuantumButler, 10 August 2015 - 01:58 AM.

[Hit the Deck]

QuantumButler, on 10 August 2015 - 01:57 AM, said:

Don't assume people who prefer not to drive terrible piles of scrap only drive metamechs.

I like to drive hunchbacks and centurions, but the Highlander is a good contender for the crown of worst assault in the game, it doesn't even compare favorably to the Awesome or Victor, let alone the actual good robots of Stalker, Zeus, and King Crab.

I mean, we all have our waifu ****mechs, that's fine, we can even do well in them, I love the Centurions, but the highlander is really just a pile of hot garbage, the mech equivalent of a MWO flamer.

Last time I see HBKs and Cents are heavily quirked.

You can say that HGN is among the worst assault in game. Well, it may be true but that doesn't mean that it's bad or not viable at all (e.g. person A is the shortest in the class but he himself is not short). They are actually still pretty decent as always.

[Joseph Mallan]

Scout Derek, on 09 August 2015 - 04:20 PM, said:

Why, well it's simple really.

Highlander iic:

Clan tech(yep that's about it.)

Mauler:

More hardpoints.

No useless jump jets.


Just this without going into a long explanation says it all.

See you in 10 100 years Mr. Highlander!!!

Let's see...
IIC is a clan model so the only place for universal use is PUG. Otherwise The IIC can only be fielded by Clans.

Mauler doesn't jump IIRC.

[El Bandito]

QuantumButler, on 10 August 2015 - 01:57 AM, said:

I mean, we all have our waifu ****mechs, that's fine, we can even do well in them, I love the Centurions, but the highlander is really just a pile of hot garbage, the mech equivalent of a MWO flamer.

True. There is also this bad mech...the name was...damn, let me check Smurfy.

Vindicator. That's it. Up there with the Flamers in terms of garbage-rating. I usually pride myself in knowing most mechs' hardpoints at a glance, but I had so forgotten about the trash known as Vindicators, that I do not remember a single variant's hardpoints.

Joseph Mallan, on 10 August 2015 - 02:31 AM, said:

Mauler doesn't jump IIRC.

You mean, hover?

Hit the Deck, on 10 August 2015 - 02:27 AM, said:

Last time I see HBKs and Cents are heavily quirked.

You can say that HGN is among the worst assault in game. Well, it may be true but that doesn't mean that it's bad or not viable at all (e.g. person A is the shortest in the class but he himself is not short). They are actually still pretty decent as always.

I do have certain respect for the 732B and the Heavy Metal, but they are far from causing me any concerns, compared to other similar weight Assaults.

Edited by El Bandito, 10 August 2015 - 02:38 AM.

[Joseph Mallan]

El Bandito, on 10 August 2015 - 02:32 AM, said:

True. There is also this mech...the name was...damn, let me check Smurphy.

Vindicator. That's it. Up there with the Flamers in terms of garbage-rating. I usually pride myself in knowing most mechs' hardpoints at a glance, but I had so forgotten about the trash known as Vindicators, that I do not remember a single variant's hardpoints.




You mean, hover?

Personally A Mech with 3 Jump Jets really only hops more than jumps IMO.

As for forgetting the Vindy... It's Capellan made, so you are forgiven.

Edited by Joseph Mallan, 10 August 2015 - 02:38 AM.

[Hit the Deck]

El Bandito, on 10 August 2015 - 02:32 AM, said:

...
I do have certain respect for the 732B and the Heavy Metal, but they are far from causing me any concerns, compared to other similar weight Assaults.

One thing IS HGN can't really do is trade fire with the enemies at range (except 732B, 733C, and HM which can do this to a certain extent) because of the lack of B and E hardpoints and that makes them less scary, true. This means that usually, they can't win the firefight by themselves unlike the quad UAC/5 King Crab, for example. But when they work in a team or group of Assaults, they can certainly contribute: the JJs can be used to reach high places (like in the Mining Collection) and to poptart.

Edited by Hit the Deck, 10 August 2015 - 02:49 AM.