26 replies to this topic

[eyeofjudgement]

Which mechs that rely heavy on ballistic weapons can you recommend right now? (besides the Jäger and the cataphract)
IS and CLAN please

[Nik Reaper]

Well, pretty much anything that can mount 2 or more ballistic weapons, the thing is that a ballance pass is coming, and after it , if the PGI's message was to be belived, there will no longer be +/-50% quirks meaning that going for mechs that are good like the dragon or the wolvarine with ACs is a time limited option.

Banshee is a good choice as is a battlemaster, and the King Crab, probly the most of them all with up to 6 ballistics in the arms. Heavys and assaults are the ballistic masters, just look up http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/ and every big mech with 2+ B slots, more so if they are in different locations is a ok bali mech.

Edited by Nik Reaper, 18 August 2015 - 02:23 AM.

[The Basilisk]

IS:
-- Wolverine 6R mostly fun mech but if enemy ignores you he will hurt badly.
Go for AC5 cooldown and range module and you will have dual AC5 at 0.8s refire rate and more range than a Gauss. If you use the laser or the missile slots doesn't realy matter. You can try removing them and going for a standart reaktor and maybe jumpjets.

-- BlackJack BJ1 also just a fun mech since you got neither the speed, nor armor or ammunition to realy do something save annoying the sh...out of enemys.

-- Jagermech DD is a quite serious build that pounds an unaware enemy senseless in seconds.

-- Jagermech A this thing got 20%+ balistic range so just mount two gaus and some ammo and have fun

-- Battlemaster 1D A funbuild to annoy enemys but is astoundingly resilient and nimble for an assault. The main rule is KEEP MOVING AND TWISTING. Take a spot with lateral cover aim, fire 3-5 salvos and change positions. Medium lasers for your endgame to finisch of wounded mechs.

-- Banshee 3E Deadly, every enemy that you catch in a thight spot without much ability to move will be obliterated

-- Kingcrab....jea dont think I have to spell out what you should do with that monster.

The only Clan Mechs that come to mind are Direwolve and Warhawk with ballistics.
But I have no personal experiences with Clan Mechs.

[eyeofjudgement]

How about the enforcer (i know It's a medium) or the orion?

[Nik Reaper]

Well, those work too, kinda, but you should specify if you want a "fun" mech or a mech that works and deals large damage with enough ammo to last a full game.

Many mediums can , more or less, easily equip 1 ballistic weapon of ny size, even an ac20 , but that doesn't make them a "ballistic" mech, and any more than 1 big weapon will make them ether hot, under armored , starved for ammo, slow or any combination of the above.

The big mechs mentioned above are mechs that specialise in carrying many ballistic weapons and comfortably at that.

Enforcers and good mechs, just not for what you specified in the op, just not enough weight to carry more than 1 ballistic efficiently (mby 2xac2 but that might not be what you are looking for... ).

Edited by Nik Reaper, 18 August 2015 - 03:32 AM.

[The Basilisk]

eyeofjudgement, on 18 August 2015 - 02:30 AM, said:

How about the enforcer (i know It's a medium) or the orion?

While the Orion isn't outright a bad mech there is absolutely nothing benefical about it.
Its cumbersome, got large hitboxes, you can't realy concentrate on your ballistics or any other loadout and your DF guns are hanging so low you even compete the Cataphract for the most unuseable weapon hardpoints.

Regarding the Enforcer...yea its a laser mech with too few hardpoints and quirks.
While the 5P enforcer has 4 ballistic hardpoints distributed between both arms but unable to use dual UAC5 ( which are quirked ) in either arm cause not enough slots.
So you are forced to distribute your low hanging main guns between left and right and fully facing the enemy to use both at a time.
Thats real bad politics with a medium Mech.
Even if LBX wouldn't suck that bad, you got the same problem with the 5D.
You can't mount two of them in one arm.

The other mechs suggested by me above either can snipe around corners to use lateral partial cover or got very high hardpoints to use vertical cover.

Neither Orion nor a ballistic equiped enforcer can do that.

Edit: the only Orion not sucking too bad in my hands was this ON1VA but its a highly circumstancial near suicidal build and you need very good timing and luck. You need to wait and whatch till an enemy gets impatient or stuck in your vicinity and then go all in and KILL HIM. If you fail you are toast.

Edited by The Basilisk, 18 August 2015 - 03:59 AM.

[Aggravated Assault Mech]

Urbanmech
Enforcer
Hunchback
Centurion
Shadow hawk
Dragon
Jagermech
Cataphract
King Crab

The BNC-3E and WVR-6R are worth mentioning too, but they don't represent the chassis as a whole even if they are AC spammers.

The only Clan mech that is really known for lots of ballistics in popular builds is the Dire Wolf. Most players when given the option choose a more balanced laser/gauss combo. Most omnimechs can fit hardpoints for multiple ballistics if you desire, however.

If you wanted to play the "most ballistic" chassis to master across 3 variants, Clan or IS, the Jagermech and King Crab are probably your best choices.

[The Basilisk]

While I concure regarding the Jager and Crab the first 5 chassis are simply not worth mentioning.
Sure most variants got a ballistic slot but that either does not make those variants ballistic dominated or even viable ballistic mechs.

Edited by The Basilisk, 18 August 2015 - 05:11 AM.

[Dawnstealer]

Banshee 3E is a fun one. If you like lighter mechs, the Enforcer has some nice quirks for each variant. In particular, the 5P can mount dual UAC5s. While you don't get a lot of ammo with that mech, it's pretty effective for the short time it can shoot.

[stealthraccoon]

Two Urbanmechs?

I guess my next answer of Cataphracts isn't going to be counted either.

Could try the IV-Four QuickDraw?

[Khereg]

My current favorite: The Dakka Wolf (DWF-S)

The JJ's on the S are crucial, IMHO. It gets you where you need to be quickly so you can lay down the hurt.

Got an Ace of Spaces with this build after playing it less than a week.

Sometimes run out of ammo at 8.5 tons, but I find if that happens I've usually already laid down 1k+ in dmg and the ERML's are enough for that late game play.

Ace of Spades game

Edited by Khereg, 18 August 2015 - 10:07 AM.

[Xoco]

The Basilisk, on 18 August 2015 - 01:51 AM, said:

-- BlackJack BJ1 also just a fun mech since you got neither the speed, nor armor or ammunition to realy do something save annoying the sh...out of enemys.

I have been going double AC5, and it's a wonderful little weapon platform (at least in my low level). It's highly team dependent, but having JJ can set you up for a nice little ambush to help your team with.

[Johny Rocket]

Treb 7K xl285 2 AC5 2ML 5 tons of ammo and no additional dhs.
I know its not a heavy but you scratched the only 2 good heavy gunboats I know of. Orion? I didn't care for it.

[Audacious Aubergine]

I'm gonna throw an odd suggestion out here - Catapult-K2 with double UAC5 or double AC10. I've somehow sort of made these builds work

[ATodd]

Hi,

CPLT-K2 (heavy IS)

I tried 2x AC20, 2x AC10, and now 2x UAC5 on the CPLT-K2.
While the 2x AC20 is fun (if you are able to get close), both the AC20 and the AC10 builds struggle withe the weight of the guns.

Now I run: 304 armor, ENDO, basic DHS, 250 XL engine, BAP
2x PPC, 2x UAC5 (120 ammo), 2x ML


ENF-XX (medium IS)

On the mech with the jam reduction for the UAC5..
I still only run 1 UAC5 with plenty of ammo, and use the side-torso Energy mount with an ER LL; ranges synergize well.
With only the 2x UAC5 you just burn thru the ammo toooo quickly, and then are stuck with 1 ML.. in case you brought a backup energy weapon.

To be honest, I run 1 UAC5 on every one of the ENF variants ^^ (LBX just too much spread, AC10 too heavy, too little dps)

Cheers,
AT

[Tordin]

Enforcer 5P, it WRECKS or at least annoy the enemy with two UAC5. It helps to have range and cooldown modules for UAC5. I think I run around 120 shots for it. Having ca 1 ton to spare for either a medium laser, extra ammo or two machine guns for a bit of extra critting with enough ammo. Cant remember which engine but had to be XL.

Edited by Tordin, 04 October 2015 - 06:20 AM.

[Soldier91]

FreebirthToad18999, on 04 October 2015 - 04:01 AM, said:

I'm gonna throw an odd suggestion out here - Catapult-K2 with double UAC5 or double AC10. I've somehow sort of made these builds work

Catapult k2 doesn't come close to being a ballistic mech. The ballistic hard points are fun to play around with and I've got dual gauss, and LBX10 to work a few times. After using a jagermech though I wouldn't put anything bigger than machineguns on it. Arm mounted ballistics are much more accurate than torso mounted with the k2 I was just putting the torso reticle on stuff and hoping it'd hit anything, with the arm mounted ones I can sort of aim at a specific area like a side torso or leg or arm.

[JigglyMoobs]

When you mount long range ballistics, DON'T FORGET THE ADV ZOOM! it increases fun by at least 20% and tactical options by 50%

[BoldricKent]

Mauler...thats new balistic meta for IS, you can cramp in almost any cannon combo you want,
nice stable platform with enough tonnage for nice support weapons, while Crab can twist better
its ballistic slots are far too low and far apart.

[Speedy Plysitkos]

IS:
Mauler is the king of Balistics in mwo. (writing this as balistic is my main force) - tons of builds.

Clan:
I tried DWF, but i dont like the spitting mechanism. Not recommending.