53 replies to this topic

[Speedy Plysitkos]

Escef, on 14 September 2015 - 05:37 AM, said:

The biggest problem with Cataphrats is that for much of the playerbase they are a known quantity. Hack the right torso off of a 'phract and it suddenly becomes less of a threat than most light mechs.

Atlas say hi.

[MeiSooHaityu]

Troutmonkey, on 14 September 2015 - 05:41 AM, said:

Like hunchies in that regard I guess. I try to show them my left side and shield with that

Bingo.

Shoot, twist right...shoot, twist right.

[Troutmonkey]

Second game tonight in CTF after not playing them for a couple weeks. Still good (first game was cap race where nobody shot anyone)

[Speedy Plysitkos]

Troutmonkey, on 14 September 2015 - 05:50 AM, said:

Second game tonight in CTF after not playing them for a couple weeks. Still good (first game was cap race where nobody shot anyone)

Aha, so you found hidden mode, called DAYTONAAAAAAAAAA

[Anjian]

They used to be great mechs among the earliest ones but their HP and hitboxes can't keep up or made obsolete by today's power creep levels.

[Rhaythe]

Titannium, on 14 September 2015 - 05:40 AM, said:

you probably read in my original post, that im using STD280, and it feels like im in JM6 or Orions with XL engine. +-.

I was referring to a post asking about general perception, not necessarily your own.

Dunno. They're definitely not the tankiest of options when it comes to the heavy queue. But I would imagine most of the "older" mechs in this game feel somewhat fragile to their newer brethren at this point.

[Mister Blastman]

Cataphracts are squishy. They always have been.

[Torric]

Troutmonkey, on 14 September 2015 - 05:50 AM, said:

Second game tonight in CTF after not playing them for a couple weeks. Still good (first game was cap race where nobody shot anyone)

Titannium, on 14 September 2015 - 05:51 AM, said:

Aha, so you found hidden mode, called DAYTONAAAAAAAAAA

He also found the hidden game mode where there are only 3 4 clan mechs in the entire match. Please teach me.

CTFs are still my go to heavies, but any competent pilot will one- or maybe twoshot your right torso. Since i am apparently playing in the underhive (but the one that has clan emchs in it) my IM is still very viable and i usually beat 450 dmg even if i get killed early, with 700-900 dmg games when i stay alive and uncrippled. Triple UAC5+2ML all the way.

/€: Apparently i cannot count..

Edited by Torric, 14 September 2015 - 06:32 AM.

[Charronn]

Ilya used to be my favourite mech.
The Cataphracts have been made obsolete by powercreep and the fact they are easy to kill.
Sold them all,just not worth the frustration.

[Speedy Plysitkos]

Charronn, on 14 September 2015 - 06:37 AM, said:

Ilya used to be my favourite mech.
The Cataphracts have been made obsolete by powercreep and the fact they are easy to kill.
Sold them all,just not worth the frustration.

you sold ilya ?

[Charronn]

Titannium, on 14 September 2015 - 06:57 AM, said:

you sold ilya ?

I did.I know,I know.
It just doesn't cut the mustard anymore.

[zagibu]

I never had much luck with Cataphracts until I bought the 0XP. This one works fine for me with AC/20 and 4 ML.

[MeiSooHaityu]

Charronn, on 14 September 2015 - 07:20 AM, said:

I did.I know,I know.
It just doesn't cut the mustard anymore.

[Speedy Plysitkos]

Charronn, on 14 September 2015 - 07:20 AM, said:

I did.I know,I know.
It just doesn't cut the mustard anymore.

am..... there is teoretical chance, they will buff the mech later, lets say in 3-6 month. It could be incredible beast...... paid $....

[Radbane]

Pretty much had the same experience as OP.

Got me a 0XP, 2X and 4X and grinded the whole weekend. Well, I ended up using GXP on the 2X (was planning a LRM build, but well, way to much ECM nowadays). The 0XP was a bit fun, but the 4X was a chore. Only kept the 0XP when I was done mastering all, in one way or another.

Read som posts about XL, and how dangerous that is in a Cataphract. Really? I have yet to get killed by a blown sidetorso. The centre on the other hand: "Oh, i se an enemy... *boom* ...and there we go, I'm almost cored". The CT is a bullet magnet and as OP said, the mech feels very fragile.

Tried some AC5 builds, but ended up mostly using Gauss/PPC. The former needed to much facetime while I could peek and hide better with the later. That halped a bit.

[TheCharlatan]

My personal opinion on Cataphracts:
The 0XP is the only one that can tank: the others are fragile (even with a standard) thanks to easy to isolate hitboxes.
This means that the natural role of the Catphracts is fire support: stand next to an assault with a DPS build (I like dual ac10s, but ac5/uac5 are good too) and KS it's targets help it in battle. Use XLs on these builds.
The 0XP is a very solid brawler thanks to it's quirks, and my favorite Cataphract.
The 3D is a good pop-tart: dual PPCs+gauss/AC10/AC5(s) are solid, but i personally prefer faster mechs as poptarts.

Edited by TheCharlatan, 14 September 2015 - 07:44 AM.

[Bishop Steiner]

Soultraxx, on 14 September 2015 - 12:30 AM, said:

Hello all

With the weekends Xp boost happening I decided to part with some MC and Cbills to buy three Cataphracts - a Muramets, the one with ECM and the one with two missile hard points.

I upgraded to Endo and Dhs, replaced XLs with Standards and front loaded the armour.
The IM kept its 3 Ac5s and the other two I turned into AC20 brawlers. I fitted the relevent cooldown modules and used Radar Dep. It knocked a big dent in my savings :-)

First off, I was a bit suprised with how fragile they were and secondly, I quickly realised that chain firing on the IM might sound great, but in reality its a sure fire way to get cored like an apple as the frontal armour appears to be made of cardboard. So I changed the Ac5s for a pair of Ac10s so I could have a shield side and I tried better positioning to be a bit more pokey.

It was a painful experience with many sub 100 dmg games. If I got 300 (very rarely) I considered it a good game. I definately lost more games than I won and definately had more low scoring matches than high.
The shame of it is, I must have dropped into Tier 5 and I was still doing terrible :-)

However, that being said I enjoyed my time immensely and managed to unlock speed tweak and rapid fire on all three variants.

I normally run Clan heavies when Im not levelling and in them I would consider 300 dmg to be a bad game so I salute IS pilots that get consistantly good scores.

On a sidenote I also bought a Tdr-9SE (the one with Lpl quirks) and fitted it out with 3 lpls and never seemed to have a problem with survivability.

If anyone can offer me some tips on how to improve my gameplay in Cataphracts itwould be much appreciated.

Many thanks

they are kinda barn doorish.......so if you run XLs, they can be pretty fragile, especially in bawling builds. The rise of the Alpha since they were introduced has not helped. They can still be effective, but require a lot more thought about positioning, etc than a lot of other Heavies.

[TheStrider]

It's funny, but I haven't found that. Mind all mine are mastered, so they will perform better but...

IM - 280XL, 3UAC5, 3ML - Favorite mech. (I have 90+) Never fails me. Yes, once in a blue moon I get side torso blown out, but very few mechs face tank me when I'm UAC'in them.

2X - 330XL, AC10, 3ML, 2ASRM4 - Recent build, no clue why it's been so effective, but maybe I don't have enough games in to really see, but it's been rocking for me. The speed from the 320XL allows me to spread damage and tank better. May or may not have AMS still....

OXP - 300STD, Gauss, 4MPL - Actually leveled this guy recently, had no troubles with him putting up great numbers. Tanky!

I also own the 4X and 3D.

4X is nekkid at the moment, as my usual build for him (Dual Gauss) is on my Jager at the moment.

Oddly enough, I've never settled into a happy place with my 3D. I had it during the poptart days and after. The only build I enjoyed was a 340XL 4LL build I had before ghost heat came in. It was great since it could jump quite high, was fast & maneuverable - and best of all looked like a frekin' X-Wing when I fired the LLs.


I don't know how these would hold up leveling them now adays, but those are mine. I have no issues taking the IM or OXP out against any foe.

PS - with the Mauler release, the 'meta' has been all over the place - not a friendly environment for leveling a new unappreciated chassis. I ran my Hunchbacks for 5-6 games on the weekend and faced a series of stomps.

[Spheroid]

They really are not that bad. Only the 3D is super squishy under the current quirks. If you are used to Clan heavies of course they are going to seem like garbage.

Front load that armor and try different weapons. ACs, LPLAS, PPC, etc. The mech has the mass to field a wide variety of combinations.

[Soultraxx]

Hello, Im the OP

Having run nothing but my Phracts for a few days they do seem a lot better (still not great scores, but not noobishly appaling for the most part).
As many have said its all about positioning and getting to the party late.
Im at a point now when I "know" its going to end badly for me - if Ive lost situational awareness and ended up a solo straggler or I am the anchor against an enemy push or if Im leading a push. As long as I avoid those situations I dont do too bad.

Im starting to enjoy running them now. Maybe I'll end up a better Ebon/ Timby pilot from the experience.

Thank you all for your input