53 replies to this topic

[ColourfulConfetti]

Oh, how the mighty have fallen, there was a time were cataphracts wrecked face. Alas, the clans are a cruel mistress.

[Nikoliy]

Soultraxx, Titannium

Try running CTF with 325 std or bigger xl. The added speed and maneuverability makes popping in and out of cover a lot easier. Don't load up too many weapons for a high alpha, instead use a more efficient build. Put two PPC in the torso so you can shoot them over other mechs, with two med las for backup in the arms. AC20 + Med Lasers + 325 reg. something like that...

Phill put out a video a while ago were he was running a "Marauder" build 2xERPPC + AC2 +340XL and he was able to do great. AC2 to keep them suppressed and PPCs to do dam.

Edited by Nikoliy, 15 September 2015 - 03:18 PM.

[MeiSooHaityu]

Nikoliy, on 15 September 2015 - 03:17 PM, said:

Soultraxx, Titannium

Try running CTF with 325 std or bigger xl. The added speed and maneuverability makes popping in and out of cover a lot easier. Don't load up too many weapons for a high alpha, instead use a more efficient build. Put two PPC in the torso so you can shoot them over other mechs, with two med las for backup in the arms. AC20 + Med Lasers + 325 reg. something like that...

Phill put out a video a while ago were he was running a "Marauder" build 2xERPPC + AC2 +340XL and he was able to do great. AC2 to keep them suppressed and PPCs to do dam.

I had a 2 LLaser and 1 A/C2 build on a Shadow Hawk (with streaks as backups). It's amazing how that one lone little A/C2 helps accent larger energy in some builds.

[Cyborne Elemental]

Always had good luck with this, well.. before Hunchdozer stole its job.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...558b33efd60f806

[zagibu]

Mister D, on 15 September 2015 - 04:28 PM, said:

Always had good luck with this, well.. before Hunchdozer stole its job.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...558b33efd60f806

I couldn't make that work well, because of the desynced lasers. But on the 0XP, it works well (minus the jump jets, plus the ECM).

[Brody319]

mech perfection

[Alistair Winter]

Definitely not glass cannons. Here's the problem:

• Really low arms force you to expose the whole mech
  
• Low number of hardpoints give you lower burst damage, force you to stay on target longer
  
• Low number of [energy] hardpoints force you to take bigger, heavier weapons. There's normally no room for big STD engines, because you're loading up on large lasers and/or AC20s. Slower mechs are easier to kill.

Let's compare the CTF with other mechs. The CTF is 70 tons, so let's compare with the Thunderbolt (65) and Grasshopper (70)

• TDR-5S: 8 hardpoints (4 energy)
  
• Top Dog: 9 hardpoints (9 energy)
  
• TDR-5SS 8 hardpoints (7 energy)
  
• TDR9S: 10 hardpoints (6 energy)
  
• TDR9SE: 7 hardpoints (5 energy)

Grasshopper:

• GHR-5H: 8 hardpoints (7 energy)
  
• GHR-5J: 7 hardpoints (6 energy)
  
• GHR-5N: 8 hardpoints (8 energy)
  
• GHR-5P 8 hardpoints (8 energy)

Cataphract:

• CTF-0XP: 5 hardpoints (4 energy)
  
• CTF-1X: 6 hardpoints (5 energy)
  
• CTF-2X: 6 hardpoints (3 energy)
  
• CTF-3D: 6 hardpoints (4 energy)
  
• CTF-4X: 7 hardpoints (2 energy)
  
• Ilya Muromets: 6 hardpoints (3 energy)

GG hardpoint inflation
GG laservomit meta

[Soultraxx]

Soultraxx, on 15 September 2015 - 07:14 AM, said:

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

After posting this yesterday I went on to have my worst damage streak so far - so many sub 100 games is getting quite embarrassing. Nothing I tried worked.

I nearly went back to my Ebons and Timbys but thought nope, Im not going the let these Inner Sphere manufactured, walking sh1t heaps get the better of me. So now its a battle of wills and Im not going to stop until Ive mastered all three even if it means PGI has to make a Tier 6 especially for me to endlessly wallow around in, in my own ineptitude.

Apologies in advance if Im on your team over the next few days as Im pretty much a MWO Jonah at the moment.

On a serious note, there have been a couple of posts about PSR weirdness lately and Im wondering if Im experiencing the same? Ive done so badly and lost so many matches over the past 4 or 5 days in my Phracts, that Ive surely dropped a tier or two and must be in Tier 5 with the numptys. However, I appear to be "out numptying" everyone and getting my arse kicked.

I wondered if PGI got their programming mixed up for me and the more I lose the higher the Tier I travel to, but Im seeing names like XxpwndyomomxX in the games Im playing so Im definately down in the depths.

Pray that none of you reach the barrels bottom and witness depths of depravity and iniquity that I face in my Phracts every day.

Yazz once said "The only way is up" so I'll be seeing you soon(ish)

☺

[TheCharlatan]

Soultraxx, on 15 September 2015 - 11:34 PM, said:

After posting this yesterday I went on to have my worst damage streak so far - so many sub 100 games is getting quite embarrassing. Nothing I tried worked.

I nearly went back to my Ebons and Timbys but thought nope, Im not going the let these Inner Sphere manufactured, walking sh1t heaps get the better of me. So now its a battle of wills and Im not going to stop until Ive mastered all three even if it means PGI has to make a Tier 6 especially for me to endlessly wallow around in, in my own ineptitude.

Apologies in advance if Im on your team over the next few days as Im pretty much a MWO Jonah at the moment.

On a serious note, there have been a couple of posts about PSR weirdness lately and Im wondering if Im experiencing the same? Ive done so badly and lost so many matches over the past 4 or 5 days in my Phracts, that Ive surely dropped a tier or two and must be in Tier 5 with the numptys. However, I appear to be "out numptying" everyone and getting my arse kicked.

I wondered if PGI got their programming mixed up for me and the more I lose the higher the Tier I travel to, but Im seeing names like XxpwndyomomxX in the games Im playing so Im definately down in the depths.

Pray that none of you reach the barrels bottom and witness depths of depravity and iniquity that I face in my Phracts every day.

Yazz once said "The only way is up" so I'll be seeing you soon(ish)

☺

I'll give you a few tips i use when i get a streak of bad games:

1- observe what you are facing. See any trends?
You can divide the mechs into 3 main groups:

• long range (gauss/er-LL users)
  
• medium range (laser vomit)
  
• short range (brawlers)

Each of them is vulnerable to another one: long range is vulnerable to medium range (because higher alphas) which is vulnerable to brawlers (because better heat efficency) which in turn are vulnerable to long range (because, you know, range).
This is not always perfectly working (brawling is kinda feast or famine in this game), but it seems to generally work for me as a rule of thumb.
If you notice a trend (there are at least 33% of a certain kinda of mech, or you notice a lot of fighitng at a certain range), modify your builds to be more effective against them, or at least effective at the same range.

2- try to understand what you did wrong. This game is all about positioning and movement. Every time you die, it's probably because you made a mistake: you didn't twist fast enough, you peeked over the same ridge too many times, you where in the wrong spot, you didn't keep an eye on the team and got left behind, you tried too push too soon with a brawler... this kind of things.
Learn from your mistakes.

Hope this proves helpful to you (and that it dosen't sound paternalistic)

[Elizander]

Ilya goes great with 3 UAC/5s and 3 ML. Just don't stare down a Direwolf with 78 alpha when your UACs jam.

[Elizander]

TheCharlatan, on 16 September 2015 - 12:01 AM, said:

I'll give you a few tips i use when i get a streak of bad games:

1- observe what you are facing. See any trends?
You can divide the mechs into 3 main groups:

• long range (gauss/er-LL users)
  
• medium range (laser vomit)
  
• short range (brawlers)

Each of them is vulnerable to another one: long range is vulnerable to medium range (because higher alphas) which is vulnerable to brawlers (because better heat efficency) which in turn are vulnerable to long range (because, you know, range).

This is not always perfectly working (brawling is kinda feast or famine in this game), but it seems to generally work for me as a rule of thumb.
If you notice a trend (there are at least 33% of a certain kinda of mech, or you notice a lot of fighitng at a certain range), modify your builds to be more effective against them, or at least effective at the same range.

2- try to understand what you did wrong. This game is all about positioning and movement. Every time you die, it's probably because you made a mistake: you didn't twist fast enough, you peeked over the same ridge too many times, you where in the wrong spot, you didn't keep an eye on the team and got left behind, you tried too push too soon with a brawler... this kind of things.
Learn from your mistakes.

Hope this proves helpful to you (and that it dosen't sound paternalistic)

The Gauss + 3LL build is actually very heat efficient and can brawl without any problems unless the player can't aim Gauss in close range combat. You only need 4 extra DHS to keep it running cool and a 9x9 coolshot for emergencies. You will also be able to fire the Gauss indefinitely if you ever reach your heat cap.

Laser vomit can be a pain if it outdamages you by 15-20 points but if you manage to successfully twist an alpha strike then he's not going to be much of a threat once he heat caps.

The heat efficiency will allow you to take on brawlers any day of the week.

Dakka will wreck you up close though if you fail to snapshot twist perfectly.

[skorpionet]

Titannium, on 14 September 2015 - 12:48 AM, said:

Men.

Yesterday I bought my 2nd hero, and thats IM. I love the design, repaint a little, and its my first phract.

Switched XL280, into STD 280. 3ac5+3ml...
Set endo, double.. and first drop is here...now le me see...
W T F, demolished.
Nevemind, 2nd game.... uf, same.
Controling, i put there rly STD, instead XL. I rly DID.
3rd game. Demoslihed.

I mostly play heavies/assaults, but NOT a single mech is so fragile with STD engine. It feels like running other IS mech with XL engine...

Im thinking im only not used to it... but.... If i take JM6, Orion, anything, its a fortress comapred to STD engined IM.

I know, the profile of the mech a a trouble.. but, it requires rly caution play.
Even that, I like it.

Yep, I stopped play my Catas due this "work as intended" behavior.... I think that the huge square shape is the cause.

[TheCharlatan]

Elizander, on 16 September 2015 - 12:07 AM, said:

The Gauss + 3LL build is actually very heat efficient and can brawl without any problems unless the player can't aim Gauss in close range combat. You only need 4 extra DHS to keep it running cool and a 9x9 coolshot for emergencies. You will also be able to fire the Gauss indefinitely if you ever reach your heat cap.

Laser vomit can be a pain if it outdamages you by 15-20 points but if you manage to successfully twist an alpha strike then he's not going to be much of a threat once he heat caps.

The heat efficiency will allow you to take on brawlers any day of the week.

Dakka will wreck you up close though if you fail to snapshot twist perfectly.

The Gauss+3xLL (or the clan equivalent) is one of the most common "meta" builds. Probably exactly because it works well at all ranges, and has almost no draw-backs.
Hard to counter, that one.

[Wyndstar]

I think the Cata 3D is one of the best mechs in the game. They are short and squat and everyone ignores your legs. This build does great things for me:

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...3c285aaf06a4631

You have to use your mobility/jump jets well.... but you will destroy things fast in close and make for a devastating sniper platform if sitting with your assaults. It is my only phract with over a 3.0 kdr after 100 games with it.

At the end of the day there are only so many dual gauss platforms in the game. You are very similar to the dual g warhawk, but can jump. You have much smaller profile than all the dual guass assaults, and you trade the high mounts of a jagermech for mobility/jump jets on a cataphract. I don't think there is another viable dual gauss build out there that has more mobility.... the cataphract is either faster or can jump or both.

Edited by Wyndstar, 16 September 2015 - 04:08 AM.