53 replies to this topic

[Soultraxx]

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

Edited by Soultraxx, 14 September 2015 - 12:34 AM.

[speleomaniac]

The problem with Cataphracts all of them except 3D need facetime to deliver damage, in the days of crazy alphas it is a bad idea to have face time with Catas.

My standard tactic, first at the beginning of the matches be passive, stuck to you assaults and only pop in favorable trades. in the 2nd part of the match, where lots of people have open armor, show them the Dakka power. I accept low swung arms are major pain and that lots of weaponry are on torso with horrible tilt angles

If you can make the 3D work as jump sniper, which is a hard work with current jump jets and if you take 0X which is tanky like hell, only the hard work is with IM but take 3 UAC5 setup, yeah they might jam but you stay in the open in trade for 10s anyway, fire until 2 weapons jam and go into cover. It is better then going to Dakka Mania and facetank all the damage.

[Speedy Plysitkos]

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.

[Speedy Plysitkos]

speleo, that tactic im using currently. (after the demolishion party)
I think armor quirks for CT would help specialy for IM, but....

Edited by Titannium, 14 September 2015 - 01:44 AM.

[Soultraxx]

Thank you for the replies so far.


One thing I will I will say about CTFs is that the pilots are quite sociable and 9/10 will wave to other CTF pilots ☺

Edited by Soultraxx, 14 September 2015 - 01:50 AM.

[MeiSooHaityu]

I have a Ilya Muromets and love it. I also run 3 A/C5s, 3 MLasers, STD engine, and Endo and Ferro.

The key with the Muromets (especially running 5's) is you're more fire support. Poke out, fire a few rounds, tuck back in. Torso twist as soon as you fire off a shot as you duck back behind cover. Remember that one burst of three rounds is equal to a gauss hit with FLD and convergence. If the enemy doesn't notice you, then whale on them with the A/C5s. If you run the A/C5 cool down module (combined with it's A/C5 cool down quirks), you can apply damage quickly and fairly brutally.

As for the 3D, you could really go 2 routes. I've ran it 2 PPCs and 1 A/C10 (all torso mounted with stripped down arms), or 4 MLasers or MPLasers and 2 UA/C5s (also STD engine). I'm on the fence on this one, but either seems ok.

I haven't tried the 0XP, but I'm guessing a Gauss or A/C20 with 4 MLasers or 4MPLasers is a good load out. Again run a STD engine.

Basically the front profile of a Cataphract is big (both CT and side torsos). I'd always run as big a STD as possible and get used to immediately twisting after each shot. Again, I'd hang back a bit and be more fire support or escort another mech and add to their fire.

The Ilya Muromets is still one of my favorite heavies.and is very rewarding. It just takes some good positioning, torso twisting, and using cover.

I think with time you will like the mech.

P.S. remember that mechs improve drastically once you achieve 2x basics. Hang in there till the skill tree is filled. It makes a big difference in the Cataphract.

[Satan n stuff]

speleomaniac, on 14 September 2015 - 12:38 AM, said:

The problem with Cataphracts all of them except 3D need facetime to deliver damage, in the days of crazy alphas it is a bad idea to have face time with Catas.

All of them can carry either a Gauss rifle ( or two ) or an AC/20, no facetime needed for that.

[LordNothing]

try putting 3x ac10s in your ctf-im. you might need to run xl and strip some armor to do it, the ammo buffs really helped though. now thats a glass cannon. it can also onehit most lights.

[Yokaiko]

There is basically no saving the Phracts, the hitboxes were always bad and we mitigated that with the -3D jumping around.


.....and UAC5 took a pretty good nerf so that build is iffy at best.

[kapusta11]

Pretty much, without the "cannon" part though.

[MeiSooHaityu]

I used to run builds like the 3 A/C10 Ilya and HATED it. The mechs runs with so many compromises for that one lucky alpha (which ultimately isn't better than a dual gauss (but you're so slow and fragile).

I've found the most success keeping the Ilya nimble, durable (STD engine), and trip A/C5s with great RoF.

Of course I say try both and see what works for you and your play style, but I personally have never had luck with a Tripe 10, LBX, or Gauss.

[Rhaythe]

Love my Cataphracts, but never pilot them due to the queue numbers. That said, my Ilya and ECM 0XP are both in my CW drop deck. Love'em. I've also built a MAD-3R out of one of my Cataphracts, and I think it does well.

[Troutmonkey]

I run the CTF-3D with 2xUAC, 5.5T of ammo, 4xML and a standard 280 engine.

I always have really good games in it, but don't run it too often due to the wait times in the heavy queue.
Use can pretty much use the whole left side as a shield, and the arms are great at spreading damage. I don't get why people think that the CTF is a fragile mech.

[Rhaythe]

Troutmonkey, on 14 September 2015 - 05:28 AM, said:

I don't get why people think that the CTF is a fragile mech.

My guess is too many XL engines.

[Speedy Plysitkos]

queue ? 16 22 28 34 % +- thats what I see mostly... sometimes 40 for assaults cause mauler, but this will change next tue.

[Escef]

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.

[Yokaiko]

Rhaythe, on 14 September 2015 - 05:29 AM, said:

My guess is too many XL engines.

Just big hitboxes, phacts have always been easy to knock down.

[Speedy Plysitkos]

Rhaythe, on 14 September 2015 - 05:29 AM, said:

My guess is too many XL engines.

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

[Sabazial]

Back when i played IS mechs and ran my Ilya, i used to find it more productive to wait until the fight started then pick off my shots at targets busy with other mechs, so in turn reducing my incoming fire.

I found if i tried to frontline it with the other heavies it was a lesson in pain and frustration since i'd either be cored or lose torsos faster than i would in most other heavies. The phract just isn't built like that.

[Troutmonkey]

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.

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