28 replies to this topic

[Steel Raven]

After reading some good reviews, I decided to give a Stalker as my first Assault mech... haven't had the best experience so far.

Been piloting a Thunderbolt and Griffin for awhile so Stalker just feels like a big slow target, figure it couldn't hurt to ask for some advice considering I've invested too many C-bills and MCs to call it quits.

[Johny Rocket]

MC? did you get the Misery?
Here is my bug zapper build. MISERY

I have over 800,000 xp on 4 variants not much I haven't tried with one.

Need more info, what is troubling you.

Edited by Tractor Joe, 21 September 2015 - 03:33 PM.

[Saint Atlas and the Commando Elf]

Steel Raven, on 21 September 2015 - 01:00 PM, said:

Stalker just feels like a big slow target

Well it is an Assault. It will be a bit more nimble once you've mastered it, but don't expect too much.

[Steel Raven]

Thanks, I've been trying the 40 from Meta Mech but haven't been happy with the slow rate of fire.

Had decent results with a laser boat STK-3F thanks to the great torso pitch
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...674f7f373fc6693

2N laser boat hasn't lived up to the hype thus far but mostly due to how easily it is to flank and how easy it is to disarm

[Spare Parts Bin]

Do you have the Misery? Give it time you will love the Stalker. Those are the last IS Mechs I owned.

[Sewman]

I'll be watching this thread with interest because I've always wanted to try out stalkers. They've stayed solid and survived power creep, unlike the highlander and victors.

I hear they make some of the best hill humpers in the game. Ever since getting into banshees, I've been very interested in anything with high laser hard points so I'd be interested to hear just how advantageous the high mounted lasers are on the stalkers when you factor in the crappy torso twist.

The only advice I can offer the op is that the assault class mechs are the most difficult to play when unmastered. And the slower you're mech is to begin, the more painful the mastering process is. Once you get speed tweak though, they really start to live longer, I swear. Only then can you really evaluate how good it's going to be.

Dwf, bar none. Most painful grind evar.

[Steel Raven]

Spare Parts Bin, on 21 September 2015 - 04:36 PM, said:

Do you have the Misery? Give it time you will love the Stalker. Those are the last IS Mechs I owned.

Got it during the hero sale, It was rewarding experience one game holding off a entire lance with the machine... then I got flanked and torn apart.

Sewman, on 21 September 2015 - 04:49 PM, said:

I hear they make some of the best hill humpers in the game. Ever since getting into banshees, I've been very interested in anything with high laser hard points so I'd be interested to hear just how advantageous the high mounted lasers are on the stalkers when you factor in the crappy torso twist.

The 3F actually has great torso twist but it's the only Stalker that does from what I've seen.

Sewman, on 21 September 2015 - 04:49 PM, said:

The only advice I can offer the op is that the assault class mechs are the most difficult to play when unmastered. And the slower you're mech is to begin, the more painful the mastering process is. Once you get speed tweak though, they really start to live longer, I swear. Only then can you really evaluate how good it's going to be.

Dwf, bar none. Most painful grind evar.

Thanks, it's nice to know Speed Tweak is something to look forward to.

[Spheroid]

Well obviously don't run it with a 255.

[Audacious Aubergine]

I got the Misery when it was on sale too and I had a, well, miserable time for a while until I a) got the hang of it and then b ) got it speed tweaked. A couple of things that I learned to realise:
- Patience
You'll need it, and not just for the long grind. The biggest mistake I kept making (and still make, in moments of idiocy) was thinking that maxed out armour meant I could tank an entire enemy team's worth of damage. Boy was I wrong. Instead, I had to cast my memory back to when I was levelling my Cataphract 4X - instead of rushing in where you don't have to speed to get back out, I would wait until I knew I wouldn't really need an exit strategy and plunged in then. Which brings me to
- Persistence
The right chance to strike won't happen every game. In fact, most times I got impatient and plodded in, hoping that my team would take it as a signal to push. Most of those times, they stood back and watched me try to push solo and then die. But, when you're part of a concerted push, you can have a hell of a lot of
- POWEEEEEERRR
You have the tonnage to mount some heavy weapons, and lots of them - so, do so. 3 large pulse lasers and an AC20? SURE! 2 PPCs, a gauss rifle and a large pulse laser? WHY NOT? Six large lasers on the 4N? DO IT! Again, know the (rather severe) limitations of the chassis and exercise a suitable level of caution and you might not do terribly. Also, if you do mount a large ballistic on the side of the Misery, expect it to get targeted as soon as you're seen, you can see it from a mile away.

Edited by FreebirthToad18999, 21 September 2015 - 05:38 PM.

[Cerberias]

Triple ERlarge/dual largepulse on a stalker and expose nothing but the very top of your mech from behind cover.

[Steel Raven]

Well do

FreebirthToad18999, on 21 September 2015 - 05:37 PM, said:

I got the Misery when it was on sale too and I had a, well, miserable time for a while until I a) got the hang of it and then b ) got it speed tweaked. A couple of things that I learned to realise:
- Patience
You'll need it, and not just for the long grind. The biggest mistake I kept making (and still make, in moments of idiocy) was thinking that maxed out armour meant I could tank an entire enemy team's worth of damage. Boy was I wrong. Instead, I had to cast my memory back to when I was levelling my Cataphract 4X - instead of rushing in where you don't have to speed to get back out, I would wait until I knew I wouldn't really need an exit strategy and plunged in then.

Good to know

FreebirthToad18999, on 21 September 2015 - 05:37 PM, said:

- Persistence
The right chance to strike won't happen every game. In fact, most times I got impatient and plodded in, hoping that my team would take it as a signal to push. Most of those times, they stood back and watched me try to push solo and then die. But, when you're part of a concerted push,

How I died last game: Assault lance stopped to provide cover fire but then everyone else stopped waiting for us to act as their meat shield.

FreebirthToad18999, on 21 September 2015 - 05:37 PM, said:

- POWEEEEEERRR
You have the tonnage to mount some heavy weapons, and lots of them - so, do so. 3 large pulse lasers and an AC20? SURE! 2 PPCs, a gauss rifle and a large pulse laser? WHY NOT? Six large lasers on the 4N? DO IT! Again, know the (rather severe) limitations of the chassis and exercise a suitable level of caution and you might not do terribly. Also, if you do mount a large ballistic on the side of the Misery, expect it to get targeted as soon as you're seen, you can see it from a mile away.

OK, Doesn't take long for my Stalker to draw fire anyway.

Great advice guys, thank you! If there is anything else, please keep it coming.

[John1352]

I think it's worth trying a LRM build, you don't have the missile heavy variants, so STK-3F might work for you. It sacrifices firepower to be very heat efficient, you may prefer endosteel and some large lasers (but less heatsinks).

LRMs may not be the best weapon, but on a slow mech they can let you cause damage when you can't keep up with the battle.

[notcoffeetable]

First realize that you might not LIKE assaults. I can't play mediums. I basiced SHC and ENF, but can't get more than a game in before I hop back in a light, heavy, or assault.

Second, I like my stalkers, but they don't see the most play. This is because they are slow but don't have the fire power of some similar speed mechs.

Now, to play a misery with the 40 build you need to be SUPER patient. It's like playing a boars head, except you have PPC so you can get a little damage in during the pregame depending on the map. Then you just stay with the general mass of you team and wait for some contact to form that isn't just poking. When the distance closes to about 500, then try to identify the biggest targets and poke and alpha. The key is to have a decent group of other mechs around you. The Misery isn't like a DWF, KGC, or AS7 that can pump out enough damage to recover in 1v1 situation. The stalker needs back up. It needs to be the guy punishing the enemy for peaking so that your team can advance and set up advantageous firing lines.

Next, you need to twist with a Stalker. They have HUGE ST hitboxes, and if you lose your CT first, you did it wrong. If you're rounding a corner into enemies, turn so that your side with the least number of weapons is facing them. When you're ready to fire, twist to aim, fie and twist back to shielding.

Finally, I would recommend the STK-4N to someone new to assaults that wants to learn stalkers. The range, firepower, and pinpoint is the most forgiving. Misery is fun, but only when you get that playstyle, which is similar to Atlas, Executioner and Mauler. the 5M is also fun (I go balls to the wall SRM), and I remember the 3F being okay too (it's kinda like 4N light).

[Kaptain]

If you have not already installed a 300 standard, do.

Edited by Kaptain, 21 September 2015 - 09:47 PM.

[Steel Raven]

Paying off already, had some decent matches with the Misery. I swapped out the 40 build for something far less powerful but effective range
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...5f65d6bd60bc904

Going to keep experimenting now it's earning enough C-bills to pay for itself, might another AC/20 build.

[Karl Streiger]

Misery - have to be the 40 - play it like a tank hunter.... when you are sure to hit - release the 40pin point damage - other wise keep heat at bay with chain fire.

[Sonny Black]

Steel Raven, on 21 September 2015 - 03:48 PM, said:

Thanks, I've been trying the 40 from Meta Mech but haven't been happy with the slow rate of fire.

What size LRM's are you using? 20's take forever...try 10's-15's. Yes you're firing less missiles but shooting more often. Also Cool down module will help will help and Fast Fire in Elite.

[Mad Ox]

Hmm best said by....




LOL sorry had too.

But think its been covered well stalker stock well most mechs stock are a bit rough, stalker with limited movement more so. But once skills start filling it things get alot better. Stalker being a giant target with legs doesnt help but as it also means all its weapons are clustered in close it can make for one hard hitting mech.

Need to find a good balance between Burst firepower and sustained firepower. Any time its not shooting is a waste so keep over heating and charging times in mind.

[Dawnstealer]

General rules for good Stalker builds:

• NEVER put an XL in one. It's a walking side torso - the opposite of a Catapult.
  
• Try to run a STD 300 or larger - at 60kph+, the Stalker can keep up with the smaller Assaults and the rest of the team. Otherwise, you're stuck with the Direwhales or, worse, left on your own to fend off multiple Lights as they eat you alive.
  
• Your arms are your friends. Hill hump & corner peek - the Stalker excels at this. You'll almost never lose an arm over a torso.
  
• Think like a crocodile. You want to stay out of sight for as long as possible, pop up, hit them, fade away. The Stalker can be tough, but it's an EASY target - there's a reason why they call it the "death blimp."
  
• Facetank. Unlike nearly every other mech out there, ALWAYS look directly at your enemy - this is your narrowest profile.

My builds are little weird, but I'd say go with the Misery, 3F, and 5S. I build mine like this:

MISERY
4ML, AC20 with 41 shots, ERLL in the CT, AMS (I always run AMS - you can dump it for more AC20 ammo, if you want)

Use the ERLL to poke from long range when the opportunity presents itself, use the MLs to dissuade Lights, use the AC20 to wreck faces.

STK-3F
4LPLs, AMS

One of my CW rulers, the 3F has the best torso twist of the Stalkers. I set the LPLs up in three groups: left arm, right arm, and then all chained. Of course it runs a little hot, but think of it like an AC40 Jag that never runs out of ammo.

STK-5S

4ASRM6s, 4MLs, 2AMS.

This is kind of a troll build, but if you can get up close enough to use those SRM6s, it's really nasty. The 4 MLs are for dissuading lights and at the end of the game when you're out of ammo.

[Omi_]

Stalkers have some of the best hitboxes in the game when staring down an enemy from the front, however the side torsos melt if you get shot at from the side. The trick with Stalkers IMO is to face-tank a little bit, but don't let your prey strafe around you. Always keep the enemy in the center of your screen and your armour should go further.

You can make slight sweeping motions if you need to use more armour on one side than the other, but big swinging motions intending to make use of armour on a specific side will only result in concentrating damage on that same side torso.