7 replies to this topic

[Der Zivilist]

Put yourself into the following situation:

You are outfitting a BattleMech with a lot of long range weapons. You want a short range backup weapon. You have two missile hardpoint left. You have three critical slots left - one will be filled with ammo, leaving two. Weight is not an issue, and neither is heat.

That leaves you to choose between:
A.) Two SRM4 launchers, 12 salvos of 8 unguided missiles for a total of 16 damage, provided you can hit something.
B.) Two Streak-SRM2 launchers, 25 salvos of 4 guided missiles for a total of 8 damage, guaranteed to hit (but unable to fire until you have acquired a missile lock).

Technically you can also mount a SRM6, but it is inferior to the twin SRM4 option in pretty much all respects.

Which would you choose, and why?

[Otto Cannon]

If it's last ditch really short range protection, I'd go for the SRM4 launchers. My reasoning is that in an emergency you don't have time to apply damage more slowly, you need it all in one hit and the number of missiles would also be more likely to shake your opponent's aim.

[Damon]

First off, this situation is bogus to start with:

Der Zivilist, on 12 July 2012 - 12:56 AM, said:

Weight is not an issue, and neither is heat.

This is the same thing as trying to play any MW computer game without heat. It just doesnt make sense within the confines of the system youre trying to work within here. The basis is ridiculous.

Now if you said something like you have 6 tons left with 3 critical slots remaining that consist of 2 missile hardpoints, then there you go. But, say youre an Awesome with 3 ERPPCs and an ERLL say and the 2 missile hardpoints left with 3 critical slots remaining, heat becomes a VERY big issue, ie ammo explosions. Do you want to risk it with all of your heat problems that youre bound to have? Probably not. Throw on another DHS (3crit slots) or remove the Endosteel Internal Structure and play around with other configurations that might work better.

But as a blanket scenario, the one youve provided is moot in and of itself. Situations like the one you are trying to provide, ALWAYS depend on the situation at hand: the mech chassis, other equipment, primary purpose and how it achieves that, and then theres also the environment and your enemies that youll be fighting. So good luck with no context or with a rules set outside of the one the rest of us will be working within when MWO releases.

[Der Zivilist]

@Damon: Why is it bogus to start with that? I specified this to avoid answers like "pick the Streaks because they weigh less" and other such things. I am not trying to save the universe from destruction, I am trying to have some idle fun with the 'Mechlab to tide me over until I get to play for real. Why so serious?

@Otto: Thanks for your thoughts!

[SinnerX]

I figured "heat is not an issue" meant that there were enough heat sinks to handle the SRMs, not that it's a "no heat" game.

Anyway, I would go with the SRM4s. First off, like Otto said, to do damage more quickly. Second, I've never seen much advantage in SSRMs in a MW game, since it comes down to player skill. As long as you can compensate for movement(and you have to be at close range to use them anyhow), regular SRMs are just as accurate.

[Der Zivilist]

Hmmm. Fair point, I suppose. Though I'm not sure I trust myself to hit with unguided missiles at more than half their maximum range (especially considering I will have a ping of 200+, gaming from Europe).

[BigJim]

I'm in the same boat, but I would think that if the ping is so high, acquiring a lock will be just as difficult as the dumb-fire aiming..

[Stray Ion]

Two SSRM2's. IMO the damage though less can better be applied, plus you should already have lock once you unload other close range weapons.