51 replies to this topic

[xTrident]

I'm curious what player's experience with the Enforcer is, specifically the 4R variant. I've got a hankering to purchase a medium mech. Right now I have a full set of Centurions from winning one way back about a year ago. Anyway I've never been a huge fan of the Centurion (which means I may not like the Enforcer, I know). The Centurion feels weak to me... Or it's a little too big for a medium. Even fighting them I don't have trouble hitting them. I'm also not a huge fan of the loadouts available for the Centurion. I've come to realize I love lasers... And the Enforcer will allow me to use a lot of them.

Also currently with the way the MM states which mechs would be the best to use at the current time it seems everything but heavies is favored. I also want to go cheap so if I like it and decide to get two more it won't cost much. I also realize a lot of people point to the Shadow Hawk... But I'm just not sure I want to go that route.

Is the Enforcer a decent mech to run with in the medium class? Keep in mind my playstyle is absolutely not a front runner. I'm a support player all the way although I'm not afraid to take damage and always do.

Thanks in advance!

[Yardsail]

I like the entire enforcer line, except for one thing...... Not one of them has hard points in the CT or head. Which means because I run with STD engines exclusively I normally end up as a stick. It has seems to happen more often now days especially on the 4R because all Laser HP are located on the left side. Check out the Small crab, It has replaced my 4R in CW.

Edited by n o x i D, 04 January 2016 - 08:06 AM.

[MerryIguana]

Yep, enforcers are a solid choice. They have blessed hitboxes. 4r and 4p are the best two imo.

[Felbombling]

The Enforcer is a compact Mech with the gift of flight. I find them to be XL friendly. There are a few weapon configs you might like. I run 3x ER Large Laser [once the heat efficiencies have been unlocked] and/or a 2x Large Pulse Laser + 1 Medium Pulse Laser. You can experiment a little with that one, like dropping the Medium Pulse Laser in favour of a Small Laser, two MG and a half ton of ammo. I have had mixed results with that load out.

[Deathlike]

n o x i D, on 04 January 2016 - 07:59 AM, said:

I like the entire enforcer line, except for one thing...... Not one of them has hard points in the CT or head. Which means because I run with STD engines exclusively I normally end up as a stick. It has seems to happen more often now days especially on the 4R because all Laser HP are located on the left side. Check out the Small crab, It has replaced my 4R in CW.

CT/head hardpoints tend to be overrated at times (especially if the CT hardpoints are low mounted).

They all optimally run fine with XL in the first place.

[Spheroid]

The Enforcers are great. However you probably want to get into Blackjacks.

There is also the highly durable Crab.

Edited by Spheroid, 04 January 2016 - 08:16 AM.

[Yardsail]

Deathlike, on 04 January 2016 - 08:14 AM, said:

CT/head hardpoints tend to be overrated at times (especially if the CT hardpoints are low mounted).

Totally agree with you on being overrated. Just my frustrations this past weekend of trying out my 4r again. I am of the philosophy why give the enemy an easy kill on a XL mech.

Spheroid, on 04 January 2016 - 08:14 AM, said:

The Enforcers are great. However you probably want to get into Blackjacks.

There is also the highly durable Crab.

I was going to put blackjacks into my last post but I held back only because I fear a nerf hitting them structure wise at least.

Edited by n o x i D, 04 January 2016 - 08:21 AM.

[xTrident]

n o x i D, on 04 January 2016 - 07:59 AM, said:

I like the entire enforcer line, except for one thing...... Not one of them has hard points in the CT or head. Which means because I run with STD engines exclusively I normally end up as a stick. It has seems to happen more often now days especially on the 4R because all Laser HP are located on the left side. Check out the Small crab, It has replaced my 4R in CW.

I personally don't know if I'm going to care about not having a hard point in the CT or head. The head probably more so because of the height. But the CT... Aside from you stating becoming a stick I actually like the idea of the hard points away from the CT. I have a Black Knight and it's hard points are focused around the CT and I literally have to be at the same level as everyone else in order to hit them. There is no angle up or down with those hard points.

I will take a look at the Crab as well though. Thank you for the input.

MerryIguana, on 04 January 2016 - 08:00 AM, said:

Yep, enforcers are a solid choice. They have blessed hitboxes. 4r and 4p are the best two imo.

The 4R is definitely one I'd go with, good to know the 4P is a solid choice as well. Thank you.

StaggerCheck, on 04 January 2016 - 08:01 AM, said:

The Enforcer is a compact Mech with the gift of flight. I find them to be XL friendly. There are a few weapon configs you might like. I run 3x ER Large Laser [once the heat efficiencies have been unlocked] and/or a 2x Large Pulse Laser + 1 Medium Pulse Laser. You can experiment a little with that one, like dropping the Medium Pulse Laser in favour of a Small Laser, two MG and a half ton of ammo. I have had mixed results with that load out.

I think an XL engine is probably what I would run myself. For the speed factor as well as what I read on Metamech.com that the Enforcer is XL friendly - as you stated. I think with any one of those loadouts you gave me I could make it work. I don't care to keep myself out of cover for any length of time so a shot, then fall back cool off and shoot again would work.

Are MG's really all that good though? I've never ever been sold on them. Thank you.

Spheroid, on 04 January 2016 - 08:14 AM, said:

The Enforcers are great. However you probably want to get into Blackjacks.

There is also the highly durable Crab.

That's two for the Crab now... I will take a closer look at it!

[Johny Rocket]

No reason really to run a Standard. Jump Jets and good quirks. What I don't like about them is the low hardpoints and arm mounted cannons. It is a good little brawler but I prefer higher torso cannon mounts for range work.

[Rhaythe]

Crabs, Enforcers, and Hunchbacks are probably the most solid, hearty IS mediums you'll find, followed immediately by the Blackjack 1X. The other Blackjacks are more auto-cannon based and need XLs, but if you can squeeze a standard engine into them, they're a solid line.

Vindicators are a good, underappreciated chassis in my opinion too.

[sycocys]

I didn't really care for them myself, pretty sluggish for a medium mech.

[Kubernetes]

The Enforcers are very underrated mechs. The hard point layouts aren't anything special, but the hitboxes are damn near magical. As long as you twist, it will seem like you can take an ungodly number of laser hits.

My fave is the 4p-- no JJ but that AC20 + 4 ML will just eat through stuff. I think my 4p still has the highest KDR in my stable (out 70 chassis).

[xTrident]

Rhaythe, on 04 January 2016 - 08:26 AM, said:

Crabs, Enforcers, and Hunchbacks are probably the most solid, hearty IS mediums you'll find, followed immediately by the Blackjack 1X. The other Blackjacks are more auto-cannon based and need XLs, but if you can squeeze a standard engine into them, they're a solid line.

Vindicators are a good, underappreciated chassis in my opinion too.

I kind of wanted something a little different than the Hunchbacks even if they're a little more difficult to use. I'll also take a look at the Vindicators. At any rate no matter what medium I go with that's been talked about I shouldn't be out many c-bills. Thanks for the input!

sycocys, on 04 January 2016 - 08:27 AM, said:

I didn't really care for them myself, pretty sluggish for a medium mech.

When I went to make a build for myself in smurfy that's the first thing I noticed... How damned slow they made it! Unbelievable. Even with the top XL engine they max out at 84 kph before it's elited. I do find that rather slow as well.

[MeiSooHaityu]

Enforcers are pretty darn solid. I think you will like it.

The only one I was never a fan of was the Enforcer 5P. It might be ok if you like running Ultra 5s, but if you don't, it will be a bit of a headache. There are other build options, but they are limited. It does Ultra 5s the best, and the jamming frequency can drive a person mad :/

Other than the 5P, I really like my Enforcers.

[xTrident]

Kubernetes, on 04 January 2016 - 08:28 AM, said:

The Enforcers are very underrated mechs. The hard point layouts aren't anything special, but the hitboxes are damn near magical. As long as you twist, it will seem like you can take an ungodly number of laser hits.

My fave is the 4p-- no JJ but that AC20 + 4 ML will just eat through stuff. I think my 4p still has the highest KDR in my stable (out 70 chassis).

Really? Lately it seems like the AC20 has lost some of it's magic for me. (I took half a year off MWO, came back and tried some of my AC20 builds and they simply seem extremely weak) All of a sudden lasers are where it's at for me. I love the range, seemingly instant hit (mostly for assists), focused fire with the lasers when doing an alpha (I know I've gotten a number of kills because of it) and unlimited ammo. Even though ammo isn't much of a concern considering how long these matches typically last.

[Kubernetes]

The AC20 is still one of the best weapons in the game. It's fallen out of favor because of range and velocity issues, but it's still as effective as ever. PPFLD vs long burn lasers? In a poke battle the 4P can dump 40 dmg into a CT and back up before any clan laser vomit is even halfway through its burn.

And don't worry about sluggishness. They will feel sluggish until you've elited your chassis, but that goes for most mechs.

Edited by Kubernetes, 04 January 2016 - 08:45 AM.

[MeiSooHaityu]

I still like the A/C20. It has one heck of a punch up close. If you also have decent back up weapons to keep the DPS during reload, I'd run a 20.

The only real issue I have with the A/C20 is how fragile it is. If you lose armor in the location the A/C20 is housed, expect to lose the cannon shortly (that is if it didn't instantly break when the armor was compromised).

Other than the fragility of the weapon, I like it.

[xTrident]

MeiSooHaityu, on 04 January 2016 - 08:49 AM, said:

I still like the A/C20. It has one heck of a punch up close. If you also have decent back up weapons to keep the DPS during reload, I'd run a 20.

The only real issue I have with the A/C20 is how fragile it is. If you lose armor in the location the A/C20 is housed, expect to lose the cannon shortly (that is if it didn't instantly break when the armor was compromised).

Other than the fragility of the weapon, I like it.

Losing the cannon quickly is also something I've noticed lately as well. It really doesn't seem to last long. And on a Victor sporting the AC20 as THE weapon with piddly backups in the form of two mediums and one SRM6... Losing the AC20 hurts. That's partially why the AC20 has fallen by the wayside with me. But none the less at least I'll have that option.

[MeiSooHaityu]

It's just so fragile because of all the crit space it takes up. All it takes is one critical hit to that location and most likely that crit hit location was taken up by the A/C20. Its just the nature of having such a large weapon.

[xTrident]

MeiSooHaityu, on 04 January 2016 - 09:10 AM, said:

It's just so fragile because of all the crit space it takes up. All it takes is one critical hit to that location and most likely that crit hit location was taken up by the A/C20. Its just the nature of having such a large weapon.

Well just because I'm not a huge fan of the AC20 anymore certainly doesn't mean I won't be trying it again. And an AC20 on a medium is pretty sick.