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Pretty much anything Stormcrow size or bigger is going to take it out in a short range duel. I resigned myself to this fact and have worked to operate them to their strengths. I actually enjoy using the Black Widow, but to get the damage I am used to seeing in a match, one must be very sneaky. I have taken to following an Atlas or Dire Wolf around. Most people rightly target the assault mech first and this lets me get close without being ripped to shreds. A loadout that works really nice in the BW is 2 Small Pulse Lasers, 4 MG, SRM6 and 2 Large Pulse. 2 tons of MG ammo, Max armor, and a standard engine. The side torsos are not tough enough to risk an XL. All of my remaining mass and slots are filled with double heat sinks. With the large pulse in the arms, I can reach out and do some damage at medium range and hit something. I tried PPC but got much better damage return with Large Pulse. I fire linked all of my small weapons (Small Pulse, SRM6 and Machine guns. When I get within 150 meters, I pretty much stop firing my large pulse lasers and hold down my right mouse button. The lasers take off armor and the MG basically sand down anything that gets in range. If the target is focused on someone else, I can put down an atlas in a few seconds. If that atlas turns toward me, Im dead in 2 shots LOL.
The energy variant is pretty good with 7 small lasers an 2 large pulse lasers. It has a little more heat problem, but if I remember not to fire my large pulse lasers when I am in small laser range, and just use my bank of small lasers, I rarely overheat. Again the center and side torsos are really weak so beware.
The other variant I use is the 6s? The one with the three missile slots. 2 SRM 6, all laser hardpoints filled with small lasers, and a LRM 20. That one is very good at pounding down targets as they close and the 2 SRM launchers will pretty much finish anything off inside 150 meters or so. Lasers are last resort if I run out of SRM ammo. As with the other two, its pretty squishy, but this one has more survivability due to being able to hide and snipe better than the other two. I don't just fire and forget LRMS, I only use them if I have a clean line of sight. This way, I don't waste ammo and I do a lot more damage than those that use them to fire and forget.
All of this said, a hellbringer with 7 energy slots is and set up the same way as the enrgy warhammer can tank the warhammer and put it down before the whammy can do much damage. Planning to sell this one for Cbills.
The BW is unique, unless you move up to 90 tons and go for a mauler, nothing else has 4 torso ballistic slots. I am keeping this one because its damned fun to use if you are careful not to go toe to toe...ever.
the missile variant warhammer is kind of redundant. an Ebon Jaguar is much better as a missile sniper. This one will be sold.
I didn't bother with the 6R. its similar to the BW and the BW outclasses it in the majority of situations.
In conclusion: The warhammer is weak compared to pretty much everything else. Feels more like a medium armor wise, but is slow like a heavy. There are ways you can have fun, but don't expect to dominate the battlefield. You wont. I still regret spending real cash on this mech but such is life.
Edited by Malachy Karrde, 02 February 2016 - 12:12 PM.
