11 replies to this topic

[Orin Ulfsbane IV]

So to preface this, I really want to get my brother back into the game. He and I discovered MWO early in its infancy and we were sorta turned off to the lack of gametypes and maps, etc. We both quit around the time the first clan invasion happened. We didn't want to spend money and were getting stomped by clan mechs.

I came back fairly recently, after getting a job and getting some free time. I love the state that the game is in now: new mechs, new maps, CW. But my brother hasn't tried it out again yet.

He has told me that he basically wants to exclusively play a catapult if he comes back (special place in his heart), and i am willing to buy him the catapult mastery bundle so he can have an easier time.

My question is: What Mech should i choose that would allow he and I to be a really deadly duo for when we play together.

Couple caveats:

• I don't want to play a light. I suck in light mechs.
  
• I would prefer IS, so if we wanted, we could do CW later on.
  
• I really enjoy playing the Mad Dog currently, so maybe something along that style of play.
  
• ANY role will do. I am very much a team player. I am literally willing to stand around next to him just to protect his *** if that's what would pair well. I have fun just playing with him.
  
• It doesn't have to be a mastery bundle, I can buy the Mech with c-bills and such.
  
• Oh, and I have the firebrand, so idk if the Jagermech fits the role im looking for.

Thanks

[mailin]

You generally want to keep him safe so he can do damage, right? In that case I suggest a brawler type build so that any enemies that get too close will have you to do deal with. There are a LOT of options out there that will fit this role. The Hunchbacks are some of my personal favorites. They have a variety of loadouts across the various chassis, so if he wants to take a brawler build, you could take a Hunchback 4J with lrms, or you could take a 4SP with srm6s and lasers to keep him safe. Hunchies are also reasonably fast so you can easily keep up with him.

The Firebrand could work, but you'd need to be a bit more careful perhaps because I'm pretty sure they're slower than pults.

[Palor]

Griffins could fit the bill, they are fairly fast, and can scare of marauding lights easily enough. The 2N also has ECM.

[Tiamat of the Sea]

It really depends on what he's going to do with catapults.

I'm assuming, if he's inclined towards them for favor reasons, it's got to do with LRMs. This gives you a number of options that could work out very well.

• Raven (especially 3L). I know you said you don't like lights- so don't play it like most lights. The 3L with ECM and a TAG or NARC can play as a very handy support 'mech by sticking near allies and dropping beacons on good targets, or tagging them with a laser for an ally. Light-as-support is very different from light-as-scout or light-as-sniper, so do consider this an option. To a lesser extent, this can apply to the Kit Fox as well. The Arctic Cheetah, however, is too invested as a high-speed skirmisher- using it for this job would be a waste, it's the right 'mech for a different kind of work.
  
• Any ECM medium with a missile or energy hardpoint. NARC is a great boon to any missile carrier (boat or otherwise), and TAG is only less useful in that the person tagging is exposed to enemy fire the whole time. Pairing the ECM with a missile-booster will let you hover around your brother to protect him from enemy LRMs and lights, and move off for short times now and then to mark targets for him.
  
• A close-combat Medium brawler with one or two long range weapons. This can range from a Cicada with ERLL/4xML on up to a dual-AC/5 Wolverine or a Stormcrow full of SRMs with an ERLL in the head. Missile support tends to have serious issues with Light 'mechs, particularly if the pilot has not yet learned how to keep up with the main friendly group while still doing their fire-support job effectively. Adding in a little bit of long-range direct fire means you aren't sitting on your thumbs when it comes to a distant engagement and can still stay close by for when your brother needs your help.
  
• A high-speed Heavy. Most of these are going to be 60-65 tonne IS Heavies, since you're going to want to push as close to 100kph as you reasonably can. Quickdraws, Dragons, the Jester if you have it. Try to stay clear of Clan heavies, the Orion IIC has too low a top speed and the omnimechs are all meant to go around 80-some-odd. The intent here, again, is to pose as much a threat to Light 'mechs as you can while still being effective in other support roles. QKDs and DRGs can carry some combination of LRMs, ERLLs, and long-range autocannon while still going fast enough to skirmish with lights and having enough close-range weapons to be effective at chasing them away. The Jester is energy only, but the dual AMS systems make it an excellent companion for a missile caddy, and it gets nice benefits with lasers in addition to having a much larger top speed than most Catapults.
  
• You can kinda fake being a high-speed Heavy with a 60-65 tonner that isn't a QKD, DRG, or the Jester, but it takes some very strange building. I've done it, but it's hard to strike the right balance to make it work.
  
• Possibly the ECM Cataphract or the dual-AMS Thunderbolt, but that's really pushing the edge of what you need out of the 'mech.

As your brother gets better at timing, choosing targets, navigating maps, and staying out of trouble himself, he can graduate to you coming along in a close-combat heavy with a NARC somewhere on it and leaving him behind- I favor the Thunderbolt or Warhammer for this, because both have missile boxes on top that get replaced with this cute little one-missile pylon when you mount NARC there instead of a missile rack.

Edited by Quickdraw Crobat, 14 February 2016 - 12:10 AM.

[Ximinett]

What mech fit good with Catapult???? Depends...if is a LRM Catapult,whatever close range mech is good. If its the K2 Catapult we are talking on other terrain.

[no one]

The missile Jager runs a nice light-killer build. Streaks, BAP, and ACs/lasers for dealing with heavier targets. Streaks 2s are terrible weapons but they can panic ECM lights.

Edited by no one, 14 February 2016 - 12:28 AM.

[Ximinett]

no one, on 14 February 2016 - 12:28 AM, said:

The missile Jager runs a nice light-killer build. Streaks, BAP, and ACs/lasers for dealing with heavier targets. Streaks 2s are terrible weapons but they can panic ECM lights.

I prefer clan mechs for streaks,they carry more missiles per pod,ex: c-streak srm 6s.

[Leone]

If I may suggest, mayhaps a mad dog with a narc an some lrms, so as to narc targets for your brother, an then take advantage of them yourself? Then he could start out running a missile mech, easy enough to learn on, an then graduate to ballistics an lasers once he has the basics down. (Getting back inna the game it may take some time to get the jist of mech movement an aim, the heat scale, ranges an what not. Lrms can make this easier, if he has someone to assist him in it.)

I've notice that lan gaming with someone allows you to really give advice on when not to fire your lrms into rock walls an what not.

~Leone.

[mailin]

Note that the OP said he'd prefer to run IS for CW eventually.

[Rhavin]

I would run a Griffen with it, the 2n with ecm is nice as it allows yall to move off the radar. Plus you can mount a narc and move in to fight and mark targets for him while still haveing some speed to return and smoke out anyone that comes to harass him. Requires him to stay at optimal LRM range of about 400 meters.

My other option to ponder is the upcoming archer, specifically the new hero it brings. The Tempest will have ecm, 2 missile hard points and 6 energy points. Grab the extra tonnage by downgrading the LRM20s to 15s and upgrade the lasers to pulse lasers and a tag and anything that finds him finds you there to peel them apart. LRM rain is best when 2 or more mechs are useing it on one target.

With both the Griffen and Archer in your stable that puts you CW tonnage at 250 if you bring 2 of each. Your brother would be at 260 with 4 cats.

Looking to the future, the Butterbee hero catapult release is being given some hype on twitter, no release date yet but it should obselete 2 standard cat chassis, however it is more brawly than other cat builds haveing a canonical 4 energy 2 missile points carrying SRMs. Still likely to be a winner and cbill earner for sure.

[Vlad Striker]

The best pair with a Catapult is a Thunderbolt.

[Orin Ulfsbane IV]

Thanks for all the replies. This points me in the right direction. Quickdraw Crobat, I may reconsider the raven because of what you said, and there is a mastery bundle for it as well.