14 replies to this topic

[ReemusX]

That Archer hotfix has made quite a difference in survivability. Been able to take quite a beating and practically missing everything before I drop. First image I was still running around at 11% total health trying to get targets and attention on me since weapons were gone.

On the other side of it... Been running head on into other SRM Archers and those fights have ended up a lot longer. All in all, I don't feel like I pop nearly as fast even when I am twisting like a madman to spread damage.

Dropping the XL engines was also a must when I first got the Archer.... those torsos were gone so fast. Now it feels a lot more like I was expecting. However, still shocked that the 5W 9 missile only variant didn't get any missile heat quirks....

Edited by ReemusX, 24 March 2016 - 11:02 PM.

[QuantumButler]

I still don't think the Archer is very good, but it can at least take a beating now.

Disclaimer: this is just from shooting a bunch of Archers today, do not own any.

[ReemusX]

Compared to the release it is night and day. Before I was forced to use LRMs and take as little fire as possible as a simple 3-4 seconds of ERLL fire at 1000m would make me go to myself "dude, back up....you are in crit damage and already lost 2 LRMS for peeking once". Now I can actually get my own damn targets if needed.

I do like the Archer in SRM form or a very light LRM/Laser combo. As far as CW is concerned, the tweak has allowed me to put my damage down without the insta-pop. Been running about 500dmg+ per variant I use in CW win or lose. Still prefer my 4x Bolts or 4x Jagermechs... but I have been able to throw in the Tempest and SRM boat Archers when I feel like a switch up.

[Bishop Steiner]

ReemusX, on 24 March 2016 - 10:59 PM, said:

That Archer hotfix has made quite a difference in survivability. Been able to take quite a beating and practically missing everything before I drop. First image I was still running around at 11% total health trying to get targets and attention on me since weapons were gone.

On the other side of it... Been running head on into other SRM Archers and those fights have ended up a lot longer. All in all, I don't feel like I pop nearly as fast even when I am twisting like a madman to spread damage.

Dropping the XL engines was also a must when I first got the Archer.... those torsos were gone so fast. Now it feels a lot more like I was expecting. However, still shocked that the 5W 9 missile only variant didn't get any missile heat quirks....

Yup. Night and day. Sure, some Spread love would have been nice for the larger launchers, which are still far from optimal, but it is what it is.

As for the heat quirks for the 5W? Make perfect sense not to, to me. Already see plenty of lame SplatBoats and such, boating all of one size launcher. WOuld see a heck of a lot more of it if it had any noteworthy heat quirks.

As it is now, it works pretty spectacularly running a 5x5/4x4 build (5x LRM5/4x SRM4) which allows it some nice balanced combat at all ranges, and a pretty mean spot if you can catch someone about 200m off.

Tempy still moves like a Pig, but just means one milks the ECM and Terrain.

Not realyl a fan of XLs in them still, but it's not the ultra glass cannon it was before with them. Still. You get in a drop against some good tier 1s, they'll pop a torso pretty fast if you slip up.

Haven't found the happy spot yet on the 5S and 2R, but am totally loving my Tempest and 5Wolfy now. Still might play with Tempy just to come up with some "different" feeling builds, as I truly hate it if my variants start feeling "samey".

QuantumButler, on 24 March 2016 - 11:16 PM, said:

I still don't think the Archer is very good, but it can at least take a beating now.

Disclaimer: this is just from shooting a bunch of Archers today, do not own any.

I can definitely think if mechs I would use first for a splat boat. Preferably ones without bunny ears. Still, the only real knock I have on the ARC now is just the overall lameness of large LRM racks, themselves. Still juggling whether to use 3x LRM10s or 2x LRM15 on my 2R. My Spare 2R might be splatter just for giggles, since I can fit a 340 std in it, lol.

[Rocket2Uranus]

Yeah I can agree that Archers have become a tad bit longer to kill now.

[ReemusX]

I actually like my 2R and 5S.

2R I run 6 medium pulse and 3 LRM5 for some light dmg at range until they get to about 350. It runs about 70kph which is fine with me.

5S I WAS running 5 SRM6 artys which was a "one shot" mech so I made sure to get legs or rear torsos. Switched back over to 5 medium lasers and 3 LRM 5s.

I like them all depending on the role I want to play

[Bishop Steiner]

ReemusX, on 24 March 2016 - 11:58 PM, said:

I actually like my 2R and 5S.

2R I run 6 medium pulse and 3 LRM5 for some light dmg at range until they get to about 350. It runs about 70kph which is fine with me.

5S I WAS running 5 SRM6 artys which was a "one shot" mech so I made sure to get legs or rear torsos. Switched back over to 5 medium lasers and 3 LRM 5s.

I like them all depending on the role I want to play

IDK....3 LRM5s barely feel worth stuffing under the launch doors to me.

[ReemusX]

Bishop Steiner, on 25 March 2016 - 12:37 AM, said:

IDK....3 LRM5s barely feel worth stuffing under the launch doors to me.

My deal is heat.. Would do 3 SRMs but especially with the pulse it goes down too fast in a tight brawl. I like to run almost nonstop fire for a good 20 seconds before I have to switch up my rate of fire. I build for my play style I guess. It's easier to build to it than change it. I seem to do pretty good unless I just do stupid stuff or have a ******* day.

[C E Dwyer]

ReemusX, on 24 March 2016 - 10:59 PM, said:

That Archer hotfix has made quite a difference in survivability. Been able to take quite a beating and practically missing everything before I drop. First image I was still running around at 11% total health trying to get targets and attention on me since weapons were gone.

On the other side of it... Been running head on into other SRM Archers and those fights have ended up a lot longer. All in all, I don't feel like I pop nearly as fast even when I am twisting like a madman to spread damage.

Dropping the XL engines was also a must when I first got the Archer.... those torsos were gone so fast. Now it feels a lot more like I was expecting. However, still shocked that the 5W 9 missile only variant didn't get any missile heat quirks....

Its because it has so many missile hard points.

Think about it, the lrm5 is already clearly the best LRM launcher in the game, think of how much more powerful those hybrid srm4 lrms 5 builds would be with better quirks.

It would just make PGI's inability to make the big launchers work properly, even more obvious than it already does, as they said they are taking out big weapon quirks ( and then put big weapon quirks on the PPC's for the marauder and Warhamer) So clearly can't put big quirks for the LRM 15 and 20 on the Archer, they might look even more <insert word>


Apparently the lead designer has nothing to do with quirks in his project, so I can't just blame him for not doing his job properly and approving things before release.

Edited by Cathy, 25 March 2016 - 01:04 AM.

[ReemusX]

I just look at those other mechs that are all laser hard points and because of that they have an energy heat gen quirk. It seemed to make sense to me that if you had an all missile hard point mech you would have a similar quirk. Yet, that quirk is on a 3 missile variant (I believe) instead of a 9 missile variant.

Granted, I am not a huge LRM fan. I like brawling or Gauss. Why did I buy the Archer? I was looking at making it a nice little combo I could lay down decent damage at all ranges on any map without having to drop 50k CBills a match on cold shots. Archer seemed just about right for me and my original ideas of laser/SRM builds (Had originally planned on doing ERLL and SRM). Ended up settling with the above builds because they worked for the way I play. The 3 dinky LRM5s were really to fill in that gap of no activity on maps like Polar and Tourmaline (and now Grim). When I run those SRM brawlers etc., I can't stop my need to charge into range (or sneak) of my weapons LONG before it is time....usually end up ***** but put down some hurt on a couple before I dropped heh.

[Bishop Steiner]

ReemusX, on 25 March 2016 - 01:22 AM, said:

I just look at those other mechs that are all laser hard points and because of that they have an energy heat gen quirk. It seemed to make sense to me that if you had an all missile hard point mech you would have a similar quirk. Yet, that quirk is on a 3 missile variant (I believe) instead of a 9 missile variant.

Granted, I am not a huge LRM fan. I like brawling or Gauss. Why did I buy the Archer? I was looking at making it a nice little combo I could lay down decent damage at all ranges on any map without having to drop 50k CBills a match on cold shots. Archer seemed just about right for me and my original ideas of laser/SRM builds (Had originally planned on doing ERLL and SRM). Ended up settling with the above builds because they worked for the way I play. The 3 dinky LRM5s were really to fill in that gap of no activity on maps like Polar and Tourmaline (and now Grim). When I run those SRM brawlers etc., I can't stop my need to charge into range (or sneak) of my weapons LONG before it is time....usually end up ***** but put down some hurt on a couple before I dropped heh.

Well, I gotta be honest... I'm not sad that the geometry, etc doesn't allow it to be as "premier" and SRM boat as some folk wanted.

While better with the boost, I do love it when I see one at 500 yds, and the info pops up "8-9x SRM"... and then off pops one torso..... and then the next..... (well unless they pack an XL, in which case, pop goes the weasel).

Have had a few manage nice ambushes, but very very very seldom have I seen em last deep into the match.

[Bishop Steiner]

Gotta say, my only real knock on the 5S is that I don't think the 2nd Missile hardpoint in the LT should be inside the "missile bay" under the launch door. Since one would usually be launching a NARC first just seems a little silly, and more like something that would be housed in an external launcher, IMO.

[ReemusX]

Bishop Steiner, on 25 March 2016 - 01:25 AM, said:

Well, I gotta be honest... I'm not sad that the geometry, etc doesn't allow it to be as "premier" and SRM boat as some folk wanted.

While better with the boost, I do love it when I see one at 500 yds, and the info pops up "8-9x SRM"... and then off pops one torso..... and then the next..... (well unless they pack an XL, in which case, pop goes the weasel).

Have had a few manage nice ambushes, but very very very seldom have I seen em last deep into the match.

Yea, the 5W which I obviously run SRMs can make me bang my head on the desk when I see Alpine Peaks or Polar pop up on the vote. I actually last quite well on all maps with it but have to bite my tongue being patient on those range maps until the fight eventually works its way into my reach. For a 270m firepower limit I have to try not to peek or take off after someone. As the saying goes "90% of all fights end up on the ground". I see it that way when running a build that is only 1 cool point better on range than an all flamer build.

Bishop Steiner, on 25 March 2016 - 01:28 AM, said:

Gotta say, my only real knock on the 5S is that I don't think the 2nd Missile hardpoint in the LT should be inside the "missile bay" under the launch door. Since one would usually be launching a NARC first just seems a little silly, and more like something that would be housed in an external launcher, IMO.

Agreed. Plus my OCD kicks in when I don't have even looking firepower leaving my mech (Like the IS Hunchback 4P...I sometimes yell out "why? why are all the lasers on the right and one on the left???"

[Damia Savon]

Since Archers are supposed to have large launchers, I have been running my 2S with LRM20s, 5ML, TAG and an xl. It is definitely more durable now though not quite where it should be.

The larger launchers really need work though. It is just annoying Russ won't admit it.

[Oberost]

The sad thing is that I really want the Archer to be my go to LRM mech (because 25 years ago was my best mech in a 1vs1 TT tournament held with some friends, and since then it has had a special place in my heart...), but right now if I have to run a LRM mech I would take another one (Catapult, Stalker...), and the small LRM launcher loadout that some variants encourage doesn't really fit me.

And I know that I can run it with big launchers, but given the state of LRMs right now it's a waste of tonnage and a burden to your team, so no thanks.

So yes, it feels more tanky but doesn't feel like a "real" Archer.