72 replies to this topic

[Snowbluff]

So I've been thinking about the Spirit Bear Kodiak, the one with the MASC? Now, I like the look of the MASC. This is especially appealing since I'm hearing they are nerfing agility a little.

The main problem is the hard points. 2 Energy, 4 missile, 1 ballistic. With 35 tons of pod space, it looks like.

To me, the base weaponry feels a little anemic. I don't think I want mostly streaks as my only option. So I am thinking some Large Pulse lasers.

So I think we can change things because it's a battlemech, right? The Kodiak has standard armor and a 400 XL Engine. Correct me if I am wrong about this or my math.

The 560 points of Armor is 17.5 tons, I think. Ferro will drop 2 tons about.

The engine weighs 30.5 tons. If we step that down to a 380, that's give 6 more tons.

Drop 2 heat sinks and the 2 ERMLs, and you get 4 more tons.

What do you think? Is that worth it for a MASC Assault?

[Steel Raven]

Selling point seems to be the missile hard point, SRM fans are drooling over 4 Streak SRM6s while LURMers are looking at it as a LRM boat.

Right now, it's a Clan Atlas D-DC without the ECM (what makes the AS7-DC the Spooky Atlas)
I haven't experimented with MASC much but if you need to save weight, trade in the Ultra 20 for the Ultra 10, 4X SRM6s should give you plenty of firepower for close rang.

[Snowbluff]

Well, it should be more maneuverable but slight squishier (no structure quirks) than than the Atlas. I wish there was an ECM variant, though. I'd be all over that.

The SB runs an UAC/10 instead of the 20. Presumably the whole mech's weapons/hardpoints are based on having 4 tons in the MASC system. Trading the Streaks for the SRMs is a good alternative if you're good at catching people out. That's 6 tons, meaning with FF you can swap into the LPL.

Edited by Snowbluff, 31 March 2016 - 02:45 PM.

[Ingga Raokai]

Speaking of Kodiak and MASC, it'll be funny when MASC active it runs on 4 like a real bear chasing something. I know it will not going to happen, but I'll still do it even if it disables the weapons while MASC, just for giggles.

Away from that, from the moment they announced Kodiak, I saw a Clan equivalent of the Atlas, just like said above. I think between streak or regulars will be up to preference, one have sure hit, the other have lower cooldown. I also wonder If LBX20 will be impossible, since they chucked in UAC20 on most other variants making assumption of not enough slots.

Now I think MASC is still going to be handy, especially we are talking 100t, even though with 400xl. But i might wrong, since my clan assault is limited to trials. (yes, i have no clan assault, KDK will be my first though)

Edited by Ingga Raokai, 31 March 2016 - 02:58 PM.

[Snowbluff]

Ingga Raokai, on 31 March 2016 - 02:56 PM, said:

Away from that, from the moment they announced Kodiak, I saw a Clan equivalent of the Atlas, just like said above. I think between streak or regulars will be up to preference, one have sure hit, the other have lower cooldown. I also wonder If LBX20 will be impossible, since they chucked in UAC20 on most other variants making assumption of not enough slots.

The Spirit Bear might not be able to use an AC20 with the MASC. That's 6 slots between that MASC and the side XL Engine. It might be a weight thing, but I doubt it.

Quote

Now I think MASC is still going to be handy, especially we are talking 100t, even though with 400xl. But i might wrong, since my clan assault is limited to trials. (yes, i have no clan assault, KDK will be my first though)

Oh yeah, that HUUUUGE turn bonus is amazing for MASC. I use a Shadow Cat, and the buff made it a lot more playable. Also, the speed should spike up to about 80 kph with the MASC. >

[Steel Raven]

Sorry, I missed that the Spirit Bear has a Ultra 10 and been thinking it was a 20.

[Snowbluff]

Steel Raven, on 31 March 2016 - 06:00 PM, said:

Sorry, I missed that the Spirit Bear has a Ultra 10 and been thinking it was a 20.

It's okay man. There will be plenty of 20s on these mechs when they come out. >

I might run the one with 4 ballastics (The KDK 3) with 4 UAC2.

Stepping down the engine by a step or two is looking better and better with these guys. Engines have so much weight per 5 power at such high power ratigns. Then again, the SB is really the only one strapped for weight usually, as it has a 4 ton MASC.

[Raso]

I'm going to see how much I like the other Kodiaks before I snag Spirit Bear later. I'm anxious to see how well I can adapt to their play style before I go and spend that much more money into these guys.

That said, I've never been a fan of piloting the Atlas or other painfully slow assaults. It's simply not my style. But the prospect of dual LBX20s or a battery of 8 SPL backed by a UAC20 and LPL make me want to give it a try. Having such a massive engine right off the bat is also a plus! If only the other variants had MASC...

[ImperialKnight]

yup, play the normal variants first to decide whether the Hero is worth the money. Need to test the hitbox in actual combat to see how well it rolls damage

[ice trey]

If it's worth it, half of MWO will complain that it's P2W
If it's not worth it, nobody buys it, and PGI loses a revenue stream.

Just like every hero mech out there.

[Snowbluff]

knightsljx, on 01 April 2016 - 06:19 AM, said:

yup, play the normal variants first to decide whether the Hero is worth the money. Need to test the hitbox in actual combat to see how well it rolls damage

That's fair.

ice trey, on 01 April 2016 - 06:22 AM, said:

If it's worth it, half of MWO will complain that it's P2W
If it's not worth it, nobody buys it, and PGI loses a revenue stream.

Just like every hero mech out there.

Hahahah! I wonder how many people will complain about it? It literally has less hard points than the others. XD

[Raso]

Snowbluff, on 01 April 2016 - 06:27 AM, said:

Hahahah! I wonder how many people will complain about it? It literally has less hard points than the others. XD

I think that is a fair trade off for MASC. Kind of how the Ebon Jaguar has more pod space than the Hellbringer? Thanks to Endo Steel, but the Hellbringer has ECM. We'll see if it levels out in practice.

It will be hilarious to see a Kodiak running at full speed chasing mediums with a set of SRMs or lights with SSRMs.... Maybe not a wise use of the mech but funny watching the bear chase the squirrel.

[Snowbluff]

Raso, on 01 April 2016 - 07:02 AM, said:

I think that is a fair trade off for MASC. Kind of how the Ebon Jaguar has more pod space than the Hellbringer? Thanks to Endo Steel, but the Hellbringer has ECM. We'll see if it levels out in practice.

It will be hilarious to see a Kodiak running at full speed chasing mediums with a set of SRMs or lights with SSRMs.... Maybe not a wise use of the mech but funny watching the bear chase the squirrel.

I think the MASC will be best for brawling for the turn speed. It give about 20% speed, right? That's like 12 KPH.

[The Basilisk]

One of the main points about the Kodiak is the fact its NOT AN OMNIMECH.
Its 100T of awsome Clan Tech in a freely configurable Battlemech.

So this means:
-- You can drop MASC if you wish
-- You can downgrade the Reactor (350 should be sufficient --> 13T moar loadout )
-- You can install/ uninstall endo steel

And do I wish to install MASC into an Assault mech...look towards the Executioner.
He normaly runns at 64kph and speeds up to 90 (86 without speed tweak) with masc bursts.
Its only 5 tonns lighter than the Kodiak.
So what you will get is the best armored, fastest and most nimble 100T brawler there ever was in MWO ( maybe ever was in Battletech )

lets look towards the Armament.

I see 34T of equipment and MASC in his standart loadout.
Since he has an 400 rated reactor there should be an other 6tonns in its engine heatsinks.
His MASC takes up ( clan rules ) mechtonnage/25 = slots and tonnage so 4 tonns if you do not like MASC.
Except the engine heatsinks and leave the armor untouched you got 38t to play with.

How about....2LPLs 4SSRM6 with 6tonns of ammo and 4 DHS and retain the MASC.

Or what about 4 ASRM6, UAC20, 2LPLs, Reactor downgrade to 375XL ( frees 7t reactor and 1 dhs ) 6t ASRM ammo, 4t UACammo, rest heatsinks, no MASC....very hot but the alpha will blow an enemy into a world of pain. ( 92 without UAC going ultra...right ?)

Just a quick play of thoughts ^^

Edited by The Basilisk, 01 April 2016 - 09:10 AM.

[Steinkrieg]

Have they said that the MASC will be hardwired into the SB? Even so, you could drop the engine down to like a 350 STD and leave the MASC in and run a cUAC/20. It's basically a AS7-S, like someone pointed out earlier. An AS7-S with Endo-Steel ( like the SB) @ 560 standard armor points has 77.50 tons free.

350 STD = 36.5 tons
cSRM6 x 4 = 6 tons
cUAC/20 = 12 tons
cLPLAS = 12 tons
MASC = 4 tons
DHS x 4 = 4 tons
cSRM ammo @ 400 = 4 tons
cUAC/20 ammo @ 84 = 3 tons

= 81.5 Tons :/

Which means that we have to shave 4 tons from somewhere...which can be done with removing MASC if able and being stuck at 61 kph after speed tweak, or downgrading the engine to a 335 STD. This is before seeing if FF will fit. If MASC is able to be removed, might as well leave the 400 XL in it as it weights only 33.5 tons and take out the MASC, add more DHS and ammo.


94 damage alpha strike, 114 damage if you double tap with the cUAC/20. MMMMHHMMMMMM Oh Baby.

The Basilisk, on 01 April 2016 - 09:00 AM, said:

Awesome post

Lol, great minds think alike.

[Raso]

As a Clan mech it still follows clan mech rules, right? So losing an ST with an XL means you aren't instantly taken out, right?

[Steinkrieg]

Raso, on 01 April 2016 - 10:25 AM, said:

As a Clan mech it still follows clan mech rules, right? So losing an ST with an XL means you aren't instantly taken out, right?

Correct. Think of it like it's another Origins Mech like the Jenner, Hunchback, Orion, and Highlander.

[Raso]

Ok. So then you'd only really need to go STD to save slots or because you have all this leftover tonnage. I suspect on the variant with ballistics in both torsos I'll want an STD for extra slots since ballistics are so huge. I'll have to find a balance.
Do all components have case like in omnipods? Maybe dual gauss will be the way to go since there won't be much room for heat sinks...

[Snowbluff]

Uh, I don't want an executioner. It's fugly. It's hardpoints suck.

If the MASC isn't locked, then I guess I can scoot the MASC over if I want an UAC20 in the Spirit Bear, but I feel like an AC10 might be better for that build. That being said, it's probably not wise to remove the MASC on the Spirit Bear! There is no reason, assuming no quirks, to run that variant over the others, unless you really have a liking to missiles.

The CLAN XL is the is one of the main draws of the Mech, IMO. I'd rather not go standard, and meeting all of that weight when you have so many hardpoints should be a piece of cake for all of the non-hero variants.

Raso, I do think it will have free CASE. There's no clan case anyway. I suggest putting ammo in the legs, since it has 4 free slots down there. If you're running dual gauss, you're probably fine on heat.

Edited by Snowbluff, 01 April 2016 - 12:31 PM.

[Angus McFife VI]

Steel Raven, on 31 March 2016 - 02:33 PM, said:

Selling point seems to be the missile hard point, SRM fans are drooling over 4 Streak SRM6s while LURMers are looking at it as a LRM boat.

Right now, it's a Clan Atlas D-DC without the ECM (what makes the AS7-DC the Spooky Atlas)
I haven't experimented with MASC much but if you need to save weight, trade in the Ultra 20 for the Ultra 10, 4X SRM6s should give you plenty of firepower for close rang.

However, I'm sure it will not be flawless. It's huge and it's CT looks absolutely enormous.