28 replies to this topic

[Liquid Leopard]

Sister RAbbi, on 08 April 2016 - 07:36 PM, said:

Tempest hero brings an ultra-rare IS ECM heavy into the mix, though ECM ain't what it used to be.

Isn't it funny how ECM was nerfed a couple of weeks before the Archer came out?

Sister RAbbi, on 08 April 2016 - 07:36 PM, said:

Not one of them is a BAD chassis, IMO. That said, the WHM and MAD are neck-and-neck for first place in Alpha Lance. I'd go with one of those two, whichever you think is sexier really...

Marauder, then.

Edited by Liquid Leopard, 09 April 2016 - 12:20 PM.

[Not A Real RAbbi]

Liquid Leopard, on 09 April 2016 - 12:19 PM, said:

Isn't it funny how ECM was nerfed a couple of weeks before the Archer came out?

I think it was more than just a few weeks before, wasn't it? Couple months, I thought. DOUBT it's related, but then, I'm sure they knew the ARC was coming BEFORE they gave the green light to nerf ECM. To be fair, Russ had been talking about nerfing ECM LONG before we got the Marauder announcement, which was in turn a few months before the Archer announcement.

But then we diverge into that discussion of the failed Information Warfare PTS debacle. It all gets a little murky from there.

Quote

Marauder, then.

She IS a beauty! Think I'll fire mine up this afternoon, too!

[paws2sky]

I have the standard Warhammer and Rifleman packs. I've been tempted by the Marauder and Archer, but haven't felt compelled to pick-up either yet.

(Apologies is advance as variant codes are slipping my mind at the moment.)

From playing against Archers, I have to say their side torsi are HUGE targets. Easy for a half decent shot to exploit. I love seeing the two XL variant Archers too, because they are so easy to knock down. I've been tricked once or twice by players who've swapped out the XL for STD, and it cost me a death, but most seem to take them straight out onto the battlefield. The 9x Missile Archer is pretty easy to murder if they go all LRM-5. Don't be that guy. It almost never works out. The Tempest and 2R(?) are both interesting to me for their mix of hard points.

Maruders have a fantastic forward facing profile. They can be tricky to focus damage on (with lasers) because it only takes a slight twist to spread the damage around. their side profile though... whew. It's like shooting the broad side of a barn. They can be pretty brutal though. Just remember to swap out the XLs.

The Rifleman is light weight. It feels light weight. It can still pump out a lot of pinpoint damage though, and even with it's lower engine cap, it still feels nimble, which is nice. And the high mounted hardpoints are great. my load outs ahve been called odd, but they work well enough for me right now.

The warhammer feels kind of sluggish to me, but it can take a beating if you've got the torso twist thing down. The all energy variant give you some interesting options (3x ERLL, 4x ML or 2x MPL are my favorites), but you need to know heat management pretty well. The base variant with 2x Ballistic has the potential for some interesting builds, including dual U-AC/5 and 6x ML (personal favorite). Lastly the 3x Missile can be used for SRM and ML splat brawling or LRM boating (which is a good skill to learn to use/counter, even if it becomes less useful at higher PSR tiers).

So, yeah. Warhammer is probably a good choice for a Classic pack. Then Marauder or Rifleman. Then Archer (those giant side torsi...).

-paws

[Golrar]

Warhammers are very versatile and fun, as long as you don't become nostalgic and insist on PPCs.

Metamechs.com will tell you the WHM-6R is the worst of the pack but I find it my favorite. Two ERLL in the top torso slots and spread 4 ML on the rest with a STD 320 and DHS. It is not a front line mech until the end game, but it is one hell of a hill peeker. Not as good as the Jaeger, but it feels better and more robust.

The WHM-6D - go with the build off the metamechs site. 3xLPL just tears things up, plus you have a shield arm.

WHM-7S - my least favorite, but pretty effective with 3xLL and 3xSRM6. If you feel lazy, 3xLRM15 with a few ML can be fun as well, but stay close to something that can defend you.

The meta BW is 2xAC5 and 2xUAC5, but I find better success with 2xAC10 and 4xML. I use the AC10 cooldown module and ML range module.

I very rarely die to a side torso. IMHO the mech is fairly XL friendly even though it has the big STs. Just make sure you twist often.

I realize every build up there is sacrilege because there are no PPCs, but they are just too hot and heavy for the damage right now. Plus the arms are just way to low to build a classic Warhammer and survive in this game. But if you must, the 7S with 2xPPC and 3xSRM6 can work.

[Podex]

I can't pilot a Marauder to save my life, probably since I'm used to more responsive mechs. I just don't get that from the Marauder.

On the other hand, Warhammers feel a lot like a Quickdraw without the altitude sickness that goes along with them.

[S 0 L E N Y A]

Golrar, on 10 April 2016 - 03:01 PM, said:

Warhammers are very versatile and fun, as long as you don't become nostalgic and insist on PPCs.




The meta BW is 2xAC5 and 2xUAC5, but I find better success with 2xAC10 and 4xML. I use the AC10 cooldown module and ML range module.

Try 2x Ac10s and 4x ML on the 6R. Put all the MLs in the torso and use the arms purely as shields.

One of my fave setups. Can mid range poke or brawl very well.

[Surn]

Marauder, warhammer, archer, ...awfulman.

For CW you could do 1 marauder and 2 archers with a tbolt
or 2 warhammers and 2 archers.

[Not A Real RAbbi]

Boogie138, on 10 April 2016 - 05:02 PM, said:

Try 2x Ac10s and 4x ML on the 6R. Put all the MLs in the torso and use the arms purely as shields.

One of my fave setups. Can mid range poke or brawl very well.

Ah, "Doom Nipples". I use that one a lot. Pretty cool mech. The quirks help out with the AC/10s a lot, too. +20% Ballistic Velocity makes it ABOUT as fast as an AC/5 or UAC/5. The 5% cooldown isn't big on its own, but with the AC/10 Cooldown module maxed, that's 17.5% (and add another like 5% for Fast Fire skill, so like 22.5%) it's a pretty rapid-fire spewer of hate. Throw in the ML range module to push their optimal out to almost 300m, because why not? Something is unfortunate enough to find itself in your sights at <300m, it's going to have a tough day. Smooth mech!

Also, a Black Widow with 4x AC/5 and 2x ML is fun. And I've seen Gimpy running an odd duck on his stream, which you can build on either BW or -6R: 2x UAC/5, 2x PPC. I can squeeze in a 300XL with good ammo for the UACs in that, stripping just the arms. Especially in the -6R, with its MASSIVE PPC quirks, that's a BEAST once you get ELITE completed and double-up the Heat Containment and Cool Run skills (PPCs are just so freaking HOT). WILD mid-range potential, as log as RNGesus plays nice with your jam rate.

Whammies are SOLID. They turned out better than I had expected. I am impressed.

[Zirakss]

All four are strong mechs. It's more like a question of your playstyle I guess.

I have the marauder and it's sturdy beast, if you rip out the XL engine. Quite mobile too, as three of the four variants have jump jets. I like PPCs and this mech brings just the right quirks.

A friend in my unit uses the Warhammer with double gauss. He does very decent damage with it, claiming a lot of kills. I can't (yet) get used to the gauss rifle, but when you do, it's a very good mech.

Rifleman are typical DakaDakaDaka-Mechs. If you are into that, I guess the machine is great.

The archer gives you the option of an 70t inner sphere mech with ECM, whn you choose the tempest. It has lot's of missles hardpoints and SRM archer are a quite nasty surprise.