11 replies to this topic

[Kravshera]

So I really love how the Marauder looks.. but i'm having trouble building it to be deadly as a plague, so I'm not sure I actually want it.. (I don't much like total meta builds, takes away the charm)

How do you all feel about XL engines in the MAD? Die too easy?

I've got these builds that seem fun, first one is my favorite.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...9e6dfd78e680e32

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...9126e55f3f8ad5f

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...f3404465d630409

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...5d57b6d9ff18b23

Considering the 5M for jumpjets, but I'm not sure.

I'll take any suggestions I can get.. and please do tell me if what I seem to be wanting is just a bad idea and I should find a different mech.

[Bud Crue]

IMO, there is no reason to run XLs on Marauder. Xl 325 gains you only 6kph over the std 300 and makes it a certain death when you lose the RT; and you will lose that RT, a lot, as everyone aims for it when you are mounting any ballistics. I know others will say the exact opposite. Such is life around here.

That said, I really enjoyed the Mads. Learn to do the wobble as opposed to the twist, and try as hard as you can to make sure you are not engaged from the side (i.e. use cover) and you will find them to be quite tanky. As to your builds, to each his own. I tried very hard to run PPCs on at least one, but like your builds I too ended up with a variety of lasers in the arms. Long range weapons in hardpoints that low just don't work well enough for me. All my Mads are brawers not long range fighters though I know a lot of folks love the 3AC5 4ML build to maximize the high mount ballistics hardpoints.

5M and BH are good but JJ on this mech feel like they are just for terrain management, and not really for jumping (though I did keep 4 on my BH, because I can).

[Kravshera]

Well, i chose xl on first build for 6 tons vs a 300std.
I could reduce it to a 255std for same tonnage, but lose those free DHS slots.. and be slow as a brick.

But if xl in a Marauder is a death trap, I guess I'll need to cook up something else.

Maybe a 5D with srms is better :/

[Bud Crue]

I am just relating my experiences. But you might have significantly different ones. Give it a shot, and see how the XL works for you. You can always change it later. An XL325 is expensive, sure, but I guarantee that you will use it in something should you decide not to use it here.

[Nunatak73]

Standard engine MADs are very hard to kill, with proper torso twisting.
I know lots of people that just shoot the legs instead.

[Kravshera]

Well I haven't even bought the chassi yet.

If I can't make it work in theory, I don't want to spend up to 20m cbills to find out if it would work.

I'm afraid I'll need an assaultmech to get ac10, 2lpl, 2 mdls with enough armour, heatsinks and ammo :/

So maybe a 5D with srm instead of an ac10

[Moldur]

I'd definitely take a standard engine. It's not just rolling damage in a marauder, it's that the side torsos BLOCK everything else. That's how big they are. Their side profile is also so big that they will take front/back damage before your arms even come off. (Most mechs require their arm to be gone in order for the ST side hitbox to be that apparent.

Perhaps the biggest shield that the marauder gets is that when a component is destroyed and continues to be hit, it does half damage to the adjacent component, so for the marauder, shielding with a blown ST will do half damage to your CT. I'm not sure if it still spreads it between the front and back of the CT, but in any case, the ST hitbox is very risky with an XL but very beneficial with a standard. The only time I might consider an XL is in the laser marauder.

Edited by Moldur, 09 May 2016 - 01:30 PM.

[Kravshera]

That is a very insightful piece of text, Moldur.
And the type of information I was looking for.

This rules out an xl without a doubt.

So if I am to keep option one, I need to drop all my lasers for mpulses. I am not happy.
I was very much aiming for that weapons loadout.

Was hoping for a medium range fast heavy.. and that ac10 was to be my low heat alternative to the lasers.

Back to the drawing board!

[oldradagast]

The Marauder, from what I can tell, follows the same general rules as a Stalker. Don't run an XL engine, expect to lose a side torso, but you can shield with that dead torso well. Also, you have a small center torso front profile. I think the MAD has much better torso twist than the Stalkers (which are notorious for that one of few weaknesses), but the same concept applies.

[Kravshera]

So.. energy weapons for medium range, srm to back up in a brawl.. thoughts?

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...1f544579c8d449c

[PaquIS]

Kravshera, on 09 May 2016 - 03:38 PM, said:

So.. energy weapons for medium range, srm to back up in a brawl.. thoughts?

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...1f544579c8d449c

I think you would be better off with 5 medium pulse lasers along with those SRM's for a pure brawler build.

However personally I think the 5D is the worst Marauder variant. All my Marauders have brawler builds, but with 5D I just feel like its lacking the punch and its my least used variant for that reason.

IMO 3R is the best one due to its structure quirks which makes it the tankiest Marauder variant and on that one I use STD300 engine, 2x LB10-X and 4x medium lasers. Very good DPS for those brawling situations + you can still do decent damage up to the 300 meter range.

On 5M I run STD300, AC20 and 5x medium pulse lasers + 1 jetpack.

[Palfatreos]

Drop that ams and case. Put any explosive ammo in head first then leggs. I would take 1 JJ for any mech that can have it so you can dodge/negate some damage towards your leg when your weapon under cooldown.

MAD-5D
Beside close brawler i don't see what else viable for it. Both build similar loadout one sacrefice better heat efficiency for a bigger engine. With MPL cooldown and range module it has a good srm and mpl synergy in both range and cooldown making it a great close alpha fighter.

MAD-5D (5 x MPL, 2 x SRM6+A, 2 x JJ, STD325)
MAD-5D

MAD-5D (5 x MPL, 2 x SRM6+A, 2 x JJ, STD300)
MAD-5D

MAD-3R
Tankiest and probably best poker of all the maruader variant.
MAD-3R (3 x AC5, 2 x ML, STD300)
MAD-3R

MAD-5M
MAD-5M (5 x ML, 2 x AC5, 1 x JJ, STD300)
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...c0e242af841696f

MAD-5M (5 x ML, 2 x UAC5, 1 x JJ, STD300)
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...aebc3f551802d94

MAD-5M (3 x LPL,2 x ML, 1 x JJ, STD300)
MAD-5M