25 replies to this topic

[Gyrok]

https://www.reddit.c...y_kdk_thoughts/

Quote

KDK-1:

This one does not have any quirks, obviously...so it is a bit squishier, and peaks less effectively vertically. Having said that, it can make a formidable shoulder peeker with the right setup. That build is what I settled on, and seems to do well for now...

KDK-2:

This mech can do a couple of things. With the hover jets^TM, it can get into a few (read: not many) places you otherwise could not, but only if you bother to bring 4. This is the long range poking setup I came up with, and it seems to do well enough when you can sit back at range. If you are not averse to dropping to the XL375, then this build becomes viable. It excels at mid range, though not as great for long range obviously.

KDK-3:

Obviously...there will be many versions of Dakka builds for this one, but, quad UAC10s seems to be hammer, and everything else looks like a nail. This will probably be the best cbill variant so far.

KDK-4:

This build has been the most productive so far. You could bump the speed up and run something like MPLs, or ERMLs instead, and pick up quite a bit more heat efficiency like this. This is a more brawl oriented option, but the SRM convergence is a bit wonky.

KDK-5:

This one is interesting, I came up with this brawler, and it works well...you can drop the engine to XL375 and run SPLs instead. That will probably be more of a whether or not you want speed over a bit more damage. I also worked up this gem which seems to be a great sword and board build, if you like a mid-range poking mech.

KDK-SB:

What can I say...a big brawl mech with nasty closing speed. This monster, is an absolute amazing mech to drive.

I think the quirks are mostly spot on. I do think they could stand to give the KDK-1 and KDK-5 the same quirks, but, if you play those a bit further out, you can make them work if you are smart about it. They do not feel as tanky as the Atlas, but with better mobility, it is a *very* reasonable trade off to make.

My personal ranking from best to worst at this point would be:

* KDK-SB
* KDK-3
* KDK-2
* KDK-5
* KDK-4
* KDK-1

The good news, out of all this, is that the base pack really gives you 2 of the top 3 mechs, and if you drop another $15 for the SB hero, you really get all the top 3 mechs available. If you want the reinforcements, the 5 is really the only reason to get them. That is mostly if you want a sword/board gauss vomit build, or something with a load of small lasers and a ballistic. These builds are all of the cuff, and initial thoughts, I am sure more builds will emerge as time wears on, but these seem be quite viable for now.

Good hunting mechwarriors.

-G

Edited by Gyrok, 17 May 2016 - 07:17 PM.

[LegendaryArticuno]

No MASC on the Spirit Bear?

[Gyrok]

LegendaryArticuno, on 17 May 2016 - 07:38 PM, said:

No MASC on the Spirit Bear?

No MASC in smurfy, use the TC4 as a placeholder.

[Gas Guzzler]

For some reason, the KDK-1 is always putting LPLs in the bottom hard point when mixed in the ER MLs. No matter what order I put them in, its the same order every time.

[Gyrok]

Gas Guzzler, on 17 May 2016 - 07:58 PM, said:

For some reason, the KDK-1 is always putting LPLs in the bottom hard point when mixed in the ER MLs. No matter what order I put them in, its the same order every time.

That is weird, mine end up mixed...

[Ultimax]

Gas Guzzler, on 17 May 2016 - 07:58 PM, said:

For some reason, the KDK-1 is always putting LPLs in the bottom hard point when mixed in the ER MLs. No matter what order I put them in, its the same order every time.

Have you tested in testing grounds?

CLPL is slotted first (as in, the first laser I slotted).

[Gas Guzzler]

Ultimax, on 17 May 2016 - 08:05 PM, said:

Have you tested in testing grounds?

CLPL is slotted first (as in, the first laser I slotted).

I put the LPL in first and it went to the bottom... then I put it in last and it went to the bottom... Maybe I need to strip the mech, save, and start over.

[Ultimax]

Gas Guzzler, on 17 May 2016 - 08:13 PM, said:

I put the LPL in first and it went to the bottom... then I put it in last and it went to the bottom... Maybe I need to strip the mech, save, and start over.

Yeah, might need to strip it and maybe do the old sell/all your spare CLPLs and buy a new one - similar to how the old SRM issue works.

Just an idea though, haven't tested it.

[Gas Guzzler]

Yeah stripping and saving worked.

[Gyrok]

I am sure we will see some new builds arise as time wears on...

[Gas Guzzler]

Yeah I went for full vomit (blackout jag build) + a Gauss on the KDK-1, with an XL 390. Its really hot, but I managed some good games. I will have to try the 4 LPL, Gauss Asymmetric build.

Edited by Gas Guzzler, 18 May 2016 - 07:47 AM.

[Gyrok]

Gas Guzzler, on 18 May 2016 - 07:46 AM, said:

Yeah I went for full vomit (blackout jag build) + a Gauss on the KDK-1, with an XL 390. Its really hot, but I managed some good games. I will have to try the 4 LPL, Gauss Asymmetric build.

I was looking at a full vomit build without Gauss...if I dropped to something like XL350-375 I bet I could keep similar heat efficiency to the build without it.

[Ultimax]

Gyrok, on 18 May 2016 - 07:49 AM, said:

I was looking at a full vomit build without Gauss...if I dropped to something like XL350-375 I bet I could keep similar heat efficiency to the build without it.

I think this is the maximum DHS you can do with a full (energy only) vomit build, no ghost heat.

CERMLAS
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...2615ba76232fcdf
(can swap CLPL to CT, and move DHS to Arm, but the Arm mounts are slightly higher and allow for better side poking)



This is a variant of that, that I tried as well with CMPLs:
http://mwo.smurfy-ne...3a1128a8eebed23

Edited by Ultimax, 18 May 2016 - 09:08 AM.

[mark v92]

Gyrok, on 17 May 2016 - 07:42 PM, said:

No MASC in smurfy, use the TC4 as a placeholder.

If you load the stock loadout you get the masc in there. you can switch it to other components then

[Phra]

KDK-1: Yea I know lurms, just wanted to use the hardpoints given. KDK-1: Your standard 4LPL build.

KDK-2: Better optimized version.

KDK-3: Unless you macro it, you most likely better off with more heateff over the 400XL. KDK-3: No ghost heat version. KDK-3: No ghost heat, ML edition.

SPIRIT BEAR: Better optimized version.

Edited by Phra, 18 May 2016 - 09:52 AM.

[Gyrok]

Phra, on 18 May 2016 - 09:35 AM, said:

SPIRIT BEAR: Better optimized version.

No thanks, I will hang onto my UAC20 version. Much prefer the DPS over the single volley. The big thump really comes from the SRMs anyway...the UAC20 pokes at 300-400m better. I wish it was a single slug AC20, but I can live with the UAC over the LBX at the moment.

[Phra]

Each to its own, uac20 makes no sense to me in a brawling build

[Gyrok]

Phra, on 18 May 2016 - 11:07 AM, said:

Each to its own, uac20 makes no sense to me in a brawling build

I find it is better while I am closing the gap.

Up close, the UAC20 does not see a lot of double taps, but the SRM24 is the real punch anyway.

[Phra]

SPIRIT BEAR

There you go, still better optimized.

Even moreso, since the TC1 is kinda pointless, just had nothing else to fill up the last crit and ton with.

Edited by Phra, 18 May 2016 - 11:20 AM.

[Roadkill]

SPIRIT BEAR

If you're not going to use the XL400 for its 6 internal heat sink slots, then you might as well downgrade all the way to an XL375. That's still 60 kph, but saves 7 tons over the XL400. Which allows you to upgrade to LPL for mo' betta long range.

As Gyrok noted, the up-close punch comes from the ASRM-24, so you can skip firing the LPL which makes the heat efficiency more-or-less a moot point.