17 replies to this topic

[Whiskey Dharma]

What's the consensus on AC vs UAC? I know the UACs fire faster, but they jam, and I can always get the AC RoF up with modules...

If it matters, I'm currently running a 2xAC/5, 4xML MAD-3R.

[TooDumbToQuit]

From what I understand, the big difference is the Clan AC etc. It is supposed to suck now.

[Jaguaar]

I like UAC's.. high risk, high reward.. put as much damage as quickly as you can into the enemy.
Timing is everything with UAC's.

[Void Angel]

Whiskey Dharma, on 06 August 2016 - 08:30 AM, said:

What's the consensus on AC vs UAC? I know the UACs fire faster, but they jam, and I can always get the AC RoF up with modules...

If it matters, I'm currently running a 2xAC/5, 4xML MAD-3R.

LikeUntoGod, on 06 August 2016 - 08:44 AM, said:

From what I understand, the big difference is the Clan AC etc. It is supposed to suck now.

The Clan standard ACs have always sucked - they were a placeholder while PGI tried to solve the technical problems related to swapping normal and shotgun ammunition into the LB-X series guns. This is why their tonnage and space is identical to the Clans' LB-X series autocannons. The project ran into a dead end, but the weapons still remain. Never take a standard Clan autocannon.

On-topic: The only times I've ever taken standard AC/s over UACs is when I was limited by tonnage and space (and thus could not carry enough ammo/etc) or when I was relying on those slots for my primary significant damage source. In general, UACs are better weapons.

Edited by Void Angel, 06 August 2016 - 09:22 AM.

[JC Daxion]

AC's are lighter, and fire a single slug..

UAC's you can double tap, meaning you can click the button twice quickly and it will double fire.. BUT has the chance to Jam, and you won't be able to use the weapon till it Un-jams


At times people will double tap on a weakened enemy, Or if you are running hot and will need to cool down if it jams or not.. Really all depends on situation.


On your mech, that means you could double tap for 20 damage, verse the single 10 damage shots.. But you can jam one or both.. You need an extra 2 tons to make um UAC's. I dunno what you would have to swap out to make um fit.. Up to you.. I often go for ac5's over UAC5's,, But clan UAC10 and 20, are pretty nice. 2 10's or a 20 can get you 40 damage.

basically you want to think of double tap as bonus damage when needed, and not something you will constantly use for the most part. At least that is the way i use them, others might have a different philosophy.

But that is the jist of them

[Whiskey Dharma]

Thanks, I didn't realize about the "double tap." How does that work with staggered/chain fire? If I press twice does it double fire one, or fire each cannon once?

[Vlad Striker]

Double tap is not exact the term. You can shoot second time when colldown is not complete. But if you do clikc-click -click-clik you jam UAC with guarantee. Pull trigger with some rhythm.

[Elizander]

I tend to use IS AC5s on mechs that can carry two with ballistic cooldown. On chain fire they pretty much keep pounding the enemy non-stop for no heat which is a decent pressure tool when you're in their face. Even when I need to cool off the lasers the AC5s can keep rattling them. I use them on my Ilya Muromets and my Shadohawk.

UAC5s are superior DPS even with jamming, but they do weigh one ton more and take up more space. On some mechs like the Shadowhawk with UAC jam chance reduction, you can't use XL unless you use UAC5+AC5 (won't fit otherwise). If you want 2 UAC5 on it you will have to be slow and use standard engine. Same goes for Dragon 1N for the gun arm (also 30% jam chance reduction). Only UAC5+AC5 will fit.

[S 0 L E N Y A]

For IS 9 times out of 10 the ultra version is superior. Damage per second is going to be higher, even when you average in the jam chance.

For Clans the "standard" AC is never worth it. It still fires in bursts like the UAC but it takes up an extra slot for no benefit. If you do not want them to jam then don't double tap em.

[Whiskey Dharma]

Thanks for the advice, all. I've swapped UAC/5s in (at the expense of AMS) and I'll see how it compares.

[JC Daxion]

Whiskey Dharma, on 06 August 2016 - 09:38 AM, said:

Thanks, I didn't realize about the "double tap." How does that work with staggered/chain fire? If I press twice does it double fire one, or fire each cannon once?

I am pretty sure double tap does NOT work in chain fire.. because the second click will just fire your next weapon in the chain..



UAC, might be superior, but then again a jam, can mean you are dead, and sometimes even one ton is not worth it, or you can't skimp on anything, especially in lighter mechs. But also, if you double tap a lot, (aka quickly double click) you will also eat through ammo..

One last thing, if your aim isn't always the best, a double tap can mean missing twice, and wasting 2 rounds of ammo, verse just missing with one shot, then adjusting on your next to actually hit.. Perhaps those with great aim this is not an issue, but for me, and longer ranges, it can mean something..


But that said.. if you ever wanna try AC5 fun.. give the XL255 4X cataphract a try.. 4 ac5's of Dakka goodness! (though, a lot of people love the 3 UAC5 Illya cataphract hero

Edited by JC Daxion, 06 August 2016 - 05:12 PM.

[Cy Mitchell]

Be careful. Double tapping counts the same as firing two weapons together when it comes to Ghost Heat. So if you have two UAC 10s on one button or on two buttons that you push at the same time and you double tap then you get Ghost Heat like you fired four at once and you will overheat very quickly.

[jss78]

On IS side UAC5 is generally far superior to AC5. Just one slot and one ton increase, and in most cases it considerable improves your DPS. However there's that 15% chance of jamming at every double-tap, and that can be a bad thing if the enemy is right in your face.

The way I work with them is to double-tap with abandon if I'm laying down fire from some distance. On average this increases my DPS, and if the gun jams it's not the end of the world, as I can just get back into cover. If I'm close to the enemy I'll try and consider whether I can risk the jamming.

In general I prefer to run UAC5's in multiples (two or more), so that the risk of having all of them jammed at the same time goes down.

[Leone]

When brawling with Uac5s you can just hold down the fire button an the game'll treat em like normal acs, so you don't hafta risk the jam chance. Of course, if you don't mind the gamble, the faster fire rate of the uacs really can tear up your opposition.

~Leone.

[Kali Rinpoche]

On a lot of IS mechs, quirks determine what you should carry. If you can get cool down to 40%+ or more with modules and quirks, go with normal ACs, if you get a -% jam quirk, go with UAC5s.

Edited by Kali Rinpoche, 06 August 2016 - 06:13 PM.

[Whiskey Dharma]

JC Daxion, on 06 August 2016 - 05:12 PM, said:

I am pretty sure double tap does NOT work in chain fire.. because the second click will just fire your next weapon in the chain..

I tested this and it works. Pressing once fires cannon 1, then it moves to 2, but after you fire cannon 2 you can get back to #1 before it reloads and fire it.

Leone, on 06 August 2016 - 06:05 PM, said:

When brawling with Uac5s you can just hold down the fire button an the game'll treat em like normal acs, so you don't hafta risk the jam chance.

Very helpful, thanks. This makes them much easier to use. Press and hold = safe. Click-click = DPS-ville with a stopover in jamtown.

[JC Daxion]

Whiskey Dharma, on 07 August 2016 - 03:37 AM, said:

I tested this and it works. Pressing once fires cannon 1, then it moves to 2, but after you fire cannon 2 you can get back to #1 before it reloads and fire it.

Ahh i did not think of that.. Cool man! So yea like the other guy said then, i guess it is not technically a double tap, (that's the way i use it) it is more of shooting before recharge time by clicking again.


BTW, how is it working for ya? Maybe i will have to try the UAC5 again, having been using the Clan UAC's for a while now.. maybe time to rethink a couple of builds..

Edited by JC Daxion, 07 August 2016 - 07:14 AM.

[Whiskey Dharma]

I've had a stunning series of losses since putting the UACs on. Not the gun's fault tho. I got 475 damage in one game, which is good by my standards. I'm still learning when to use rapid-fire.