44 replies to this topic

[Maledictor]

Because hundreds of pinging sounds from my fire might panic a pilot hearing that fusillade against their mech.
Because a small, fast scout mech can get in close, strafe, and run away with less heat and just maybe get that larger mech to focus on them for a few seconds and open them up to a counter from your teammate.
Because you always, always need a back up weapon in your L/R/C torso so you can still do something whenthe critical hits start wiping out your multiple-slot heavier weapon.
Because sometimes you just have a half a ton of space left.
(If MWO ever includes combined arms warfare, because infantry are a ****** to hit without small weapons.)

[Glythe]

Dalfsson, on 18 July 2012 - 12:46 PM, said:

they don't do enough damage and don't have enough range to really do any good.

Here's how the weapons work since you missed that thread...

The shortest range weapons are the most heat efficient. Medium range weapons are less heat efficient but have longer range. The trend holds true that Long range weapons run even hotter and are even less efficient.

At close range short and medium lasers beat large lasers (assuming you have more) because you can keep firing them and you CAN'T keep spamming large lasers.


At longer ranges of course you have the advantage but MG and small lasers are amazing when you get in close (looking at just the damage per heat value). Look at the refire rate of the MG in the new centurion video too.... that's really fast.

Edited by Glythe, 18 July 2012 - 01:07 PM.

[Khan Brandon Ward]

It's true that the M. Gun and S. Laser have been a pariah in the MW games unless you were doing the all M. Gun setup, In the fiction they seemed to make those weapons more viable; even the TRO's would sometimes make it sound like one S. Laser was a decent backup weapon.

That being said the M. Gun's high ROF will be good for smaller targets... Like the cockpit of your enemy

[Kilo Papa Victor]

It's all about heat. If your build forgoes some heatsinks for more armor/bigger engine, you'll have heat problems. Both of these weapons generate little to no heat. They don't do much damage, but it's more damage than staring awkwardly at your opponent. waiting for your heat to lower.

[Thorn Dagron]

YEs, machine guns are generally useless, but if you load out a light fast mech with many machine guns and can get real close, you can do a ton of damage. The mech would simply be for fun and mostly cannon fodder but 10 or more machine guns on a mech can be devasting to the mech receiving it especially for a rear torso shot Ammo is also cheap and abundant.

[Noaceik]

Terbius, on 18 July 2012 - 12:47 PM, said:

machine guns have short range? I thought they went like 1500m

try 90 meters. Each hex in the TT is 30meters the small laser, and machinegun have a range of 3 hexes, thus 90 meters. A medium laser, srm's, and ac20 have 3 times that range thus 270 meters. Any Questions?

[Arteste]

'Cause when your armor is ripped wide open it's time for crits (at least in TT it was) and EACH hit is another chance for a crit!!!

[EvangelionUnit]

5 m-guns do 5 damage in the TT ? but no heat ... with 200 rounds per ton of ammo, i wonder how they translate this to the game, because in MW:LL MG's were quite good for BA huntin or legging or AA work (mostly because of there long range, about 800 meter or so in the versions i played)
chainfire a 2 MG weapon group saved also a lot of ammo when you were on BA hunting or Helo shooting...

Edited by EvangelionUnit, 18 July 2012 - 01:19 PM.

[Tannhauser Gate]

This again?

Its about BT canon, about balancing -all- weapons of the era, and eventually (hopefully) combined arms. When we start seeing tanks, choppers, elementals, and other armed vehicles, those weapons will be used. Just because you call it worthless doesnt mean it should not be in the game. Embrace canon, bror.

[Lord Jay]

Small lasers are the best damage per ton weapon available at this time.

If you pilot a light mech and need to cram as much in as possible, you might want to consider dropping those two med lasers doing 10 damage for four small ones doing 12 damage. (Hardpoints permitting)

Plus if smaller lasers have a faster rate of fire (which seems likely) it might be worth giving up the range for the increase in dps.

In the end small lasers promote different play styles and therefore are a good thing.

[Buso Senshi Zelazny]

In MW3 I filled a Thor with all MGs and could obliterate any mech that came my way. Not good for long missions though. In MW4 I found them to be ineffective and just dumped them for more ammo/armor/ heat sinks etc. Never played TT myself although it sounds like the MGs will be more effective based on those rules.

[Brenden]

Atleast the SPL or SL would be good in a group for softening armor, and a **** ton will melt just about anything.

[Noaceik]

The longest mech class weapons in the game are the clan ultra ac2, and the Marik Light gauss rifle both have a range of 750 meters. Only artillery, and capitol class weapons have longer range.

[Tezkat]

Lord Jay, on 18 July 2012 - 01:20 PM, said:

Plus if smaller lasers have a faster rate of fire (which seems likely) it might be worth giving up the range for the increase in dps.

In the end small lasers promote different play styles and therefore are a good thing.

The rate of fire issue is interesting. You can see in the videos that the cooldown was 2 seconds for small lasers vs 3 seconds for the mediums. Presumably unit damage will be balanced against rate of fire for a more consistent overall DPS.

However, faster firing weapons are, in general, easier to use. Highly skilled players can output more continuous DPS in a circle strafing style brawl, but it also affords less skilled players more opportunities to hit their targets.

[WVAnonymous]

I support the "sometimes you have 1/2 ton left" approach. Always go fully loaded.

[jimhighwind]

In Battletech MG's were great for dealing with infantry units. Battles were not just fought with mechs but with areo, infantry, tanks, ect... But yes i would tend to agree that in Mechwarrior games they tend to be more on the usless side but i havent tried it so i dont really know if that applies in this game.

[Isingdeath]

jimhighwind is correct in the material they were used for anti-personal uses. That being said the programmers have already said that most maps will be small which means that a fast mech can get in close with another mech in very short order. In MW4 the maps were huge and it took time to close the distance. Long range was king in fact I often sniped in MW4. I wonder if with the smaller maps in MWO that being able to bring multiple short range weapons to bear will have the greater advantage.

Edited by Isingdeath, 18 July 2012 - 01:57 PM.

[Tre ONeill]

brenden nailed it for me. I use almost exclusively small pulse lasers on my jenner builds to great effect.
Either 6 small pulses, or 4 small pulses and 2 srm 4s. The jenners speed and maneuverability plus small profile allow me to make it unharmed into range, and they actually put out an incredible amount of damage quickly

[KuroNyra]

Don't forget that on the battlefield, your priority is to survive for accomplish your mission.

If you are under fire, you will fight back and try to get a cover.

But here, the lazer's leave you a little oportunity to clearly see what happen's on the battle field because you don't heard anymore the message that's said "YOUR' GETTING POWNED!"

The machine gun.... Don't let you a second. (and the sound of the machine gun is just awesome! )

[Fire for Effect]

Sm laser and MG are essentially free dmg tries. ammo is plenty and no heat respectively very little heat generated. small lasers and MGs are great if you run hot and if someone was nice enough to previously open the tin can in front of you if Armor has been breached in several locations some MGs on your mech are pretty great shotgun like tries for the weakspots.

And in TT these were great against conventional scum on the battlefield only few things are as effective as MGs against entrenched Infantry.

So I hope some hover tanks and infantry will join us on the field (as pets or commander options...) suddenly MGs are very useful...