45 replies to this topic

[Stefan the Usurper Amaris]

So some time ago i came across a thread regarding the Victor being poor. Lately i found myself upgrading my heavies to fast speeds. Trying to keep up with the heavy clan omnimechs. So yes, i use XL engines. I do not pilot clan mechs, only IS mechs.

Anyways i got to toying with the idea of the Victor using the 400XL @80 tons. Now for those who are familiar with BT lore, this reminds me of the 80 ton Charger with 5 small lasers but of course the Victor does not have all those energy hard points. The VTR-DS is the only chassis that can use the 400XL. So im debating if i want to spend the necessary MC to obtain one.

The load out i typically use on most my heavies is an LB10X and LPL. I generally use my heavies as heavy harasser, not a brawler. I tend to engage when i see my lance mates engaged with greater opposition, most times i am able to draw the attention. However my play style has served me well.

So, the Victor, speedy assault with ample firepower to draw attention and yet escape/elude unwanted fire. I think i can pull this off. I'll have beefier armor than most heavies at least. Still toying with the idea just not sure if im ready to spend the MC yet.

[FupDup]

If you really want to try it out, do NOT use MC. Buying non-hero mechs for MC is generally a bad deal as it is, and a mediocre mech only makes that deal worse.

[Stefan the Usurper Amaris]

But only way to get the VTR-DS is by MC only, if it was available for C-Bills i would =/

[FupDup]

Stefan the Usurper Amaris, on 02 November 2016 - 09:25 PM, said:

But only way to get the VTR-DS is by MC only, if it was available for C-Bills i would =/

Oops, I missed that part.

Frankly, for the "Fat Heavy" role, an XL400 is a bit overkill. The engine cap of the regular variants is 385, which puts you at nearly the speed of a Clan heavy (83.8 kph vs. 87.1).

[Stefan the Usurper Amaris]

I wouldnt say overkill really, it just puts it at the right speed for its weight. See, im a former TT player and either a 320 or 400 rated engine is used. Unlike PGIs method of variable engine options. Even worse, many of the IS mechs are capped but not at the full potential engine speeds that they are capable of. So the VTR-DS is the closest to being true Lore.

The Dragon OTOH allows the use of 360 rated engines, making this true lore build, same thing with the Quickdraw except for one chassis.

[N0ni]

Save yourself the MC and spare the struggle that will ensue, you really don't want a Victor.

Battlemasters are what you're looking for. A fast, tanky assault with impressive firepower to boot.

[Y E O N N E]

As long as we're talking about 80 ton badmobiles, the Gargoyle turns the Victor into a pinata. If the Victor could at least mount SRMs that would fire properly, it might be somewhat okay if not actually decent, but it can't. So instead, you get all the face time with your big, explodey XL in that nice, broad chest.

[El Bandito]

Yep, if you want fast Assault, get Gargles instead. Victor is bad.

[Stefan the Usurper Amaris]

Thank you all for your input, getting a Gargoyle is a no, its clan. I only pilot IS mechs

[Mycrus]

Stefan the Usurper Amaris, on 02 November 2016 - 09:25 PM, said:

But only way to get the VTR-DS is by MC only, if it was available for C-Bills i would =/

Back in the day i ran victors with xl340s... ppl dont expect it and target your ct anyway

[Spheroid]

The Victor is garbage. Get a Battlemaster.

[Cabusha3]

Playing a Victor is playing this game on hard mode. And the Dragon Slayer is the worst variant. It was released during the peak of Gauss+PPC Jump-Sniper meta, BEFORE the JJ nerf. It has a lower arm actuator, so can't rock an AC-20. The DS is literally a trap.

The normal Victors can perform okay in Tier V or Tier IV if you play it as a very large medium. XL350 + AC20 + 2LPLs is about the best you can do these days and make it work.

Edited by Cabusha3, 02 November 2016 - 11:36 PM.

[627]

Even the awesome is better than the victor and if you now some MWO history, that really means something.

However, keep in mind some numbers. You're only 5 tons heavier than the best heavies, thats like half a ton armor more? And look how fast those go down.
Next the top speed, with XL400 it is 87.1kph tweaked, with XL385 (max for the other variants) it is 83.8kph so no big difference. Actually you want the XL375 as max engine anyway so you can take all variants.

If you ever want to mount missiles don't forget this chassis is one of the few with *very* limited tube count so you can't even make a splat build. I'm not aware of any mech in this class that is limited to 2 tubes on a missile hardpoint, even the X-5 got 20 tubes and those hardpoints where SRM2s.

Finally, the only thing that makes the Victor unique are the jumpjets.The good thing is those are only 1 ton each and not 2 like other assaults. The bad thing is, those aren't jumpjets you want. Hoverjets is the name of the game, sadly.

Overall, don't buy the Dragon Slayer. Waste some cbills on the B(AC20) or K (3xE-Hardpoints) and look how it works for you. But don't get high hopes.

Every class has a top and a bottom performer and right now the victor is considered the worst assault. There are some builds that work but *work* is what you have to do with those, don't expect easy wins. Especially not with an XL in this wide mech.

[Bradigus]

If you are dead set on picking up the Victors, there are a few builds you can pull off on them. Like some have said, you need to play it like a morbidly obese heavy, more akin to the Night Gyr than anything else. However, it is still unfairly hobbled by missile tube limitations, forcing it to take inadequate amounts of SRM's or be forced to stare at enemies as it chain fires small clusters of missiles ineffectively. It's large engine capacity is also bit of a honeytrap as the drastic increase in tonnage for anything above the 300 rating starts cutting into your available weapons payload, which is not that impressive on the Victor to begin with.

The Dragon Slayer runs either Gauss + 3x LPL or Gauss + 2x PPC + 2x SRM6 & SRM4 rather nicely.

The VTR-9B is great as either 2x UAC5 + 2x LPL or 2x UAC5 + 2x PPC.

The VTR-9S would probably be one of the more viable variants, as it CAN mount the AC20 + 3x SRM6+Artemis brawler combo with a respectable XL350 engine. However, missile tubes. Now it's unusable.

The VTR-9K is a fun Dragon Slayer lite. It's got the same basic hardpoint counts, only it's weapons are spread between the arms. The same 3x ERLL/ LL + Gauss or Gauss + 2x PPC apply here, as on the dragon slayer you're essentially paying for the opportunity cost of having a right sided loadout with better weapon convergence.

With those said, as soon as PGI fixes the missile tube limitation on the Victor, the 9S would become considerably more popular as a fast, jump capable brawler.

[Charronn]

Victors are trash and even with a standard are very easy to take down.With an xl well have fun being cored in 2 volleys.Trust me it's that bad.
Save yourself the time and effort and try something better such as a Stalker or Battlemaster.

[kesmai]

#victorsdomatter

[MechWarrior849305]

kesmai, on 03 November 2016 - 01:24 AM, said:

#victorsadomaster

FFY

[Chados]

I have a VTR-DS that I run with AC10, XL330, 2xLPL, 4 jets, BAP (to farm ECM Counter points), and maximum armor. Corner poke, run range modules for the LPLs, don't brawl, and think in three dimensions. I play mine like an oversized Phoenix Hawk. If only it could jump like one! It's not the best but I don't find it as useless as many do.

[kesmai]

MechWarrior849305, on 03 November 2016 - 02:43 AM, said:

FFY

Kek

[Escef]

You are better off with a BattleMaster or Zeus. Both can go fairly fast with a big engine and have variants with generous energy hardpoints.

EDIT: The ZEU-9S has 6 energy hardpoints and can handle up to a 390 engine (84.9 kph after speed tweak), while BattleMasters can have up to 8 energy hardpoints (the 3M) and can handle a 400 engine (81.9 kph after tweak).

Edited by Escef, 03 November 2016 - 03:41 AM.