10 replies to this topic

[vVaeVictusv]

I tend to be a good Heavy and Assault driver. However i've a feeling i did well driving my heavies/assaults due to me being in Tier 3/4. Now that i'm in T2 my current Stormcrow run hasnt been up to the level of badassery as i was in the past. I went with Stormcrow over HBKIIC, even though i love the Hunchie, i'm short on bays so once im done eliting 3 Crows i can sell all but one, and then move on.

I did do real good while in the trial Stormcrows awhile back, with its 5 MPL loadout, racking up mad kills (3 KDR), but that was back during T4, and now that i've scraped up enough scratch to buy a few Stormcrows to try different loadouts things aren't working.

I'm typically a dakka ***** when in heavy/assault mechs, and usually do well with the Trial HBKIIC, but i wanted to try something different and stay away from my clan UAC crutch. Also want to stay away from LPL/ER ML spam too, just too boring, albeit very effective when i was running heavies.

Lurming is amusing but in T2 its suicide
Big Streak racks take too long to reload
Boating SRMs dont work for me too well cuz my SRM timing is off
ER PPCs i suck aiming them too
Boating MPLs arent as good as it used to be due to better pilots able to hit me from longer range
Boating ER SLs/SPLs ditto above

I know i'm limiting my loadouts, but i cant seem to make the jump in "diversifying" my game. I tried the whole, "hang back and wait for the big brawl" tactic, but too often the game gets decided before both sides brawl. Usually when im in a big mech, i can help determine where and when the big brawl goes down. Since i'm in a medium, i cant lead the way without getting vaporized too fast, also i'm not comfortable ordering other pilots into a breach if i'm not the tip of spearhead. I mean if i'm in my FAtlas and scream for people to follow me in, PUGs tend to do so, in my Stormcrow... yea not so much.

T2 tend to have better shots, but they seem so skittish to taking damage that so many times they dont take advantage of obvious weakspots. Also more sniper builds from what i see. And oddly, they communicate less so far... they dont seem to use VOIP much. It kinda sucks how im seeing less teamplay in higher Tiers.

[Pariah Devalis]

vVaeVictusv, on 26 October 2016 - 01:23 PM, said:

Lurming is amusing but in T2 its suicide
Big Streak racks take too long to reload
Boating SRMs dont work for me too well cuz my SRM timing is off
ER PPCs i suck aiming them too
Boating MPLs arent as good as it used to be due to better pilots able to hit me from longer range
Boating ER SLs/SPLs ditto above

I mean... part of the problem is you are preemptively keeping yourself from improving with certain weapons by choosing not to use them. Specifically the ERPPC and SRM timing. Brawling isn't easy, either, since you also need to work on positioning and relying on the team to be aggressive in public matches. You also left out Gauss, which is a very solid loadout option for Clans. Gauss and 3-5 ERMLas is usable and effective in a wide variety of omnis, including the Stormcrow.

The Mechwarrior Academy actually has a shooting gallery with moving mechs. I'd recommend using that to get the timing for Gauss and ERPPC, actually.

Edited by Pariah Devalis, 26 October 2016 - 01:29 PM.

[vVaeVictusv]

Oh yea i know, i definitely screwed the pooch on not getting better with those weapons when i was in lower Tiers. When i was driving a FAtlas, i didnt notice my SRM aim being garbage mostly due to fighting enemy slow mechs who are easy to hit. However in a Stormcrow where i should be FEASTING on eating small mechs, i just cant consistently hit the buggers with standard SRMs.

My situational awareness is good, honed from driving assaults (oh **** theyre NASCARing!!!) and knowing where the crowd is going, and when and where to push when advantage presented itself. I'm a good enough brawler where i'm comfortable twisting, tanking, and aiming for weakpoints while getting hit. Oddly when driving Clan heavies the added speed and DPS made my standard game style shine. Adding more speed is just not translating with my new Stormcrow, despite my warload/DPS not taking that huge of a hit (just gotta switch from dakka to more lazers and SRMs).

Lone gauss with an ER ML battery doesnt seem like it has synergy. As well as the added difficulty of the charge up, which i sadly have not mastered.

In retrospect, i shoulda gotten a Shad Cat, use that ECM crutch to get gud with the weapon systems i'm weak in.

Heh i totally forgot the academy had a shooting gallery, yea thats a nice no pressure place to practice.

[maimaimi]

I like packing 2LPL and 1 gauss if I am bringing one

once the LPL have finished firing the c-gaus is good to go (not really useful for SRC due to weight but meh)

[Black Lanner]

I have no idea about commenting on the Tier 2 play, but yeah, I am with Pariah on this... I have my Shadow Cat and Night Gyr that I am working on Mastering... I was steering clear of Gauss because of the charge time being a wonky thing to become used to, and I steer clear of Ultra ACs because I do not like giving face time unless there is an assault that is taking the aggro.

I keep holding the Gauss too long trying to hit a specific location, but the builds that work with the Night Gyr best for my playstyle (poptarting) are PPC/Gauss combo... then the Night Gyr UAC5 Dakka builds are just really scary... if I don't pick these up and learn, I am doing myself a disservice and limiting my in game potential...

My ERLL Sniper Cat is my best 'Mech, mostly because lower tier PUG does not seem to have much in the way of extreme long range that is not LRMs, Next I want to build a Splat Cat, still on the fence for a third variant... Might cop out and just rebuild which ever I like more between the Sniper or Splat on a different CT...

[Bassie]

So do the tiers make that much of a difference? I noticed nothing going form 4 to 3...

It may be the case that they communicate less because they are on teamspeak instead of the in-game voice?

Have you tried long range sniper (3x erll) on the stormcrow? If you can do it with scat, Ma be it would work. You have the hard points to mix it up too- 2 erlland 4 erml (need to manage heat though).

I dropped with a unit into higher tier games and struggled a bit but the scat with streaks was my best build - tended to finish mechs off and hunt lights. (3 streak6's with range and cooldown modules, target decay and 360 - the modules make a big difference to this mech).

[Bazni]

The Stormcrow is fragile. Unlike the clan heavies and assaults which you've been driving, the Stormcrow cannot take trades over time. It can't hill-hump with any advantage, and it's only 55 tons so its arms have low armor for side-peeking trades. It can be an effective rear-rank support mech due to its FANTASTIC convergence with the energy hardpoints in the torsos (you can shoot through holes about 10 ft wide, which is tiny - this means no friendly fire when your teammates feather right in front of you, which is a 2-way swing! ), but it shines as a flanker.

As examples, it can pinpoint 2 ppcs or 3 erlls really well, and those can be fun builds (with enough small lasers as backup for the inevitable close encounter), but my favorite right now is 3 er mls in the middle torsos with 4 spls on each arm. The 3 er mls you can poke with at medium range until it's brawling or flanking time, and then the 8 spls fired in groups of 4 just shred over time. The spl is the dominant energy weapon in its range, so take advantage of your speed to exploit the weapon. Use the speed of the stormcrow to get behind and wolfpack with some lights. If you can support a heavy flanker or get a few lights to support you, you will have a great time. If you are really good at closing, try 5-6 spls on each side and fire each side in its own group. It's devastating. As a reference, I'm tactically strong but a **** gunner on T2, so YMMV.

Edited by Bazni, 07 November 2016 - 09:21 AM.

[xe N on]

The SCR is the most best medium clan omnimech and one of the top 3 mediums mechs overall.

Best builds:
5 C-ERML + 1 C-ERLPL
1 Gauss + 4 C-ERML

The problem is: it suffer the problems of all mediums: it is not as fast as a light, but better armed. However, it is not as much armed as a heavy, but slightly more mobile. Mediums combine moderate agility with moderate firepower and armor. Therefore, I would say you need more skill to play a medium than you need to play a heavy.

As medium you are not frontline. You are fire support or mid range harasser. Stay next to the group, stay mobile, try to flank without to separate too much from the group.

Never ever fight "fair". Never engage a direct trade off with many mech, not even with other mediums. You only attack if you are sure that you have the positional advantage and that you won't be hit by much counter fire.

Look for heavies or assaults. Stick on them and go out of cover and attack at the same moment as them. You won't be focused very likely if there is a larger target next to you.

Edited by xe N on, 07 November 2016 - 09:23 AM.

[Kuaron]

Recently I tested a fun build with 2 LRAM10 + 3 SSRM6.
Being said, I like neither LRMs in general nor the streak crow (tested earlier) in particular. The build I liked most was LB20X+SRMs, but the LRM + streak one actually did work.

[S 0 L E N Y A]

Stormcrow "Fastlas"

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...debcc89376d303d

LBX20, 3x SRM6 and a dead side.

Is it good? Kinda... but man is this thing fun!

[Kuaron]

This is about what I am speaking of. ^^
One can even try to squeeze in a fourth SRM6. You don't live long, your ammo doesn't last, but you don't need either to do your damage.