80 replies to this topic

[AntiSqueaker]

Out of the three "boats" we have- the Trebuchet, Catapult, and Stalker, I have to say it seems like a pretty even match.


Trebuchet can get up to 100 km/h with an XL300, and has the same punch as a Catapult. Will be the "best" support fire mech for a mobile team, or for larger maps that you need to shift positions on. Can also mount JJs with -1 LRM-15 on the 5J, or keep both LRM-15s and upgrade to Endo-Steel and XL engine and keep the JJs. It's going to be a very hard mech to pin down, but might run into ammo problems from only having 50 tons to play with for reloads.

Catapult is the basic missile boat. Has Jump Jets standard, and enough Medium Lasers to defend itself well enough in close quarters. It looks like it will be fairly manuverable, but will get outclassed movement-wise by the Trebby. Has a lot of tonnage to play with to get plenty of reloads for its LRMs, and has a lot more armor than the Trebuchet. Can't move nearly as fast as the Trebuchet though.

Stalker is a hard, slow missile boat. It's not going to be able to move much at all, but with the possibility of 4 LRM-15's, you might not need to. I think the Stalker 3H is the best LRM variant because it still keeps the dual SRM-6s and 4 medium lasers for close range defense, and can still push up if it needs to. However this thing is going to be SLOOOOW. Good positioning and map awareness is going to be KEY to playing a LRM Stalker, because it will take you a while to reposition yourself, and if you get caught out in the open, enemies can easily overwhelm you.


tl;dr theres no "best" missile boat, all of them have benefits/drawbacks that make them all good for different roles.

[Kartr]

Well I whipped this up for a fellow a few months back and with 7 tons of ammo it can easily afford to loose a couple and replace them with something else. Anyway here it is (I took the 3F and customized it hence the xM):

Stalker STK-3FxM said:

Mass: 85 tons
Tech Base: Inner Sphere
Chassis Config: Biped
Rules Level: Tournament Legal
Era: Succession Wars
Tech Rating/Era Availability: E/X-F-E
Production Year: 3049
Cost: 16,382,860 C-Bills
Battle Value: 1,638

Chassis: Standard
Power Plant: 255 Fusion XL Engine
Walking Speed: 32.4 km/h
Maximum Speed: 54.0 km/h
Jump Jets: None
Jump Capacity: 0 meters
Armor: Standard Armor
Armament:
4 LRM-20s
2 Medium Lasers
1 Guardian ECM Suite


================================================================================
Equipment Type Rating Mass
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internal Structure: Standard 130 points 8.50
Engine: XL Fusion Engine 255 6.50
Walking MP: 3
Running MP: 5
Jumping MP: 0
Heat Sinks: Double Heat Sink 13(26) 3.00
Heat Sink Locations: 1 LT, 1 RT, 1 LA
Gyro: Standard 3.00
Cockpit: Standard 3.00
Actuators: L: SH+UA R: SH+UA
Armor: Standard Armor AV - 152 9.50

BattleForce Statistics
MV S (+0) M (+2) L (+4) E (+6) Wt. Ov Armor: 5 Points: 16
3 1 1 0 0 4 0 Structure: 4
Special Abilities: ECM, SRCH, ES, SEAL, SOA, LRM 2/5/5, IF 5

Edited by Kartr, 20 July 2012 - 04:53 PM.

[Freakiie]

Well I think JJs will be pretty useful. Take the Frozen City map for example, there are quite a few high up builings. If you can jump on top of those they'd make for excellent platforms to snipe from, move to the edge, shoot and retreat back out of LoS. Would probably be a major pain in the *** to shoot a mech when he's up there.

In general higher ground is more advantageous than lower ground and what's the easiest way to reach higher ground? JJs.

[JFlash49]

LOOOOOOOOOOOONG BOW

[BrokenDog]

Dvinn and AntiSqueaker have covered this subject quite nicely from existing MWO and the dateline available TT view points.
Lovely stuff!
Archer, Crusader or Goliath would make me smile.
As previously stated, for the LRM mech at this time we have Trebuchet, Catapult and Stalker.
Take your pick and adjust to suit your individual style of play!
We're all different!!!

[Xune]

Of the Mechs Anounced i would Say its a close call between the Catapult and the Stalker.

From all the mechs Aviable ever. hmmm Vulture or Longbow ?

[Shadowscythe]

lol, I can't believe no one has said this....It is the Commando of course..

put it at 7/11 with
2 LRM 5 with 3 tons ammo total and a medium laser.
ECM and AMS (1 ton ammo)
4 tons ferro armor

Of course that is with XL engine and endo also

OR
ditch all but the medium laser, and take a LRM 15 with 3 tons of ammo

OR

ditch the AMS and ECM and put it up to a 9/14 with double heatsinks and another half ton of armor
(the first one has singles for crit space)

As a 7/11+ speed you would only need to worry about scouts and speed spec mediums being able to keep up with you
Nothing with an AC20 should be able to get near you

Edited by Shadowscythe, 23 July 2012 - 06:55 AM.

[Soviet Alex]

Actually, that has potential. The Jenner can only carry an LRM-10, unless it's got some other missile hardpoints hidden away. A Commando with an LRM-15 & 24 salvoes will run out of ammo within a couple of minutes. But it then uses the speed to scout & spot. Even if it isn't much help after the missiles run out, your team is only 25 tons down.

I might give it a go next month.

[Congzilla]

Dervish and Archer and neither have been announced

[Haitchpeasauce]

Best LRM mech.

[MustrumRidcully]

Well, the heaviest mech with the most missile hard points spread across the most hit locations is probably the best.

Currently that might be the Stalker.

Metagaming-Wise, however: If you bring a Stalker, the enemy will get another Assault, which could also be an ECM using Atlas DDC or a Dual AMS using Atlas-K...). The Catapult may be a better choice then. There are two variants with at least 4 missile slots. On can use lasers as side weapon, the others is pure missile boat, so you can decide whether you want to be a pureboat or have some defense for shorter range.

On the Medium level, you could use a Hunchback 4J or 4SP. The 4J is better if you want big LRMs, the 4SP has only 6 tubes per missile launcher, so anything bigger than LRM5s will lead to automatically staggered shot, which make your LRMs easier to intercept with AMS. (The 4J has the disadvantage that all your missiles sit in one torso location, so if enemies get close, you might use your missiles early. But if they get close to your missile boat, you are in trouble by default.)

[Havyek]

AntiSqueaker, on 20 July 2012 - 04:38 PM, said:

Stalker is a hard, slow missile boat. It's not going to be able to move much at all, but with the possibility of 4 LRM-15's, you might not need to. I think the Stalker 3H is the best LRM variant because it still keeps the dual SRM-6s and 4 medium lasers for close range defense, and can still push up if it needs to. However this thing is going to be SLOOOOW. Good positioning and map awareness is going to be KEY to playing a LRM Stalker, because it will take you a while to reposition yourself, and if you get caught out in the open, enemies can easily overwhelm you.

*cough*

Mine has 5.




With Artemis

[Ewigan]

someone with a stooopid picture casted thread necormancy.
and you guys are falling for it.

back in july the stalker was just an announced mech, not something playable

[Kaldor]

Awesome 8R with 4 ALRM15s and 2 ML, TAG, and BAP. I think it will carry 10 tons of ammo. 60 missiles an alpha. Decent heat. Ive also run the same mech with 2 ALRM15s, 2 ASRM4s, TAG, BAP, and 2 LL, and its pretty effective. Not sure fast though thats for sure.

The Cat is still a great LRM boat and the bonus of it is that with the current matchmaking system your not facing another Atlas. I still like the A1 with 6 ALRM5s, but the C1 is probably a better mech overall.

[SixPrime]

Best LRM boat is Stalker STK-5M, imo.

I've not used it in a long time but it was something like :
- 2x LRM20
- 2x LRM15
- 4x medium lasers
- TAG
- Artemis (not 100% sure about this one)
Don't remember the rest.

Tons of damage, it works well with a LOS against ECM teams combined with your TAG/Artemis, and it's always funny when some light/med mechs come at you thinking you don't have anything else than LRM, and then with 4x med lasers it's enough to shoot once or twice at them before they switch to another target

[Craftyman]

The best LRM boat is the Atlas D-DC so you can be an even more useless piece of **** by wasting an atlas slot

[King Arthur IV]

butches a stalker and go 5 lrm20. use your shots wisely.

[Yakui]

Hey guys, nice to meet ya all.

I joined MWO a few weeks back, first mech I bought was the Cat-C1, but dear lord seeing the trebuchet come out makes me bleed tears of jealousy.

LRM Catapults just became obsolete, apart from maybe the C4. A faster mech with the same damage output for slightly less ammo? Feels like a slap in the face. Of course, they'll get better when I fit an XL engine I'm sure.

Not to mention LRM boats always have problems with ECM unless you can fit a TAG and that takes away from your MLas. Of course, you can always brawl-- that generally ensures you get more direct hits anyway but if that's the case why are they called LRMs and not MRMs?

Stalker and Atlas LRM boats are still viable though, Stalker because of the sheer amount of LRMs and Atlas because of the ECM. So far the only thing the catapult series has going for it is the ridiculous turning speed, which you don't really need for using LRMs.

I'd suggest a buff to catapults or at least the artemis FCS and BAP, or even give them some kind of ECCM module.

Well, that's just the opinion of a newbie anyway.

Edited by Yakui, 21 February 2013 - 10:20 AM.

[jrgong]

Where is the "None; Lrms are for noobs" option?

[Natasha Kerensky]

Timber Wolf.

2x LRM-20
2x ER Large Lasers
2x ER Medium Lasers
1x Medium Pulse
2x Machine Guns

86.4 KPH

Enemies Crying.