46 replies to this topic

[sam wesson]

Ok, I have been trying to figure out how to ask this question.

What is the best lurm boat?

Balancing
speed 15%
firepower 30%
durability 20%
mobility 20%
self defense 15%

I have been driving the Archers and I am happy. Tried the Stalker 3H, useless but once in while.

According to my stats the Archer 2R is by far the winner. Win/Loss 1.61, K/D 1.71, avg match dmg 450'ish (peak 1182). The other Archers have better K/D ratios, much better actually. But the W/L ratios are weak.

So, what is the best lurm boat?

Thank you for your kind consideration.

Edited by sam wesson, 08 March 2017 - 10:32 AM.

[Tarl Cabot]

The pilot first, then fast heavies or meds for IS mechs. Always bring backup weapons such as 2x SRM4/6 if only missile hardpoints. IS LRMS have a min range of 180m. No damage under 180m. Stay with the group and/or under 400-500m, so the target has less time to react to lrm incoming warning.

Edited by Tarl Cabot, 07 March 2017 - 07:20 PM.

[Robinhood78]

Tarl Cabot, on 07 March 2017 - 07:19 PM, said:

The pilot first, then fast heavies or meds for IS mechs. Always bring backup weapons such as 2x SRM4/6 if only missile hardpoints. IS LRMS have a min range of 180m. No damage under 180m. Stay with the group and/or under 400-500m, so the target has less time to react to lrm incoming warning.

This is probably the best possible answer to a question people don't want to hear.

I can only add this, get your own locks, bring TAG if you can. It will help you focus on getting your own locks and to keep moving just like everyone else. LRM boats should not be turrets. Effective ones fire at half max range or less and keep moving.

[Tier5 Kerensky]

Here are my stats in spoilers at the bottom of message.
https://mwomercs.com...26#entry5639426

So I would say Archer 5W and Warhawk-B are best.

I've ran Summoner with 5 missile hardpoints too because it has rather high spread quirks, but Summoner seemed more of a hit or miss mech. I like the average results better. My Summoner stats don't mean anything because I've had it with very different configs, unlike Archer, Warhawk and Stalker. And Stalker definetly doesn't work as LRM boat. I don't know why I have so bad results with Mad Dogs, those were my first mechs I did well, and I did a lot of lurming, but I've set them mostly aside. Mad Dogs can also run nice with Streaks, if you want to go punish light mechs.

With 9 missile hardpoints Archer doesn't really need any defense, you just win by dealing enough damage to the enemy team. Warhawk goes okey with few medium lasers or possibly two ER-L. But with Archer I don't shy from taking little bit damage to get good locks, with Warhack I try to avoid contanct as much as possible.

I think one Cyclops is pretty good too, the one with 7 missile hardpoints, but I haven't tried it.

[Tilakkam]

Supernova-A with lrm80artemis +4meds is devastator but she is "too hot for you"

Edited by Tilakkam, 08 March 2017 - 01:26 AM.

[aGentleWarrior]

This is my best LRM boat, 41 matches so far:

AWS-8R

Runs a little hot, but statwise it is even my most successfull assault if not most succesfull mech:

win ratio: 1.73
K/D ratio: 2.10
avg damage:499

(should i mention it is not even elited didn't buy a 3rd awesome and wait for new skilltree)


the cyclops mentioned seems better with srms for me since somehow its payload feels weak

Edited by aGentleWarrior, 08 March 2017 - 01:02 AM.

[Shu Horus]

Teer Kerensky, on 07 March 2017 - 11:01 PM, said:

...with Warhack I try to avoid contanct as much as possible.

I think one Cyclops is pretty good too, the one with 7 missile hardpoints, but I haven't tried it.

And here it starts where you are getting ineffective/pretty useless for your team: 15 t of armor, that are desperately needed on the frontline, trying "to avoid contact as much as possible".

Only good LRM-Boats are the ones that work independently. Getting locks on their own, tagging on their own and move on their own. If you are just a stationary turret in the backround and are dependant on other teammates doing your job for you, your lurming is not only weakening your team, you are also making yourself vulnarable for the exact kind like yourself on the opponents side.

Lurmers attract other Lurmers, only do so in a Mech that can effectly use cover and change position. So instead of findig something with a ridiculous amount of Missile hardpoints, find a Mech that fits the role in EVERY aspect.
Everything with a movement capability below 60 kph is to slow, ECM helps a lot, Slots for backupweapons and a TAG.

Easy calculation for self reflection: if you are carrying 2000 LRMs and happen to run out of them and finish games with less than 1000 dmg - YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG !

[Rogue Jedi]

disclamer, the conclusions below are from my ingame experiance, as you are not me what works for me may not work for you

if you are after lots of missiles in an assualt Mech, and you are going to have a group with a dedicated spotter then the Battlemaster 1S is, in my experiance, the best LRM boat, it has 4 missile hardpoints and 4 energy hardpoints, I usualy go LRM+A 2 each 10 and 15, 3 ML and a TAG

if you are after playing with your own locks at medium range then I find the Mad Dog with 6 Clan ALRM5, 4 ERML and a TAG to be the most effective, if chainfired they focus most of the damage on the enemy CT ^{(as opposed to sandblasting the whole Mech if alphaed)}, this build kills Mechs rather than just stripping armor, and becomes even more effective if you can hold your TAG on the targets, however it does require some face time, so you want to be behind the front but still fairly close to the enemy with line of sight prefered range is 200-500m,.

if you are after playing solo queue then you need to be prepared to get your own locks, or spend months memorising every maps terain so you can understand if your missiles will hit when fired without line of sight

any "what is best" is a highly subjective question and you will probably get 20 diferant answers

[The Basilisk]

Despite the fact I drive Mechs with LRMs myself from time to time (never boats though) the best LRMs are those you leave out of the game.

Regarding your dmg...well depends if you are firing with sight line or arty style.

If sightline divide your dmg by 3 and you get the relevant dmg leading to a possible kill.

For indirekt fire divide by 4 due to increased spread.
(Yea I know that you cant see that but after YEARS of testing this still is a sorry fact and the bigger the laucher the more ammunition you are constantly blowing to nirvana without effect)

Therefore your main purpose is to annoy the enemy and you should use mechs that don't hurt your team when they are mostly utillity ones.

Medium IS mediums can do this best by lurking among your main group shadowing bigger mechs firing over their heads. The best thing is you can't do teamdamage. Bring always some backup weapons too.

[Burning2nd]

Cptl-A1(C)

6 lrm 5's with Artemis
command module
384/422 armor (standard, double, endo)
xl300

if you want to know how to make a tag obsolete thats how you do it
adv target decay
lrm 5 cool down
lrm 5 range
radar derp....


Thats how you build a fast nimble missile boat, thats able to move and re-position when needed..

Its mobile artillery it holds longs very long.. the missile speed and accuracy *dont quote me but i think this is the fastest settep..

Its also one of the only 2 mechs that only has missile hard points... so your gonna have to figure out how to work that thing.. it takes a special type of piloting skills

Edited by Burnin2nd, 08 March 2017 - 04:11 AM.

[aGentleWarrior]

...well...

LRM range module? I find firing beyond lets say 650m not so effective, i do it only when i have many many tons of ammo...

[Burning2nd]

wow just looked at my stats for my missle boat,

matches play 1323
win to loss 1.32
kill ratio 1.82
damage done 543,876
xp earned 2,309 395

days played.... 5 days 22:03:26

starting to think i might now how to boat

[Burning2nd]

aGentleWarrior, on 08 March 2017 - 04:16 AM, said:

...well...

LRM range module? I find firing beyond lets say 650m not so effective,

this is true, Im carrying 2200 rounds of lrm 5 so if i do run out of ammo i did my job,
the missile boat isnt about doing damage all the time... It can be about suppresive shelling
directional indication (for the team mates who dont know whats going on )
and it can be a intimidation factor... Im able to really spew them out.. and the rate at which they come makes a difference 2...

yeah we all know a lrm 40 hit will do much more damage... but how often does that savo actually hit the target with 100%

[Rogue Jedi]

Burnin2nd, on 08 March 2017 - 04:11 AM, said:

Its also one of the only 2 mechs that only has missile hard points... so your gonna have to figure out how to work that thing.. it takes a special type of piloting skills

I think you may have meant only 2 heavy mechs with no weapon hardpoints which are not for missiles
there are 4 Battlemechs which only have missile hardpoints;
Jenner Oxide JR7-O
Jenner IIC, JR7-IIC
Catapult A1, CPLT-A1 and CPLT-A1(C)
Archer 5W, ARC-5W

Burnin2nd, on 08 March 2017 - 04:19 AM, said:

yeah we all know a lrm 40 hit will do much more damage... but how often does that savo actually hit the target with 100%

my findings are that 5/6 LRM5s chainfired do more damage in the same time than an LRM40 salvo, and kills the target much quicker because you are cycling faster than an LRM20 and all of your missiles hit ^{(rarely happens with firing two LRM20s together the spread is such that missiles tend to miss wide even against some assualt Mechs)} provided you pick your target properly.

[Burning2nd]

and picking up your target part brings me to the command counsel and the advance target decay,

@ 1000m i can fire 2 more volleys of 30' @ a target after ive lost visual and connect those 2 volleys

[sam wesson]

To the few of you who responded with actual mech suggestions.

Teer Kerensky
Tilakkam
aGentleWarrior
Burnin2nd
Rogue Jedi

KUDOS. Nice and thank you.

As a side note. Burnin2nd showed us all something in his reaction to his own stats in his lurm boat.

Thanks again.

[S 0 L E N Y A]

Hey Sam, long time no see.

ok, I will begrudgingly admit that once in a while I will take an Archer 2R lurm boat. It is more for nostalgia than anything else.

it has 3x LRM10a, 5x ML, Tag, and BAP.

It does have positive stats all the way around, but I do honestly believe if I played it "regularly" its stats would start to tank out because: LRMS.


Also, never let the inflated damage stats of LRMs (Streaks too) fool you into thinking you have a real monster on your hands. Recall, LRMs and streaks spread damage considerably, and a lot of the damage they do is not horribly useful.

[sam wesson]

Boogie138, on 08 March 2017 - 02:39 PM, said:

Hey Sam, long time no see.

ok, I will begrudgingly admit that once in a while I will take an Archer 2R lurm boat. It is more for nostalgia than anything else.

it has 3x LRM10a, 5x ML, Tag, and BAP.

It does have positive stats all the way around, but I do honestly believe if I played it "regularly" its stats would start to tank out because: LRMS.


Also, never let the inflated damage stats of LRMs (Streaks too) fool you into thinking you have a real monster on your hands. Recall, LRMs and streaks spread damage considerably, and a lot of the damage they do is not horribly useful.

Hey Boogie, good to hear from you. Love to fight beside you again.

I hear what you're saying. It's just that my numbers and game enjoyment are much higher when I am serving aerial death. When I compare my after game reports the Arc 2R stands out. Especially the avg match score. Which means I must be supporting my team pretty good. The damage numbers are better in the Kodiak 3. But the Kod doesn't get me the match scores for support. High damage numbers are not enough. (oh noes, he didn't say that did he) In MWO you get rewarded for helping the team. Lurms boats do that better than brawlers. At least that what it seems like. And to be honest, the Archer seems to get more kills than the Kod

More specifically.
W/L K/D
Archer 2R 1.61 1.71
Archer 5S 1.00 2.37
Archer 5W 1.00 2.14
Tempest 0.65 1.55
Kodiak 3 1.38 1.88

Yes, I am sure that Boogie's numbers are much, much better. In my defense, I am still tier 4, and I did get 65th place in the Kodiak wars.

Boogie, my point is that the Archer 2R is working for me. If you look at the numbers, the 5S kicks but. Bu the team scores are lower. When I drive the 2R my team is likely to win. I enjoy wining.

So, back to the original question. Is there a better lurm boat? I'd like your opinion.

I tried a couple of mechs with real quirks. Like the Stalker 3H. But the Stalker is really bad at self defense. In the solo que you have to be mobile.

Anyway, it's late.

[justcallme A S H]

Best LRM boat?

Awesome 8R on IS.
WHK/Highlander on Clan

[sam wesson]

justcallme A S H, on 08 March 2017 - 08:39 PM, said:

Best LRM boat?

Awesome 8R on IS.
WHK/Highlander on Clan

Cool, those are some real nice lrm 15 quirks on the Awesome.

It can carry 4 LRM 15's with an XL 250 and 13 tons left over.
3 tons to Med Lasers, one ton to BAP 9 tons ammo.