7 replies to this topic

[Audacious Aubergine]

So the first wave of Resistance heroes drop in a couple weeks, and now without the Rule of Three^TM I can finally actually consider getting a Zeus and/or Mauler without also having to budget for two more. So the usual question - are either of them going to be worth it?
A MASC capable Zeus seems like it'll be fun - I'll drop the PPC to a LL and drop the SRMs down to 4s so I can go full pepper spray and replace the AC5 with an LB-10x, and probably swap that ML for a TAG.
As for the Mauler I'd probably run that mostly stock - if anything I'll drop the LRMs down to 15s and take the engine up to a 300.

[Fang01]

Zeus SK is a friggin blast if you were a relatively decent light/med pilot

[Aggravated Assault Mech]

I bought the Skokomish, Knockout and Kaiju.

I really like the Knockout the most, but then the Mauler is one of my favorite chassis.

I'm running two LB10X and four ASRM4s on a 315 STD. 4t of ammo for the LBX and 2t of ammo for the SRMs. Full speed tweak, full defense tree, double arty strike and then the rest of the points into the ballistic side of the firepower tree. I could run the same build in a MAL-1R with stripped arms, but I've already had several games where I've taken advantage of the arms to track targets beyond torso twist- important given the Mauler is a fairly sluggish chassis- blading your stance and shooting diagonally also allows you to shield a weak side torso while keeping the damage going. I've considered swapping the LBXs for UAC5s, and the ASRM4s for ASRM6s, but haven't done it yet.

I've played a couple games in the Skokomish, with a similar loadout and skill tree to the Knockout, with four ASRM4 and an LB10X, but with a 380XL and MASC. I don't feel the MASC quite as much as I was expecting, and overall haven't performed as well as in the Knockout. Unlike the Knockout, which is more of a reconfiguration of the Mauler that opens up new options, the Skokomish feels more specialized, and I'm not sure if I've quite figured out how to build it or play it.

I haven't played the Kaiju yet, mostly because it's really hard to come up with a build that takes advantage of the hardpoints while remaining heat efficient, and carrying enough ammo. I'll probably just fit it like an AS7-D with AC20, two ASRM6, four ML and a 360 STD.

IMO the Knockout is the best of the three Assaults. Tons of flexibility and can run basically and combination of weapons you'd like. Given my main squeeze is the MAL-1R with AC5s I'm probably not going to experiment too much in terms of longer-ranged builds, but gauss rifles become an option, as is going back to using it as an LRM boat (although the MAL-1R would probably be better). Skokomish might be better in someone elses hands, and the Kaiju is in my opinion a "wait and see" for CW tech.

Edited by Aggravated Assault Mech, 22 June 2017 - 01:46 PM.

[Audacious Aubergine]

Double gauss Knockout sounds interesting, even though I'm terrible at using it and it requires an XL. Do you think the arms on the Mauler might be a bit too low for sniping?

[Aggravated Assault Mech]

Audacious Aubergine, on 22 June 2017 - 10:45 PM, said:

Double gauss Knockout sounds interesting, even though I'm terrible at using it and it requires an XL. Do you think the arms on the Mauler might be a bit too low for sniping?

It depends what you consider a sniper. I think "sniper" implies some autonomy from the rest of the team, flanking and poking with low exposure time as your central tactic. Mauler is really bad at that in pretty much every way. It doesn't mobility, hardpoints, hitboxes, or quirks to make IS Gauss Rifles work like that. You'll either make a bad poke and get cored out or get solo'd by a Locust.

However, Mauler is an excellent second-line mech. Fight from 300-500m behind your allies in the early to mid game to punish anyone that tries to poke or push them, and transition into a more offensive role in the late game. In that sort of role you're not really poking, but just exposed beside cover ready to shoot for the majority of the time, rather than poking as a reaction. In that role, the Mauler is one of the best IS assaults.

[Koniving]

I'm personally a huge fan of arm-based weapons as I make a LOT of use of arms during combat, and being able to use arm-based ballistics without the perils of "Staring" at the enemy, I do believe I could live quite a bit longer than trying to face-tank and out-pepper the enemy. So the Mauler hero is of interest to me.

[tatersaladftw]

Running the Partisan and really enjoying it. Stashed an AC20 in the arm with some lasers and a big XL. Fun to go 83 in a black knight and lob bricks from the AC20.

[TKG]

Audacious Aubergine, on 22 June 2017 - 10:45 PM, said:

Double gauss Knockout sounds interesting, even though I'm terrible at using it and it requires an XL. Do you think the arms on the Mauler might be a bit too low for sniping?

I literally modded it for double gauss, and maximized armor out of the box, you kind of need the XL to tie it all together though. Its wiser to not think of what you'd be doing with the mauler as sniping but rather direct fire artillery support simply for the fact that you don't quite want to be the center of attention, but the two guass often make you the last one standing in a ranged fight.