45 replies to this topic

[DGTLDaemon]

UnofficialOperator, on 27 June 2017 - 09:00 AM, said:

Just abandon the assaults and play the other tonnages. There really is no need/role left for assaults.

Except that PGI sometimes run events that require you to be in an assault, so it makes sense to have at least one viable assault build that you're comfortable with. Otherwise, I agree with you - with the recent mobility nerfs that hit assaults hard, and with the survival tree that enables you to make your heavies as tough as assaults, there's really no need to play assaults anymore. There was a time when some assault mechs like the Kodiak combined good firepower, toughness and mobility in one package, but PGI have worked hard to make sure it is no longer the case, and as a result, heavies are now in a much better spot.

[A Shoddy Rental Mech]

Ahh Screw it - WATCH THIS, on 27 June 2017 - 07:13 AM, said:

Sorry dude,

The Kodiak was hunted to extinction by people with nerf bats.

P.G.I.'s Nerf Bat has repeatedly whacked everything but the intended target.

Things that have been whacked by The Nerf Bat for the sins sins of the KDK-3

• All other Kodiaks
  
• UAC's (clan and I.S.)
  
• All 100 ton mechs (clan and I.S.)

The Kodiak (KDK-3) is a priority target on the battlefield. The KDK-1 suffers from association.

[Ced Riggs]

The Nerf Bat, on 27 June 2017 - 10:30 AM, said:

P.G.I.'s Nerf Bat has repeatedly whacked everything but the intended target.
The Kodiak (KDK-3) is a priority target on the battlefield. The KDK-1 suffers from association.

What makes me sad the most is, that Chris Lowrey seems convinced that the Kodiak(s) are in a good place and have tangible advantages and aren't just fodder.

[DAYLEET]

So far my KDK-3 gaussppc is still doing great. Both my KDK-1 are doing fine(one is 2alrm20 8cerml and one is uac20 2asrm6 8cspl) and my dumb KDK4 2xlb10x 2assrm4 4cmpl is managing just fine. what do you guys want. Only my -1 with cspl got a hit and i cant complain with a 76 alpha thats mostly pinpoint at the range it is used.

I dont have a SpiritBear but i wish i did, cant imagine doing bad in it.

Edited by DAYLEET, 27 June 2017 - 11:38 AM.

[Ced Riggs]

DAYLEET, on 27 June 2017 - 11:37 AM, said:

Everything is fine.

Did you find this out in the twenty matches you played in Assaults this month? Just curious.

[DAYLEET]

Ced Riggs, on 27 June 2017 - 11:45 AM, said:

Did you find this out in the twenty matches you played in Assaults this month? Just curious.

yes since the tree hit, are you implying the mech will get worse over time?

[Athom83]

What would improve your survivablilty is increasing the scare factor of the build. While all those pulse lasers are nice, they don't scare people as much as a LB-20 + 2 SRM6a Kodiak-1. Replace all of the hand lasers with ERSLs to complete the allroundedness.

[BrunoSSace]

You are in a Kodiak. Your first problem sadly. On the battle field its my first target followed closely by the Marauder iic if I'm calling targets. How do fix this problem? Dont be in a situation where the whole enemy team can fire on you. So this means you need to boat alot of Lrms and not be on my team.

[Requiemking]

PhoenixFire55, on 27 June 2017 - 08:52 AM, said:

They don't need higher %. They don't need any % to begin with, since all this skill sh!t system is here just to generate revenues and not actually balance anything. Arbitrary measures only serve one purpose ... the purpose of benefiting the arbiter. And since all those %'s are arbitrary, they are nothing but an abomination that should be gone. Exact same with engine desync.

Erm, Engine desync is necessary for game balance. Like I've said to Imperius, Engine Desync is needed to combat the infamous "Fat Ballerina" problem, where Heavies and Assault mechs literally turn faster than most mechs can circle them. It was part of why the Heavy que was so massive.

The Nerf Bat, on 27 June 2017 - 10:30 AM, said:

P.G.I.'s Nerf Bat has repeatedly whacked everything but the intended target.

Things that have been whacked by The Nerf Bat for the sins sins of the KDK-3

• All other Kodiaks
  
• UAC's (clan and I.S.)
  
• All 100 ton mechs (clan and I.S.)

The Kodiak (KDK-3) is a priority target on the battlefield. The KDK-1 suffers from association.

Lets not forget the Rescale, where the entire Light weightclass had to pay for the sins of the Oxide, and no less than four different chassis across two weightclasses had to pay for the Black Knight's crimes.

[Humpday]

Heh heh, i like these threads, I should now take my KDK-3 out for the first time since the ST drop.

[DANKnuggz]

ScrapIron Prime, on 27 June 2017 - 09:21 AM, said:

You've identified the issue as agility. There are skill tree points to address agility. But you're saying that the numbers look small-to-insignificant to you so you don't want to try them.

They help, they really do. Does it bring back the mech's former glory? No. The Kodiak has been surpassed by the Marauder IIc and the Night Gyr. The Kodiak is the new Victor.

So either sell it or put points on the mobility tree.

actually in a later post the math for the actual gains a KDK gets from the full investment into the mobility tree was gone over and if you understand those numbers it isn't hard to see that they are too small to actually help in any meaningful way...

Assaults should get more % per node in mobility just like lights get more % per node of armor and structure... If we're talking balance then that is the balanced way to handle it... even with a per node increase of % the assaults will never be close to the agility they had before...

I think the major problem many pilots of lighter mechs have is this belief that they should be able to run right up on an assault and run circles around him so fast he/she cannot bring their weapons to bear. Assaults need to be agile enough to be respected and being able to run circles around them with ease is the opposite of being respected...

Edited by DANKnuggz, 27 June 2017 - 12:29 PM.

[Angel of Annihilation]

UnofficialOperator, on 27 June 2017 - 09:00 AM, said:

Just abandon the assaults and play the other tonnages. There really is no need/role left for assaults.

I don't agree with this as I have a ton of very fun Assaults I still play.

Of the ones I own, Maulers and Battlemaster are fricken awesome. On the Clan side I am really enjoying the Supernova and the Marauders IICs remain still at least playable despite being over nerfed. Eventually I am going to pick up the Banshee, Cyclops and the ECM Stalker to add to my collection and there appears to be some new C-bill purchasable omnipods/variants of the Gargoyle that might even make that mech look appealing come August. Also I think that the Madcat Mk II is probably going to be decent as well as the Nightstar.

So not all assaults are bad or unfun, just the ones that they overnerfed like all the 100 tonners and the Marauder IIC...well I did say the Marauder IIC was still playable so maybe this isn't quite fair but then again all playable means is borderline ok.

[Humpday]

So, as i suggested, i took my kdk-3 out. Yeah, you're wrong. Its your in ability to adjust that makes the mech bad for you.
Are you serious!? I just stood in the back and just peppered people at 400m out and scored 2 kills and 600 damage.

Mobility seems fine to me the firepower alone makes up for that...yeah no, KDK-3 is till the shizzle. Its the person driving it thats not.

[Ced Riggs]

Humpday, on 27 June 2017 - 08:52 PM, said:

So, as i suggested, i took my kdk-3 out. Yeah, you're wrong. Its your in ability to adjust that makes the mech bad for you.
Are you serious!? I just stood in the back and just peppered people at 400m out and scored 2 kills and 600 damage.

Mobility seems fine to me the firepower alone makes up for that...yeah no, KDK-3 is till the shizzle. Its the person driving it thats not.

1.) This topic is about the KDK-1. The KDK-3 is the reason why alöl other Kodiaks got nerfbatted.
2.) That's mediocre stats for an assault. And you get a result like this once every 5 to 6 matches, if that.

In general, your assault stats are way worse than mine. Let's assume I know what I am doing, or at least, more than you, before you throw out the "git gud" meme. I am not great, competitive or top tier, but at least I have a positive W/L ratio.

[Shifty McSwift]

17 in the survival tree is enough to get 80% of the armor bonus, which is nice on a KDK, I also recommend the extra 5kph from mobility along with some torso speed and turn buffs.

I see you have no torso gun so it just leaves me wondering why you feel the KDK in particular for you needs survivability help, it is as tough as any other, so perhaps it is the tallness that you are not used to, the arm guns are quite low relative to the cockpit etc, so perhaps you are over exposing yourself accidentally too often. The main hit that KDKs and other assaults took was in torso speeds, giving greater disparity between tracking targets and weapon convergence between arms/torso, so having all of our weapons in the arms, this shouldn't really be noticed by you aside from when shielding with twist. (assuming you unlocked your arms of course).

So firstly I have to ask, how are you dying in a way that makes you feel it needs more survivability?

[Shifty McSwift]

One thing you may be noticing also is KDKs are bullet magnets, people see one they tend to call it first as it is big, well loaded out, but not as tanky as other massive targets, that in itself takes some getting used to if you have been running in obscure mechs that often get called last.

Just in general, you shouldn't be poking much either, KDKs frame is very unforgiving for poking (unless you do the old, poke up sideways and tank a bit in your arm), even with torso guns, you expose a lot to poke fire, peeping corners is easier, but still you are a large and obvious target as soon as you expose your position.

[Paigan]

Ced Riggs, on 27 June 2017 - 06:36 AM, said:

Hey there,

What can I do to increase the survival rate of my Kodiak(-1)?

[...]

As front loading armor and maxing out the survival tree isn't the solution, giving me a paltry +11 / +7 armor and some minor structure, isn't the way, I was wondering what else I am supposed to do with an assault that cannot twist away fast enough, cannot poke fast enough, and has hitboxes the size of barn doors. Investing in mobility does nothing, either, as it's percentage-based.

Any hints are welcome. Including by developers.

Two things:

1.)
I noticed I kind of like Kodiaks as enemies. Because they a.) have literally a target disc on their CT and b.) hardly torso twist (as most 100tonners don't. Against someone with .. say ... good aim and perfect precision weapons ... say at uber long range ... they die quicker than meds or heavies).

Just look at the hitboxes:
That hexagon thing on the cheast SCREAMS "aim here for perfect CT hits". It is literally a target disc.


2.)
I don't want to sound arrogant or sarcastic, it's an earnest advice:
Play long range or take another Mech.

The problem is similar to here: https://mwomercs.com...70#entry5800270

You have a slow Mech AND you can only contribute at close range. That is a problem in itself.
It's a liability to the team or a gamble at best. Sure, you can get lucky and then wtfpwn 3 Mechs or more with your super brawling dps covered behind hundreds of HP. But how about all the situations where you just hang dead in the open, get lurmed or sniped to death before even making a shot?
That is NOT the map's fault or the team's fault. It's a tactical gamble gone wrong with a highly gambling build.

If you want to brawl, take a FAST chassis. Like EXE or Gargoyle or Linebacker.

Edited by Paigan, 28 June 2017 - 12:09 AM.

[Shifty McSwift]

Paigan, on 28 June 2017 - 12:08 AM, said:

Two things:

1.)
I noticed I kind of like Kodiaks as enemies. Because they a.) have literally a target disc on their CT and b.) hardly torso twist (as most 100tonners don't. Against someone with .. say ... good aim and perfect precision weapons ... say at uber long range ... they die quicker than meds or heavies).

Just look at the hitboxes:
That hexagon thing on the cheast SCREAMS "aim here for perfect CT hits". It is literally a target disc.

2.)
I don't want to sound arrogant or sarcastic, it's an earnest advice:
Play long range or take another Mech.

The problem is similar to here: https://mwomercs.com...70#entry5800270

You have a slow Mech AND you can only contribute at close range. That is a problem in itself.
It's a liability to the team or a gamble at best. Sure, you can get lucky and then wtfpwn 3 Mechs or more with your super brawling dps covered behind hundreds of HP. But how about all the situations where you just hang dead in the open, get lurmed or sniped to death before even making a shot?
That is NOT the map's fault or the team's fault. It's a tactical gamble gone wrong with a highly gambling build.

If you want to brawl, take a FAST chassis. Like EXE or Gargoyle or Linebacker.

All solid advice, but 2 things, 1. not twisting is crazy dumb in any mech, pre and post patch I am still able to utilise twisting to avoid large sections of damage and soak fire for extended periods of time and 2. KDK is the fastest 100 ton mech right? 65-70 kph is slow for a heavy or lower, but it is up near the marauder iic standard speeds, if any 100 ton assault can get away with it, its the kodiak, particularly when utilising an array of arm guns.

And in regards to all the situation where you stand in the open getting hit, when are those? When you are AFK?

There are many situations, even with LPL range as your max, where you will be sitting in cover either waiting for your team to decide, or closing distance, which can involve getting shot, but which every single map allows for, including polar highlands. That is not saying you will never die to sniping or lrms, but it is much the same as the tactics one applies to any limited range build (splatclops as one example), except you are as tall as a skyscraper. Any kind of "boat" is a liability in a QP where you have no idea about team loadouts, no matter what kind of boat, that gambling logic applies to most players and their loadouts.

I agree though, the "best" brawlers are the linebacker style mechs, tough, small, fast and packing a good alpha punch.

[Shifty McSwift]

Also where's the pic of its side profile?

Its a barn door if you refuse to twist for sure.

[Paigan]

Shifty McSwift, on 28 June 2017 - 12:31 AM, said:

[...]
KDK is the fastest 100 ton mech right? 65-70 kph is slow for a heavy or lower, but it is up near the marauder iic standard speeds, if any 100 ton assault can get away with it, its the kodiak, particularly when utilising an array of arm guns.

[...]

I agree though, the "best" brawlers are the linebacker style mechs, tough, small, fast and packing a good alpha punch.

What I (and obviously even you in the end) mean is: no 100tonner is suited to be a brawler without heavy gambling involved.
IF any 100tonner can pull it off, then the KDK, yes, but none of them can properly, so not the KDK, either (without heavily relying on gambling)

The point is: getting fast enough into brawling range is not a relative thing, it's an absolute thing. Saying "60 kph is relatively fast for a 100tonner" doesn't help much, there. Having 80, 90, 100 kph, preferebly with ECM and/or JJs, is required to get into range fast enough.

Also: The MADIIC is in general faster than the KDK. Maybe it's even comparably durable due to hitboxes.
And: The EXE is similarily durable as the KDK. With its shield arm properly used maybe even more, but it is significantly faster, more agil and "mobile" in general, considering its JJs.