93 replies to this topic

[Rovertoo]

Commodore Perspicuous, on 24 October 2017 - 09:16 PM, said:

I see a lot of people talk about how it is impossible to keep RACs spun up. I've never had a problem spinning up and keeping them just below the firing point when I know I'm about to engage someone in cover or chasing someone through cover. I'm curious why people say it's too hard or impossible?

But yeah, UACs/ACs are definitely superior, though if you do find that sweet spot on a flank for RACs, they are very satisfying... I only run a Bushwacker with RACs, but my other Bushwacker runs 2xAC/10s. The two get similar scores, but the AC/10s are much easier and more reliable.

I see a lot of people talk about how it is impossible to keep RACs spun up. I've never had a problem spinning up and keeping them just below the firing point when I know I'm about to engage someone in cover or chasing someone through cover. I'm curious why people say it's too hard or impossible?

But yeah, UACs/ACs are definitely superior, though if you do find that sweet spot on a flank for RACs, they are very satisfying... I only run a Bushwacker with RACs, but my other Bushwacker runs 2xAC/10s. The two get similar scores, but the AC/10s are much easier and more reliable.

RACs and Bushwackers: a match made in heaven

Personally though I only run a RAC in the ballistic arm, and use the tonnage do diversify into missles and a good laser. Dual big ACs never really felt right to me in a bushie.

[Commodore Perspicuous]

Rovertoo, on 24 October 2017 - 09:27 PM, said:

RACs and Bushwackers: a match made in heaven

Personally though I only run a RAC in the ballistic arm, and use the tonnage do diversify into missles and a good laser. Dual big ACs never really felt right to me in a bushie.

I agree... It took me a while to feel like I wasn't wasting my Whacker by not utilizing all those hodgepodge hardpoints. But... Dual AC/10s are just so effective... My inner tryhard eventually won out...

[Trissila]

Rovertoo, on 24 October 2017 - 09:27 PM, said:

RACs and Bushwackers: a match made in heaven

Personally though I only run a RAC in the ballistic arm, and use the tonnage do diversify into missles and a good laser. Dual big ACs never really felt right to me in a bushie.

Twin RAC-5s are like, tailor-made to the bushie. At least, the variants with ballistics in each ST. That gives you dual nose gatlings, which is obviously the correct choice.

The more I play my X2, the more I get to thinking that, really, the Bushwacker is the correct choice for RACs. It's a medium that can easily fit two RAC-5s while remaining very mobile, it's got an excellent torso geometry for relatively-safe facetanking, and between quirks and maxing the survival tree, it's got absurd armor; it's a 55-ton 'mech with the armor of a 75-tonner.

Like I said before, you might not win tournaments with it, but it's more than fine for QP.

None of these are padded, as I don't use strikes. Just pure RAC-5 shredding.

Match 1 said:

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[Davegt27]

this is the only Mech I would say give it a try the Grid Iron



also Rac's are on the sucky side
you have to catch someone asleep at the wheel (lower tier matches) or get lucky

they take like 3 or 4 sec to spool up by that time your dead or close to it

I just tried 4 RAC2s on a Banshee-3E which sucked
I am on 2 RAC5s now but like the above poster you can mount 2 Rac5s on a BSW and move faster

the problem with the BSW the guns are mounted some what low

there was a bug when mounting 3 Rac2s (cyclops) and only 2 of them would jam (don't tell PGI)

Rac2 Rac 5 is a good combo since the faster rate of the Rac2 helps the hitting pwr of the Rac5

good luck

[Zader39]

Bushwacker, definitely. If you want pure RAC, put a couple of RAC5's on a Bushwacker BSW-X1 on those torso mounts, strip the arms of armor to carry more ammo and go to town. Bushwackers are tanky as hell, but obviously you aren't going to want to be in brawling range.

Here's a build that's not optimal, but would get you started. You might want to replace the XL Engine with an LFE (I had an XL on hand). I personally don't like the extra heat of a backup energy weapon - and I'd rather have the extra ton(s) of ammo since ammo is going to be kinda tight as it is. That's personal preference tho.

BSW-X1 Dual RAC5

[Iron Heel]

I like the Crab chassis so I have fun with a CRB-FL with 2x RAC2, 2x ERML.
I would not recommend it to anyone not already enamored with the subtleties of the Crab or not willing to tone down their aggressiveness a bit.
I'm much more cautious in my CRB-FL vs the CRB-27B for example..

[Daurock]

My favorite RAC platform is, oddly enough, the Marauder 3R, running with 2 RAC5s plus a set of medium lasers. It needs to use a standard engine, but with the 2 very closely positioned, very high mounts, I find easy to keep the bullet stream on target. Plus, you have enough durability in the marauder to take a hit or two when unloading on someone.

[Black Ivan]

Bushwacker and Marauder

[Tier5 Kerensky]

Buchwacker, Marauder, Rifleman.

Even with RAC5 I benefit a lot from advanced zoom, as I can see the bullets and lead better. I have my Buchwackers with XL engine giving them 81 speed and other has 2xrac5 plus some rockets other has 3xrac2. Both are about equal.

Initially I tried with 2xrac5 with Roughtnech but somehow I was failing with it, even though it has really nice high mounts. Maybe I should try it again.

I've mainly used IS mechs on FP.

[Trissila]

Teer Kerensky, on 25 October 2017 - 05:02 AM, said:

Buchwacker, Marauder, Rifleman.

Even with RAC5 I benefit a lot from advanced zoom, as I can see the bullets and lead better. I have my Buchwackers with XL engine giving them 81 speed and other has 2xrac5 plus some rockets other has 3xrac2. Both are about equal.

Initially I tried with 2xrac5 with Roughtnech but somehow I was failing with it, even though it has really nice high mounts. Maybe I should try it again.

I've mainly used IS mechs on FP.

I think the Roughneck is a little tall and easily-isolated for it. double RACs draws a ton of aggro in my experience. Just one more reason I prefer the Bushwacker for RACs; its squat profile and super-narrow torso from head-on make it pretty hard to specifically target parts of it. You really don't even have to try to spread on it, and can focus on your dakka.

Across 83 matches I've played with it so far, I'm averaging 508 damage per round. It would be even higher, if you took out the first few 'learning the style' matches and cases where one team just rolled the other so hard that I never got a chance to do much with it. It's different from the usual fair, and I like it a lot; you basically have to play it like a less-twitchy SRM build. Maneuver into a position where a guy is exposed and preferably not looking at you, then just hold the triggers at him until you jam. With the Bushwacker's super-high armor for its weight, a LOT of heavies will try to stare you down and find out that you've got WAY more sustained DPS than they do.

[Flow5tate]

Bushwacker, Rifleman, Marauder, Jagermech, as long as they have decent backup weapons (meaning that 2 medium lasers won't cut it for me, need 4). Also love Catapult K2 for being low profile (the best thing of last year's mech size rescale)

Edited by Arrow 6, 27 October 2017 - 11:13 AM.

[Asym]

Bushwacker it is and thanks !

[ScrapIron Prime]

But as long as I'm posting... Cataphract 3D, dual RAC 5. It has the quirks to cool and unjam the weapons, plus the bonus armor to face tank long enough to get some damage in. very situational, though, I mostly use it in faction warfare to storm or defend a breach.