13 replies to this topic

[Sunstruck]

I was just thinking about how effective ECM is on long range maps and against clan LRMs, then I remembered the Inner Sphere has effectively a 75 Ton ECM Warhammerish mech soon to be released, the Thanatos. I can only imagine 12 Thanatos running arround during a match shutting down all clan missles.

[AncientRaig]

While the Thanatos's ECM will certainly be nice, its hardpoint location and hitboxes are going to be the major determining factor for its FP usefulness. There's a reason CTF-0XPs are rarely brought, even though they're ECM capable 70 tonners. If it doesn't have good hitboxes and good weapon mounts, it won't be valued more over something like a Black Knight or a Grasshopper.

[Mistriever]

There are very few matches where Clan LRMs, or IS LRMs, should even be a consideration for what you bring in a drop deck. And even on those LRMs shouldn't be your primary consideration. Unless you are fighting a team that goes LRM/ATM heavy, such as ARC7, LRMs remain a relatively weak weapon system on most maps.

[MovinTarget]

Seriously, there are so many ways to counter LRMs, many of them don't require you to run specific mechs.

Having said that, there is already a decent contender on the IS side:

The Stalker 3FB

This stalker may not have all the quirks that other stalkers have, but thanks to the skill tree, it can be built to be viable as either a long range sniper (4+ ERLL, using the high arm mounts) or a pretty effective brawler (6 MPL + 2 SRM6), either build can run with ECM.

Both can run with a STD305 or 310 (max) engine for durability.

Now I know they may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you take the time to skill it up and get a handle on it's virtues, it can be a very effective mech.

Add to the fact that it's on the lighter side of the Assault spectrum, you can very easily anchor an all-ecm deck with 2 of these, a heavy and a light or 2 mediums.

They are my go-to mechs for my all-ecm solo decks. (when I can't depend on teamwork)

[Alexandra Hekmatyar]

12 AMS is my dream.

[Exilyth]

AncientRaig, on 08 September 2017 - 02:45 PM, said:

There's a reason CTF-0XPs are rarely brought, even though they're ECM capable 70 tonners.

Or the ARC-T Tempest, pricetag aside. Low mounts and low cockpit are just too much of a dissadvantage on most maps.

Meanwhile clams can cover their whole team in ECM with just a few Hellbringers.

[Spheroid]

This topic is full of several erroneous ideas.

• The Thanatos will be good: unlikely
  
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• Lurms are good, they are not
  
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• ECM is primarily an anti-missile piece of equipment
  
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• ECM provides good herd protection: False, 90 meters is nothing. The bubble works cause everyone is in a Hellbringer and looking out for themselves. They look the same and have unit colors meaning target calling is made more difficult. That is the true advantage of ECM, not protection from ineffectual lurms.
  
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• The Thanatos will be equal to or better than current or soon to be available options (AWs-9Q > Thanatos) Also the Warhammer-4L is on the horizon. Both potential loyalty mechs this year.
  
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• ECM is better than AMS, untrue. The Battlemaster-2C can dual AMS and bring high mounted pain at a variety of speeds on top of substantial durability quirks that further stack with the survival tree. I can make a two Battlemaster deck easily. Is your 75+75+75+40 deck better than my 85+85+65+30 deck? I doubt it.

Edited by Spheroid, 10 September 2017 - 07:48 AM.

[Damnedtroll]

1) Lurms is a problem if you start to hide and stop moving, herded like sheep waiting to be slain behind the same building.

2) Lurms is a problem when you build a lrm boat and hide behind your friend and get fried when a Arctic-Cheetah find you.

3) Lurms is a problem if your team don't fight aggressively enough.

Thanatos will change nothing about that.

[McHoshi]

Lady Alexandra Cousland, on 08 September 2017 - 04:48 PM, said:

12 AMS is my dream.

Make them 24 and yes it´s fun to play those!

Played some Matches with 4 Dual AMS Brawler and some crazy ppl who also brought their Dual AMS Brawler on IS Side against a Clan Enemy who brought mostly LURMS... Well it was a Hell of Fun to watch all those LURMS being shot down doing ZERO Damage! hehe

Edited by McHoshi, 10 September 2017 - 07:46 AM.

[MischiefSC]

You don't need a specific mech.

Just the W key shuts down LRMs.

Win is spelled with the W first and foremost. It's so.ething any mech can do.

[Grus]

Wait... clans still use missles?

[MischiefSC]

Grus, on 28 November 2017 - 05:45 PM, said:

Wait... clans still use missles?

In FW? All the time. Constantly. It's why they all complain IS is OP when they play a decently organized team - because people with brain damage from a nose picking accident can still destroy LRM using teams with any direct fire build setup that isn't also absolutely terrible.

[ROSS-128]

I think the LFE does more to help against LRMs than an ECM heavy will. Because it frees up about as much tonnage as Endo-Steel most of the time, for just 4 criticals and without the risk of an XL. One ton of that can easily be set aside for an AMS and a half-ton of ammo. Half a ton doesn't sound like much, but in my (admittedly limited) experience if your team hasn't closed distance by the time it runs out something has already gone wrong.

ECM in its current state does seem to be more useful for poking, since it lets you stick your head out without a red box to advertise your presence to the enemy team. But to be used that way it needs to be on a good poking mech in the first place, since it's really hard to donate that tiny bubble to an ally.

[Appogee]

The only thing Thanatos shut down was my last season's stats for match score and kill:death ratio.