64 replies to this topic

[BigFatGator]

Recently started playing with cATM's. Would like to hear more from those who have used them and like 'em. Thus far they seem between decent and amazeballs on the right builds, which is better than I expected- figured I'd mess with them a bit and figure out they are trash. A summary of what I've seen:

• The 3x damage sweet spot is key, but 2x ain't bad. Using them like LRM's is useless
  
• Fast mediums and heavies work best with them to keep in the above
  
• Does not synergize well with anything else. Mixed builds suck except for backup lzrs.
  
• 2xATM12 or 3xATM9 seems to be best balance of heat/tonnage/slots for most mechs
  
• Having extra energy hardpoints is critical for TAG and backup small lasers
  
• BAP isn't that useful due to <120M deadzone

Other thoughts? Anyone have any ATM builds they love?

[Brain Cancer]

Actually, I use them on my Supernova-A.

First off, before anything else: Range nodes. All the range nodes. This also means the "sweet spot" goes out further, as does the "effective" 2x damage range to about 600m.

1) Yeah, using them at extended ranges is generally quite inefficient- but it's remarkably good for disrupting formations once they realize you actually hit them.

At over 1200 meters. Just don't try and STAY there. ATMs reward you by closing with the enemy.

2) Assaults can use them too, but pack the biggest engine you can. My SNV-A hits just under 62kph. Much less than that and you're getting easily outdone.

3) They actually do well with LRMs. Most people can't easily tell the difference when being pummeled, and the fact that your "direct fire" is still hitting them tends to goose most targets back out of cover. Right into your ATM launchers, which hurt much more. It's useful for assaults and heavies, as you can give yourself LRM30 + 18-24 ATMs on an Orion IIC and throw a constant stream of damage along the way.

4) I like ATM9x3 myself, but you can manage ATM9x4 alphas for a bit on assaults, or ATM 42/48 with 12-9/12-9 or 12-12/12-12 shooting and only the occasional full alpha when cooled and opportunity presents itself.

5) I generally don't bother with TAG. Strap on another decent laser instead and burn some holes in your targets. Or pack a NARC launcher and give yourself a long lasting solid lock to work with instead, along with being able to disable enemy ECM for some time.

6) I use a light probe, just for a little extra sensor range. You want to see targets coming early.

[Catalina Steiner]

I am using ATM's... in my MCII-2 for example.




As for your thoughts, these are my additions:

• I guess I'm using them like LRM's, nearly the same way. This works if you are playing good with LRM's. Sure I prefer the more brawling type of fighting but I use them on extreme long range too. It depends on the map.
  
• It works great with assaults (MCII) and lights (Cougar). I played the Leaderboards with ATM-Hero Cougar.
  
• I use ATM not only with backup lasers (HML for example) but also with LPL and LL as equivalent weapon system. My MCII-2 is using LL and ATM9 for example.
  
• I prefer 2xATM12 or 4xATM9. But I would agree that 3xATM9 is also a good choice.
  
• I use BAP for LRM mechs and ATM mechs. It's needed for both.

Hope this helps. I love ATM mechs. They are very dangerous and ATM's are really a serious weaponry after LRM's were nerfed to insignifiance.

[Seranov]

I want to like ATMs, but I can't really get behind them. When they work, they work amazingly well, but in any game where folks know they can just stay in your deadzone, you're effectively toast, even with backup lasers. I tried skilling out a 2 ATM12 + cTag + 4 cMPL Marauder IIC-B, and it was such a ridiculous feast-or-famine mech. It would either do absurd damage and ruin enemy mechs, or just die horrifically with nothing to show for it. Never inbetween. Gave up about halfway through its skill points and went back to other mechs.

[stealthraccoon]

I have dual ATM3’s on my KFX-G and if anyone within 1000 meters has an AMS they are useless, but they can be handy to get a lick on someone who is not paying attention to you. I take them as improved streaks - except when they aren’t...

Edited by stealthraccoon, 11 December 2017 - 03:30 PM.

[Barkem Squirrel]

watch out for more than one AMS, if you see two or three streams of AMS find a different target and note which mechs have AMS to report them to your friends to mug.

you can mix ATM's with LRMs, and have ML's for back up or to pop a red CT. (why waste the ammo.)

Even streaks and ATM's can work, better on mediums and faster heavies.

TAG can help if you have the energy hard points to spare.

If you play LRM boats and believe in front line support, well these are your babies. I use to fire two LRM 15's or 20's just to see if I could kill a locust or Jenner in one shot to the rear. Now with these it can be to the face too. I have seen a hunchback just die with two ATM 12's and two LRM 15's with Artemis at 200 m. Any mech will have a hard time dealing with three alphas of 100 damage.

God I even ran 5 atm 3 on the jenner IIC and it was interesting on polar highlands. poptarting ATM's. That is one of the things I notices, in Mediums and lights poptart the ATMS works wonders.

[Mole]

I have several 'mechs that make use of ATMs. They're pretty nasty when you're in the sweet spot. I did once try a build that used ATMs en-masse as its main weapon and while it wrecked face when the situation was right, the situation being right was far too unreliable for a weapon that was meant to be a primary weapon. I have many 'mechs that before new tech used to do laser vomit with a couple LRM10s as secondary weapons. Many of these have upgraded their secondary LRM10s to ATM6s or 9s. They work very well for that purpose.

[fat4eyes]

They're really good. Just don't fire them beyond their 2 damage range (around 500m), and use a mobile mech so you can't be rushed. I have a ATM24 Huntsman and it does 600 damage easy. You can jump-'snipe' with it too. Staying close to your assaults also means you don't get focused and you get to fire unmolested.

[Jman5]

I keep underestimating how much damage they can do when I try rushing them into their minimum range. If I don't do it right, I'll go from some armor to completely dead in 1 volley.

[Insanity09]

I've been running a single HBK-IIC with 2 ATM9's (& 2 cmpl). As Seranov said, feast or famine.

2 ATM 9's is enough to beat through a single AMS (?), as far as I can tell, but because of the varied damage per range combined with spread and misses, it is a little tough to tell how effectively it does so.

The limited arc + lock required means plenty of face time (unless you get into a good poptart spot). More difficult to use well, as compared to LRM's, imo.

All in all.. I don't care for them, but I also don't particularly like using LRM's as a main weapon either.

[Mcgral18]

Too iffy, same issues as LRMs

Throw in any AMS whatsoever, and you've got yourself nothing for damage because the small amount of missiles



I've removed them

[SeventhSL]

I find them to be really feast or famine. You get into the right situation and WOW, the pain they can dish out. But.... you can't do that reliably at all (without jump jets). The lock mechanics is a killer. They are heavy with a low ammo count per ton. Serious issues if the enemy has AMS. Backup weapons are essential. Low trajectory makes them hard to use.

Conclusion: Workable but I'd rather IS MRM any day. Most of the time I'm better off using LRM instead. LRM is a lot easier on tonnage, and far more reliable as more missiles hit the target under battle field conditions.

[Gilgamesh Drakenor]

I was very skeptical of ATMs at first because of the min range, high heat and low ammo, but I gave them a try with both Mad Dog and Cougar. They worked surprisingly well around the 150~300m range.

It definitely requires all the missile rack, missile spread skill nodes and possibly velocity. It's also best to have direct, or at least partial line of sight with your target (doing trick shots around corners is key when they duck back). I've also found it useful to fire them without locks when facing slow enough targets within range, allowing a bit of poke play.

AMS is a big problem for ATMs and isn't worth firing against, so some good secondary weapons are a must. I found that it pairs well with the Light Tag to improve targeting and use as a "range finder" to make sure you're at least in 2x range.

I had a 1400 damage run with this ATM24 Mad Dog, which managed to turn the tide when we were down on kills.
MDD-H

Edited by Gilgamesh Drakenor, 11 December 2017 - 07:17 PM.

[arcana75]

Used to run ATM6s on my Scorch then switched to LRM10a for the same tonnage. LRMs pair better with direct weapons: hit with direct weapons, cap it off with LRMs when they go back to cover. Due to the arc, you can engage earlier as you get closer to the enemy in between cover, whereas ATMs need abit more direct line of sight due to the lower arc.

[Marquis De Lafayette]

When they came out I thought they were complete garbage. However, after a few months I have had to revise my opinion to that they can work if you do the following;
1. Boat them...as many have said ams takes them down easy if you don’t have many to fire....so, boat them or don’t bother bringing any...I.e...don’t bring less than and ATM 18 build on anything you are bringing them on....more is better.
2. Manage your distance to Target well....to do well with ATMs you have to find a way to mostly be in optimal range, stay out of being under minimum range...all while surviving long enough to get your damage out....

If you can’t do these two things...move on and don’t even bother playing around with them.

[InvictusLee]

depends on my mood, but I use them on my Hunchie 2c and my packet,and they are really really effective in the 2 ATM6, 2 ATM 9 combos. I run a MCII-1 with 2 ATM 12's, lots of ammo, and 2 UAC 10's. Works well.

[Y E O N N E]

ATMs are absolutely brutal at stopping a push from mid-range.

[Prof RJ Gumby]

Really like them for their uniqueness. Fav build - maddog with 3xATM9 and 5(?) backup small lasers. They work best when you don't alarm the enemy that you have ATMs until they're close. Best strategy is to predict where the mechs will clash, preferably in a brawl, stay slightly behind or to the side in respect to frontliners in that spot/formation and then rip to shreds everything that dares to do more than poking. From sub-300 meters preferably. Also, if the enemy is behind a lightly sloped hill and your mech is nimble enough, you could actually keep your own locks by only peeking a little bit so that the reticle slightly touches the enemy every 2 seconds or so (this works for lrms too).

Worst disadvantage - if both teams do nothing but poke and refuse to close in, all you can do is wait and hope for the best. Firing at a blob from a distance is usually useless because velocity and AMSes. It's better to stay out of sight and pretend your team does not have an ATM boat at the ready.

[Jonathan8883]

I use them on my Halloween Stormcrow and like them. I pair with TAG and either a TC or BAP (forget which) to improve lock-on time.

[Humpday]

I find them to be very hit or miss, you either do really well, or kinda fall on your face.
I found they work very well with Heavy lasers since you need to stare for a while anyway.

Carrying Dual UAVs is crucial so you can get your own locks.

Due to the slight upward arch of the volley, you can get close to a hill, basically line your cockpit up with the ridge and fire, and they will bunny hop over the hump.

Incredibly punishing if you land shots within optimal...however, I find them very arduous to play.

I feel like I'm working my butt off to get locks, get them on target, switch targets when I see ams going off.

I'm not a huge fan, they just are too much work for me.

At least with LRMs you can just let em loose.

I only play them when I get bored of standard play. Just can't justify the 60dmg output of dual 12s + the work needed to get those missiles on target...when I can spit out a laser vom alpha thats guaranteed to hit, and hit more concentrated.

Don't get my wrong, I've been wreaked by ATMs, I just personally don't enjoy playing them....again, too much work.