46 replies to this topic

[Metus regem]

Horseman, on 17 January 2018 - 12:05 PM, said:

You realize, of course, that chain fire does not double-tap UACs?

Actually it does, if you have the same weapon in two weapon groups.

Say you have 6 UAC/5, you pull the trigger once in group one, meaning now group 2 is one trigger pull behind, now you press down both trigger buttons. As group two trigger moves down to the UAC/5 that group one put into cool down, it then double taps.

[Water Bear]

My opinion and $3 will get you a cup of coffee, but there are limited times when it makes sense. Example: I have a 2x HPPC Roughneck. On hot maps (or even some not so hot maps) once you're around 90% heat it makes sense to chain fire them. If you try to wait until you've cooled off enough to fire both during a melee on Terra Therma, you're going to be waiting until after you're dead.

[General Solo]

In the mech of your chooseing, Select the weapon group you wish to chain fire with the arrow keys. UP/DOWN/LEFT/RIGHT

Press Backspace.

That weapon group with now flash.

Press Back space again undo chainfire and stop the flashing.

[Rumble Chicken]

Yep, .... so 1st weapon group chain , reason they get to hot.
But... maybe I will need them all in the heat of Battle ..

[Horseman]

Metus regem, on 17 January 2018 - 02:58 PM, said:

Actually it does, if you have the same weapon in two weapon groups.

Say you have 6 UAC/5, you pull the trigger once in group one, meaning now group 2 is one trigger pull behind, now you press down both trigger buttons. As group two trigger moves down to the UAC/5 that group one put into cool down, it then double taps.

Been there, done that, it doesn't.
The fact chainfiring them the way you describe never produces jams should have been a dead giveaway.

[Metus regem]

Horseman, on 18 January 2018 - 12:56 AM, said:

Been there, done that, it doesn't.
The fact chainfiring them the way you describe never produces jams should have been a dead giveaway.

Actually it does jam, I have had my 6xUAC/5 Dakka Wolf Jam many times... not all 6 at once, but often two or three.

[General Solo]

If you hold down the fire button it should not JAM

[Metus regem]

OZHomerOZ, on 18 January 2018 - 06:24 PM, said:

If you hold down the fire button it should not JAM

Again 6xUAC5 in both weapon group 1 and weapon group 2, off set fire between weapon group 1 and two, so that when the group that is one weapon firing behind moves into a weapon on cool down, the game treats it as a double tap.

[NRP]

I sometimes chain fire when I'm near the heat threshold. Helps me to not shut down.

[Horseman]

Metus regem, on 18 January 2018 - 07:18 PM, said:

Again 6xUAC5 in both weapon group 1 and weapon group 2, off set fire between weapon group 1 and two, so that when the group that is one weapon firing behind moves into a weapon on cool down, the game treats it as a double tap.

In my experience, dual chainfire groups never double-tap. Do you have a video proving the behaviour you describe?

OZHomerOZ, on 18 January 2018 - 06:24 PM, said:

If you hold down the fire button it should not JAM

Because the jam chance occurs only on double-tap (see PGI_Chris' statement: https://www.reddit.c...hanics/drc8eco/ )... which holding fire does not trigger . If you don't double-tap the UACs, then you've wasted the tonnage and crits they consumed over normal ACs of the same caliber.

Edited by Horseman, 19 January 2018 - 02:39 AM.

[Water Bear]

NRP, on 18 January 2018 - 07:23 PM, said:

I sometimes chain fire when I'm near the heat threshold. Helps me to not shut down.

Same. When everyone is below 40% health and at 90% heat, it's time to squeeze in that last medium laser shot at all costs.

Ah, the joys of heat-adjusted DPS.

Edited by Water Bear, 13 February 2018 - 08:17 PM.

[Damnedtroll]

Yep overheating and been in a bad situation without cover give chainfire it's only use.

Edited by Damnedtroll, 12 March 2018 - 03:18 PM.

[Generic Internetter]

Chainfire isn’t an instant fail, as some people are saying.
However you should default to group fire as generally that is most effective.

Chainfire is great in very specific circumstances, such as:

— Heat control. Multiple lasers that you can spam click quickly to fire almost as if in group fire, then slow down or stop your click rate when you get a heat warning. Ideally these would be in group fire and you would be mindful of your heat levels, but when running a very fast light mech for close quarter brawls, I have more success with chainfire. Big LRM boats tend to chainfire fof the same reason.

— Pressure builds. Screen shake and blinding the enemy is often undervalued. Chainfiring weapons that cause the enemy to panic works extremely well: I recommend SRM2s or AC5s for this, even PPCs if you can handle the heat.

[ExoForce]

Metus regem, on 17 January 2018 - 02:58 PM, said:

Actually it does, if you have the same weapon in two weapon groups.

Say you have 6 UAC/5, you pull the trigger once in group one, meaning now group 2 is one trigger pull behind, now you press down both trigger buttons. As group two trigger moves down to the UAC/5 that group one put into cool down, it then double taps.

I use that for my 4 x LRMs (2 x 2) a.k.a *Hell from above* to strip components. Rep!

[Squiggy McPew]

I chainfire certain pulse laser vomit builds to keep the heat down or when the heat bar is almost maxed and I need to keep the damage up on a low health mech. But I do it by clicking not holding the button down so only one weapon fires at a time in that slow default method.

[Renzor the Red]

I like chainfire. I wouldn't really use it for lasers, but I use it for PPC's and big ballistics. It takes those multiple weapons and makes it like semi-automatic. For my assault mech with 3 LB10-X shotguns, it's like a semi-auto shotgun. Very cool. I'd rather shoot all three shots in semi than one big burst, in case I miss with the big burst. Then, I'd have to wait for the cool-down. Same with PPC's.

[S 0 L E N Y A]

renzor51, on 12 January 2019 - 03:22 AM, said:

I like chainfire. I wouldn't really use it for lasers, but I use it for PPC's and big ballistics. It takes those multiple weapons and makes it like semi-automatic. For my assault mech with 3 LB10-X shotguns, it's like a semi-auto shotgun. Very cool. I'd rather shoot all three shots in semi than one big burst, in case I miss with the big burst. Then, I'd have to wait for the cool-down. Same with PPC's.

They are actually by definition full automatic at all times because you do not actually need to release and re-engage the trigger to fire again.

That said, chain fire is a recipe to
1) MISS

2) SPREAD DAMAGE

3 INCREASE EXPOSURE TIME TO ENEMY FIRE

Those are all bad.

[Renzor the Red]

renzor51, on 12 January 2019 - 03:22 AM, said:

I like chainfire. I wouldn't really use it for lasers, but I use it for PPC's and big ballistics. It takes those multiple weapons and makes it like semi-automatic. For my assault mech with 3 LB10-X shotguns, it's like a semi-auto shotgun. Very cool. I'd rather shoot all three shots in semi than one big burst, in case I miss with the big burst. Then, I'd have to wait for the cool-down. Same with PPC's.

I've gotta say, since I said this last, I've been running my KDK-3 with all three LB10-X firing together instead of in chainfire (though I still keep the option bound to '3'), and my scores have gone up. I've been aiming more carefully and hitting with 30 damage instead of 3x10 with awesome results.

[InspectorG]

Chainfire lets Goods ride heatcap.

Chainfire lets Bads try to out-chicken other Bads.

[Koniving]

Its good for riding heat especially if you know you are about to lose a number of heatsink.

Its useful in a three group setup in a rushing run as it causes shake on the enemy mech which throws off their aim. Especially if there is very little time between shots. Thrown off at the right time can be the difference between taking 40 to the cockpit and 40 to the arm or being completely missed altogether without even having to twist.

Chainfire is good if your aim is less than perfect. Yes you can and may miss. But lets assume there is 4 seconds between shots if fired together, if you missed that alpha you are now unable to shoot back for 4 seconds. But you miss that chain fire and you can try again as soon as you are ready and lets say your next shot is 2 seconds later. Keep the pattern up and after each miss you are only helpless for 2 seconds instead of 4.

Yes there are downsides as well. You are less likely to aim carefully. You may not kill the enemy as quickly. You will have less focused damage. You may be exposed to enemy fire longer than necessary.

Any chain fire like any macro that isn't exploiting program failures will reduce your maximum dps output in favor of prolonging your sustained dps. It really depends on the mech's role and function on the team as well as circumstances as to whether this is useful.