407 replies to this topic

[ApexSun]

Dakota1000, on 16 January 2018 - 01:53 AM, said:

I've been training a few of my own friends in mwo in group queue, seeing as they're all new with just trial mechs or a single mech they own. Takes a surprising number of matches for them to start getting the focus fire down, but they're learning. All of us running the same mech at once helps a whole lot since there's no speed or big build differences.

Plan is to eventually get into faction play with a 12 man for invasion, we've currently had a 5 man on as the biggest team but have 8 people total who play. The grind to a full dropdeck's going to be awhile, everyone should be pretty good by that point.

Good luck on your training, things should go much more smoothly with taking 3 people with a team of 9 of your own, whole lot less getting owned because you're a puny 4 man running half trials and the 8 other guys on your team need some serious carrying.

Great to hear, if you don't have enough folks online to feel good about training on your own then I am sure that you could bring a small group by the Comstar TS and drop with MercStar if we have spots open. ASH's four rules are great and would apply but most of us would love to help elevate new blood so that someone different than the usual suspects can kick our asses for a while. Variety is the spice of life and all that.

[ApexSun]

Very admirable effort ASH, much kudos to you. IMO, this is the kind of thing that saves FP....not goddropships and 4v4s.

[Black Ivan]

I haven't given up on the Zeus yet, I don't want to take the other horrible big IS 75 tonners and leave 5 to 10 tonnes unused

[VeeOt Dragon]

just some opinions on my Drop decks would be nice still workin on getting the builds so that they work with both my play style while trying to be effective. just so you know I prefer a more support or second line role to tip of the spear.

DD-1

-STK- 3FB = 4 ERLL (in arms high mount), 2 MPL (in nose), running ECM of course since it came with it. LX 310 engine, 12 double heat sinks (2 of them in engine) with max armor front loaded (had to strip a little from legs to fit it all but hasn't been much of a problem)
-RGH-3A = 2 PPC (in highest possible mounts), 4 ML, 1 SL, ST 260 engine and again front loaded the armor a little (this mech is pretty much stock since I just purchased it and don't have enough to do the modifications I want just yet, simply moved the-PPCs from the arms to the high torso mounts. have yet to try it in FP)
-BSW-P2 = 4 ML, 2 SRM 6 (Artemis) x3 tons of ammo, Ballistic AMS (1 ton ammo), 5 double heat sinks (one in engine), LX 290 engine, again max armor I can get (front loaded a bit)
-HBK-4J = 4 ML, 2 LRM 10 (5 1/2 tons of ammo), Beagle Active Probe, 4 double heat sinks, LX 210 engine, (nearly max armor)

DD-2

mostly the same accept swapping Stalker out for--
-BLR-1G = 6 ML (all torso), RAC 5 (4 tons of ammo), 10 double heat sinks (4 in the engine), LX 360 engine, Max armor I could fit shifting some from the back to the front)

side note= I think I might switch the RGH for my RFL-3C but I haven't found a build for it I like (was the second mech I got because it was a favorite of mine in tabletop)
-RFL-3C = 2 AC/10 (3 tons of ammo), 3 ML, 2 double heat sinks, LX 235 engine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

also any alternatives for BLR would be helpful, thinking maybe trying guass instead of the RAC if I can find a way to fit it.

[Palfatreos]

Black Ivan, on 22 January 2018 - 11:26 PM, said:

I haven't given up on the Zeus yet, I don't want to take the other horrible big IS 75 tonners and leave 5 to 10 tonnes unused

Brawl deck 1 (265 tonnage)

XL CP-10-Q, LFE CP-10-Q

artemis LFE ARC-5W, withouth artemis LFE ARC-5W
I don't have archer but the torso easy to rip off so dont recommend xl on it. IT does have nasty offence capability with 8 missil hardpoint.

1 JJ, XL280 CPLT-A1, XL 300 x 2JJ CPLT-A1
Catapult XL safe you more like to lose your ear first then torso. Maybe take 1 ton ammo for extra JJ for the XL 280

ASN-21

Brawl Deck 2 (260 tonnage)
2 splatclops
2 splatassasin

Pro: Tanky clops with heavy speed dispate being 90 ton assault nasty and even the agile assasin can be annoying.
Cons: It a frontloaded deck you have to get your worth out those clops.

@VeeOt Dragon
The builds you giving are jack of all trade master of none.
You got weapons that dont sync at all.
Weapons that need direct aim an other that need leading target.

What are you looking for? laser?dakka?gaus?ppc?

[VeeOt Dragon]

the STK is my mid/long second line mech (try to stay with others to give ECM protection and share armor while able to hit farther targets.) (tried more LL instead of MPL but heat was to much even tried a more brawly build but it didn't work out so well)
gonna likely pull the SL off the RGH was thinking PPCs to pick of targets as I can and they are high enough mounted that I don't have to show much to hit might see what the heat levels are with 4 ppc but that would eliminate any close in fire.
my BSW is short to mid brawling (actually works very well since at the ranges its effective at you don't need to lead much.)
I use the HBK for softening up targets and support fire then move in the ML when I run out of ammo, sort of stay back of the pack till out of shots. (actually this is one of better preforming mechs). was also thinking of switching the RAC on the BLR for an LBX10 go close in damage (the speed on it is nice fore outflanking the enemy while they are concentrating on the slower assaults.

I know my mech choices aren't likely the best and those listed are all the IS mechs I have (got only one Clan) other than a BJ-3 that is currently on the back burner as far as build.

as for the decks themselves I was more shooting for longer ranges with DD-1 and shorter for DD-2. strapped for Cbills at the moment so I am trying to what I can with what I have. even with these builds I can usually get around 1,000 or more unless its one of those total steam roller matches. like I said I work best as support as apposed to tip of the spear play (working on my brawling skills but just not up there yet I am getting better). I shoot more for a role than for boating any particular weapon system (though I like lasers because well no ammo).

[justcallme A S H]

FYI - I won't be on US Fri night peak this week to train/help/have people along for drops


Tis "straya day" the day before over here (google that you canadians) and I have stuff on the day after.


I will be around US Sat night for anyone that wants to hit me up again etc.

Edited by justcallme A S H, 23 January 2018 - 05:21 PM.

[Alandial]

I started playing in December and have accrued 112 hours. I would really like to improve as my performance seems to fluctuate a lot. My deck currently looks like this:

Arctic Cheetah Prime -

ECM
ERSL
ERML
ATM3 - 2

Cougar H -

HML - 3
LBX5
ECM

Marauder II C -

MPL - 4
Ultra AC2 - 2
HMG
Laser AMS

Supernova A -

LRM20 Artemis - 2
LRM10 Artemis
ERLL - 2
Laser AMS
Targeting Comp II

I am willing to change mechs, loadouts, playstyle, whatever. I just want to feel like an actual benefit to my team instead of cannon fodder. (Although I do have a ton of fun at the beginning running a long route behind with my Cheetah and poking from behind)

In game name is Alandial. I play pretty often and would love to drop and be told what to do. (I'm used to it, I'm married)

Edited by Alandial, 24 January 2018 - 09:40 AM.

[Daidachi]

Alandial, on 24 January 2018 - 09:33 AM, said:

Arctic Cheetah Prime -

ECM
ERSL
ERML
ATM3 - 2

Cougar H -

HML - 3
LBX5
ECM

Marauder II C -

MPL - 4
Ultra AC2 - 2
HMG
Laser AMS

Supernova A -

LRM20 Artemis - 2
LRM10 Artemis
ERLL - 2
Laser AMS
Targeting Comp II

The single biggest thing on all of your mechs is that the cooldowns and ranges don't mesh. This game rewards specialists who fight at a set engagement range and model their playstyle around that (IE skirmish range mechs who get close, strike, and then fade).

If we take your cheetah as an example, you would be better served replacing the arms with the MG ones, and packing a few heavy lasers on - because MG's require facetime and close range, the long duration on heavy lasers ties into that playstyle.

I'm just about to go to bed so I can't offer specific smurfy link suggestions, but by asking the question and being willing to take on feedback you'll find people will be willing to help.

Just be ready to accept that unlike in table top, where being able to fight at multiple ranges is good, this is not the case in MWO.

[Alandial]

Would something like this perform better?

http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=291&l=cca36cd02de713bb5f91b3e9c5066fb69a5e4726

[Daidachi]

Alandial, on 24 January 2018 - 11:11 AM, said:

Would something like this perform better?

http://mwo.smurfy-net.de/mechlab#i=291&l=cca36cd02de713bb5f91b3e9c5066fb69a5e4726

Better, but not quite - try this instead.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...310f918f2d382d7

Rationale:

Your build: ECM requires a heavy investment in the sensor tree down two separate paths to be fully skilled out, which are a lot of points you can spend elsewhere on the ability to do direct damage.

In CW, you will 90% of the time be using lights on your last wave. This means you aren't dealing with LRM's, instead you are fighting lights, mediums, mechs clumped up around generators trying to body block them, etc.

HMG's won't have enough of an impact with only 3 of them, and the active probe isn't that useful tbh.

My build (shamelessly stolen from others): You'll note my armour values are much higher than yours, and front loaded to boot.The reason for this is that as a light, once you get legged you are dead. As for why front armour vs back? As a light especially you have the speed to ensure people aren't getting back shots on you. Those 6 points of armour are the reason high level players can seem to take shots that would sink a newer player (also they scale better with investment in the survival tree into the armour nodes).

The HML's are to open an area up - the MG's, between having 6 of them and the crit multiplier you get for that many firing on an open component, will inflict lots of crits very fast, leaving that location destroyed (and if it's an IS mech running an XL engine, congrats you've killed them).

[Alandial]

Daidachi, on 24 January 2018 - 11:26 AM, said:

Better, but not quite - try this instead.

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...310f918f2d382d7

Rationale:

Your build: ECM requires a heavy investment in the sensor tree down two separate paths to be fully skilled out, which are a lot of points you can spend elsewhere on the ability to do direct damage.

In CW, you will 90% of the time be using lights on your last wave. This means you aren't dealing with LRM's, instead you are fighting lights, mediums, mechs clumped up around generators trying to body block them, etc.

HMG's won't have enough of an impact with only 3 of them, and the active probe isn't that useful tbh.

My build (shamelessly stolen from others): You'll note my armour values are much higher than yours, and front loaded to boot.The reason for this is that as a light, once you get legged you are dead. As for why front armour vs back? As a light especially you have the speed to ensure people aren't getting back shots on you. Those 6 points of armour are the reason high level players can seem to take shots that would sink a newer player (also they scale better with investment in the survival tree into the armour nodes).

The HML's are to open an area up - the MG's, between having 6 of them and the crit multiplier you get for that many firing on an open component, will inflict lots of crits very fast, leaving that location destroyed (and if it's an IS mech running an XL engine, congrats you've killed them).

Thank you, I really appreciate it. I am going to go load that spec up and give it a run. Early on I got annihilated by LRM boats so I have been a bit trepidatious about running without ECM or AMS lol.

[justcallme A S H]

Alandial... Not one if those builds is remotely useful or has a good build on it. There is no synergy, mixed ranges and mixed weapons. None of that is good for any decent level of play in any mode in MWO (despite what some will tell you).

What mechs do you have in your mechbay? That'll help me throw a bunch of ideas at you.

[Alandial]

I currently have:

Arctic Cheetah
Cougar
Hunchback
Summoner
Marauder
Supernova

[justcallme A S H]

Just one variant of each?

If so - to be frank/honest - which is the point of this thread, you should not be in FP yet. You should only dabble in FP when you have 8 mechs fully spec'd (skill maze) - So 2 x 230-240T decks consisting of the following:

1. Long Range (All ERL or cERPP).
2. Skirmish (400-700 Laser or Dakka).

You can get away with one mech being close range (a light) but in the tonnage trade war a light is generally not a good idea unless you are a excellent light pilot. One strike and you lose 30% instantly, hence it's a bad idea.

I know that isn't really what you wanna hear but that is my honest opinion. It will just be frustrating for you and the team you are with as you will always be under-performing and there isn't really any way to change that.


(I will do some decks/builds later for the mechs you have none the less - please gimme the variants for the Battlemechs. Omni mechs don't matter)

Edited by justcallme A S H, 24 January 2018 - 05:42 PM.

[Alandial]

No worries, I know my options are pretty limited.

Hunchback is a IIC-B
Marauder is a IIC-A
Supernova is an A

I was thinking of grabbing a Night Gyr next. Is that a good purchase or should I aim for something else that would fill a deck need better?

[Black Ivan]

I own the Archers, but with the big side torsos I don't consider them for FW, too easy to rip site torsos of.

[Daidachi]

Alandial, on 24 January 2018 - 06:03 PM, said:

No worries, I know my options are pretty limited.

Hunchback is a IIC-B
Marauder is a IIC-A
Supernova is an A

I was thinking of grabbing a Night Gyr next. Is that a good purchase or should I aim for something else that would fill a deck need better?

Night gyr is now in the same boat as the Dire Wolf - very slow, and if you position badly you will be punished severely. As far as heavies go, hellbringers and ebon jags are the go-tos for players who are learning the ropes. You can put a few different loadouts on them and they are very forgiving in terms of learning the ropes.

The HBR will help you learn to poke using only the top half of your mech, since the majority of the mounts are high, and the EBJ will show you the importance of protecting your CT. Because it protrudes so much, you need to be careful when exposing as you will get punished if you expose in a poor position - but you have the speed and firepower to in turn punish someone who exposes themselves to you.

[Black Ivan]

Just thinking about mech changes. Which Crab builds are the best for FW?

[A Headless Chicken]

Black Ivan, on 24 January 2018 - 11:12 PM, said:

I own the Archers, but with the big side torsos I don't consider them for FW, too easy to rip site torsos of.

Archers are actually one of my favorite brawl Mechs due to the insane armor quirks that they have been given - if there is a city map where you need to brawl (5W) or a mid range map where you can effectively use MRMs to poke (2R), I would pick the Archer over a Roughneck or Warhammer. Just remember to spread damage well. That's my subjective opinion, but don't write the Archer off as mediocre just yet.

Black Ivan, on 25 January 2018 - 01:41 AM, said:

Just thinking about mech changes. Which Crab builds are the best for FW?

Not a Crab expert but I'd say light engines and vomit (3ERLL, 3LL2ML) or wubs (6MPL) will do you good depending on the situation you find yourself in.