27 replies to this topic

[Zirconium]

After playing around in ~20 different clan chassis I am at the inevitable point in a clanner's mechwarrior life when it is appropriate to buy a Dire Wolf.

I am contemplating if I should buy a DWF-S or a DWF-W, with the decision depending on not only the CT weapon but also the jump jets. I require some level of jump jets to assist maneuverability - the question to those of you with these variants is how many jump jets? At 2 tons each, 6 tons can obviously be very useful in another area of the build.

Does the Dire Wolf rely on having 3 Class I jump jets to move its weight hardly anywhere at all, or is 1 or 2 suitable for getting over rough terrain and city ledges? (lets say equal to or less than the height of the mech). Perhaps someone could test this for me in the academy?

I have previously had success in taking mech variants without jump jets and adding them via the torso omnipods (TBR-C with TBR-S torso omnipods and KFX-C with KFX-S torso omnipods to name a couple). In these instances I am not getting all of the jump capability that the stock jump capable variants have to be able to jump far into the distance, but enough to help me get around.

I am effectively looking at three options for the DWF:

1) DWF-S, keep the torso omnipods and 3 JJs.
2) DWF-S, change out 1 or 2 torso omnipods, with the 1 JJ in the CT.
3) DWF-W, change 1 or 2 torso omnipods to the DWF-S variant, to add 1 or 2 JJs.

I do also note that using the DWF-S torso omnipods prevents a UAC20 from being used in the torso, however this isn't a concern for my likely builds.

A penny for your thoughts...

[Koniving]

This should answer your question.

You can keep the pony.

[Hit the Deck]

The DireWolf doesn't benefit from more than 1 Class I JJs because it's best used as a gunboat.

The -S with its single JJ CT is useful as you've found out.

[Zirconium]

11 ER-PPC isn't quite what I have in mind!

From what I've seen in this video 2/3rds of the DWF-S jump capacity is enough for the various ledges being cleared:


The build is confirmed on the end of another video from the same person to be 3 JJs:


I am coming to the conclusion that 1 JJ will be enough for the odd rocks / lips / steps but 2 JJ is needed to clear moderate ledges, a 3rd JJ probably just a nice to have.

[Water Bear]

To each their own. I've owned 3 Dire Whales for quite some time and never the jump jet variant. I don't find jump jets necessary for maneuvering, but I do know some people that can't live without them.

[Captain Caveman DE]

..best to leave the direwhale off the jumpjet and put that into a more useful mech.


srsly though: I own 3 of them and -maybe- you can use them in fw, on some maps, in some modes without ruining your dropdeck.
they do good in defense 1st wave (were if not for the 100t..).

in QP though..
outside of events (like the current one) where you have to bring one, I would not. just makes you too salty in most games.

in case you wanna drive it anyway, 1JJ is quite handy, more do not hurt, but don't 'improve' the dire in any way imo.
if you got the tons, go for it, but they are far from essential.

[NRP]

IMO, jump jets are a waste of tonnage and space on a Direwolf.

[Seranov]

1 JJ on bigger Assaults is often nice, but expecting them to be able to hop ledges and stuff is generally a waste of 4 or more tons that could be put into more firepower or sustainability.

You do you, though.

[Helsbane]

The only time anyone in my unit has said anything favorable about the flying whale is that they took less leg damage from dropping down from and elevated level. Aside from that, they don't provide enough thrust to do much of anything aside from turn just ever so slightly faster, and not fast enough to waste the tonnage on. My best advice to you is pretend this whole 'jumping direwhale' is a myth, and build something far more useful.

[Funky Bacon]

I have had some fun in the S variant on my other F2P account. In such a slow mech being able to get over ledges or reach places other non-JJ mechs can't is pretty nice. It is ofc not useful on all the maps but on maps like Canyon Network or Tourmaline Desert that have a lot of obstacles and ledges it helps a lot.

[Xetelian]

I own 5 DWFs with different setups on each one.

I don't pilot the S more than my B or W, the extra JJ is nice but you can get away with having just one S torso pod on any of the other ones.

[Deathlike]

Jump Jets have never been a thing on the Dire Wolf since Hoverjets™ on the Highlander (before teh non-IIC).

1 is fine, but expect nothing but mere hovering over pebbles.

Edited by Deathlike, 11 February 2018 - 01:30 PM.

[Kubernetes]

One is always nice to help get over terrain and up slopes. It can also help turning when in a knife-fight against Piranhas. You'll probably still die, but some extra maneuverability always helps.

[Khobai]

assault jumpjets should be unnerfed

just make it so you cant fire certain weapons like gauss rifles while jumping

[Zirconium]

Thank you all for the help - after ruling out ever running 3 JJ's, a DWF-W it is!

I figured I'm more likely to use the two CT energy hardpoints and that it offers more flexibility all round, allowing me to use the DWF-S torso omnipods to gain 1-2 JJ's and additional hardpoints (or to drop the JJ idea and pursue builds with the double ballistics or missile torso omnipods from the DWF-A and DWF-B.).

Edited by Zirconium, 15 February 2018 - 01:55 PM.

[Gas Guzzler]

Khobai, on 11 February 2018 - 11:24 PM, said:

just make it so you cant fire certain weapons like gauss rifles while jumping

Oh noes an assault might hop up and dual gauss me when I am unawares, that would ruin the game for me!

Why don't you just make it so you have to give others permission to shoot at you?

To the OP, I don't run JJs on the Dire, need moar DHS.

[Relishcakes]

Koniving, on 11 February 2018 - 04:37 AM, said:

This should answer your question.

You can keep the pony.

I love the scream, FACE THE STORM!!!

[Khobai]

Quote

Oh noes an assault might hop up and dual gauss me when I am unawares, that would ruin the game for me!

Why don't you just make it so you have to give others permission to shoot at you?

To the OP, I don't run JJs on the Dire, need moar DHS.

poptarting with dual gauss is fine. 30 damage doesnt break anything.

the problem was letting people poptart with dual gauss+ppc or x2 ppc+gauss. 40+ damage is where things start to break.

the suggestion to disable gauss while jumping was only if they readded x3 PPC/Gauss. but PGI doesnt sound like theyre going to readd it anyway, thankfully.

I see no good reason to leave assault JJs nerfed as long as x3 PPC/Gauss isnt allowed.

Edited by Khobai, 15 February 2018 - 04:44 PM.

[Gas Guzzler]

Khobai, on 15 February 2018 - 04:35 PM, said:

poptarting with dual gauss is fine. 30 damage doesnt break anything.

the problem was letting people poptart with dual gauss+ppc or x2 ppc+gauss. 40+ PPFLD damage is where things start to break.

but PGI doesnt sound like theyre going to allow it anyway thankfully

I certainly dont see why assault JJs cant be slightly unnerfed as long as x3 PPC/Gauss isnt allowed.

Hm well the Night Gyr can poptart just fine with 2 Gauss and an ER PPC and its not really hurting anyone's feelings now AFAIK.

[Khobai]

Quote

Hm well the Night Gyr can poptart just fine with 2 Gauss and an ER PPC and its not really hurting anyone's feelings now AFAIK.

Because the Night Gyr suffers ghost heat now when it fires x2 Gauss+ERPPC

If you wanna fire x2 Gauss+ERPPC with a Night Gyr its costing you like 20 extra heat from ghost heat.

People wanted to remove that ghost heat... which wouldve made it overpowered without some other downside.

Edited by Khobai, 15 February 2018 - 04:51 PM.