47 replies to this topic

[Variant1]

I think they should be added to the game already, shouldnt take much time to implement they are just ac2 and ac5 but lighter with less slots at the cost of lower ranges. Would be perfect alternative for daka mechs, the 6 ac2 jager could be viable with lighter acs.
http://www.sarna.net...ight_Autocannon

[Bombast]

We suggested these prior to Civil War tech, arguing they were vastly better additions than, say, RACs.

But alas...

[MechaBattler]

It would be an interesting option. Blackjack with 2xLAC2s. Banshee 3E could run 3xLAC5 without needing a standard engine. Though I wonder about the viability of that anymore.

[Athom83]

Next timejump, IF they allow "experimental" tech.

[lazorbeamz]

You cant add any more autocannons to the game and leave all existing options viable. There are so many of them that some will be overshadowed easily.

[Variant1]

Bombast, on 24 April 2018 - 12:40 PM, said:

We suggested these prior to Civil War tech, arguing they were vastly better additions than, say, RACs.

But alas...

why not both? (insert meme here)
rac and light acs

MechaBattler, on 24 April 2018 - 12:43 PM, said:

It would be an interesting option. Blackjack with 2xLAC2s. Banshee 3E could run 3xLAC5 without needing a standard engine. Though I wonder about the viability of that anymore.

Light autocanons woudl still be viable, they are after all a weight saving weapon to mount more ammo armor etc

lazorbeamz, on 24 April 2018 - 12:51 PM, said:

You cant add any more autocannons to the game and leave all existing options viable. There are so many of them that some will be overshadowed easily.

Not entirely, the light ac would be good on the panther10p and a good alternative for those that want to fill harpoints up. I could see roughnecks and other mechs with balistic hardpoints using them for more firepower over raw dmg

[Khobai]

Quote

We suggested these prior to Civil War tech, arguing they were vastly better additions than, say, RACs.

I wouldve preferred both RACs and LACs. Seeing as how they fill completely different roles.

But yeah at the very least we need the LAC/2. We probably dont need the LAC/5 though, that might be too good seeing as how AC/5s are already one of the better autocannon options.

Clans should also get chemical lasers, ER pulses, and HAGs.

Edited by Khobai, 24 April 2018 - 01:01 PM.

[MechaBattler]

I was under the impression that the UAC10 had usurped the AC5 as the best IS ballistic?

[FupDup]

MechaBattler, on 24 April 2018 - 01:15 PM, said:

I was under the impression that the UAC10 had usurped the AC5 as the best IS ballistic?

Personally I was under the impression that the vanilla AC/5 has been overrated for a very long time unless you've either got good quirks for it or you can mount at least four of them.

For the actual topic, part of the issue with "making LACs different enough" is that the vanilla ACs themselves aren't all that great. Vanilla ACs need more velocity and lower heat. The LAC/5 could use the current AC/5 velocity (with AC/5 getting buffed to at least 1500) and the LAC/2 would probably be something around 1600-1700. For heat the regular AC/5 should be either 1.0 or close to that, with the LAC/5 having at least 1.66 per shot so that it's less optimal to boat on heavies and assaults than normal ACs. The LAC/2 could have 1.0 heat like the AC/2 used to a long time ago.

The idea is that a lighter mech using LACs as their primary weapons will have plenty of heat to spare, but an assault mech would get more value out of boating regular ACs since they'll need the extra heat efficiency.

[Athom83]

MechaBattler, on 24 April 2018 - 01:15 PM, said:

I was under the impression that the UAC10 had usurped the AC5 as the best IS ballistic?

Personally dislike the IS UAC/10. I just don't like using the thing, it just feels awkward.

[Angel of Annihilation]

Athom83, on 24 April 2018 - 05:32 PM, said:

Personally dislike the IS UAC/10. I just don't like using the thing, it just feels awkward.

The Jam chance makes all UAC's awkward to be honest. I can't count the times I have been in a situation where I have absolutely needed every ounce of firepower I could muster to survive a situation and the second I tap the UAC, it gets jammed. Overall the damage is very superior to a standard AC but they will always let you down at the worst times it seems. Unfortunately for a Clanner, you really don't have any options though since the LBX cannons can't really be seen as a replacement like standard ACs can be a replacement for the IS side.

[Escef]

Athom83, on 24 April 2018 - 05:32 PM, said:

Personally dislike the IS UAC/10. I just don't like using the thing, it just feels awkward.

To each their own, I suppose. I love the thing. Potentially, about the same heat as an AC20 for the same damage with better range? For less tonnage and fewer crits? Sign me up.

[MechaBattler]

I think Fupdup has the right of it. I don't remember the last I faced someone using AC5s. And AC2s best used on mechs with the quirks for it. Or a Rifleman with 4 of them. Because I think it's funny.

[Nightbird]

I promise these will be added after the current weapons pass completes (eta 2020) xD

[Spheroid]

I have thought quite a bit about LACs. I think they key to making them compete fairly with AC-5 is to ramp the heat to around 1.0 HPS vs. the AC-5's .84 and AC-2's .69.

Range would be identical to current AC-5. Velocity would either be identical to AC-5 or between that and the AC-2. You would trade heat for velocity, weight and slots in the balancing.

Edited by Spheroid, 26 April 2018 - 11:48 AM.

[Khobai]

Quote

Personally I was under the impression that the vanilla AC/5 has been overrated for a very long time unless you've either got good quirks for it or you can mount at least four of them.

thats kindve the whole point. you need to mount four or more of them.

cataphract, mauler, annihilator, king crab, tons of mechs do it in solaris.

[Exilyth]

In before LAC2 on a Locust.

[Stridercal]

Easy to implement, hard to balance. On TT, they are distinctly better than the standard AC5/2. If we do the same in MWO, it'd be overkill, as range is rarely a factor in QP, and is non-existant in Solaris.

The result would be a big powershift towards close-range dakka for the IS. Attempting to balance via ghost heat or even base heat would piss off pretty much everyone.

Of course, you could balance that boost in power by eliminating the minimum range on clan ATMs, but then the entire MWO ecosystem would turn into clan missile boats and IS dakka brawlers.

Maybe a more fair idea would be to give IS LAC tech and give the clans their HAGs, reinforcing the two range distinctions?

But still, as much as i'd love to see plasma rifles/cannons too, the challenge would be making it work in MWO, and that... that would be hard.

[Athom83]

Exilyth, on 25 April 2018 - 03:44 PM, said:

In before LAC2 on a Locust.

https://mwo.smurfy-n...4894732494892bf

[Brain Cancer]

Rifles were already an in-timeline solution, right down to the "weaker vs armor" bit we use for machine guns...and they're actually retro-tech, so they've been technically available even if we were still in 3025-era stuff. Clanners

LAC's come next, being Jihad-era tech. Along with those, we get the Magshot, and the Clans get AP Gauss (basically both are super-light Gauss style weaponry mostly useful for killing soft targets/infantry but with good reach) and the PAC, designed for Protomechs but also serving as a lighter ballistic option for Clan chassis, and the HAG as a heavier ballistic option instead. Finally, the Clans get their own rotary ACs.