11 replies to this topic

[Mortalcoil]

I can't decide which IS heavy laser boat I like the most. There are a lot of them with their own upsides and downsides.

These are the ranks of the mechs. This is just my opinion, but here goes.

1st: Warhammer 6D

Pros: It's a Warhammer. Highish mounts. The rare, legendary 9 laser mounts. 10% laser range. Good structure quirks.

Cons: It's a Warhammer, pancake torso, not the best hit boxes, not the worst, no heat or even duration quirks, no armor quirks

2nd: Roughneck 3A

Pros: 3 Super high mounts. The others, not too low. Crazy armor/structure quirks

Cons: Lowest hardpoints of the contenders at 7, 0 offensive quirks, lowish agility for its tonnage

3rd: Thunderbolt TopDog

Pros: 9 hard points, 10% energy range, good structure quirks, amazing agility, highest of the group with approximately 50% more than the Warhammer. Easy to spread damage...at a price. A couple very very high hard points.

Cons: Big boxy Thunderbolt hit boxes, no duration, heat quirks, no armor quirks. Weird, off center head can take a bit to get used to. Some low hard points.

4th: Black Knights, multiple chassis

Pros: Your options are 10% heat, great mobility, or armor and duration. 8 or 9 hard points.

Cons: No matter which one you choose, you will be stuck with the dreaded laser belt and 1 head laser. Crappy agility besides the one with good agility, but the one with good agility has only structure quirks and mediocre offensive quirks. 75 tons is an awkward fit in a lot of drop decks.

From here you have The Grasshopper 5H,5P, and Mjolner, The Bounty Hunter, Thunderbolt 5SS, Jester, which all have strengths and weaknesses but are edged out by the others I have listed, mostly because of a lack of hard points/bad hard point locations.

So what are people's thoughts? What are people's personal favorites. Do try to factor in tonnage. As in, clearly a 75 ton Black Knight has a lot of advantages over a 65 ton Roughneck, but it is 10 more tons, so ton for ton, whats the IS heavy laser vomit king?

Also, how much do people like their Top Dogs?

Edited by Mortalcoil, 23 May 2018 - 11:48 PM.

[Sjorpha]

For pure laser vomit I've come to like the Roughneck 3A more and more. It's just so well rounded and reliable. Tanky, agile enough, fast enough, good hitboxes and those 5 torso hardpoints are the highest E hardpoints in that number on any IS heavy. There is no obvious weakness and at 65 tons is a great deal in Faction Play. Also everything in the builds slots in perfectly in both space and tonnage, and I also think it's one of the best looking mechs in the game.

This is my build. I also have a second 3A for the ER version of the same build. I prefer the short range version in QP because I want to be part of the frontline and share a bit of armour in roughnecks, 300m is usually a good engagement range in QP IMO. But the ER version is really nice for ranged maps in FP.

Edited by Sjorpha, 24 May 2018 - 12:12 AM.

[El Bandito]

I have owned a Top Dog for a long while. It is a good mid-range las-vomit mech, with 52 point alpha, using 3xLL + 5xERML. I personally like it. Sure, it loses out on trades vs. current Clan laservomit, which deals over 20 points of damage in comparison. However, it is pretty nimble, and since the mech is not too tall like a Grasshopper, it can reliably hit those pesky Piranhas/Arctic Wolves that try to prey on you.

[Bud Crue]

I run my Ebon with 8MPL. My Top Dog is my IS Ebon. It is not as lethal but it is tougher and a lot of fun. Great laser brawler. Tried the 3LL/5ML builds and stopped given that I run several such builds on mechs like the Grasshoppers and BKs that you mentioned, but yes the Top Dog does that build just as well as any of the others that can run it.

[PocketYoda]

Personally from being the target i'd say supernovas and hellbringers are by far the most insane laser boats.. what they bring to bare with speed and defense make IS annihilators worried..

70+ point damage a blast is not something to ignore.

Edited by Samial, 24 May 2018 - 05:51 AM.

[Nightbird]

Warhammer and grasshopper, BK second

[LordBraxton]

I'd have to go with the roughneck because IS mechs need armor quirks, and it has assault mech armor.

However, contrary to what clanboi fanbois like to say, Clan Laser Boats are so superior that I don't see a reason to bring IS ever, but If I do bring IS, it is for their ACs or missiles. Im an IS fan who only plays clan mechs. :<

[LowSubmarino]

JJs are just so op in terms of getting to advantageous positions or changing levels in general. Its just too strong in terms of engaging and disengaging so id always go with the GH.

And anything like the Black Night, with that kind of low hardpoints....its way too gimped. Theres a hilarious and overthetop amount of instances where you will hit the ground and where other, better mechs, with higher hardpoints will brutally punish you.

(Super) low hardpoints are so bad....I never use mechs like that. Like never. Its just too bad to play with them and constantly hit the ground of find yourself in positions where you could happily fire away with other mechs but not your waist high hardpoints.

I never use mechs with such gimped hardpoints.

They gotta expose the entire world and the sun too to be able to shoot anything.

[Spheroid]

Battlemaster-1G

[A1Ste4kSauce]

Battlemaster 1G and 2C should be on and at the top of this list. You don't need 8+ hardpoints to be a laser boat. The battlemasters can boat larges and have excellent shoulder hardpoints.

[Nightbird]

Battlemaster is not a heavy

[Y E O N N E]

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