18 replies to this topic

[Ryan256]

I took advantage of the sale and bought a ANH-1A. Was fun for a bit and I wanted to try swapping a pair of RAC5s for the chest AC10s. It still plays kinda fun but this thing gets torn up so fast.
Link to build: https://mwo.smurfy-n...f3f569ced5bf619

It overheats fast and is so slow it's easy prey for lights to pick off before being able to join the main skirmish.

Any suggestions on how to improve this thing?

[Brethren]

So, you basically kept everything stock except the weapons? In that case you lack 40pts of armor on your center torso, which would improve your survival time quite a lot. Stock loadouts come straight from the tabletop game and often do not run full armor.

Second I'd go for double heat sinks. 10 (the minimum you need to run a mech) are better than your 18 singles, use up less space and weight less, too.

As long as you run 4 heavy ballistics you're always going to be that slow. Always take the shortest path to the enemy lines and even then be prepared to be left alone.

[Phoenix 72]

Also be prepared to be one of the first targets to be focused down by enemy fire. An Annihilator left to its own devices is way too powerful, so even even if the team thinks that teamwork is one of those new asian groceries, they will still work together to get rid of that threat as quickly as possible.

In Assaults in general, things get better when you have spent enough points in the survival tree. But Assaults live and die with their positioning. And the slow speed makes that one a real challenge.

***EDIT: You might want to save up for a faster Engine, that will generally be useful, too.***

Edited by Darakor Stormwind, 25 June 2018 - 09:45 PM.

[Phoenix 72]

I myself would probably go with a build closer to this:

https://mwo.smurfy-n...a8203dd8f47ce29

Although you can drop more of the back armour and put it to the front.

[Ryan256]

Darakor Stormwind, on 25 June 2018 - 09:53 PM, said:

I myself would probably go with a build closer to this:

https://mwo.smurfy-n...a8203dd8f47ce29

Although you can drop more of the back armour and put it to the front.

That looks promising. But I have a question. I know XL engines in IS Mechs are a big risk. If they pop a side torso you're dead. Is that the same with light engines since part of it is in the side torso?

[Phoenix 72]

When you use a LFE and lose the side torso, your speed will go down and a good part of your capacity to handle heat goes bye-bye.

I cannot tell you exactly how much you lose.

[Phoenix 72]

You will also want to move the ammo from the Side Torso to your legs, so you do not lose the ammo as well as the weapons. Didn't do that in my build because I was too lazy to switch all that around. ;-)

[Phoenix 72]

Sorry, I do not have any experience whatsoever with Gauss Rifles. I just have to say I personally like builds that are effective from mid range to close range. I originally started with mostly short range brawlers and they were very hit and miss, depending on the map. I got a lot more consistent once I chose weapons that allowed me to engage from 500m to 0m.

[justcallme A S H]

Ryan256, on 25 June 2018 - 07:16 PM, said:

Any suggestions on how to improve this thing?

1. Fixed armour allocation
2. Fixed cooling
3. Fixed speed

You have two options:

ONE / TWO and ensure you use this SKILL MAZE or something near enough to it.

[justcallme A S H]

Maffa, on 27 June 2018 - 02:56 AM, said:

I also have problems with my ANH-1A configuration.

I have the impresison of being an iceberg: as in tall huge slow, and yes deadly, but also totally avoidable.

I bought it through the sale, and since i saw it highly regarded everywhere (including the infamous metalist by denAirwalkerrr) i bought it and specced it with double HGR because i wanted to be a sniper like the cool guys.

1. HGR is not a sniper weapon, it is close range assault only.

2. Try THIS build with the Skill Maze I posted above

The only time I've done less than 800 damage in that build (post torso nerf which would've been 1200dmg+ prior) is when the team does it's stupid NASCAR rotation as advocated by some of the worst streamers of the community...

If they don't NASCAR, you literally will kill most things that try take you on 1v1 and you can 1v2 most other mechs simply because of the armour you have... It just comes down to RNGesus of the UAC jams.

[SlightlyMobileTurret]

I'll have to second ASH on this, UAC30 is simple and good, if a little irritating on the 1A because you have to relegate on autocannon to the arms. Still, the extra armour over the 2A compensates for that.

In any case, the 100 tonners are NOT for new players.They require a lot of experience to pilot, especially in terms of movement. map knowledge and positioning, and also anticipation. Anticipating the NASCAR, where your enemy will poke, your heat, knowing when to commit and when to pull back etc.

Try watching some of the better streamers play their 100 tonners (if they do take them out for a spin) to see how they do it.

[Ryan256]

Well.... I'm certainly not the best player. But being tier 3 I wouldn't call myself inexperienced either. I think I found a build that I want to go with. It maxes out the armor. Switches the AC10s for LBX10s. Keeps just the 2 medium lasers in the CT (not out of the fight til I'm dead). Includes a laser AMS so I can mitigate the LRM annoyance. Then uses light ferro armor and double heat sinks. Lastly it ups the engine for much better speed.
Thing is though.... these mods will cost me +7M c-bills!! I'd like to get some critique of this build before I spend that much on my mech.

[Phoenix 72]

Not a fan of the 2 ML. When you lose both side torsos you are dead anyway, because of the light engine. I would rather use the space for more ammo. The LBX ammo feels very light.

Also, drop the LAMS and replace it with a normal AMS and 2000 ammo. I have been shut down doing almost nothing on hot maps, just from the heat the LAMS causes. I kept overheating while relocating and wondering why. Once I understood why, I stopped using LAMS. It just really messes with your heat control.

Shave off another 0.11 tons worth of armour from the head or legs and put in another half a ton of some ammo. Even if it is AMS ammo. It's only 4 points of armour, and 2 less on the head and 1 less on each leg is not noticeable at all.

15 armour for the back side torsos and 20 for the back center feels too much. I would put more on front. I do not think I use more than 12 on any Mech I own. Pro Streamers often only have 4-6 in the back, but I am too cowardly to go that far.

***EDIT: I am only Tier3 myself, so feel free to completely disregard anything I say. ***

Edited by Darakor Stormwind, 28 June 2018 - 12:27 PM.

[justcallme A S H]

Ryan256, on 28 June 2018 - 05:25 AM, said:

Well.... I'm certainly not the best player. But being tier 3 I wouldn't call myself inexperienced either. I think I found a build that I want to go with. It maxes out the armor. Switches the AC10s for LBX10s. Keeps just the 2 medium lasers in the CT (not out of the fight til I'm dead). Includes a laser AMS so I can mitigate the LRM annoyance. Then uses light ferro armor and double heat sinks. Lastly it ups the engine for much better speed.
Thing is though.... these mods will cost me +7M c-bills!! I'd like to get some critique of this build before I spend that much on my mech.

No dude... Too light on Ammo.

LAMS means you'll be heating up at a RAPID rate and unable to cool down.

ML lasers useless with those weapons mostly, especially CT mounted.. Better off with ERML.

Too much rear armour too. 10-12pts max for a slow mobiltg Assault... I mean I run 6 Max in just about every mech to give you an idea. If you keep getting shot in the butt you need to address how you position and map awareness.

Edited by justcallme A S H, 28 June 2018 - 02:17 PM.

[Brethren]

I have to agree with ASH here.

• LAMS is not what you want to go for in combination with RACs. Both systems continually raise heat.
  
• CT lasers might sound neat, but when you use a light engine and lose both sides you're dead. No Zombie-Anni this way.
  
• You aim to run 4 heavy ballistics, which as default will leave your mean machine weight and slot starved. Your mech will lack in other areas! There is no mount-all-do-all mech.

ANH-1A

I fiddled a bit around with your build and came out with this.

• The arm mounted lasers are for mean UAVs that mark you as a target for LRMs or pesky lights that like to snuggle your crotch. Those can be regular or ERs after your liking. Don't fire them too often. Your RACs are powerful and you want to spend your heat on them, not on your lasers.
  
• You may drop the 2 lasers anytime for more ammo or a regular AMS with 1 ton of ammo.
  
• Switching to a STD engine allowed the LB-10 to be relocated to torso, which leaves your arm empty and allows you to drop armor plates, gaining a bit of weight. Also you will not lose speed or heat management when you lose a side torso. (And in the end STD300 will get you to max-Anni-speed which really helps with positioning and it's cheaper, too.)
  
• Endo Steel (more free weight than Ferro) nets you that last bit of tonnage to carry the ammo that'll last you a prolonged battle.

Edited by Brethren, 29 June 2018 - 01:14 AM.

[Ryan256]

Ok.... once again I revised what I think I'm going to go with. Check this one out: https://mwo.smurfy-n...0a6a3bf5253455b

And give me constructive criticism.

[Brethren]

Ryan256, on 18 July 2018 - 05:29 PM, said:

Ok.... once again I revised what I think I'm going to go with. Check this one out: https://mwo.smurfy-n...0a6a3bf5253455b

And give me constructive criticism.

That one looks quite nice.
Only thing I'd change is ammo location and amount. I hardly run through 3t of RAC ammo, let alone 6. On the other hand 3t of LB-X ammo does not last a full battle.
Plus, I would put ammo into the legs. As long as the component is well armored hardly anyone is shooting the legs on an Anni.
My take on your Annihilator would look like this: ANH-1A

[Phoenix 72]

Wanted to give my suggestions, but decided to check what others said, first. I essentially came to the same conclusion as Brethren.

Although I would probably lower the back armour a little more. 10 to the sides and 12 in the center is what I usually take for heavies and assaults. Although I never really die from being shot in the back, I just feel uncomfortable going lower.

Edited by Darakor Stormwind, 18 July 2018 - 09:48 PM.

[Maddermax]

I take 2xAC2, 1xLBX2, 2XRac5s and an AMS, with light 300 engine on my Anni. Does very well for me, the AC2s and LBX2 make my long range component, and can push people back at 800m well enough, RACs come to bear under 500m. The extra range I find useful because you spend so much time slowly waddling into position, and a few bursts of rapid fire ACs/LBX generally keep snipers from just continually plugging you. Without the range, it's much harder to keep the snipers unbalanced, and you have to play more conservatively I've found.