12 replies to this topic

[BlinkFighter]

Hi
i bought an Atlas D DC but i dont know which build is best for CQB/Mid-Rage?
So maybe someone could give me some advices


i build one but i dont know if its good

https://mwo.smurfy-n...echlab#modified

[Eisenhorne]

Your build code is messed up, but the archetypical atlas D-DC is like this - https://mwo.smurfy-n...0b77800386aa559

[BlinkFighter]

is this link better?
[smurfy]https://mwo.smurfy-n...14900c1ad188637[/smurfy]

Edited by RavenReyes161, 07 September 2018 - 07:54 AM.

[Eisenhorne]

I can see it now.

OK, so this build definitely needs some help. I'll try to address my criticisms to specific things, but please understand this isn't a personal attack (some people take this personally).

1) -never- use an XL engine in an Atlas, or really any 100 ton Inner Sphere mech. A big part of your value is that you're hard to kill, that you are a threat, and draw fire for a long time. If you lose a side torso, you're still threatening with the other side. You want to be as hard to kill as possible.

2) Some weapons are just not good. Unfortunately for Inner Sphere, that includes ERPPC's and Large Pulse Lasers. ERPPC's (heck, all IS PPC's in general) are too hot, and we cannot boat enough heatsinks to make it worth our while to take them. Large Pulses are not bad in a vacuum, but for 2 tons less you can get a Large Laser, which has better range and nearly the same damage. It's not worth the extra 2 tons to take a large pulse.

3) You've got a classic "bracket build" here.... where you have multiple weapons with varying ranges. You dont want a toolkit build like this, the best (most successful in this game anyway) mechs always pick a single range to operate at, and try to get all weapons to fit into that range. If you wanna do mid range, all weapons should have an effective range of ~450-700 meters. ERPPC's and SRMs should never be in the same build, because they are so different in role.

4) Targetting Computers are really only useful if you're using lots of ER Large Lasers and want more range, or are using lots of PPC's / Autocannons to increase velocity. Even then, they're not commonly used. If you have an extra ton and feel you have enough ammo, then fine, but a TCOMP III in this build doesn't make much sense.

5) The command console... I'm pretty sure that doesn't actually do anything? It's dead weight.

6) It looks like you stacked your rear armor. You want to take AT MOST 10 rear armor, probably less. I take like 5 on my 100 ton assaults. The best defense against getting shot in the back is not letting things get behind you. 10 extra back armor will buy you like 1/4 of a second if a Piranha is on your ***, but it might just save you if you're being shot at from the front if you load it there instead.

7) You also need to consider the mech chassis, and what it is inherently good at. Don't try to fit a square peg into a round hole. The Atlas has relatively low arms and weapons mounts. It's not great at long range, since you can't just poke around corners or above hills and get back down before you're smashed by return fire. You need to play to the chassis strengths. The Atlas has structure quirks, so it's meant to take some punishment. This is a front line assault mech, so using long range weapons here doesn't make much sense either.

8) Don't take more weapons than you can effectively cool. Your build would be hotter than the surface of the sun. You want to be able to stay in the fight for a long time, you gotta be able to use all guns at the same time otherwise why bother having them.

9) You don't need AMS, you already have ECM.

So, lets assume you want to play this then as a mid range build. That's fine, you can make that work. You wanna focus all weapons at 450-700 ish meter range then, and still retain the ability to brawl a bit. Here's a couple ways you could do that -

Shotgun Atlas- LBX20, 2 MRM30. Big damage, but spreads it all over the enemy. Deadly at like 400 meters, but it can plink away at things up to 600 or so if it's a big slow target. Would be decently strong up close, too.

Dakka Atlas - 2 RAC5, MRM40 Similar, but with RAC's instead of an LBX. Smaller MRM hit too.

Really, you gotta look at the options here. The only real choice for missiles here is MRM's, since LRM's are not great for weight efficiency on an Atlas, and SRM's are too short ranged. That leaves you looking for Ballistics that you can mount in the other shoulder, that give you a decent range. Things like an AC20 or Heavy Gauss are a bit too short range for what you're looking for, so they're flat out. RAC5's, LBX20 or LBX10, AC5 or AC10 (or UAC 5 /10) are the only real options for the ballistic shoulder for midrange atlas builds. The energy mounts aren't super useful, though I was considering it might not be bad to have like a gauss rifle + Heavy PPC for a 30 damage pinpoint hit, but it would require a bit of skill to get the timing down to fire both at the same time, and even then 30 damage isn't THAT much.

*edit - All of this is not really the "optimal" use for the build though, honestly. The Atlas is best as a brawl mech, with an AC20 with SRMs. It's really what it was meant to do. When it comes to mid ranged fire support, other assaults do it a lot better. The Stalker 3FB is one of my favorites, along with the Annihlator. Those fill the role better than the Atlas can.

Edited by Eisenhorne, 07 September 2018 - 10:12 AM.

[BlinkFighter]

ok and what about his build?

[smurfy]https://mwo.smurfy-n...1aed31884775f9c[/smurfy]

Edited by RavenReyes161, 07 September 2018 - 10:13 AM.

[Eisenhorne]

RavenReyes161, on 07 September 2018 - 10:08 AM, said:

ok and what about his build?

[smurfy]https://mwo.smurfy-n...1aed31884775f9c[/smurfy]

Better, but you've got 3 tons of space left. I'd probably either use it to bump the medium lasers up to medium pulse lasers, and add more armor to the arms, or drop some of the RAC ammo to make room for an MRM40 instead of a 30.

[BlinkFighter]

ok like this?

[smurfy]https://mwo.smurfy-n...ecbdb8d2216ad3f[/smurfy]

[Eisenhorne]

RavenReyes161, on 07 September 2018 - 10:36 AM, said:

ok like this?

[smurfy]https://mwo.smurfy-n...ecbdb8d2216ad3f[/smurfy]

Yea, pretty much, I think that's a decent way to go if you're going to try to stay at mid range, and really want to use an Atlas D-DC to do it.

[BlinkFighter]

is there anything to do against the rac5s jamms? so they dont jamm so fast?

[Steel Raven]

Skill Tree has a UAC/RAC Chance Reduction node but your Jam chances always increase when you hold the trigger down until it's in the red. I would take a page from A-10 Pilots and fire in burst unless the thing in front of you needs to die

[Horseman]

RavenReyes161, on 07 September 2018 - 11:57 PM, said:

is there anything to do against the rac5s jamms? so they dont jamm so fast?

No. The skill nodes just make the jams shorter.

[Roland09]

RavenReyes161, on 07 September 2018 - 10:36 AM, said:

ok like this?

[smurfy]https://mwo.smurfy-n...ecbdb8d2216ad3f[/smurfy]

You could easily drop 2 tons of MRM ammo, and add some armor to your legs and also the arms.

On a more general note, how good are you at torso twisting? It's a technique you may want to look into. RACs do not lend themselves well to torso twisting since you will be doing more of a staring contest. If you would like to train twisting, you could look into this build:

https://mwo.smurfy-n...73fd5b6737b82d2

[Leone]

I feel I must disagree with Eisenhorne. I mean, on the whole, correct about most points. XL bad, Mrms and Acs for midrange, (Brawl the more optimal use for the mech, all that stuff.)

That said, if you're good at micro management, bringing an AMS can be helpful, and can act as further armour for the team, but isn't a given, as the opfor might not bring missiles. It's something you can leave off on the whole and just toggle on when needed, i.e. when missiles are actually en rout to hit you or an ally, rather'n just leaving it on the whole time. Also, command consoles aren't completely useless, but all they really do is increase your targetting range, and since you're mid range and dumbfire anyways, it's not the most needed of things, but some might enjoy the added utility, if'n they've three tonnes and a slot left. I admit to keeping a few around.

However, as an aside, Here's a brief Brawling atlas clip. I know, I know, my aim is atrocious that match. Point is, everyone got distracted by the big bad atlas an my team ran roughshod over the enemy. That is the atlas's job, draw fire and survive it. Don't be afraid to scratch some paint to give your team those glorious openings, but don't throw the mech away either. It's a fine line your preparing to walk, learn it well Mechwarrior, and have fun out there.

~Leone

Edited by Leone, 09 September 2018 - 03:36 PM.