6 replies to this topic

[Phoenix 72]

I played for a couple hours yesterday, trying to skill up a new Mech. I kept ending up on the same team as a guy playing a Cyclops Sleipnir with 4 RAC2.

Whenever I died (which was a lot ), I spectated and I felt like his heat bar went up insanely fast. When I stopped playing, I checked smurfy for the heat penalty.

Apparently, 3 RAC2 produce 6 heat and 4 of them 10. I kept wondering whether I should have mentioned something during the game. But then, I assumed he knew about the ghost heat and did not care. So to settle this mental argument in my mind: Does anybody know whether this build is worth it? I personally would have probably slapped 2 RAC5 and 2 other ballistics on the Mech instead, if I wanted to play RACs on a Sleipnir...

[Eisenhorne]

No, it's a terrible use for a mech, and breaking ghost heat with RACs is a terrible idea.

When trying to pick a build for a mech, ask yourself a simple question... can a lighter mech do the same build? For example, a Bushwacker X1 can do a 3x RAC2 build. So why would you do it on a heavier mech? Like, you often see Marauders running 3x RAC builds. Sure, they can jump, and have some medium lasers as backup weapons. But really, is that worth 20 extra tons? Not in my opinion, you'd be better off taking the lightest mech that can do the build you want.

The strength of the Sleipnir is it has great agility and torso twisting. That means you can poke out of cover, fire a burst, and twist while getting back into cover. This means you should make maximum use of that by picking ballistic weapons that are great at burst damage, that you can fire a shot off with, and get back into cover. Things like LBX10s, HGR, UAC's, etc. Picking something that requires you to stare at an enemy is not a great idea, because you're not utilizing one of your biggest advantages.

[Phoenix 72]

Well, he usually still did 700ish damage with that build, so it probably wasn't useless, but the way that heat gauge went up was quite alarming, IMO. And all to get the same dps as two RAC5...

[Horseman]

4xRAC2 isn't something to fire all the time. You engage three and save the 4th once one of the first three jams.

Darakor Stormwind, on 06 September 2018 - 09:39 PM, said:

Well, he usually still did 700ish damage with that build, so it probably wasn't useless, but the way that heat gauge went up was quite alarming, IMO. And all to get the same dps as two RAC5...

Longer range and shorter jams.

[Daggett]

I once tried a similar build on the Mauler with 19 DHS and fully skilled for heat-efficiency.

In my opinion heat was quite manageable, the racs usually jam anyway before you overheat. 3 racs are fine with 10 true dubs so 9 additional external DHS can barely support a fourth RAC + ghost heat. The real problems however are top speed, size and hitboxes.

Though while 4xRAC2 are devastating you lack the speed to get into position quickly enough or to get out if things get too hot.
Additionally people of cause prefer shooting the assaults and the Mauler as well as Cyclops hitboxes are quite easy to hit.

For comparison the Bushracker is not only fast enough to take advantage of opportunities, it's also often ignored when standing beside bigger mechs. And if it's shot at damage spread naturally. I have no fear staring down most assaults in this thing when i have room to stay in motion, and i even dare to run an XL engine!

So in a Bushracker i can deal much more consistent damage with only 3xRAC2 than with a quad RAC2 assault.

Edited by Daggett, 14 September 2018 - 06:47 AM.

[Dragonporn]

RAC/2s are amazing. I've ran x4 on my CTF-4X, and did quite well with it. x2 in one arm and x2 in another. Use it like this: unlock arms and shoot from one arm, and before jam smoothly transit to another. Range of this weapon is quite insane, you also blind your opponent when laying shots near cockpit. Destroying legs of Lights or STs of less armored mechs can be accomplished in no time, super easy to drill through and lead targets, almost like MGs.

When you're cold, and need extra punch for short duration, shoot all 4 at the same time, ghost heat is a thing, but it allows you to dish out pretty heavy damage in that duration still, so it is absolutely worth it. You can just pull back and cool off, transit to x2 from x4, which has low heat threshold, so you can still keep shooting 2 of them even at near max heat for decent duration. Or eat coolshot and keep punching alpha.

Maybe it wasn't best build for Sleipnir, but it's really a matter of how you're using it, which can be quite effective.

[Napoleon_Blownapart]

on a 4 rac build i will usually group fire 2 of them for a short while then group all 4 sustaining fire but varying the jams.