50 replies to this topic

[R Valentine]

If such a thing even exists. The last heat "nerf" only seems to make all my clan laservomit run even more efficiently, and it doesn't look like the Mad Cat Mk.II has changed since its release. What's good on IS? I can't find any builds I like as of late.

[Spheroid]

Flea
Assassin
Crab
Bushwacker
Rifleman
Roughneck
Warhammer
Battlemaster
Cyclops
Fafnir
Annihilator

Edited by Spheroid, 25 November 2018 - 06:29 PM.

[R Valentine]

Spheroid, on 25 November 2018 - 06:29 PM, said:

Rifleman

...wut?

[AncientRaig]

Kiran Yagami, on 25 November 2018 - 06:31 PM, said:

...wut?

The Rifleman can do some pretty good hillhumping DPS. Get you some UACs or some RACs and just go to town on whatever's in front of you. I believe 2 LPLs or 2 PPCs and some MLs is also still a fairly popular setup on the energy Rifleman.

Alternatively, if you're looking to just have some fun, throw on a pair of LB10s, some MLs, and the biggest XL you can fit and go to town up close. Maybe not the most meta use of the chassis, but surprisingly fun.

Edited by AncientRaig, 25 November 2018 - 07:00 PM.

[FRAGTAST1C]

I've found that a mech that offers good hardpoints is the best mech. What I mean by that is, take for e.g., my Griffin Ares. Initially, I wasn't thrilled with that mech. But I changed the loadout to include a Snubnose PPC, 2 SRM 6 Artemis, 3 SPL, 2 DHS, LE 280 and 3 JJ. With that build, I'm very happy with it. The Dao Breaker as well with the 2 UAC5's and 4 ER ML is pretty ok as fire support. Which makes me wonder why I bought the Marauder Bounty Hunter even though I was set on purchasing the Black Widow. Anyway, the AC20, 6 ML and HPPC with 4 DHS should be fine once I start playing it.

[Maddermax]

Spheroid, on 25 November 2018 - 06:29 PM, said:

Flea
Assassin
Crab
Bushwacker
Rifleman
Roughneck
Warhammer
Battlemaster
Cyclops
Fafnir
Annihilator

I would add in the Locust and Wolfhound in the light category, and QuickDraw (specifically IV) in the heavy category, but a decent list. On the Battle master though, I’ve never seen one that wowed me, but haven’t seen many since the heat changes occurred.

[tutzdes]

Spheroid, on 25 November 2018 - 06:29 PM, said:

Rifleman

Rifleman - no, vastly inferior to both some 65t mechs and Wacker.
Even among 60t there are Dragon 5N and Quickdraw IV-Four that are heads above any Rifleman.

[Vxheous]

Laser vom grasshopper H is pretty fun to play, 3 LL 4 ERML with the additional heatgen quirk

[Nema Nabojiv]

Spheroid, on 25 November 2018 - 06:29 PM, said:

Annihilator

Wouldnt say they good after durability quirks removal. Having only the guns without armor on a really slow mech doesnt work in my opinion.

[Jay Leon Hart]

Spheroid, on 25 November 2018 - 06:29 PM, said:

Flea
Assassin
Crab
Bushwacker
Rifleman
Roughneck
Warhammer
Battlemaster
Cyclops
Fafnir
Annihilator

Maddermax, on 25 November 2018 - 07:42 PM, said:

I would add in the Locust and Wolfhound in the light category, and QuickDraw (specifically IV)

Vxheous, on 25 November 2018 - 10:58 PM, said:

Laser vom grasshopper

I would also add;
Commando
Urbanmech
Griffin
Shadow Hawk
Marauder
Victor (VTR-9A1)

Personally, I've been having a lot of success with the OSR-4D and BNC-3S but people seem not to like them.

[El Bandito]

AncientRaig, on 25 November 2018 - 07:00 PM, said:

The Rifleman can do some pretty good hillhumping DPS. Get you some UACs or some RACs and just go to town on whatever's in front of you. I believe 2 LPLs or 2 PPCs and some MLs is also still a fairly popular setup on the energy Rifleman.

Alternatively, if you're looking to just have some fun, throw on a pair of LB10s, some MLs, and the biggest XL you can fit and go to town up close. Maybe not the most meta use of the chassis, but surprisingly fun.

Rifleman's arms have too big of a convergence, so it is bad for leading targets. Best used against slow lumbering Assaults.

[Daurock]

Nema Nabojiv, on 26 November 2018 - 02:16 AM, said:

Wouldnt say they good after durability quirks removal. Having only the guns without armor on a really slow mech doesnt work in my opinion.

Believe it or not, it still retains pretty good geometry which is still reasonably well suited to rolling damage, and is still hard to isolate a specific section on. In fact, I'd arguably say that even with a little less armor, it is still probably harder to blow out a side torso on an Anni than on the Fafnir, which is very important for those hGauss builds. The tall, (relatively) thin profile make it a little better side-poker too. (Though the lower mounts make it a less desireable hill poker.)

Couple that with the relatively normal agility for a 100 tonner, (only the atlas and kodiak actually turn or accelerate faster among 100 tonners) and the fact that it won't actually be any slower than any other typical hGauss, or LBX build, since they usually run with STD engines, and rarely go above a 300 rating anyway, and I'd say the thing still qualifies as a top quality assault.

That being said, It's not overwhelmingly better than pretty much all the other contenders like it used to be. That's probably a good thing though, balance wise.

As for the rest of the IS crop - My favorites:
Wolfhound (MPL)
Assassin (SRM/MRM)
Crab (MPL)
Bushwacker (SRM)
Roughneck (AC20/SRM)
Grasshopper (Vomit)
Marauder (RAC)
Warhammer (Various)
Victor (hGauss)
Mauler (AC2/RAC2 Dakka, UAC10 Dakka)
Fafnir (LRM)

[R Valentine]

Daurock, on 26 November 2018 - 01:36 PM, said:

Marauder (RAC)

How do you fit your RAC marauder? I've always found RACs to be lackluster because they don't sync with any other weapons. If you have backup lasers then half the time you can't fire your lasers with RACs firing because you have to lead the target. By the time you can the target has either moved out of sight or you're too hot. If you can't get by on just RACs, which you can't because they're not good enough on their own, then you can't really do RACs at all. Synchronization matters.

[Nema Nabojiv]

Kiran Yagami, on 26 November 2018 - 03:47 PM, said:

How do you fit your RAC marauder? I've always found RACs to be lackluster because they don't sync with any other weapons. If you have backup lasers then half the time you can't fire your lasers with RACs firing because you have to lead the target. By the time you can the target has either moved out of sight or you're too hot. If you can't get by on just RACs, which you can't because they're not good enough on their own, then you can't really do RACs at all. Synchronization matters.

The new, actually half a year or so, meta is 3 rac2 instead of two rac5. It sounds like a heavier loadout but the whole package of rac2s and LFE is just a ton or two heavier than rac5s and STD.
And they are way better than rac5 in almost every aspect.

BTW ramp-up on fives should be reduced to that of the two's. The one just works while the other doesn't and meta proves it.

[Daurock]

Kiran Yagami, on 26 November 2018 - 03:47 PM, said:

How do you fit your RAC marauder? I've always found RACs to be lackluster because they don't sync with any other weapons. If you have backup lasers then half the time you can't fire your lasers with RACs firing because you have to lead the target. By the time you can the target has either moved out of sight or you're too hot. If you can't get by on just RACs, which you can't because they're not good enough on their own, then you can't really do RACs at all. Synchronization matters.

I usually run it one of 2 ways - Traditional triple RAC2 with Medium laser backup, or 2x RAC2, and 1 std. AC5. An ac 5 will line up nicely with RAC2s, and i like to use the first AC5 shot to 'sight in' the incoming RAC stream if need be.


Apart from that, the only real trick is to pick your exposure times wisely, (you're not a poker, so don't try to be; move out, and plan to stay out for 5 to 10 seconds in most cases. if you can't do that, don't come until you can) Also, move while firing, as RAC fire will screw up someones aim dramatically, and moving makes that effect even greater.

Edited by Daurock, 27 November 2018 - 05:07 AM.

[Alex Morgaine]

Honestly if you play the "team armor = my armor first" game any Mech with40+ alpha and/or a decent sustain should be workable. Or pack an mrm40-80 on any Mech that can XD

[GoatHILL]

Since I play pretty much fully IS mechs my question is would you take any of these mechs over a similar Clan mech?

[Jay Leon Hart]

GoatHILL, on 27 November 2018 - 01:45 AM, said:

Since I play pretty much fully IS mechs my question is would you take any of these mechs over a similar Clan mech?

HGauss
HPPCs
Better regular ACs
Better SRMs (arguably)
Better MPLs
Quirks (the worst reason)
Probably lots more

[latinisator]

GoatHILL, on 27 November 2018 - 01:45 AM, said:

Since I play pretty much fully IS mechs my question is would you take any of these mechs over a similar Clan mech?

I'd take my beloved Nova Prima @ stock (with skill tree, ofc) any time over any other Mech.

[Bud Crue]

GoatHILL, on 27 November 2018 - 01:45 AM, said:

Since I play pretty much fully IS mechs my question is would you take any of these mechs over a similar Clan mech?

On a ton for ton basis (as opposed to merely similar) I would take:
- IV-4 at 60 tons over any of the 60 ton clan mechs (or frankly other 60 ton IS mechs).
- A Wolfhound over any Adder, cougar or Jenner IIc.
- Probably a K-9 over a Cheetah but that’s a matter of taste/play style I think, I’ve heard the Incubus is also pretty good so not sure on this one.
- Maybe a vomit Hopper or gauss/vomit Hammer over any of the 70 ton clan mechs?
- A Victor over the Gargoyle.

That’s about it.