37 replies to this topic

[FRAGTAST1C]

I'm asking that question out of frustration 'cause only a few people during my time in MWO tend to fight and push through the enemy line while others, even though they're not LRM boats, turn tail and run.

I've maxed out the Javelin 11F, Ares, Revenant and Bounty Hunter. In the 3 weeks that I've played this game, "scared Assaults" are the majority while only a couple of players seem to know what they're doing.

I'm thinking of using the Kraken or the Siren next but it looks like the firepower that I can mount on them is basically the same as the Griffin or Marauder.

Are there any good builds for the two assaults in my collection that I use to boost my firepower to something like 100+ and still be able to move at 60kph or something? Or are they just not good enough?

[JC Daxion]

Brawling is very hard in an assault, because it really needs team help.. and if they get in over their head, they are dead.

Siren i would not brawl in.. try LPL builds. KRaken, UAC20+ MRM 60+ 2 ERML's in arms for shooting up high/low, Needs an LFE 350, for a bit cooler and a single slug, you can also try the AC20, I kinda think that is the better option really. Single slugs are great for legging lights

Edited by JC Daxion, 30 November 2018 - 08:51 AM.

[Nightbird]

Every weight class has mechs can handle brawling, fire support, or trading. Assault brawlers don't do well in QP due to their slow speed and short range, but you see them all the time in FP.

[Dee Eight]

Look at the turn rate, torso pitch, and torso twist values of the mech before buying the next one. All the weapons tonnage in the game isn't going to help if you're stuck with a limited field of fire and a slow turning mech (dire wolves and kodiaks for example). In brawling fight, I'd much rather have a highlander over an atlas.

[FRAGTAST1C]

I bought the Solaris pack when I installed this game and those are the two assaults that I have. I was fooling around in the mechlab and the Siren with LFE 380 and 3 JJ seems nice. The problem is the weapons. I can mount an UAC20 and it jams a lot. The backup weapons that I can use are something like ERLL and a ML.

Considering what I was running on the Bounty Hunter (AC 20, ERPPC, 6 ML) or on the Ares (2 Artemis SRM 6, Snubnose PPC and 3 SPL) or on the Revenant that I switched between CLRMs and CSRMs, the firepower that my assaults can use is really underwhelming.

[RickySpanish]

Scorch is an exceptional brawler, and does about 64kph which is fine. You can brawl in assault 'Mechs but it can be tricky to pull out of a bad situation.

[Bud Crue]

I brawl in everything, for good or ill, and in IMHO, the best brawlers are those that have the following attributes:

1) Agile (twist speed, etc.).
2) Can take (or avoid) a hit.
3) Run cool.

A fourth attribute would be speed sufficient to stick with the team and to get into the fight when called for, but this is really only a big deal in QP and thus this is where many brawler assaults fall in QP as they get focused by wolf packs, bad trades, bad position, etc. But if your mech has the other three attributes you ought to be doing fine regardless of class and are aware of your positioning.

Try a Victor 9S for a fun assault brawler experience.

[JediPanther]

they can do ok in a brawl unless i'm piloting one. i'm so horrible with them that not even lrms can improve my skill with them and I had atlas since day one. the ones that know how to get to and brawl well are rare. Friend them when you find them and be their battle buddy when you end up on same side. Unlike others that stand on spawn most the match like an unnamed pilot I have a personal grudge against as does anyone else who has the misfortune to encounter that atlas pilot.

[R Valentine]

Any tactic that requires the coorperation of your teammates in QP = fail. You will always have the nascar crowd who don't know any other tactic other than to literally chase their tail. Brawling requires too much teamwork. Everyone always calls MWO a "team game", but it's really not. It's a mix of individual performances where you hope your weakest links are stronger than theirs.

[Koniving]

The best trick to duking it out in a brawl is something that many assaults struggle with. You want to be healthy and strong and your opponent damaged and weak, or in a compromised position such as starting from behind them. From there the brawl ensues, with your edge keeping you ahead. If you don't have that lead, there's no reason to be in the brawl except to take damage unnecessarily.

Many assaults are likely to be too damaged from being along the battle line to really brawl, and many solo players put living above most else, so they're scared to even if it would be advantageous unless it is overwhelmingly in their favor.

[FRAGTAST1C]

When testing the Kraken with UAC20, 2 MRM30 and 2 ERML, I found that the ammo, especially for the MRMs is very low. After addressing that bit, I have no slots but some tonnage left. I can't really use the XL engine either. Feels like the Solaris pack assaults are just not good enough.

Or maybe I should do what the Boar's Head does but instead of the AC10 and LRM, use LBX 10 and MRM. Fire the lasers and MRMs first and then try to destroy the components with ballistic weapon.

[Nightbird]

FRAGTAST1C, on 30 November 2018 - 10:22 AM, said:

When testing the Kraken with UAC20, 2 MRM30 and 2 ERML, I found that the ammo, especially for the MRMs is very low. After addressing that bit, I have no slots but some tonnage left. I can't really use the XL engine either. Feels like the Solaris pack assaults are just not good enough.

Or maybe I should do what the Boar's Head does but instead of the AC10 and LRM, use LBX 10 and MRM. Fire the lasers and MRMs first and then try to destroy the components with ballistic weapon.

Try this build for the Kraken. Just Alpha (double tap) and twist.

https://mwo.smurfy-n...095d8b7a3723f17

It's still one of the worst assaults in game. Fafnir with LBX and ECM, Victor with AC20 and 3SRM6+A are much much better at it.

[JediPanther]

FRAGTAST1C, on 30 November 2018 - 10:22 AM, said:

When testing the Kraken with UAC20, 2 MRM30 and 2 ERML, I found that the ammo, especially for the MRMs is very low. After addressing that bit, I have no slots but some tonnage left. I can't really use the XL engine either. Feels like the Solaris pack assaults are just not good enough.

Or maybe I should do what the Boar's Head does but instead of the AC10 and LRM, use LBX 10 and MRM. Fire the lasers and MRMs first and then try to destroy the components with ballistic weapon.

I don't have the Boar but I do use the RS which is nearly identical. I like using two er lls in the arms,srm 6 x2 and the lbx 10. I use 2-3 tons ammo plus the ammo skills and shove in a bap,ams plus two tons ammo and the biggest engine I can. Use the ll for when you have the heat, lbx as your main gun and srms for the short range. it works pretty good in qp as you can hit all ranges and have decent speed.

I don't like mrms as they seemed to spread a lot to me but you might find them better than srm. For most my assaults I skill out firepower for the cool down nodes and mech ops for even more heat. Try this for mocking up builds without loosing and xp or gxp. https://kitlaan.gitlab.io/mwoskill/

[FRAGTAST1C]

Nightbird, on 30 November 2018 - 10:33 AM, said:

Try this build for the Kraken. Just Alpha (double tap) and twist.

https://mwo.smurfy-n...095d8b7a3723f17

It's still one of the worst assaults in game. Fafnir with LBX and ECM, Victor with AC20 and 3SRM6+A are much much better at it.

I've tried that in the Testing Grounds and found that the ammo is lacking. I mean, it takes a good bit of damage just to kill stationary targets and there are only 5 of them. Now, if they're shooting me back, which happens always, getting every shot on the same component isn't going to happen.

I was thinking something along the lines of this KRAKEN or this KRAKEN

Edit :- @ JediPanther : Why the Beagle probe and not the Targeting Computer? Looks like I was thinking like you were until that part.

Edited by FRAGTAST1C, 30 November 2018 - 10:56 AM.

[Steel Raven]

Many assaults are made to be Gun Platforms rather than Brawler with few exceptions. The Atlas is tough enough that it's slow speed doesn't hamper it's ability to terrorize enemies at close range. The Scotch likewise has decent hitboxes and great hardpint for close range weapons with great speed, same with the Mad Cat MKII.

The Kodiak could brawl when it first dropped but the engine de-sink and nerfs killed it's ability to maneuver in close quarters. Stalkers are great assaults but the STK-3F and STK-3FB are the only two that have the range of motion to counter flankers

[Nightbird]

FRAGTAST1C, on 30 November 2018 - 10:56 AM, said:

I've tried that in the Testing Grounds and found that the ammo is lacking.

You can remove the arm heatsink and strip armor leg armor to put in up to 3 tons more ammo. I don't think you'll live that long in a real match though.

https://mwo.smurfy-n...2365e396e319218

Those bracket builds you posted will be destroyed by each and every good mech and build in the game.

[tutzdes]

FRAGTAST1C, on 30 November 2018 - 10:22 AM, said:

When testing the Kraken with UAC20, 2 MRM30 and 2 ERML, I found that the ammo, especially for the MRMs is very low. After addressing that bit, I have no slots but some tonnage left. I can't really use the XL engine either. Feels like the Solaris pack assaults are just not good enough.

UAC/20 is worse than AC/20 or LB/20 here. It is too hot, splashes damage.
One of my go-to builds: KRAKEN - due to STD engine it is pretty good at deadsiding.

Also it is a very good mech, unlike the Siren.

Nightbird, on 30 November 2018 - 10:33 AM, said:

It's still one of the worst assaults in game. Fafnir with LBX and ECM, Victor with AC20 and 3SRM6+A are much much better at it.

It's only problem for QP is a brawling specialisation, for FP it is also tonnage limitations. Otherwise it is an above average assault. It was quite tanky and now it is tanky as hell after torso twist buff.

JediPanther, on 30 November 2018 - 10:43 AM, said:

I don't like mrms as they seemed to spread a lot to me but you might find them better than srm.

It does matter when you have enough slots and speed allows you to close the gap quickly. For Kraken MRMs is the weapon system that saves the mech: you are able to supress the enemy while advancing and in a brawl it is accurate enough to focus components. For poking at 200 m it is worse than SRMs, but Atlas is not the best mech for that anyway.

[Nightbird]

tutzdes, on 30 November 2018 - 11:07 AM, said:

snip

Agreed on all points, it's a brawl mech that works only at point blank range but in 6 seconds and a little luck you can dish out 200 damage which is enough to massacre most mechs at <200 meters range.

Outside of 200 meters though you can find many better mechs.

[Spheroid]

Marching into firing lines is suicidal. Your teammates are playing rationally. Generally living longer is rewarded with more matchscore and c-bills. How is what they are doing wrong?

[LordNothing]

Nightbird, on 30 November 2018 - 08:56 AM, said:

Every weight class has mechs can handle brawling, fire support, or trading. Assault brawlers don't do well in QP due to their slow speed and short range, but you see them all the time in FP.

they really require team momentum to be effective, and thats like every fp match ever. its also one of the several reasons you usually drop assaults first. having 12 assaults shoot its way through a wall of mechs like they werent even there is a thing of beauty.