32 replies to this topic

[JC Daxion]

Best crack shot weapon.... that is why i don't use um much

[Koniving]

My biggest issue with PPCs in MWO is on mechs with certain shapes, where I shoot, where I see it hit, and where it registers damage on the enemy... are often two to three different things entirely...

[Koniving]

When I do use them, I use them like this (skip to 5 mins in unless you want to see the build.) (Footage might be old, but old habbits die hard).

Still use this one today, too.


Also unchanged, but I haven't fielded this one in 3 years. I should probably change that.

And on an assault for a build I still use to this day.

Up the velocity on your skill tree, it helps significantly.
PPCs once blended well with AC/5s... they still do to a point. So there's a thought.
Also unless you're only carrying one, throw the HPPC out the window. Only use it on my Wolfhound hero Grinner, my "stealth ECM Panther." Haven't been able to come up with any other HPPC using build that actually felt like it was worth using, 3 LPPCs or a snub and an LPPC work much better.

[FupDup]

Koniving, on 29 March 2019 - 08:50 PM, said:

Also unless you're only carrying one, throw the HPPC out the window. Only use it on my Wolfhound hero Grinner, my "stealth ECM Panther." Haven't been able to come up with any other HPPC using build that actually felt like it was worth using, 3 LPPCs or a snub and an LPPC work much better.

I put 2 HPPCs + 7 SLs on my new Warhammer 6D(C) and it works fine of the most part.

[Koniving]

FupDup, on 29 March 2019 - 08:53 PM, said:

I put 2 HPPCs + 7 SLs on my new Warhammer 6D(C) and it works fine of the most part.

Heat quirked/PPC quirked into obscurity? Haven't really tried it on a "dedicated" overquirked mech yet...

[FupDup]

Koniving, on 29 March 2019 - 09:14 PM, said:

Heat quirked/PPC quirked into obscurity? Haven't really tried it on a "dedicated" overquirked mech yet...

10% PPC velocity and 10% energy range are its weapon quirks. I wouldn't quite call that "overquirked."

[Koniving]

FupDup, on 29 March 2019 - 09:16 PM, said:

10% PPC velocity and 10% energy range are its weapon quirks. I wouldn't quite call that "overquirked."

Not overquirked, but it helps. The big issue I have is the heat. There's just so much that the mech needs to be relegated to pop-and-shoot rather than my outright face-to-face brawl tactics.

Then again those tactics rely on the fact that virtually everyone else will overheat long before I could even dream of it...

[FupDup]

Koniving, on 29 March 2019 - 09:21 PM, said:

Not overquirked, but it helps. The big issue I have is the heat. There's just so much that the mech needs to be relegated to pop-and-shoot rather than my outright face-to-face brawl tactics.

Then again those tactics rely on the fact that virtually everyone else will overheat long before I could even dream of it...

Stacking max heat gen and cool run together helps. On River City it can shoot the dual HPPCs five times in a row without overheating (if you stand still the whole time). For reference it carries 17 dubs, max heat gen, and max cool run.

If people are relatively close (360m max range on SLs with my skill layout) you've got the Small Lasers for adding some very low heat damage (only gives you like 6-7% on the threshold and you can fire them forever on any map without issue).

Edited by FupDup, 29 March 2019 - 09:39 PM.

[Maddermax]

Finally got around to setting up a dual ER-PPC Shadowcat, and I can see the use of what is essentially a very low tonnage AC that pays for it in heat, and it works but... I still couldn’t recommend them for most part. Spent what felt like half a game the other day shut down, twiddling my thumbs while cooling - two shots and take a nap. Had a perfect position, kept firing and shutting down, still only got 550 damage done despite being unchallenged nearly the whole game. Lasers are obviously more traceable and don’t allow the awesome peeking/pop-tart shenanigans, but the heat on PPCs is just terrible. Maybe once I get some skills into it it will be decent.

Also, I once tried the trial Panther during an event - god that mech sucked, mainly because of the low slung PPC. Any time you’re have a PPC, get it cockpit level or half your shots will be bursting on terrain. The PPC hit box is definitely an issue at times.

Edited by Maddermax, 29 March 2019 - 09:33 PM.

[FupDup]

Maddermax, on 29 March 2019 - 09:32 PM, said:

Finally got around to setting up a dual ER-PPC Shadowcat, and I can see the use of what is essentially a very low tonnage AC that pays for it in heat, and it works but... I still couldn’t recommend them for most part. Spent what felt like half a game the other day shut down, twiddling my thumbs while cooling - two shots and take a nap. Had a perfect position, kept firing and shutting down, still only got 550 damage done despite being unchallenged nearly the whole game. Lasers are obviously more traceable and don’t allow the awesome peeking/pop-tart shenanigans, but the heat on PPCs is just terrible. Maybe once I get some skills into it it will be decent.

For a Clan ERPPC poptart in the medium class it would be way better to pick either the NVA-S, HBK-IIC-A, or HMN (any) for packing way more heatsinks and in the case of the NVA you get quirks (mostly apply to the 8/8 pod set).

[JediPanther]

Maddermax, on 29 March 2019 - 09:32 PM, said:

Also, I once tried the trial Panther during an event - god that mech sucked, mainly because of the low slung PPC. Any time you’re have a PPC, get it cockpit level or half your shots will be bursting on terrain. The PPC hit box is definitely an issue at times.

Those mechs suck to high hell with ppcs. That said they really are ok and fun mechs when you switch to lasers and srm combo. I have most of them including the pnt-kk which I think is the best as you don't have 3/4 of your weapons in a gorilla waist high arm.They really do get better as you skill them out.

The hardest part of them is realizing they are not for skirmishing or doing hit and run tactics like a lot of other lights since is has such a slow 250 engine cap. It also helps to make them a dedicated build such as I want this one for using this weapon type then skill it to that build. It's defiantly one of the lights that works best orbiting other team mates preferably mediums or heavies shooting at what they shoot.

In mmo terms you want a team mate to tank while you play damage dealer and rear guard of your tank.

[thievingCLAGpie]

Maddermax, on 29 March 2019 - 09:32 PM, said:

Finally got around to setting up a dual ER-PPC Shadowcat, and I can see the use of what is essentially a very low tonnage AC that pays for it in heat, and it works but... I still couldn’t recommend them for most part. Spent what felt like half a game the other day shut down, twiddling my thumbs while cooling - two shots and take a nap. Had a perfect position, kept firing and shutting down, still only got 550 damage done despite being unchallenged nearly the whole game. Lasers are obviously more traceable and don’t allow the awesome peeking/pop-tart shenanigans, but the heat on PPCs is just terrible. Maybe once I get some skills into it it will be decent.

Also, I once tried the trial Panther during an event - god that mech sucked, mainly because of the low slung PPC. Any time you’re have a PPC, get it cockpit level or half your shots will be bursting on terrain. The PPC hit box is definitely an issue at times.

It's fun, but I generally wouldn't recommend a PPC mech below a Heavy unless your positioning and heat management are amazing. That's not a knock or anything, they just lack the DPS necessary to do the kind of damage to be really effective. There are some players out there that can do 800 damage in an erppc medium/light (I'm not one of them lol) but it takes a lot of work.

[VitriolicViolet]

It all depends.

I have a bunch of mechs where i run 1 or more PPCs. the energy Annihilator i run with 2 HPPC, 2 LPPC and one SNPPC and as long as you can aim decently it shreds mechs between 500m-800m.

Other wise i usually have 1 PPC with a bunch of other weapons. im running a Corsair with a HPPC, AC10, 4 MLs and 2 MRM10s which is pretty good fun, the AC10 and HPPC have nearly the same velocity (1100-1200) so work rather well together.

I have a Highlander with MRM50 and 2 HPPCs (with skilltree gets +45% velocity) which is also pretty fun.

I have an Enforcer that ive given a ERPPC and 2 UAC2s its the only 'sniper' mech i have, optimal range of 800M and both weapons have 2000m+ velocity.

Otherwise a scattering of mechs that combo SNPPCs with AC20s, some more with a HPPC etc.

they can be fun, especially if you are good with timing and positioning. the HPPC in particular can put holes in ****.