25 replies to this topic

[FRAGTAST1C]

As the topic suggests, please recommend me some IS mechs with their loadouts so that I can ready the Drop Deck.

I've been referring to the denAirwalkerrr's list and surprisingly, the loadout suggested for the Black Widow (1 UAC 10 and 2 UAC 5) just didn't work for me. That's just one e.g., of how the build suggested there didn't work for me. So, I'm kind of wondering what other mechs and builds that I should working towards (or at least try).

Edited by FRAGTAST1C, 04 May 2019 - 10:34 PM.

[BrunoSSace]

For lasor bomb
Grasshopper, Warhammer, thunderbolt.
3 LL 4 or 5 ER meds, brawl use LP and meds

Ballistic 6R, 2 Gauss 4 ER meds, 2 ultra 10s 4 meds.
Anything with 3 rac 2 or dual rac 5s with med as back up.
Black widow 4 ultra 5s.
Jagers dual ultra 10s meds and lmgs.

Scout flea, wolfhound or Assassin. Anything meta really or what ever you got really.

You will want to try and stay away from xl engines but if you can do the damage before you die, make it worth it. Go for it.

Edited by BrunoSSace, 04 May 2019 - 10:40 PM.

[BrunoSSace]

Depends if you like to take Assults? I Normally take 3 heavy and a med or light.

[FRAGTAST1C]

Well, here's the thing. I do have the Kraken (MRM 60 + AC20) and the Nightstar 9S (dual UAC 20). Along with that, I have the Mauler MX 90 (C) for which I can't find a good loadout and it has become the most expensive free mech. I have tried several loadouts but within an instant I realize that it isn't match worthy. Along with that, I have dead weight... I mean the Siren, Broadside and now, La Malinche. I have leveled up the Marauder II 4HP and 4A and I kinda like them but the overgrown Bounty Hunter, the 5A feels like a waste. I may as well use my Bounty Hunter II instead of that. What I'm getting at is I tend to do better with burst damage builds instead of DPS oriented builds. This holds true across the Heavy weight class as well.

I'm just trying to build up a reasonable roster of mechs so that I can start with FW when ready. So, I'm completely open to all ideas and altering my playstyle a little. By that I mean I recently bought the Heavy Drop ship deal that contained Night Gyr Jade Kite (ECM + 3 UAC 5 + 1 UAC10), Sun Spider Vanguard (2 UAC 10 + ERPPC), Black Widow (2 UAC 5 + 1 UAC 10) and Legend Killer (2 LBX 10 + 4 ERSL). Out of the lot, I had good results in the Night Gyr and Sun Spider to some extent but the Black Widow was awful 'cause of the speed and the damage being so low and unreliable most of the time (the JAAAAAMS!!). Legend Killer is ok.

Having said all of that, I wanna keep trying different builds and mechs so I can adapt to the situations better. I have my eye on the Shadow Hawk, Crab SL and Bushwhacker X1, with the Hawk and Crab for Scouting maybe and triple RAC 2 Bushwhacker as the medium mech in the Drop Deck. But I'm not entirely sure yet.

[kapusta11]

Soon you'll be able to play clan vs clan. Why bother with IS? The only good mechs they have left are Wolfhound and UAC2 Dragon.

[FRAGTAST1C]

I want to do both.

[ccrider]

Best dropdeck depends heavily on map/mode and your playstyle really. Battle master 1g is a fantastic erll mech but if you don't have the patience to snipe, it's garbage. For brawling, try roughnecks or Orion's. For sniping, battle masters, mid-range grasshoppers, Thunderbolts or roughneck 3a. For clans, brawling Orion's, linebackers or the scorch. Conquest as clan, 3 srm linebackers with 4xsrm6 and 2xsrm2. No ghost heat, super strong. Add in an arctic wolf 1 and you can cap or leg hunt all match.

Edited by ccrider, 05 May 2019 - 11:13 PM.

[Teenage Mutant Ninja Urbie]

just start with FW and see what the rest brings. most important part of FW is the teamplay, and enjoyment of it. the perfect mech is not as important as sticking with what your team does
once you find a group you like dropping with, you'll figure out what works (for you) and what not.

btw: you'll also learn that a few mechs simply 'click' in groups, while others become 'unplayable'. that mauler you don't like to run - it wrecks face if you're not the only target out there. it's perfect for more agressive groups (try '6x ac2' or if you wanna have a fun time, '3x ac2 + 3x rac2' - so satisfying when that thing starts mowing the baddies left and right )
it's a mech I'd never take to nascar-queue these days, but in fw it shines;

[Captain Polux]

FRAGTAST1C, on 05 May 2019 - 02:09 AM, said:

Mauler MX 90 (C)

Try 6 AC2s or 3 RAC2s plus 3 AC2s. You could even do 4 UAC5s.

Also, buy the Sleipnir the next time there's a hero sale and you have the MC.

[Mister Maf]

FRAGTAST1C, on 05 May 2019 - 02:09 AM, said:

dead weight... I mean the Siren, Broadside

So not really the topic of the thread but these are some of my most successful assault mechs for quickplay. The Siren in fact is my favorite from the Solaris pack. Try these if you haven't already.

Spoiler

SIREN

Af:830f1|i^|i^|i^|i^|GP|@O|agp=1|i^q=1|X?r01|c?|c?|c?|i^s01|Z@t<1|@Ou=1|GPv?0|@Ow203030

skills:

a3b7c1803de00311000000000803d081ede4f0000d86f0200000080000000

______

BROADSIDE

AE<820c1|i^|i^|Vgp;1|i^|`?|f?q;1|HO|m?|HO|HOr01|m?|eOs01|`?|`?ti0ui0v60|AOw505050

skills:

a5fdf9fcb76d9de57d7dfffff7f000000000000000000003021c3a0000000

As for faction play, I don't play with units or anything so I don't have a stacked meta deck, but I have a lot of success with this lineup:

• Cyclops CP-11-P – RAC2, RAC5, 2xMRM10, 1ML, ECM, 6xDHS, LFE350
  
• Cataphract CTF-1X – AC20, ERPPC, 3xML, AMS, 5xDHS, LFE300 (unusual I know but this build dates back to 2012 and still kicks ***)
  
• Dragon DRG-5N – 3xUAC2, 2xERSML, 3xDHS, XL300
  
• Vindicator VND-1X – MRM40, 2xML, 3xMG, 3xJJ, 1xDHS, LFE225

They're all durable chassis with good agility which is why they perform well.

Edited by Mister Maf, 06 May 2019 - 03:42 PM.

[VonBruinwald]

Why has no one mentioned the best DD yet?:

• Urbie
  
• Urbie
  
• Urbie
  
• Atlas

[justcallme A S H]

Long range for - long range maps (surprise surprise)
Mid range for everything else.

You can brawl with midrange (400-600m) however you cannot brawl at midrange
Be that energy or dakka, it doesn't matter so much. Speed is also not as important over DHS/Ammo for instance. Thus for someone starting out that is how you do it. So things like AC20 KGC, don't do that, ever. It's a super situation setup/mech.

This info is covered in the Faction Play forum. You should definitely have a look in there at some of the larger/training & info threads. A lot of what you'll see posted when you start a topic in General Discussion is, a lot of the time, not going to be useful as people posting have negligible Faction Play experience. So far though it's been reasonable at least (a welcome change).

Most people don't post rubbish in the FP forum because 10 people will call them out fairly quickly.

[FRAGTAST1C]

Teenage Mutant Ninja Urbie, on 06 May 2019 - 02:14 PM, said:

just start with FW and see what the rest brings. most important part of FW is the teamplay, and enjoyment of it. the perfect mech is not as important as sticking with what your team does
once you find a group you like dropping with, you'll figure out what works (for you) and what not.
a fun time, '3x ac2 + 3x rac2' - so satisfying when that thing starts mowing the baddies left and right )
it's a mech I'd never take to nascar-queue these days, but in fw it shines;

Yeah, I think I'll just create a Unit for myself and start doing FW. I have some Clan Heavy mechs ready to go and one Assault there will finish one drop deck. The IS selection is OK for now, so I think it's time to begin. Also, yes, the Mauler loadouts that you've listed there are the ones I've tried along with several others (even something as corny as UAC5s and LRMs) but the QP was really bad for me. But that was immediately after I was doing very well with my Kraken (AC20 MRM 60) so, I didn't really adapt quickly for a different playstyle and also 'cause I spent so much C-bills and GXP, not to mention MC to convert XP into GXP for the skill points for all those different loadouts.

justcallme A S H, on 06 May 2019 - 05:39 PM, said:

So things like AC20 KGC, don't do that, ever. It's a super situation setup/mech.

This info is covered in the Faction Play forum. You should definitely have a look in there at some of the larger/training & info threads. A lot of what you'll see posted when you start a topic in General Discussion is, a lot of the time, not going to be useful as people posting have negligible Faction Play experience. So far though it's been reasonable at least (a welcome change).

Yeah, that King Crab I won't do in FW, rest assured And I'll have a look at those forums.

- World Eater -, on 06 May 2019 - 02:27 PM, said:

Also, buy the Sleipnir the next time there's a hero sale and you have the MC.

Will do. I have a couple of thousand MC right now and a lot of MC in reserve 'cause of the MW 5 Pre-Order. Just waiting for the right sale.

Mister Maf, on 06 May 2019 - 03:41 PM, said:

So not really the topic of the thread but these are some of my most successful assault mechs for quickplay. The Siren in fact is my favorite from the Solaris pack. Try these if you haven't already.

Spoiler

SIREN

Af:830f1|i^|i^|i^|i^|GP|@O|agp=1|i^q=1|X?r01|c?|c?|c?|i^s01|Z@t<1|@Ou=1|GPv?0|@Ow203030

skills:

a3b7c1803de00311000000000803d081ede4f0000d86f0200000080000000

______

BROADSIDE

AE<820c1|i^|i^|Vgp;1|i^|`?|f?q;1|HO|m?|HO|HOr01|m?|eOs01|`?|`?ti0ui0v60|AOw505050

skills:

a5fdf9fcb76d9de57d7dfffff7f000000000000000000003021c3a0000000

As for faction play, I don't play with units or anything so I don't have a stacked meta deck, but I have a lot of success with this lineup:

• Cyclops CP-11-P – RAC2, RAC5, 2xMRM10, 1ML, ECM, 6xDHS, LFE350
  
• Cataphract CTF-1X – AC20, ERPPC, 3xML, AMS, 5xDHS, LFE300 (unusual I know but this build dates back to 2012 and still kicks ***)
  
• Dragon DRG-5N – 3xUAC2, 2xERSML, 3xDHS, XL300
  
• Vindicator VND-1X – MRM40, 2xML, 3xMG, 3xJJ, 1xDHS, LFE225

They're all durable chassis with good agility which is why they perform well.

Good stuff! I'll test them out soon.

[ccrider]

justcallme A S H, on 06 May 2019 - 05:39 PM, said:

Long range for - long range maps (surprise surprise)
Mid range for everything else.

You can brawl with midrange (400-600m) however you cannot brawl at midrange
Be that energy or dakka, it doesn't matter so much. Speed is also not as important over DHS/Ammo for instance. Thus for someone starting out that is how you do it. So things like AC20 KGC, don't do that, ever. It's a super situation setup/mech.

This info is covered in the Faction Play forum. You should definitely have a look in there at some of the larger/training & info threads. A lot of what you'll see posted when you start a topic in General Discussion is, a lot of the time, not going to be useful as people posting have negligible Faction Play experience. So far though it's been reasonable at least (a welcome change).

Most people don't post rubbish in the FP forum because 10 people will call them out fairly quickly.

. C'mon Ash, you know brawl mechs like onions can be good on any map if you understand the map layout and the best approach vectors. I won't disagree that mid range is the safer, more easily accessible playstyle, but brawling can be way more exciting. Brawling gets a bad rap as a no skill thing but it's not just mindlessly zerging at the red team; getting in close without taking damage, setting up ambushes, timing a counter push, those are all superior ways to use brawl mechs and give you a rush that mid-range trading just can't compete with.

[justcallme A S H]

Of course they can be good if you know what you are doing.

Does this guy? Nope. He is learning, asking advice - doubtful he is playing in a 12man of co-ordinated play where a brawler is perfectly fine to use.

Nothing to do with it being exciting or not. Sitting there for 7-10mins in your brawler because everyone brought mid-range on say River City / Tourmaline / Forest etc is pointless or you end up having to do some risky flank just to attempt a 1v1. Something that is highly unlikely to aid your team in winning games.

[Feral Clown]

I would recommend not giving up on Den's list and avoid using rac's and lurms until you get better or have a solid team to play with. His list is what most of the top guys go by and it is worth the pain and learning curve woes to be an effective player in cw. Also maybe ask an experienced player about skill tree cause you can screw mechs up if you don't fully appreciate the maze.

[Brizna]

As mentioned earlier there is no such thing as a GOOD GENERIC IS DROP DECK, it depends mostly on map but also mode, i.e in Conquest everyone should have a light mech to help with capping. That said you ask about a decent drop and as long as yo don't delude yourself thinking it is a GOOD drop I will provide you with a not GOOD but not too BAD either drop deck that you can use until you get more mechs and can do the proper thing: tailor your drop to the map and mode.

Warhammer
Warhammer
Jaggermech/Thunderbolt
Bushwacker/Trebuchet/Quickdraw

Builds:
Jaggermech DD (3x UAC5, XL295): An often overlooked mech due to being ancient that remains a great DPS source at mid range albeit easy to kill.
Warhammer: An staple from IS can do a lot of builds very good, with good hit-boxes and hard point placement and abundance, also XL firendly though light engines are probably best compromise safety/payload. Build them for mid range, best with a mix of ballistics and energy .
Trebuchet 7M: 2MRM30, XL255, its ability to pop tart with those MRM makes it a formidable assault hunter.
Quickdraw IV4: Basically the same as Trebuchet but a lot more sturdy and you can do without XL, the bad thing is it's a hero so you need to pay MCs to get it.
Thunderbolt-5S-T: This is another hero mech, but it can do a variety of laser vomit builds outstandingly.
Bushwacker: there is number of solid Bushwacker build, they all share something, the have decent fire-power and are harder to kill than a medium mech should be.

Source for good specific builds: https://grimmechs.is...ts?list=general

Edited by Brizna, 07 May 2019 - 04:42 AM.

[R0gal D0rn]

Good question...

The goal is to have different dropdecks for different maps and gamemodes...

if you play in organized groups and use tactics, almost every mech can do a good job.

But if you wanna play faction in solo queue, forget it. And you can be easily frustrated by seeing entire teams being relentless farmed by premade drops.

Not always, and casual teams working better than premades are not unheard... But it´s highly umprobable.


I´m not a big expert in facction, but in my oponion some handicaps you will finf again and again are:

1) Dont choose the correct assaults-
By example, an Old school Atlas can make a colossal impact defending Vitric Forge, but you will found it difficult to use in Boreal vault, or in any game mode based in long range weaponery. Maybe a ECM Stalker is great in polar and mediocre in manifold, vitric, etc... Chose a bad assault can be a 100 tons handicap for your team...
I tend to perfom better in medium range agile assaults... The classic Battlemaster (LrL or LPL versions) or the MRM/ml Zeus are specially versatile... But maybe is only my taste....
2) Lurms....
Lurms can be efective in well organized teams with narcers and spotters. But please forget it in faction pugs. Yes casually you can make a great score with them, but this is too much situational.
a) The clanners have a lot of ECM mechs. Blood Asps, Hellbringers, Sun spiders, Cheetas... They don´t sacrifice to much to bring ECM to the battlefield.
IS lurms have minimal range, take more space, have different firing patterns...
c)Clanners can put lots of damage at distance, even out of the lurms range... You can be losing your trades more fequently than gaining them.
d) Lurms take too much time in killing. A bad situation when you run against the clock.
3) Peek a boo against clanners...
In similar levels of skill, bad tactic.
In general Claners outrange IS, outdamage IS. Again, facing a competent player, you are not reliying in the two main advantages of IS: Better armor and in general better heath management.
Every time you play the poke game, you give the clanners the oportunity to take a favorable distance, a better position, and the time to refresh after devastating alphas...

Dot take it too literal, and don´t charge Leroy jenkins style, but if you see your team being not enough agressive, prepare yourself for a defeat...

3) Time to get the kill---

Builds that can be funny and useful in Solo Queue, can maybe work not in Faction... The enemy team can be reinforced if you need half a minute to kill a mech. Maybe you start a fight in a confortable 2 IS vs 1 Clanner... And find yourself alone ves 4 clanners... Take in account that clanners are faster. If your black widow hits 75 kph, their linebakers hit 104, and their hellbringers 84 or 87.


It seems evident, but the most part of the players dont realize that in faction, play the stronger IS points agains the weaker clanner points matters... They want to play like PUGS...
And this works only when the other team play like pugs too...XD

[Omniseed]

I like the Stalker, Rifleman, and IV4 for decks. The IV4 doesn't get much use, but the Stalker can be one of several super useful builds, from an ECM laser sharpshooter (-3FB) to a twin AMS walnut (-5S) that flings walls of MRMs, to the MRM+SPPC -5M, or even as an LRM boat for the occasional match where they are valid.

Then you get a manageable 180 tons, which I like to use on three Riflemen with map-appropriate builds. For me that's
RFL-3N twin LB10x with small lasers for mid-short range
RFL-5D heavy PPC and small lasers for mid range or switch for ERPPC to have 2km pin point
RFL-3C gets quad ERLL or quad AC2 for long range, and quad LB2x for EXTREME RANGE

You can also do a fairly fast 8xMPL -5D or a twin UAC10 -8D, or you could build it for close-in defense with an AC20 and UAC20. Only goes 54kph but it's still a great choice for some map and mode combinations.

[cougurt]

FRAGTAST1C, on 04 May 2019 - 09:58 PM, said:

As the topic suggests, please recommend me some IS mechs with their loadouts so that I can ready the Drop Deck.

I've been referring to the denAirwalkerrr's list and surprisingly, the loadout suggested for the Black Widow (1 UAC 10 and 2 UAC 5) just didn't work for me. That's just one e.g., of how the build suggested there didn't work for me. So, I'm kind of wondering what other mechs and builds that I should working towards (or at least try).

definitely check out grimmechs as well if you haven't already. it's a more comprehensive collection of builds from a number of players who know their stuff.