26 replies to this topic

[NecessaryWeevil]

Hi,

If I want to use the AC/2 family as my primary weapon system, which Mechs would you recommend to effective and not a liability to my team? I generally drive Inner Sphere only, and my collection skews towards Lights and Mediums at the moment, but I could use a Heavy if you recommend it. Thanks!

[LordNothing]

8-gun
ultraviolet with the right omnipods

6-gun
anh-2a (best is 6-gun assault)
kgc-000
jm6-dd
rfl-iic-2 (best heavy 6-gun, seems tankier than the jager)
cor-5t (haven't used it but it has fully articulated arm mounts)
mal-mx90

5-gun
any night gyr with the right omnipods (can do one more with ultras, 7 guns is possible with a jade kite if you dont mind not having ammo or stripped armor)

4-gun:
bsw-x1 (best ac2 medium imho, tanky)
chp-1nb (assymetrical for dead siding, tanky)
enf-5p (you need to run xl and strip some armor though)
grf-5m (if you don't mind all your firepower in one arm)
hbk-iic
vgl-1 or vgl-2 (the 2 can run a 5th gun if its a uac2)
rfl-3c or legend-killer
rgh-1a
ctf-4x (better with ac5s though)
black widow
sns-d

i dont consider anything with 3 guns or less a good stand alone ac2 boat. you can use them but they need other weapons to be viable. 2 and 3 guns does kind of work on some squirrels though for fast hit and run or multi point sniping. for example urbies, adders, fury, cougars.

Edited by LordNothing, 02 December 2019 - 07:13 PM.

[Ilfi]

There aren't a ton of Mechs that can boat AC2s well, let alone lighter ones on the IS side. The only one that comes to mind is the Dragon 5N with 3 UAC2s and mega quirks. Someone else can offer other options.

[K O Z A K]

Definitely:

Ultraviolet 8ac2
Rifleman 2C 6ac2
Mauler 6ac2
Annihilator 6ac2
Night Gyr 5-6ac2

uhh....maybe:

Corsair 6ac2
Rifleman
Jagermech
Champion
Hunch 2c?

Ilfi, on 02 December 2019 - 06:01 PM, said:

There aren't a ton of Mechs that can boat AC2s well, let alone lighter ones on the IS side. The only one that comes to mind is the Dragon 5N with 3 UAC2s and mega quirks. Someone else can offer other options.

the dragon is a really hard mech to use for new players, would not recommend

[Magnus Santini]

Ahem. Blackjack for mediums. Possibly Raven for lights although I have not tried it.

[Bobdolemite]

For IS lights its pretty slim pickings, most of them don't have the tonnage to utilize AC/2 as anything other than a secondary weapon save for maybe the Urbie. Medium mechs though is the first weight category where you can start to use AC's to great effect:

Blackjack
Bushwacker
Enforcer
Shadowhawk
Hunchback

You could probably also do this on a Phoenix Hawk but..... meh.

my favorite of the bunch are the Bushwacker High Roller (hero mech) with triple Rotary AC/2's. Blackjack BJ-1 with AC/2 and backup weapons, and the Shadowhawk SHD-2H(P) with triple Rotary AC/2's.

If you want to get into Heavy or Assaults then you cant go wrong with Warhammer Blackwidow (hero mech) and Cyclops Slepnir (hero mech). As LordNothing stated... as much as I hate most clan mechs... the Ultraviolet is the pre-eminent AC'2 mech. I have tried 4 x UAC 2 & 4 x AC2 and 8 x LB2X. The LBX version is cold and DEADLY.

Anyways goodluck on your Dakka journey...may your aim be steady and ammo plentiful!

[WrathOfDeadguy]

For an AC2 medium on the IS side, go Blackjack. The BJ-1 or 1DC are the choice picks here, with 20% cooldown; they crap out damage faster than you'd expect with only a pair of AC2s. They also have also top-of-'Mech high mounts with a similarly lofty cockpit and no geometry sticking up higher so, y'know, dat hillpeek.

For a heavy chassis, Rifleman or Champion for standard AC2s. Rifleman 3C or LK for the DPS quirkage... Champion 1NB for this amazing mount cluster and the extra tonnage you can squeeze out for stripping the arms, which nets you either a bigger engine, more ammo, or some lasers for extra burst damage. The convergence on the CHP-1NB is insanely good- land all four shells on a jinking target at 700+ good, and the same config can also fare well brawling because the Chip has great armor quirks and spreads damage way, way better than the Roflman. Can't say enough good things; it's a severely underappreciated 'Mech.

Or, y'know, 5xAC2 Jagermech... but watch those arms. Damn do they pop fast, and then you're just a walking "kick me" sign.

Edited by WrathOfDeadguy, 02 December 2019 - 06:21 PM.

[FRAGTAST1C]

The Mauler MX 90 has 6 ballistic hardpoints so you can go all AC2s or go 3x AC2 + 3x UAC2 for that slight extra bit of damage which adds up to a lot later on if you can survive. The drawback of this mech is that the muzzle fire can be blinding.

Annihilator 2A can do that exact same build and have more armour but the mounts are lower and is very slow.

[LordNothing]

Hazeclaw, on 02 December 2019 - 06:09 PM, said:

the dragon is a really hard mech to use for new players, would not recommend

you really need to master deadsiding with that one, loose that arm and you wont have a good time.

FRAGTAST1C, on 02 December 2019 - 07:06 PM, said:

The Mauler MX 90 has 6 ballistic hardpoints so you can go all AC2s or go 3x AC2 + 3x UAC2 for that slight extra bit of damage which adds up to a lot later on if you can survive. The drawback of this mech is that the muzzle fire can be blinding.

Annihilator 2A can do that exact same build and have more armour but the mounts are lower and is very slow.

forgot about the mauler. i like it more as an ac5 boat though.

Edited by LordNothing, 02 December 2019 - 07:12 PM.

[FRAGTAST1C]

LordNothing, on 02 December 2019 - 07:11 PM, said:

forgot about the mauler. i like it more as an ac5 boat though.

5 AC5? Yeah, I tried that a few times but the 3xAC2 + 3xUAC2 feels better for me or the 4xUAC5.

[LordNothing]

FRAGTAST1C, on 02 December 2019 - 07:25 PM, said:

5 AC5? Yeah, I tried that a few times but the 3xAC2 + 3xUAC2 feels better for me or the 4xUAC5.

it works with 6, but you need to hit the ammo nodes and be careful with your ammo. had one of the best games ive had in awhile in one of these during the last event.

Edited by LordNothing, 02 December 2019 - 07:50 PM.

[FRAGTAST1C]

LordNothing, on 02 December 2019 - 07:29 PM, said:

it works with 6, but you need to hit the ammo nodes and be careful with your ammo. had one of the best games ive had in awhile in one of these during the last event.

Ehh.. I don't know. 5 AC5 itself is pushing it but 6? A simple quad UAC5 has better sustain and ammo count while not needing to shave off a lot of armour.

[LordNothing]

FRAGTAST1C, on 02 December 2019 - 08:00 PM, said:

Ehh.. I don't know. 5 AC5 itself is pushing it but 6? A simple quad UAC5 has better sustain and ammo count while not needing to shave off a lot of armour.

i honestly dont remember how its built. but i got 1k damage with it and 6 kills (then ran out of ammo, but fortunately so did everyone else).

[LordNothing]

FRAGTAST1C, on 02 December 2019 - 08:00 PM, said:

Ehh.. I don't know. 5 AC5 itself is pushing it but 6? A simple quad UAC5 has better sustain and ammo count while not needing to shave off a lot of armour.

uacs are more for peak and poke, you want sustain that wont over heat in battle stock acs are better.

[FRAGTAST1C]

LordNothing, on 02 December 2019 - 08:36 PM, said:

uacs are more for peak and poke, you want sustain that wont over heat in battle stock acs are better.

Sure, but when you're boating 6 AC5, I'd rather do 4 UAC5 instead for better heat and burst damage ratio and not having to strip armour off. Just my preference though.

[Y E O N N E]

BJ-1 and BJ-1DC for x2 AC/2 with lasers

SHD-2H for x3 AC/2; can throw on 2x MRM10 for extra deepz.

[K O Z A K]

LordNothing, on 02 December 2019 - 07:11 PM, said:

you really need to master deadsiding with that one, loose that arm and you wont have a good time.

I see people playing this mech all the time who really shouldn't be, it is not a good option for the vast majority of players in this game

LordNothing, on 02 December 2019 - 07:11 PM, said:

forgot about the mauler. i like it more as an ac5 boat though.

it's just barely usable, not great, too hot, not enough ammo

[Appogee]

LordNothing, on 02 December 2019 - 05:59 PM, said:

8-gun
ultraviolet with the right omnipods

6-gun
anh-2a (best is 6-gun assault)
kgc-000
jm6-dd
rfl-iic-2 (best heavy 6-gun, seems tankier than the jager)
cor-5t (haven't used it but it has fully articulated arm mounts)
mal-mx90

5-gun
any night gyr with the right omnipods (can do one more with ultras, 7 guns is possible with a jade kite if you dont mind not having ammo or stripped armor)

4-gun:
bsw-x1 (best ac2 medium imho, tanky)
chp-1nb (assymetrical for dead siding, tanky)
enf-5p (you need to run xl and strip some armor though)
grf-5m (if you don't mind all your firepower in one arm)
hbk-iic
vgl-1 or vgl-2 (the 2 can run a 5th gun if its a uac2)
rfl-3c or legend-killer
rgh-1a
ctf-4x (better with ac5s though)
black widow
sns-d

i dont consider anything with 3 guns or less a good stand alone ac2 boat. you can use them but they need other weapons to be viable. 2 and 3 guns does kind of work on some squirrels though for fast hit and run or multi point sniping. for example urbies, adders, fury, cougars.

LordNothing is 110% on the money.

BTW, I witnessed Charles Sennet do 3000 damage in a single JM6-DD with AC2s (and some well placed strikes, no doubt) during a FP match last weekend. Overall excellent aim and positioning in the deployment of 11.5 tons of ammo.

Edited by Appogee, 02 December 2019 - 10:31 PM.

[LordNothing]

Magnus Santini, on 02 December 2019 - 06:14 PM, said:

Ahem. Blackjack for mediums. Possibly Raven for lights although I have not tried it.

i think theres one that has good quirks, but i generally dont like 2 gun builds unless its a squirrel (i love my dual ac2 fury).

[LordNothing]

Bobdolemite, on 02 December 2019 - 06:14 PM, said:

For IS lights its pretty slim pickings, most of them don't have the tonnage to utilize AC/2 as anything other than a secondary weapon save for maybe the Urbie. Medium mechs though is the first weight category where you can start to use AC's to great effect:

Blackjack
Bushwacker
Enforcer
Shadowhawk
Hunchback

You could probably also do this on a Phoenix Hawk but..... meh.

my favorite of the bunch are the Bushwacker High Roller (hero mech) with triple Rotary AC/2's. Blackjack BJ-1 with AC/2 and backup weapons, and the Shadowhawk SHD-2H(P) with triple Rotary AC/2's.

If you want to get into Heavy or Assaults then you cant go wrong with Warhammer Blackwidow (hero mech) and Cyclops Slepnir (hero mech). As LordNothing stated... as much as I hate most clan mechs... the Ultraviolet is the pre-eminent AC'2 mech. I have tried 4 x UAC 2 & 4 x AC2 and 8 x LB2X. The LBX version is cold and DEADLY.

Anyways goodluck on your Dakka journey...may your aim be steady and ammo plentiful!

yes the ultraviolet is best. i can pull a 1k+ game with it with surprising regularity. its hardly even fair. another uv build that works is 4xuac2 + 4xlb2. you can crank out extra damage while you are cool and fall back on the lb2s when you are hot. this works well at ranged work but if you find yourself in a brawl, you can quickly open the armor before the heat is a concern and use the crit to finish the target fast.

also dont shy away from is lb2s. the is line of lbx have a 3x max range while the clan version its only 2x. you can do half damage at a range where erlls dont even work. so they can do damage at ranges no other weapon can touch. i use them on my black widow with great success. i limit myself to 3 so i can also carry an mrm30 and a couple er medium lasers, its a beast. open em up on the way in, sandblast them with mrms and use the lasers for the coup de grace. a great mech for a push (especially on boreal vault).

Edited by LordNothing, 03 December 2019 - 05:27 AM.