15 replies to this topic

[Ronan]

All I can find so far are capped at 30 skills point totals. Other than the first AI pilot that comes with the Jenner of course. Frustrating.

[martian]

Ronan, on 18 December 2019 - 09:34 AM, said:

Where To Find Good Pilots?

In MWO.

[overheal]

Ronan, on 18 December 2019 - 09:34 AM, said:

All I can find so far are capped at 30 skills point totals. Other than the first AI pilot that comes with the Jenner of course. Frustrating.

better pilots are attracted to apply to your outfit as your reputation grows,

they could explain that better

Edited by overheal, 18 December 2019 - 10:02 AM.

[Xaat Xuun]

takes lots of looking

might show up as you gain more rep, me finding upper 50's is happening more. I still see a lot of 17-23's.
Maybe I should dash back into [Davions territory and test that theory, been hanging in Liao area, and pop up to Steiner land ever now and then, and that's where I have found them,

Just have to look in the roughest toughest dirtiest tavern, normally the best hang out there

martian, on 18 December 2019 - 09:37 AM, said:

In MWO.

there's only a couple left there, majority of them left MWO over a year ago

Edited by Xaat Xuun, 18 December 2019 - 10:10 AM.

[Xaat Xuun]

the skill 57 pilot, just picked up a few missions back, and in Liao Territory, just show they are available, but think it's more about rep when they show up more, maybe level too

Edited by Xaat Xuun, 18 December 2019 - 10:35 AM.

[Xaat Xuun]

okay took a peek at the south side of Liao, and these were for hire (for me), pretty much what I see every where with the occasional 50+

[Ronan]

I found two at 30 skill cap, and since have only seed in the 20's. Haven't tried Steiner space yet tho.

[Xaat Xuun]

keep l;looking, actually found (got lucky I guess) A 41 as a level 5, still in beginning and in Davion space, that pilot has been Dismissed, gets expensive keeping extra pilots

[cszolee79]

I noticed that northern Kurita hubs offer better mechs, equipment and pilots than anywhere else.

[Koniving]

Ronan, on 18 December 2019 - 11:38 AM, said:

I found two at 30 skill cap, and since have only seed in the 20's. Haven't tried Steiner space yet tho.

While this game is relatively loose with lore and as such who knows what you could find...
...Steiner pilots (commanders in fluff at least) are stereotyped to be pretty bad, so much that Steiner McSteinerson is a meme for a rich Steiner pilot that bought his or her rank just like they bought their "inherited" mech... with cbills inherited from a rich parent.
So myself I'd expect to go to Steiner space to find meat fodder for hire.

[Koniving]

cszolee79, on 18 December 2019 - 12:08 PM, said:

I noticed that northern Kurita hubs offer better mechs, equipment and pilots than anywhere else.

What year?
Post 3030, Kurita should start getting Gauss Rifles, pulse lasers and ER PPCs... things that other places should not have until after 3040. 3037 for ER PPCs. 3037 for pulse lasers. "3040" in Marik space for the first "everyone has them" Gauss Rifles, however Kurita itself uses Gauss Rifles as early as 3038 as part of the "war of 3039". [Yes, the year before]

Side note, about the first time anyone living post year 3,000 ACE encountered a Gauss Rifle in combat...

Spoiler

(The Gauss Rifle Kurita uses in the actual battle, called the Prototype Gauss Rifle, was being fired indirectly from trenches carried specifically by Crucis Type V chassis Hunchbacks [the new "remake" post 3030 HBK 4G, slightly taller with more interior space for equipment than its comically squat original Komiyaba Type VII chassis. These Hunchbacks could not handle the recoil from the Gauss Rifle since they were quickly installed. When they hit, they'd come with such speed that if one blinked they'd miss a shell tearing the head clean off a Victor and not hear the thunderous sonic boom for several seconds as the sound of the shell eventually catches up. They would leave gaping holes between 30cm and 80cm in diameter, going straight through mechs like a hot knife through butter. Keep in mind the biggest AC shell in the IS at this time is 185mm carried by the Demolisher. That's 18.5cm in diameter. So this was perhaps the most terrifying thing that could be hauled around on a 'Mech that anyone had ever seen, since between the damage, hitting secondary targets after going through the first, and no warning of the incoming shell until many seconds after it hits... being fired from targets that are beyond visual range [defined by tabletop as 1,800 meters or 60 hexes]... Just mind blowing.
Sure, the accurate range of a direct fire shot might be 870 meters for "extreme range" in tabletop, and 1,740 meters if the pilot has the sharp-shooter skill...but the actual projectile max range for a gauss rifle indirect fire bombardment is closer to 3,000 meters...)

The issue that caused mechs under 70 tons to topple over would later be addressed in the 35 ton Hollander, a mech that is 12 meters tall (larger than most mediums and as large as many heavies in the BT universe with the Timber Wolf only being 12.6 meters tall [in MWO and MW5, a Panther or Wolfhound is 13+ meters tall for comparison, when they are canonically only 9 meters tall]).

That solution involved really strong legs that could support and brace a wide firing stance.

Sadly, this isn't demonstrating a braced stance or the reason its legs are like this. But the Hollander is basically a redesign of the Hunchback concept derived specifically from that battle, to feature all the necessary improvements to make that tactic viable.
A Hollander would rarely ever have to see its target personally, as spotters would be relaying the information in an ideal scenario.
[And if you think Gauss Rifle indirect fire is crazy, FASA had the concept for the Timber Wolf in Mechwarrior 3050 [SNES] / Battletech [Sega] (same game different name) where the GR can be fired over walls... and there are at least two AC/20s referenced as being used to fire indirectly [Chemjet Gun, Demolisher] and as the first and typically only weapon to a vehicle designed specifically to be field artillery [Crusher Super Heavy Cannon, Hetzer]. Indirect fire GR and AC/20s, it's a Battletech thing.

[Tordin]

martian, on 18 December 2019 - 09:37 AM, said:

In MWO.

Now.. thats discussable I might not be particularly good at MWO anymore due to long hiatus.

The A.I for comrade pilots and enemies arent per see dumb, but as somone else stated. The A.I seem indecisive, in by either being to "LEEEEEROY" to way to defensive.
Only really bad things about the teammate A.I ( at least ) is IMO:

- That they get stuck from time to time, particularly by cliff sides, rough rock terrain and get left behind to MAYBE appear near the rest of the Lance sometime later. This is an ANNOYING pathfinding issue. However the pathfinding is several ranks above MW4mercs pathfinding, so theres that for whatever its worth.

- They are not too good avoiding, CRUSHING the buildings/ area you are going to protect... They need to give a bigger "avoidance radius". Sure not optimal to stay in the cityscape while defending it due to heel biting enemies that bumrush the positions and are, but still.

- Possible problem to use all of their avaiable weaponry mounted on their mech at all optimal and maximum ranges, again indecisive.

Edited by Tordin, 18 December 2019 - 01:33 PM.

[Ilfi]

I get the feeling pilot skill level is tied to your mercenary rank. I have a bunch of 58s and 59s with 10/10 in all the defensive stats, but only after reaching MR 13.

[Dee Eight]

Look in conflict zones with higher recommended reputation levels. I'm up to Rep 12 myself but if I look in zones like a rep 6 planet... i still see mediocre pilots in the barracks for hire.

[Subhntr]

Tordin, on 18 December 2019 - 01:32 PM, said:

- Possible problem to use all of their avaiable weaponry mounted on their mech at all optimal and maximum ranges, again indecisive.

even if there's an ally in the way. I just watched one of my ANH-1X pilots unload on an OPFOR mech...when one of my other pilots was in the way.

[FRAGTAST1C]

Higher the suggested Rep, better pilots will be available there.

There's also one mission where you need to rescue some guy from the pirates. I forgot the actual mission's name but it was available in Liao-Marik border. The guy giving you the High-reward quest mission is named Shenzeng and once you complete the mission, his son, the one you rescued, "humbly" offers his piloting services to you and he's rated at 41 or something.