28 replies to this topic

[Richard Hazen]

Just wondering which of the currently available mechs would be used in Clan Diamond Shark? I know Mad Cat II is pretty iconic but what else?

[Therax]

https://www.sarna.ne...ark_BattleMechs

[ScrapIron Prime]

Phoenix Hawk IIc please! Give Clan Diamond Shark the sexy!

[Aidan Crenshaw]

Have a look at the master unit list: http://www.masteruni...nId=8&EraId=247

[martian]

Will Hawker, on 24 November 2021 - 01:54 PM, said:

Just wondering which of the currently available mechs would be used in Clan Diamond Shark? I know Mad Cat II is pretty iconic but what else?

There are two approaches:
1. You can always invent some convoluted story how the 'Mech that you would like to use ended in the Clan hands.
No problem here, it's just a game.

2. Slightly more realistic approach:
a) Clan OmniMechs - I can imagine pretty much any Clan OmniMech ending in the Clan Diamond Shark hands - either salvaged or as a payment in some inter-Clan deal. Even some less common ones such as the Blood Asp could have been traded among the Clans or won in some Trial.

b ) Clan BattleMechs - ditto. They are often centuries old and proliferated among the Clans, especially in the Homeworlds.

c) older common Inner Sphere BattleMechs - many IS 'Mechs originated as SLDF 'Mechs (or simply were used by the SLDF) and the Clans took many of them when they left the Inner Sphere. Those 'Mechs can be found in the Homeworlds too. Black Knight, Warhammer, Marauder, etc. are a fair game.

d) older uncommon Inner Sphere BattleMechs - some MWO 'Mechs are relatively old, all right, but they have always been quite uncommon or limited to maybe one Great House or so. Sometimes those 'Mechs were designed or produced after the Clans have left the Inner Sphere.
For example, the Grasshopper - always quite rare 'Mech in the Inner Sphere and surely more so among the Clans, either as Star League legacy or Clan Invasion era battlefield salvage.
Raven and Cataphract - designed in the Capellan Confederation, later used by AFFC too. But why would the Clan need such inferior 'Mechs?
etc.

e) newer Inner Sphere BattleMechs - well, you can always say that the Diamond Shark were making some deal with one of the Great Houses and wanted one or two of their 'Mechs as payment, but ...
Really, I can hardly imagine CDS MechWarriors piloting Thanatos, Hellspawn or Uziel.

f) non-canon 'Mechs
Sun Spider - no problem
Corsair - I can imagine CDS destroying one during some anti-pirate operations, all right. But I do not know why the Clanners would bother with salvaging such cobbled-together 'Mech, if they have access to Daishi.
Ditto for Roughneck. Why bother with salvaging inferior IS technology, especially if the 'Mech is based on upgunned WorkMech, i.e. something even more inferior.

[Richard Hazen]

Aidan Crenshaw, on 24 November 2021 - 10:22 PM, said:

Have a look at the master unit list: http://www.masteruni...nId=8&EraId=247

That list is amazing thanks!

[martian]

Will Hawker, on 25 November 2021 - 01:14 AM, said:

That list is amazing thanks!

Keep in mind that this official list shows positive bias towards some factions and negative bias towards some other factions.

[Richard Hazen]

Any tips on which variant of the Mad Cat II is worth getting?

[martian]

Will Hawker, on 25 November 2021 - 07:30 AM, said:

Any tips on which variant of the Mad Cat II is worth getting?

PGI gave away Mad Cat Mk.II-B as a free 'Mech a half year ago. There were even two colours, camouflage pattern and a lot of cockpit goodies thrown in.

Check the screen capture:



It is a pretty good 'Mech with a pair of UAC-10s and a pair of UAC-5s. Like Kodiak, but more agile, essentially. All four Ultracannons are in arms, so you can target enemy 'Mechs or UAVs above or below your level (you know, Kodiak has them in shoulder mounts, so that could be a problem sometimes).

---

As for other variants, Mad Cat Mk.II-4 is often used as LRM boat. The problem is that there are many ECM-carrying 'Mechs in some games.

"Deathstrike" offers some interesting combined ballistic/energy loadouts, but I remember that you said that you want spends . "Deathstrike" is for or cash.

[Richard Hazen]

martian, on 25 November 2021 - 07:57 AM, said:

PGI gave away Mad Cat Mk.II-B as a free 'Mech a half year ago. There were even two colours, camouflage pattern and a lot of cockpit goodies thrown in.

Check the screen capture:



It is a pretty good 'Mech with a pair of UAC-10s and a pair of UAC-5s. Like Kodiak, but more agile, essentially. All four Ultracannons are in arms, so you can target enemy 'Mechs or UAVs above or below your level (you know, Kodiak has them in shoulder mounts, so that could be a problem sometimes).

---

As for other variants, Mad Cat Mk.II-4 is often used as LRM boat. The problem is that there are many ECM-carrying 'Mechs in some games.

"Deathstrike" offers some interesting combined ballistic/energy loadouts, but I remember that you said that you want spends . "Deathstrike" is for or cash.

Is the MCII-1 any good, I got the Kodiak the other day, so gonna try something else, I'm not a fan of gauss tho.

[martian]

Will Hawker, on 25 November 2021 - 10:02 AM, said:

Is the MCII-1 any good, I got the Kodiak the other day, so gonna try something else, I'm not a fan of gauss tho.

Some people run it with a pair of LBX Autocannons and MPLs. If you go with some smaller engine, you could add SRMs for added short range punch.

If you prefer sniping, you could try 4 ER PPCs. However, this 'Mech can overheat, when forced to fight close. Careful heat management is recommended.

[Richard Hazen]

martian, on 25 November 2021 - 10:14 AM, said:

Some people run it with a pair of LBX Autocannons and MPLs. If you go with some smaller engine, you could add SRMs for added short range punch.

If you prefer sniping, you could try 4 ER PPCs. However, this 'Mech can overheat, when forced to fight close. Careful heat management is recommended.

I definitely want the ears, I want look like a typical Mad Cat from when I was younger

[martian]

Will Hawker, on 25 November 2021 - 10:22 AM, said:

I definitely want the ears, I want look like a typical Mad Cat from when I was younger

What about the Blood Asp? Many players like it and it can be equipped with ECM.

Or the Dire Wolf? "If it is good enough for the Khan of the Clan Diamond Shark, it is good enough for you, quiaff?".

[ScrapIron Prime]

The only issue with the MCii-1 is the geometry. Energy and ballistic hardpoints are fairly low slung, while the missile hardpoints are super high up (but using them gives you shootable "bunny ears" that make your side torsos easy to hit. And using both arm ballistics makes corner peeking impractical.

That said, if you like the bunny ears, this build works pretty well. its the LBX and pulse build Martian was talking about, with a couple SRM4's tacked on for extra boom. Me, i run it without the SRM's, adding an active probe and a jump jet.

https://mwo.nav-alph...3a4d41a6_MCII-1

[Richard Hazen]

martian, on 25 November 2021 - 10:32 AM, said:

What about the Blood Asp? Many players like it and it can be equipped with ECM.

Or the Dire Wolf? "If it is good enough for the Khan of the Clan Diamond Shark, it is good enough for you, quiaff?".

Dire Wolf is a bit to boxy for me, I've never really liked it. I like the look of the Blood Asp, not sure though, I'm not really one to go with the meta, I kind of like lore and stuff more.

[martian]

Will Hawker, on 25 November 2021 - 11:20 AM, said:

Dire Wolf is a bit to boxy for me, I've never really liked it. I like the look of the Blood Asp, not sure though, I'm not really one to go with the meta, I kind of like lore and stuff more.

Of course.

You still have got the time before the current sale ends. Just make sure that you spend your C-Bills wisely.

[Richard Hazen]

martian, on 25 November 2021 - 11:26 AM, said:

Of course.

You still have got the time before the current sale ends. Just make sure that you spend your C-Bills wisely.

I want this

[martian]

Will Hawker, on 25 November 2021 - 11:33 AM, said:

I want this

How I see it:
If you want to keep the typical silhouette of the 'Mech with those "ears", you should put some missiles in them. The problem is: "What missiles exactly?"

• Clan LRMs - they might be viable in lower Tiers, but the higher you move, the better the enemy players will know how to defend against your missiles. And if you get Solaris City three times in a row ...
  
• Clan ATMs - again, they might have some viability, but they are best used on mobile 'Mechs that can stay in the optimal range of their ATMs. Mad Cat Mk. II is usually not that kind of 'Mech.
  
• Clan Streak SRMs - not a good idea
  
• Clan SRMs - doable, but since it would be nonsense to put SRMs on a sniping 'Mech, you should optimize the rest of the loadout towards short range brawling - with a pair of Autocannons probably.

Well, you still have some time to think it over.

What loadout would you imagine for your Mad Cat Mk. II?

[Richard Hazen]

martian, on 25 November 2021 - 12:02 PM, said:

How I see it:
If you want to keep the typical silhouette of the 'Mech with those "ears", you should put some missiles in them. The problem is: "What missiles exactly?"

• Clan LRMs - they might be viable in lower Tiers, but the higher you move, the better the enemy players will know how to defend against your missiles. And if you get Solaris City three times in a row ...
  
• Clan ATMs - again, they might have some viability, but they are best used on mobile 'Mechs that can stay in the optimal range of their ATMs. Mad Cat Mk. II is usually not that kind of 'Mech.
  
• Clan Streak SRMs - not a good idea
  
• Clan SRMs - doable, but since it would be nonsense to put SRMs on a sniping 'Mech, you should optimize the rest of the loadout towards short range brawling - with a pair of Autocannons probably.

Well, you still have some time to think it over.


What loadout would you imagine for your Mad Cat Mk. II?

I only really play quick play so I'm fine with anything, my Kodiak has four Clan AC 10s and 2 Heavy Mediums, so I'm looking for an alternative to that. I don't mind rotary in each arm and some sort of missile as the ears, maybe LRMs I guess?

[martian]

Will Hawker, on 25 November 2021 - 12:15 PM, said:

I only really play quick play so I'm fine with anything, my Kodiak has four Clan AC 10s and 2 Heavy Mediums, so I'm looking for an alternative to that. I don't mind rotary in each arm and some sort of missile as the ears, maybe LRMs I guess?

There are no Clan Rotary Autocannons in MechWarrior Online. You do not like Gauss Rifles.

That leaves us with standard Autocannons, Ultracannons or LBX Autocannons.