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1453 R, on 14 January 2022 - 01:32 PM, said:
Dakka 'Mechs tend to have a decisive DPS advantage over laser 'Mechs. Tend, mind...but the laser-based 'Mechs that can contend with autocannon DPS are usually LPL boats that don't have large alpha numbers and more-or-less operate like energy based autocannon builds.
The key is generally to bait out, juke, twist off, or otherwise avoid/endure the first laser fusillade, and then hammer the laser 'Mech. They'll heatcap after two, maybe three shots, while you can keep shooting for minutes at a time. If they can't kill or cripple you in their first salvo, the advantage rapidly starts swinging back towards the autocannon user. Cool Shot can wreck that engagement, which sucks. Frankly that's the only real jank in the match-up - there's no possible way for someone to tell if their target can just magically ignore their heat bar without justification and thus act in a way that defies logic and reason. Coolant pods exist, you should have to equip them if you want 'Cool Shots'.
Beyond that, though? Proper autocannon 'Mechs can deal more damage over a five to ten-second period than just about any energy-based 'Mech. The energy boats can frontload the first shot, but that's it - that's their entire edge (beyond ease of aim for lasers). Hell, PPC-based machines can't even do that - PPCs have less DPS, less front-loaded damage, and less sustainability than autocannons. You do have to be careful, and you have to actually afford energy vomit 'Mechs proper respect, but canny play lets autocannons do just fine.
Which is as it should be. Play to your strengths, work to deny the enemy theirs, and you win more than you lose. Don't do that, and...well.
The key is generally to bait out, juke, twist off, or otherwise avoid/endure the first laser fusillade, and then hammer the laser 'Mech. They'll heatcap after two, maybe three shots, while you can keep shooting for minutes at a time. If they can't kill or cripple you in their first salvo, the advantage rapidly starts swinging back towards the autocannon user. Cool Shot can wreck that engagement, which sucks. Frankly that's the only real jank in the match-up - there's no possible way for someone to tell if their target can just magically ignore their heat bar without justification and thus act in a way that defies logic and reason. Coolant pods exist, you should have to equip them if you want 'Cool Shots'.
Beyond that, though? Proper autocannon 'Mechs can deal more damage over a five to ten-second period than just about any energy-based 'Mech. The energy boats can frontload the first shot, but that's it - that's their entire edge (beyond ease of aim for lasers). Hell, PPC-based machines can't even do that - PPCs have less DPS, less front-loaded damage, and less sustainability than autocannons. You do have to be careful, and you have to actually afford energy vomit 'Mechs proper respect, but canny play lets autocannons do just fine.
Which is as it should be. Play to your strengths, work to deny the enemy theirs, and you win more than you lose. Don't do that, and...well.
This is correct if you can close the gap and prevent that they can hide behind a rock to cool down. And seeing the current meta...well, this is most likely not the case
