9 replies to this topic

[Duke Falcon]

Greetings everyone!

I need some hint\advice before buy some new medium mechs for my drop decks.

What is sure is a Hunchback IIc laserboat. That is something I want to buy since a while and the coming of new, shiny clan energy weapons more than justify one in my humble possession!

The part I am unsure is the second medium choice:
Black lanner or Arctic wolf?

For the BKL I go for the Prime (ECM) and mix&match the omnipods to carry 6xcERMLs (3-3 in each arms). Optionally 3xcERMLs in one arm and 6xcERSLs in the other... Anyway, some fast hit&run laserboat I may use it...

For the ACW, prime again, some swap for the right torso to the A's ECM torso I thought and switch the streaks to Artemis-supported SRM6s. But in this case - considering I may use it on special maps - ECM may not that necessary (city fighter where there's lots of covers)...

Thoughts? Opinions? Malicious intents?

[KursedVixen]

I can't offer much opinion on the black lanner as i only have one the Arctic wolf is a great srm boat though. I just go with the ecm where i can if you have the omni.

though for other mediums in the clan terf there's the Nova prime with 12 medium lasers sure you can only fire one arm at a time but that's still 6 Clan medium lasers

The stormcrow is a quick medium that can be good


the shadowcat is a jump jetting masc carrying big gun really i've seen it used as a sniper to a skirmisher

the only othere medium i used is the viper which is a great skirmisher you just need to keep moving I like light hunting with Mgs and small pulse on mine.

The vapor eagle is kinda an odd one i've seen various builds with it from duac ac5 and erpp to a missile boat with Atms.

Go to https://mwo.nav-alpha.com/mechlab and look at mediums and see what you like you can even pre-build mechs up on this website, and then copy paste the build code for later.

Edited by KursedVixen, 11 March 2024 - 09:11 AM.

[Void Angel]

Duke Falcon, on 11 March 2024 - 08:30 AM, said:

Greetings everyone!

I need some hint\advice before buy some new medium mechs for my drop decks.

What is sure is a Hunchback IIc laserboat. That is something I want to buy since a while and the coming of new, shiny clan energy weapons more than justify one in my humble possession!

The part I am unsure is the second medium choice:
Black lanner or Arctic wolf?

For the BKL I go for the Prime (ECM) and mix&match the omnipods to carry 6xcERMLs (3-3 in each arms). Optionally 3xcERMLs in one arm and 6xcERSLs in the other... Anyway, some fast hit&run laserboat I may use it...

For the ACW, prime again, some swap for the right torso to the A's ECM torso I thought and switch the streaks to Artemis-supported SRM6s. But in this case - considering I may use it on special maps - ECM may not that necessary (city fighter where there's lots of covers)...

Thoughts? Opinions? Malicious intents?

Always swap out Streaks for SRMs, unless you're building a niche Light bully. The significantly longer cooldown and additional spread isn't worth the advantages of their lock-on system. They're still devastating when boated against Lights, even with the nerf, but that's all they're good for.

I don't actually have a Black Lanner, but let's compare the two chassis:

Tthe omnimech builds of the Arctic Wolf are optimized to do pulse lasers, ERPPCs, or missiles. That's a decent spread, but you're tonnage- and hardpoint-limited. The Black Lanner, on the other hand, generally does variatons on lasers: laser with MGs, laser with SRMs, etc. - though it does have a decent ERPPC build with the S08 bonus for the A. It also has ECM and MASC. I believe the ACW has better hit boxes and architecture, though hopefully you're engaging in flanking actions with both 'mechs.

Comparing effective pod space, you're looking at two paradoxes: the Black Lanner has only about ~11.5 tons of pod weight (with armor) and the Arctic Wolf boasts ~19. The second paradox resolves the first: the 55-ton Black Lanner has an impressive 113.4kph top speed, while the 40-ton Arctic Wolf "only" moves at 97.2.

So in summary, you're choosing between a very fast 55-tonner focused on light-weight weaponry (MGs and Lasers,) and a more flexible 40-tonner with the option to run jump Jets (with certain omnipods.) So if I was picking, it would depend on if I wanted to run a blazing-fast MASC build that can sprint at Light speeds and generally focuses on short range... Or else a flexible, slower platform with more weapon options and pod weight (but no ballistics.)

Edited by Void Angel, 11 March 2024 - 10:25 AM.

[torsie]

I have Black Lanner with ATM and Heavy Lasers, it is more getting close to people, like very large light mech, but it feels strong to me.

I too have Arctic Wolf, it started as LRM boat, then I used different types of missiles on it.
Now it has 2x PPC and 2x Medium laser. With ECM and Jump Jets I can go where I want, I used PPC when I have some nice target and ER Medium Lasers to just poke people without getting too much heat or if I dont know I can hit them with PPC.

Normal SRMs are great, but I dont like they have super small range, guided rockets are "worse" but I can shoot them from distance and run away and they are easy for aim for me.

[Void Angel]

Technically, a rocket is an unguided munition, but I get what you mean. =D Lock-on missiles are definitely easy to use in that regard - all that's required is mobility and map awareness to get around terrain and avoid getting caught by fast attackers. It's part of what makes LRM/ATMs hard to balance, but that's another thread.

The Black Lanner plays very much like an oversized Light - that's what looks fun about the chassis. I'd recommend ditching the Medium Lasers for heat sinks, on the Arctic Wolf, though. Two ERMLs won't do much to defend yourself, and you'll get better results with more cooling - you just have to practice your aim (and use only one ERPPC per each mouse button so that you can control your heat if you need to.)

[Duke Falcon]

torsie, on 11 March 2024 - 03:31 PM, said:

I have Black Lanner with ATM and Heavy Lasers, it is more getting close to people, like very large light mech, but it feels strong to me.

I too have Arctic Wolf, it started as LRM boat, then I used different types of missiles on it.
Now it has 2x PPC and 2x Medium laser. With ECM and Jump Jets I can go where I want, I used PPC when I have some nice target and ER Medium Lasers to just poke people without getting too much heat or if I dont know I can hit them with PPC.

Normal SRMs are great, but I dont like they have super small range, guided rockets are "worse" but I can shoot them from distance and run away and they are easy for aim for me.

ATM + HLasers is tempting but I search mediums for city fights. My current mediums just fillers in my drop decks on certain maps. I need some urban-specialist mediums what help me s*ck less in FP.
The Black lanner got my attention with the ECM+MASC combo what make it a buffed light what still could hurt before vanish among the obstacles. But lasers could run hot easily if someone fast enough to harass me...

Void Angel, on 11 March 2024 - 10:18 AM, said:

Always swap out Streaks for SRMs, unless you're building a niche Light bully. The significantly longer cooldown and additional spread isn't worth the advantages of their lock-on system. They're still devastating when boated against Lights, even with the nerf, but that's all they're good for.

I don't actually have a Black Lanner, but let's compare the two chassis:

Tthe omnimech builds of the Arctic Wolf are optimized to do pulse lasers, ERPPCs, or missiles. That's a decent spread, but you're tonnage- and hardpoint-limited. The Black Lanner, on the other hand, generally does variatons on lasers: laser with MGs, laser with SRMs, etc. - though it does have a decent ERPPC build with the S08 bonus for the A. It also has ECM and MASC. I believe the ACW has better hit boxes and architecture, though hopefully you're engaging in flanking actions with both 'mechs.

Comparing effective pod space, you're looking at two paradoxes: the Black Lanner has only about ~11.5 tons of pod weight (with armor) and the Arctic Wolf boasts ~19. The second paradox resolves the first: the 55-ton Black Lanner has an impressive 113.4kph top speed, while the 40-ton Arctic Wolf "only" moves at 97.2.

So in summary, you're choosing between a very fast 55-tonner focused on light-weight weaponry (MGs and Lasers,) and a more flexible 40-tonner with the option to run jump Jets (with certain omnipods.) So if I was picking, it would depend on if I wanted to run a blazing-fast MASC build that can sprint at Light speeds and generally focuses on short range... Or else a flexible, slower platform with more weapon options and pod weight (but no ballistics.)

I despise SSRMs. I once fallen their booby-trap and armed my Summoner with them. But ECMwarrior Online made it hard to use them efficiently. I not really understand why they cannot dumbfire without locks like LRMs or ATMs!
Anyway, I use only SRMs now but for the Arctic wolf I considered SRM+Artemis combo for less spread. Again, it is a possible candidate for an urban-bomber (see Black lanner + drop deck explanation right over).
What bothers me in the Arctic wolf is the trade (sacrifice) between the omni- and non-omnimech variants. The omni can jump and could use ECM. The battlemech runs faster. I lean more toward the jumping because for a fast dasher I consider the Black lanner a better option (what cannot jump, sadly...).

But damn! I have 340.000.000+ CBills and enough free bays... Why I not buy all three: Hunchie, Lannie and Woof-woof?!
No...
I not want to became a maniac collector! It's a mechwarrior game and note a pokegame!
Right..?

KursedVixen, on 11 March 2024 - 09:06 AM, said:

I can't offer much opinion on the black lanner as i only have one the Arctic wolf is a great srm boat though. I just go with the ecm where i can if you have the omni.

though for other mediums in the clan terf there's the Nova prime with 12 medium lasers sure you can only fire one arm at a time but that's still 6 Clan medium lasers

The stormcrow is a quick medium that can be good


the shadowcat is a jump jetting masc carrying big gun really i've seen it used as a sniper to a skirmisher

the only othere medium i used is the viper which is a great skirmisher you just need to keep moving I like light hunting with Mgs and small pulse on mine.

The vapor eagle is kinda an odd one i've seen various builds with it from duac ac5 and erpp to a missile boat with Atms.

Go to https://mwo.nav-alpha.com/mechlab and look at mediums and see what you like you can even pre-build mechs up on this website, and then copy paste the build code for later.

Nova? Checked! Currently 6xcERMLs + 1xcER-PPC, performs best in urban as a skirmisher. Love it but not really specialised...
Stormcrow? Prime + Lacerator owned. Lacerator is fun. I lately started to use it in FP and so far it works pretty well...
Shadowcat? Have one but not my favourite, tooooooo much of a ninja-sniper mech for my taste...
Vaporgirl... With an cUAC20 + HLL combo? If I not go full nuts and rush into a face-to-face bash-brawl it's a ball-kicker girl (and it has kinda sexy shape)...
Viper? I once considered to buy one. No viable loadout for such a fragile snake. Not good and skilled player I am so far for a Viper.
Ice ferret... I love it's shape and how nostalgic it is. Rainbow dash (crow?) works fine for me as an ATM+Lasers chassis... Untill shamefully smashed down by those assaults I try to assault with it...

Hmmm... Starting to derail again it seems! Time to back to track...

[Ignatius Audene]

Mediums are in a very strong position currently. For FP I would suggest pretty much all of them
SRM Bomb arctic. Black lanner is great in conquest. Vapor does erppc rly good. Laser hunchback iic kind of a glass canon, but it punches rly hard. And viper is just crazy op.

[Swamp Ass MkII]

I find the viper being a decent multi-role 40 ton medium mech. Speed is light capable, armor is enough to run away from a jam, and 5 er mediums, and light mg's is good at poke. Plus the jump jets for quick repositions.

[Void Angel]

Yes, the Viper's pod weight is lower than a lot of Mediums, but its ability to reposition makes up for it, and certain tonnage-efficient builds can be devastating.

[Cog777]

Right now, I would recommend Blackjack Arrow, with light machine gun + large x pulse lasers.
Normally the goal would be reducing the facetime due to reducing the receiving damage. But in case of this mech the facetime can be compensating by the mobility: jump jets, speed, great armor quirk and also the range quirk. The optimal distance is 600M using skill points.

This mech gives me the most consistent results so I recommend it to beginners in quick play.