33 replies to this topic

[Ihlrath]

Stock has an XL engine on it which means torsos are gonna be popped like extra butter Redenbacher.

Switching that to a light is gonna cost some weight, speed, or both to have decent weaponry. Still looks absolutely amazing though the visual on it and the apparent 'best warhorn ever' is enough to make me think about spending money again.

I do have a question about the shields though, do you gotta torso twist to use it or does it have a trigger to move it in front of you and advance ala Riot Shields in other shooters?

[Gas Guzzler]

Ihlrath, on 19 February 2024 - 09:41 AM, said:

Stock has an XL engine on it which means torsos are gonna be popped like extra butter Redenbacher.

Switching that to a light is gonna cost some weight, speed, or both to have decent weaponry. Still looks absolutely amazing though the visual on it and the apparent 'best warhorn ever' is enough to make me think about spending money again.

I do have a question about the shields though, do you gotta torso twist to use it or does it have a trigger to move it in front of you and advance ala Riot Shields in other shooters?

Black Knights have relatively large CTs and are generally safe to XL, FYI

[Ihlrath]

Gas Guzzler, on 19 February 2024 - 10:30 AM, said:

Black Knights have relatively large CTs and are generally safe to XL, FYI

That's good to know. Never actually played with them much I just assumed an IS XL on anything larger than a light would be torso pop fuel. I learned something today! Yaaaaaaaay

[1453 R]

I mean, the other thing to keep in mind is that Red Reaper II has a gigantic shield with something like 233 armor on it after Armor Hardening Using the 'Mech properly means pivoting that shield in against incoming fire as often as possible, and its presence could help buttress an XL design. Use the extra Tank Factor from the twelve-meter slab of battle steel on that right arm to offset the XL vulnerability and bring extra heat.

I feel like the Basic Mod for this is to chuck the small lasers and the extraneous CASE in the foot, you get enough slots back for two more DHS and half a ton of armor to chuck back on the legs. Cuts down on outgoing heat, improves dissipation, which helps ameliorate the ROBIT VOLCANO issue. Two snubs and six SRM-6 might not be anything special for a 75-tonner but it's also not nothing, and the sheer endurance that shield provides means you can stay in the fight long enough to get the extra salvo you need to finish it.

[feeWAIVER]

Does anyone know the max engine size?

[Duke Falcon]

It seems Red Reaper 2 would be viable. Even with XL, that big shield could help a lot.
I myself more curious about the Kasai however... Seems way to sexy for a Warhawk

[CFC Conky]

When running XL engines in larger IS mechs, I try to avoid 1v1 or other situations where I'm the best target to shoot so I stick with a battle buddy, preferably an assault mech if I'm in a heavy.


Good hunting,
CFC Conky

[Curccu]

Ihlrath, on 19 February 2024 - 10:36 AM, said:

That's good to know. Never actually played with them much I just assumed an IS XL on anything larger than a light would be torso pop fuel. I learned something today! Yaaaaaaaay

Many IS mechs from light to assault are ok to run XL... testing, asking, build guides instead of assumption .

[Ihlrath]

Curccu, on 19 February 2024 - 11:33 AM, said:

Many IS mechs from light to assault are ok to run XL... testing, asking, build guides instead of assumption .

I must pick the bad ones for it. I usually get popped in a torso on anything bigger than an urbie. There is a reason I suck at this yanno lol

[ScrapIron Prime]

Like the Onyx, people are going to buy this and then realize that the shield doesn't actually last very long if 2-3 mechs are firing on you. 200 points is only 4-5 alphas from many mechs.

[feeWAIVER]

ScrapIron Prime, on 19 February 2024 - 12:49 PM, said:

Like the Onyx, people are going to buy this and then realize that the shield doesn't actually last very long if 2-3 mechs are firing on you. 200 points is only 4-5 alphas from many mechs.

If a shield absorbs 4-5 alphas, then it did it's job.

[Ihlrath]

ScrapIron Prime, on 19 February 2024 - 12:49 PM, said:

Like the Onyx, people are going to buy this and then realize that the shield doesn't actually last very long if 2-3 mechs are firing on you. 200 points is only 4-5 alphas from many mechs.

Maybe. But I still might buy it just to wander around revealing to people that I'm their father....

Be... because it looks like Darth Va...

I'll show myself out!

[crazytimes]

ScrapIron Prime, on 19 February 2024 - 12:49 PM, said:

Like the Onyx, people are going to buy this and then realize that the shield doesn't actually last very long if 2-3 mechs are firing on you. 200 points is only 4-5 alphas from many mechs.

<3 from a Scorch or Kolossos... and it is big enough to make it sure it catches all the splat.

The onyx performs worse than the CND-YLW in the last stats released, so the shield is not helping it. I anticipate the Reaper will do even worse, as it will mostly be bought by lower tier people that like the aesthetic. Then put LRMs on it.

[Ignatius Audene]

1453 R, on 19 February 2024 - 10:55 AM, said:

I mean, the other thing to keep in mind is that Red Reaper II has a gigantic shield with something like 233 armor on it after Armor Hardening Using the 'Mech properly means pivoting that shield in against incoming fire as often as possible, and its presence could help buttress an XL design. Use the extra Tank Factor from the twelve-meter slab of battle steel on that right arm to offset the XL vulnerability and bring extra heat.

I feel like the Basic Mod for this is to chuck the small lasers and the extraneous CASE in the foot, you get enough slots back for two more DHS and half a ton of armor to chuck back on the legs. Cuts down on outgoing heat, improves dissipation, which helps ameliorate the ROBIT VOLCANO issue. Two snubs and six SRM-6 might not be anything special for a 75-tonner but it's also not nothing, and the sheer endurance that shield provides means you can stay in the fight long enough to get the extra salvo you need to finish it.

Stock load out is rly good. Red lasers are stronk

[ScrapIron Prime]

crazytimes, on 19 February 2024 - 10:08 PM, said:

<3 from a Scorch or Kolossos... and it is big enough to make it sure it catches all the splat.

The onyx performs worse than the CND-YLW in the last stats released, so the shield is not helping it. I anticipate the Reaper will do even worse, as it will mostly be bought by lower tier people that like the aesthetic. Then put LRMs on it.

Part of the performance is the player base, though. I've seen people over-twist with it and get shot in the back with an intact shield, I've seen people put RAC's on it...

[Ihlrath]

Yeah I'm stuck at work so I'd love to hear any reviews/thoughts on it!

[Ttly]

If you're boring you'd just go 3SNPPC with this thing and call it a day.
You show your torso with the PPCs, blast some guy for 30+15 damage, twist away (or press C to center torso to leg direction to twist, whatever your twist method is really) and let your 230armor+70structure shield (this is effectively half the health pool of entire mediums by the way) to soak up the damage, repeat until you blow up. Maybe use the left side as the shield side once the right side is toast.

Lasers defeat the point of this thing, you want to twist away after shooting instead of staring at the enemy and letting them shoot you in your squishier limbs longer than you need to.
SRMs are there so you can pretend you're doing melee I guess?
You can mount MRMs instead but meh, whatever really.
So yeah, SNPPCs it is and twist, another one trick pony that is really good at its trick (like most other hero mechs). Maybe LPLs instead if you feel like it.

Example SNPPC build: https://mwo.nav-alph...9_BL-X-KNT-2LGD
Downsize the engine if needed to mount some MRMs or whatever other thing, more lasers I guess.

Edited by Ttly, 20 February 2024 - 05:02 PM.

[The Brewer]

This is one of the most well built stock mechs to come out yet, run it with confidence and roll damage.

[Ttly]

The Brewer, on 20 February 2024 - 05:43 PM, said:

This is one of the most well built stock mechs to come out yet, run it with confidence and roll damage.

The stock loadout could've used endosteel, bigger xl engine, standard armour, and put the heat sinks into the engines but other than that it's ok I guess, nothing other than absolute stock purists can't/won't fix.

[Samziel]

crazytimes, on 19 February 2024 - 10:08 PM, said:

<3 from a Scorch or Kolossos... and it is big enough to make it sure it catches all the splat.

The onyx performs worse than the CND-YLW in the last stats released, so the shield is not helping it. I anticipate the Reaper will do even worse, as it will mostly be bought by lower tier people that like the aesthetic. Then put LRMs on it.

Considering how many people dont know how to use the shield I'm not surprised. Of course a mech with 4 tons wasted will perform worse than a mech with 4 tons available. I'm seeing lots of XPL Red Reapers too who dont even try to twist with the shield.

If you hit the shield its all damage not hitting the important parts. If the enemy is not shielding its a wasted component, but its on the user at that point.

The only issue I have with the Onyx is that its quite one dimensional. Red Reaper has a bit more build variety that utilizes the shield.

Edited by Samziel, 20 February 2024 - 11:49 PM.