45 replies to this topic

[Maverick Howell]

all weapons are good imo

[BigMo5]

Big Punch is the only way to go...The High rate of fire will not concentrate enough damage to one location to be effective.

DPS when you can have someone constantly repair you...

Big Punch everywhere else.

[Zakatak]

I think my favorite has been a combination of SRM's and a big hitter (LBX-20 mainly). This is what I usually put on my Bushwacker in MW3/MW4. A pair of SRM6's are chain fired to keep the enemies' screen shaking and bouncing. Then, when the LBX20 is loaded, I shoot my enemy in the face. I usually carry twin MBL's just for non-mech targets and, ahem, 'realism'.

Rapid-fire weapons for little things, or to **** off big enemies. Heavy hitters for doing some real damage to big targets.

[Wulfbane]

It really depeneds on type of mech. light are for big punch and running. med are the same. heavys are a bit of both but big punch still wins. assault it is your choice but i would have a bit of both

[Fresh Meat]

big punch, it give you more time to avoid getting hit back.

[Tyzh]

Generally, burst damage is tactically superior. I just tried this heavy MG anni in MW4, though. And it was HILARIOUS. I didn't use it against people, but I played it in the Solaris circuit missions. The poor light mechs would lose arms just from being sprayed at. The heavy mechs couldn't maneuver well enough and were actually really easy to core. The assault mechs were... interesting. The first one I tried to core. It took forever, so I legged the other one. Which was REALLY easy. It is some kind of shocking just how easy it was. I might have to reconsider my stance on the subject.

[Wulfbane]

you must note that in mw4 you cant leg someone and would fall the ground

[autogyro]

Everybody is going to say big punch because it clearly disrupts the most. And without some sort of deterrent it's iexactly what people are going to outfit their mechs with - alpha striking PPCs or Gauss Rifles or what have you.

[sheradin]

I like a good mix especily if i have to deal with annoying choppers and light vechles that are hard to hit

[HanaYuriko]

Now if you're dueling on Solaris VII, that heavy weapon load will most likely make you thousands of C-Bills. But it could be a detriment in the battlefield against an organized unit. Weapon recharge times could mean that while you blasted one guy with a few heavy weapons, their eleven other friends have a chance to retaliate without worry of being shot at.

For me? I like balanced weapons that score hits across a range of distances. My favorite InnerSphere design the CPLT-K2 Catapult has this. Twin PPCs for long range punch, two Medium lasers to add to the damage when closing in, then switch to combining the lasers and machine guns for close in knife fighting. Three critical ranges. Long range = PPCs. Medium range = PPCs and M Las. Short range = M Las and MGs. It's heat sinks can generally handle an alpha strike without shutting down. Plus it's moderate amount of mobility and armor make it suitable for joining up against an opponent with my buddies.

As for MGs. Anyone that's played Tesla System 3.5 (Virtual World before the Firestorm update) knows that you can immobilize and blind an opponent with a pair of MGs before completely destroying them. Rush up and hold down the trigger. 200 damage with hardly any heat. Almost as fun as blasting a leg with a gauss rifle to watch them spin and run right into a wall!

[Tramalhas]

Personally, it depends on the mech and the sitiatuon. Rapid fire weapons can be usefull against lighter targets, and the surpressive as well as psichological effects of being shot at with a rapid fire weapon shouldnt be underestimated either. Guass rifles are awesome however.... shame that i probably wont be sporting any

[Orzorn]

Both. The constant plinking of machine guns or smaller lasers makes way for the big smack of my AC-10 (possibly my favorite weapon in all of Battletech). My favorite Kit Fox variant in Mechwarrior 4 was 3 heavy small lasers, an SRM6, and a UAC-10. It was a mean, mean, very mean brawler and could throw down with even the assaults.

[Commraid]

I never undestood why standard mech chassis came with a single/couple good weapons like AC10, Ultra AC, LBX, Large lasers,PPC etc. Which then were supposedly "supported" by like a single small laser or an mg.
Lets take the Warhammer builds for example:http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Warhammer
I quote:" WHM-6D...the 6D removed the Machine Guns and the SRM-6 launcher..."

"WHM-6K - Another basic modification to the Warhammer, the 6K removes the Machine Guns..."

"WHM-6L - The 6L is a very basic weapons swap of the 6R model. The two Machine Guns have been removed..."

"WHM-7A - The Machine Guns and Small Lasers of the standard version are replaced..."

I could go on but I think the pattern here is that the smaller weapons are proving more of a hinderance than anything else.
So If I could choose between a couple of small lasers and couple tons of armour, I would definatley go for the latter.

Edited by Commraid, 31 January 2012 - 08:16 AM.

[Lorcan Lladd]

Why not just take a bunch of heavy punchers, say, a group of AC10s or UAC10s, and use them all in a volley fire chain, therefore achieving a firing chain that is both powerful enough to snipe with and fast-firing enough for close combat?
Fit those in a fast Heavy or Assault chassis, and you've got a 'Mech that is good at both prolonged combat at all ranges and at raiding.

In other words, why not Take a Third Option?

[Orzorn]

Commraid, on 30 January 2012 - 01:22 PM, said:

I never undestood why standard mech chassis came with a single/couple good weapons like AC10, Ultra AC, LBX, Large lasers,PPC etc.Which then were supposedly "supported" by like a single small laser or an mg.
Lets take the Warhammer builds for example:http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Warhammer
I quote:" WHM-6D...the 6D removed the Machine Guns and the SRM-6 launcher..."

"WHM-6K - Another basic modification to the Warhammer, the 6K removes the Machine Guns..."

"WHM-6L - The 6L is a very basic weapons swap of the 6R model. The two Machine Guns have been removed..."

"WHM-7A - The Machine Guns and Small Lasers of the standard version are replaced..."

I could go on but I think the pattern here is that the smaller weapons are proving more of a hinderance than anything else.
So If I could choose between a couple of small lasers and couple tons of armour, I would definatley go for the latter.

Thanks for mentioning this.

Machine guns and smaller weapons need a place in MWO. Hopefully they include something like small vehicles or infantry that give them an additional use. They were very powerful in Mechwarrior 2, but I'm not sure if that really emulates a TT experience due to the fire rates being extremely powerful on those guns (something like 5-10 rounds of ammunition every second. They were very strong and could shred even the heaviest mech). They were also pretty useful in Mechwarrior 3. I had some funny all machine gun builds that tore through almost any given enemy.

Perhaps machine guns being bad in the games was only Mechwarrior 4's problem?

[Strum Wealh]

Omigir, on 27 January 2012 - 09:46 AM, said:

I do not disagree, but my other question is.. is there a weapon some where between an MGung and a AC2? like the 30mm nose gun off the A-10 warthog... anti tank and mean...

Well, the Clans eventually develop the Light Machine Gun (3060) and the Heavy Machine Gun (3059).
The IS develops versions of both in 3068.

As for the GAU-8 (A-10 gun) equivalent...

The range of calibers of BT ACs is ~30mm to ~203mm.
Given that and the durability of BT armor (as BT ACs are classed by damage output rather than by caliber), the BT equivalent of the GAU-8 would (IMO) most probably be the RAC-2 (introduced by the FedSuns in 3062, copied by the Clans in 3069), or (IMO) somewhat-less-probably the RAC-5 (introduced by the FedSuns in 3062, copied by the Clans in 3069).

[Omigir]

Strum Wealh, on 31 January 2012 - 05:13 AM, said:

Well, the Clans eventually develop the Light Machine Gun (3060) and the Heavy Machine Gun (3059). The IS develops versions of both in 3068. As for the GAU-8 (A-10 gun) equivalent... The range of calibers of BT ACs is ~30mm to ~203mm. Given that and the durability of BT armor (as BT ACs are classed by damage output rather than by caliber), the BT equivalent of the GAU-8 would (IMO) most probably be the RAC-2 (introduced by the FedSuns in 3062, copied by the Clans in 3069), or (IMO) somewhat-less-probably the RAC-5 (introduced by the FedSuns in 3062, copied by the Clans in 3069).

I would have to agree, with that information you provide, RAC - 2! Wow, good info!

[Commraid]

@Orzorn

Ye I've only experienced Battletech through MW4 and MC2, so I have only used small weapons like MG's for laughs (A machine gun only Atlas is interesting). I suspect it might be difficult to keep small weapons like that balanced and realistic at once though. Perhaps it could work if they bring in the battle armour such as the elemental?

Edited by Commraid, 31 January 2012 - 08:30 AM.

[Maximilian Thorn]

Big Punch. Definitely. I prefer piloting Assault Mechs. If you are going to take the time and effort to pilot an Assault Mech, you need to put some 'big punch' weapons on it (i.e. Gauss, PPC, Large Lasers, LBX20, AC20, etc.). I want one salvo to turn a Light Mech into a smoldering pile of scrap metal. I want two salvos to cripple a Medium Mech. I want three salvos to mangle a Heavy Mech's torso/weapons. I want four salvos to make a fellow Assault Mech pilot really sweat.

[Souske Sagara]

I perfer balanced fire. A heavy punch to weaken, and burst/scatter to find the weak points and mole into the internals. The big question is if autocannons are going to follow design (auto-loading volkswagon throwers) or canon (fast firing burst cannons). This has been a sticking point for the games in general since on the grid they work like single shot weapons (necessitating UAC and rotary variants) but are always described in manuals and novels alike as a heavy (by our standards) cannon of a high rate of fire, essentially an anti-mech machinegun. Getting that to translate efffectively in a game is hard, especially since the larger AC also have decreased range for game balance, when the bigger guns/barrels should have better ranges.