130 replies to this topic

[Phoenix Gray]

Shar Wolf, on 11 March 2013 - 08:32 PM, said:

They do not, their group leaves them, I am trying to save up for an atlas, tried one the other week as a trial mech, and I look forward to piloting one again - used to Centurions and Commandos so I know very well how not-invincible they are - any advice on how to keep your pug team near you so you live better?

My match put me in forrest colonly, got part way across (into that little town) and it was like watching the assault training video, Catapult K2 across the town, and my teammates no-where nearby.
Did well I think, took out 2 catapults in total then got cored by an Awesome pilot as I was capping their base
-By the time I realised my team was gone and dead, I was just a hill away from their base (was NOT going to turn my back on that catapult, and they disapeared about when he appeared - dual ppc to the back was not how I wanted to start my Atlas career)

In a screwed up sitch like that, there's not much you can do. Just pick the most effective mech or largest sub group once they scatter and try to keep up or follow as best you can. When they step in it you'll be a welcome new arrival.

I know PUGs can't/don't make good use of commo, but the chat box is right up there in the corner people. It's not a cool headset and mike but it's got to be better than nothing.

[Leded]

Rocdocta, on 11 March 2013 - 11:59 PM, said:

As a Jenner pilot trying Atlas-es, it takes alot to get used to going 1/3 my usual speed. for the first 20 games i would isolate myself as i forgot that i didnt have the speed to get away or heck even cross the map under 15 minutes. But i will say i was tempted to LRM it up in the Atlas. But only as i dont know how to use SRMS. lasers I am good with. but how do you target with SRMs?

Standard SRMs you just dumbfire at your intended target. it takes a little getting used to but they can land one hell of a punch. they can hit pretty ok at around 200m, but the closer the better. i run LRMs on my AS7-D

AC20, x4 Medium Lasers, and LRM20+Artemis. x3 Ac20 ammo, x2 LRM ammo
STD 300 Engine, 23 Heat Sinks + a CASE on my left torso to protect my myself from all that ammo

most games i'll hang back for the first few to soften up some targets with the LRMs then close in. i'll end up saving a few shots tho for mid to late game in case i need them tho. if you can be lucky enough to be squaring off against a target and keep them within that 200m-250 meter sweet spot tho you can use your missiles, lasers and AC20 to some pretty nice effect all at the same time.

[Rocdocta]

Swapped out my 3 LRMs in the atlas for srm6s. Must say am very impressed with the damage output. previously all i had to rely on when they closed under LRM min range was 2 medium lasers. Now i am wanting them to close with me and ripping off bits with an amazing alpha strike. i mean point blank thats 18 srms MLs and an Ac20. thats got to hurt.

[Leded]

Rocdocta, on 12 March 2013 - 04:56 PM, said:

Swapped out my 3 LRMs in the atlas for srm6s. Must say am very impressed with the damage output. previously all i had to rely on when they closed under LRM min range was 2 medium lasers. Now i am wanting them to close with me and ripping off bits with an amazing alpha strike. i mean point blank thats 18 srms MLs and an Ac20. thats got to hurt.

did you try the pair of Large Lasers on the D-DC too? don't think i've ever used LRMs on it tho. like you might have seen, it lacks addition hardpoints to fit more close range weapons. even with the LRM20 on the AS7-D i still have 4 meds and 1 AC20 to bring to the table when i have to close in

[BlacKcuD]

As a seasoned Atlas pilot I know exactly what you are talking about. In my opinion, navigation as an Atlas is one of the most difficult things to do in this game. People like to pull an Arnold Schwarzenegger and run straight in. Even if their sh!tty Atlas only runs 42kp/h. They will all of this speed to get them killed faster.

[Leded]

BlacKcuD, on 17 June 2013 - 02:50 PM, said:

As a seasoned Atlas pilot I know exactly what you are talking about. In my opinion, navigation as an Atlas is one of the most difficult things to do in this game. People like to pull an Arnold Schwarzenegger and run straight in. Even if their sh!tty Atlas only runs 42kp/h. They will all of this speed to get them killed faster.

even worse tho, they run right in and stand still once they start shooting. i've seen way too many times of an Atlas just planted in place while they get gunned down by faster mechs. i'd say put a larger engine in it to make yah faster, but i think there are some serious diminished returns on that. i slapped in a bigger one once and it just barely got it close to 60kph with speed tweak.
my newest AS7-D build tho i squeezed every ounce i possibly could on it. 2 Larges, 2 Mediums, 2 LRM15s, an AC/20 and an anti-missile and maxed armor... 99.7 tons and 0 free slots lol. she can run a little warm on hotter planets, but if you think about it, at close range i'm not gonna be using those LRMs so no heat from those. the build is devastating if you can keep the guy your hitting around 300m-400m. lets the LRMs rain and burn gashes out of them with the lasers at the same time. watch the heat tho

[Benjamin Davion]

Jammerben87, on 11 March 2013 - 02:25 AM, said:

I though I'd join you in the bump after a few matches I had recently where the Atlases on my team just charged straight into the enemy team, and got completely annihilated.

I know some people would say support them but not one single person on the team is stupid enough to just charge over the caustic crater and out the other side through a bottleneck when you know exactly where the other team is. He lasted 4 seconds after contact. And this has happened several times.

Though none of them lost us the game, mainly due to the atlas on the other team doing something equally moronic.

There is nothing more satisfying than taking an atlas apart in a hunchback (also 4SP )because he cant figure out how to pilot ROUND the rock.....

Maybe newer players are just seeing the biggest mech in the line-up and thinking they will be indestructible.

I think this is exactly it. I've only been playing a few weeks, but I've developed the habit of staying AWAY from friendly Atlai unless it's someone I've seen play well before or they otherwise prove to know what they're doing. I've yet to pilot an Atlas because I know full well I'm a rook at this, but I've seen so many Atlas jocks with ZERO sense whatsoever. The other day I, my Stalker, I paired up with an Atlas on Tourmaline Desert, and we were holding at the top of the hill leading into one side of the center valley. A mixed bag of mediums and heavies, five guys, came into the valley from the opposite direction. That many guys, I got worried, but I figured two assaults could at least hold them off until help arrived, especially since our position formed one hell of a bottleneck. Anyone trying to flank or get behind us would have to close to point-blank range and run directly between us. Not a good idea with ANY pair of assault mechs. Not the mention, there were two friendly mediums moving up about a klick behind us. So I figured we would do alright. Nope. I start plugging away with my 3 ERLLs and 2 LRM5s+Artemis, thinking the best strategy here is to try and wear these guys down with long range weapons until they force a close quarters fight. I figured the Atlas, who was a mixed-range build, would get that. NOPE. Next thing I know, this Atlas is charging down the hill, not only marching into the TEETH of a five-point shooting gallery but ALSO maneuvering DIRECTLY into my line of fire. Why he decided to sacrifice both the high ground AND the cover of a friendly assault mech at this side was beyond me. My choice was A.) Try to run away, which is frankly laugh worthy in any assault mech, B.) Keep shooting and almost certainly shoot this guy in the back trying to hit the full Star of mechs that are now circling him like wolves, or C.) Follow his dumb-*** down there and join the fray. I opted to combine A.) and B.) but he was so busy running in circles and I was so busy trying to NOT shoot him, only two of the enemy went down before the Atlas exploded and I got swarmed in turn before I could meet with my friendly mediums, who then marched into an ambush centered over my dead body. I don't pilot an Atlas for a reason: I'm not good enough to do it well. I'm BARELY good enough to handle my Stalker, and that's taken a crap ton of practice.

Edited by Benjamin Davion, 27 June 2013 - 09:53 PM.

[Devrij]

Ever since the patch where the RS trial mech came back into rotation I have noticed a lot of bad Atlasing. I generally stick to the tactics in the first post, but since I played around with my RS (I get bored of my DC sometimes) I have been LRM boating (20+15) as long as I can then wading in with 2x meds, 1 LL (for range) and an AC20. That means my armour keeps me alive from the randome ppc and lrm attacks while I soften up the enemy for my guys and then I still have enough left to stroll in and close out a game.

It's just knowing your mech. The above build is no good for going in close at the beginning of a match. All it takes is a fast ac40 jager to prepare me for the feast if I'm caught alone against a group. I think guys driving the Ds and DCs sometimes think their srms, LL and AC20 will carry them through any close-up brawl, but that only goes in a 1-on-1. All it takes is a crit to that AC20 and all you have is hot lasers and a few srms.

When you're slow, you have to know when to commit and when to play safe. Seismic helps there, but a lot of new guys haven't churned that far to get it.

[Leded]

figured i'd swing back and revisit my "Atlas"ing a little i run with this build with my AS7-D
AS7-D

i squeezed as much as i could out it. LRMs and Larges for mid range with a light peppering of Mediums with an uppercut AC20 as you close and you'll be brawling it out with a very tenderized target. even if you can hold them around 300meters you can bring all your weapons to bear on it. i've had extremely good luck with it. the weight is unfortunately 99.7 tons.... i could not put anymore on it without duct tape.

i've been seeing alot of failfits out there recently. i saw one with 4 PPCs once and nothing else. A: all that heat, B: you lose one arm and there goes half of your combat effectiveness.

i think that's why i favor the AS7-D. you can be just 2 legs, CT and a head and you STILL are able to shoot at least "something" lol.

Edited by Leded, 23 June 2013 - 04:31 PM.

[JigglyMoobs]

With this setup do you ever have trouble dealing with ECM equipped or ECM supported opponents? I mean, what if you run into a faceoff with a DDC atlas?

[Leded]

JigglyMoobs, on 24 June 2013 - 11:21 AM, said:

With this setup do you ever have trouble dealing with ECM equipped or ECM supported opponents? I mean, what if you run into a faceoff with a DDC atlas?

not as big of a problem as you might think. remember minus the LRMs i'm still bringing 2 Larges, 2 Mediums and an AC/20 to the table. you can keep a pretty nice sustained fire just from those without having the extra heat from the LRMs.

some of the best situations are when you run into a guy and open up with your short range weapons... then they figure they bit off too much and start to back off.... right into to range of your LRMs. by the time they realize their screw up, they're dead

[The Platypus]

If you're the proud owner of a spiffy new AS7-D-DC, please remember to buy and equip the ECM suite. Your team will worship you for your life-giving bubble of jamnation (which is good incentive for the team to stick together, now that I think of it). That is, till a pesky 3L comes along and pops it.

[SirSlaughter]

"Dear new Atlas pilot..."

please don't pick an assault as your first mech.

[Leded]

SirSlaughter, on 27 June 2013 - 07:09 AM, said:

"Dear new Atlas pilot..."

please don't pick an assault as your first mech.

but, if they are currently in an Atlas and it's their first time, didn't they just do what you said not to do?
but seriously tho. something like a Hunchback makes for a good starter mech, not too complicated easy to drive and it gives you a good idea whether or not you want to be faster and smaller or slower and bigger

[SirSlaughter]

Leded, on 27 June 2013 - 11:16 PM, said:

but, if they are currently in an Atlas and it's their first time, didn't they just do what you said not to do?

you are so damn right...

[Reported for Inappropriate Name]

rocking back and forth is a good evasion technique when you don't have anywhere in particular to go

[Leded]

Battlecruiser, on 29 June 2013 - 10:08 PM, said:

rocking back and forth is a good evasion technique when you don't have anywhere in particular to go

usually when i am spectating i am pulling out the remains of my hair when i see an Atlas just standing still and shooting.

also when i see failfits. example i saw an Atlas just sporting 4 large lasers... and that's all. i can't stress enough to utilize all your hardpoints to maximize your damage

[Reported for Inappropriate Name]

Leded, on 30 June 2013 - 12:57 AM, said:

usually when i am spectating i am pulling out the remains of my hair when i see an Atlas just standing still and shooting.

also when i see failfits. example i saw an Atlas just sporting 4 large lasers... and that's all. i can't stress enough to utilize all your hardpoints to maximize your damage

i can understand skipping some hardpoints but unless you're doing something very specific that does a very specific role very well, it's a very very bad idea to specialize your firepower.

now this sounds weird but I run my founders with a stock weapon loadout, albeit with more heatsinks, ammo, and an ams. 4 medium lasers give me 20 damage. ac/20 gives me 20 damage. srm 6 gives me another 9 damage, all of these weapons have the same optimal damage range, but their maximum ranges differ, however the magic comes from the lrm 20. I find that having indirect fire ability greatly increases my ability to help the team when i'm pinned down or otherwise unable to make line of sight, and it's something i wish more people would take advantage of instead of stacking on direct fire weapons and running out to meet their doom. obviously there will always be snipers, and assaulters, but I think lrm's are a fantastic team play weapon.

this is why I typically make as few modifications as possible when it comes to weapon changes.

[Leded]

yeah Battlecruiser i used to be one of those guys that stripped the LRMs in favor of a loadout of nothing but close range weapons, but like you say having those LRMs allow you to support your team while you get into range to bring your close range fire power into effect. not to mention it allows you to get more assists which = $$$ as shown here
Making money with Santa Atlas

oh yeah that 4 Large Laser Atlas i mentioned, it was the AS7-RS. 2 larges on each arm = dumb. you get those arms blown off and you're just a 100 ton walking target for the remainder of the match ie: does not strike me as a "team player"

hell i was just 2 legs a CT and a head on my AS7-D one sunny morning with 1 medium laser knocked out on the torso... but i still had ONE laser to shoot with! not much but it at least made the other team devote the time to finish me off while my teammates got some shots in

Edited by Leded, 30 June 2013 - 02:57 AM.

[Modo44]

Only 4 large lasers is a bit optimistic, but 4xLLAS is perfectly viable on the RS with additional weapons. You simply put the lasers into chain-fire mode when too hot for a full salvo.

Skipping the single missile slot can make sense on the Atlas K. It allows you to take bigger energy weapons, or just do AC20+3xLLAS with a big engine and very good heat.