88 replies to this topic

[Mister Blastman]

Leded, on 07 October 2012 - 08:32 PM, said:

i'm not a very big fan of the HBK-4G(F)
3 energy hardpoints and enough room and tonnage for a big ballistic weapon, made it feel under gunned to me. if that side torso with the AC20 gets taken out your down to 2 lasers at best, but i was able to get an AC20, and 3 medium lasers on it without too much dinking around. my HBK-4SP tho, carries 20 heat sinks, 5 Medium lasers and 2 SRM6s. only used 1 unit of SRM ammo. chain fire arms lasers in a separate group from the head for aiming purposes. i like the variant because even if one whole side of you get blown away, you still have 3 meds and 1 SRM6 to play with.
you can be just a Center Torso and a Head and you can STILL fight.... not well but you "can"

Need more sinks--that runs really hot.

[Leded]

Mister Blastman, on 07 October 2012 - 09:52 PM, said:

Need more sinks--that runs really hot.

when you chain fire them, try to leave about a second or so between shots unless you have to emergency dump alot of damage on your target for the kill. you can keep a steady stream of fire on the guy that way and if gives your heat a little time to cool down. chain fire is toggled per group with the backspace key. i had to look that up i didn't find it in the controls. you can keep it cooking pretty high during a fight just dont push it to shutdown is all. kind of one eye on the target and one eye on your heat gauge. i laser the lighter targets and i save my missiles for the easier to hit ones. again firing control is key

[Redshift2k5]

Kobold, on 07 October 2012 - 08:09 PM, said:

You carry less firepower than anything else that moves your speed. There is currently no job that you do better than a Catapult.

Mediums are pretty outclassed by 70-80kph Heavy mechs right now.

however, role warefare module slots is a possible way to increase the value of Medium mechs, letting them take more modules would make them more versatile.

weight/bv based matchmaking may also tilt things back in favour of Mediums instead of Heavy.

[icey]

dear hunchbacks

when the base starts getting capped, the 'somebody' on your team who needs to get back there to stop it is usually you.

[FlareUKCS]

The mech I bought with c-bills I earned over many matches was the HBK-4SP (Affectionately called 'Bucket').
It features 2 mLas on each arm, and 2 streaks in the torso with AMS and CASE... not that heavily armoured but has a decent heat efficiency, and moves reasonably well for a HBK with default engines.

I use it as an escort to the blob of Assualts and Heavies, to take some of the missiles out with AMS and chase off Lights... when the Assualts do thier job I tend to move around the fight and pick off juicy components, or make the enemy mech worry about his back armor.

Its a nice little bucket, and serves me well enough... but my KDR sucks 0.57 and my win / loss took a kick to ********* as I ended up in a 6 loss streak. I usually end up high in damage but low kills but good assists, about 110k in winnings then get slapped with a 20k - 40k rep and re-arm bill... bloody mechbay grease monkeys charge a fortune.

[Yankee77]

See, people who complain about the Hunchie being less effective than heavier mechs don't seem to understand that the lighter weight is ITSELF an advantage.

No, it was never meant to be moving at a light mech's speed and the engine restrictions certainly are doing what they were meant to do right now. And yes, there ARE faster mediums out there who will reach the speeds of a light (the Cicada, for example).

But that doesn't mean the Hunchback sucks. The fact the Hunchback can't focus so much on speed means that it gets to pack on more firepower than other, faster mediums. And that's they're role: they're medium-class brawlers.

And yes, a Dragon (or even an Atlas) can do a better job, but that doesn't make the Hunchback useless, because eventually we're going to get tonnage or BV limits for drops (once Community Warfare hits)... and then having a Hunchie's firepower in 50-ton package will be very welcome. It's like having a pocket Atlas.

And even for now, saying a Hunchie is useless because a Dragon or Atlas can do better does not take into account our current matchmaking. Someone taking a Hunchie instead of a Dragon doesn't weaken your team AT ALL, because the other team will also get a medium mech.

So, sure, maybe the Dragon or Atlas is better in most ways than a Hunchie... but it's not like the other side is getting an extra Dragon or Atlas because you team has a Hunchback. And when BV or tonnage limits hit, you'll definitely appreciate having Hunchies on your team (and having pilots that can handle them well because they took this opportunity to hone their Hunchie piloting skills).

Thank you.

Itkovian

Edited by Itkovian, 08 October 2012 - 04:51 AM.

[Xendojo]

Taken from a Hunchback tips thread i posted in:


I like to shadow assaults, and boom away at people who are focused on them.
If i DON'T have a gauss on my HBK-4GF, i try to stay hidden until i can close into range. Then.... SURPRISE!! AC/20 to the face!
If i DO have a gauss, i like to find vantage points where i can edge my right torso out for sniping, and play peek-a-boom in those spots until i am forced to move.
Keep your back armor protected at all times, not much there(even after you move some to the back). Swivel your torso so your arms can soak some fire if need be.
Keep your weakest laser on the right arm, because you WILL lose your right torso(and the arm attached to it).One of the cheapest and most effective modifications you can make to a stock HBK-4G is to swap the small laser to the right arm.

Headshots are for catapults and awesomes, legging for lights. Try to find tasty back armor on assaults. Kill other hunchies right torso. Dodge dragons that try to ram you. Take right arms off dragons and centurions.

Just some basics, hope they help. Not going to go into loadouts here.

I love my hunchbacks

EDIT: DrifterX is right, open ground is NOT a friend of the hunchback.

[AC Rimak]

Dear OP, I'm doing some video L2P guides in russian.
I'm asking you if I can use reference to points you've made here in video?

[Orzorn]

Redshift2k5, on 08 October 2012 - 04:26 AM, said:

Mediums are pretty outclassed by 70-80kph Heavy mechs right now.

however, role warefare module slots is a possible way to increase the value of Medium mechs, letting them take more modules would make them more versatile.

weight/bv based matchmaking may also tilt things back in favour of Mediums instead of Heavy.

I don't really believe that about mediums. A hunchback is so much smalelr in size than a heavy, yet packs quite a bit of firepower with a lot more in their arms than a Catapult (also, the Hunchback has lower arm actuators, which the Catapult does not). A hunchback can bring a lot more firepower to bear from more angles than a Catapult can, which has to look straight at its target. I routinely run circles around catapults in my hunchback, because they can't get a bearing on me.

Although, I will not deny that the engine restrictions do cause some issue. It doesn't help that all the mediums released into the game so far are slow mediums (64 kp/h). Also, the Centurion desperately needs to have its model size reduced. That thing is HUGE.

[Vassago Rain]

Dear hunchies.
I'm in a slow, overgeared fatlas for a reason. When the base is being capped, you can't expect me to run all the way back to our red square. That's your job, and all I'm really expecting of you.

[DuSucre]

Redshift2k5, on 08 October 2012 - 04:26 AM, said:

Mediums are pretty outclassed by 70-80kph Heavy mechs right now.
[...]
weight/bv based matchmaking may also tilt things back in favour of Mediums instead of Heavy.

Sadly true...

Dragons/Catapults are better support mechs : long range, brawl, and fast attack. They can do everything better than actual mediums.

[Robovski]

Dear Hunchies,

Seriously consider that AMS system, the guys near you will be thankfull, and you will be too - Hunchbacks are high on my list of targets for LRMs. I love watching you guys melt under sustained fire you can't move fast enough to avoid.

[Xendojo]

DuSucre, on 08 October 2012 - 05:16 AM, said:

Sadly true...

Dragons/Catapults are better support mechs : long range, brawl, and fast attack. They can do everything better than actual mediums.

My HBK-4GF makes mincemeat out of dragons and cats. There are some custom jobs that can give me trouble, but for the most part i crush heavies all day.

[CodeNameValtus]

You also forgot to mention to new HBK pilots that they might want to spread some of their armor into their back...

8 armor side torsos are pretty juicy for 6 Small Laser Jenners to just pop you once and take out your entire torso region weaponry.

[Drenzul]

Except it might strip the armour but that alpha is unlikely to disable a single component.

3x6 = 18 Assuming ALL the damage is in the same location, which would mean you've already failed by standing completely still.

I'd rather have a hunchback guarding my atlas's back from flanking than a catapult any day. I'm far more worries about hunchies in my jenner than I am worried about catapults.

[Barranoid]

I'm running my 4-GF with a LB 10-X AC and so far solo most heavies and nearly every Atlas without any problems. Only drawback is when fighting multiple enemies. That AC is then gone pretty fast. Good thing is : I've got 3 Meds as a backup.

No honestly like with every other mech, it all comes down to piloting skill, picking your targets, teamwork and usage of cover. The Hunchback is a street brawler for a reason. With enough cover to avoid being flanked or outrunned, you can shred trough any other mech. In the open however...you're toast.

As for running back to the base...a Dragon is usually faster. The Hunchback (4-G(F)) is for stripping off armor, not for running like hell.

[Xendojo]

Barranoid, on 08 October 2012 - 05:34 AM, said:

I'm running my 4-GF with a LB 10-X AC and so far solo most heavies and nearly every Atlas without any problems. Only drawback is when fighting multiple enemies. That AC is then gone pretty fast. Good thing is : I've got 3 Meds as a backup.

No honestly like with every other mech, it all comes down to piloting skill, picking your targets, teamwork and usage of cover. The Hunchback is a street brawler for a reason. With enough cover to avoid being flanked or outrunned, you can shred trough any other mech. In the open however...you're toast.

As for running back to the base...a Dragon is usually faster. The Hunchback (4-G(F)) is for stripping off armor, not for running like hell.

Yea i agree. The extra 15 KPH i have on an atlas makes little difference for defending, because if a HBK-4G pilot is doing it right he's right with the atlas in the thick of it. Now a HBK-4SP or HBK-4P is a different story, these variants are usually faster.

Edited by Xendojo, 08 October 2012 - 05:39 AM.

[Snougar]

FlareUKCS, on 08 October 2012 - 04:49 AM, said:

The mech I bought with c-bills I earned over many matches was the HBK-4SP (Affectionately called 'Bucket').
It features 2 mLas on each arm, and 2 streaks in the torso with AMS and CASE... not that heavily armoured but has a decent heat efficiency, and moves reasonably well for a HBK with default engines.

I use it as an escort to the blob of Assualts and Heavies, to take some of the missiles out with AMS and chase off Lights... when the Assualts do thier job I tend to move around the fight and pick off juicy components, or make the enemy mech worry about his back armor.

Its a nice little bucket, and serves me well enough... but my KDR sucks 0.57 and my win / loss took a kick to ********* as I ended up in a 6 loss streak. I usually end up high in damage but low kills but good assists, about 110k in winnings then get slapped with a 20k - 40k rep and re-arm bill... bloody mechbay grease monkeys charge a fortune.

I'm pretty much in the same boat! My KDR is pretty average at 0.91, But I tend to do a decent amount of damage and assists. And I always stay with the Assault mechs unless someone starts capping and I'm not too far away.

[CodeNameValtus]

All the people who complain that HBK's are outclassed by Heavies should watch this:

Round 1:


Round 2:


There's a reason that the only heavy mechs you see are Gauss Cats, and Hunchbacks make up a majority of their force.

[Leded]

AC Rimak, on 08 October 2012 - 04:58 AM, said:

Dear OP, I'm doing some video L2P guides in russian.
I'm asking you if I can use reference to points you've made here in video?

yeah thats perfectly fine i did an Atlas post as well i left a link for at the start as well