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Dragon Without Xl


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#1 Zanathan

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Posted 21 November 2012 - 05:49 PM

The Dragon is my main mech that I pilot most days and I enjoy the speed for the weight class it offers but I am finding having the XL a bit of a liability even with the speed it can run at.

Is anyone running one without an XL and what types of loads are you using?

(I would have just consulted the old Dragon Guide thread but since open beta it seems to have not been migrated across).

#2 Ryvucz

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Posted 21 November 2012 - 05:52 PM

Standard 315, two ER large lasers, small laser and machine gun for panic mode. DRG-1C

#3 Exhaust

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Posted 21 November 2012 - 10:59 PM

A Dragon without an XL is a Dragon not worth having.

A DRG-5N with an XL320 runs a nice 87kph. Thats with an LBX, Large Laser, Medium, an SRM 6 and plenty of ammunition. If I drop the Large Laser and the Medium laser for two Medium Pulses and a bigger engine, I bet I could outrun a Commando. The torso twist experience upgrade makes it easy to disperse damag and the Dragon is fast enough to wear you can run circles

#4 Kmieciu

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Posted 21 November 2012 - 11:18 PM

I fought many XL Dragons yesterday and only one of them died due to side torso destruction, but not before it lost it`s arms and center armor. And I tried to concentrate on the side torso.

And remember that with Speed Tweak, XL300 Dragons reaches 87 kph, and when armed with streaks and pulse lasers can solo 2-3 light mechs.

Edited by Kmieciu, 21 November 2012 - 11:19 PM.


#5 BUDFORCE

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Posted 21 November 2012 - 11:26 PM

I really love the thought of the Dragon being good. I love its looks, like how its heavy but still fast.

I'd be interested to see if a "slow" dragon setup would work.

I personally don't like the dragon, I think its lacks armour/firepower for its weight, and the shape of the mech (quite wide accross the arms, upper body) mean even at speed its pretty easy to hit.

The only real advantage of the speed is you are able to move around the map quickly, but it gets its *** kicked in pretty much any fight with a semi skilled similar weight and even some lighter mechs.

#6 KyoJ

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Posted 22 November 2012 - 04:50 AM

Running a dragon without an XL is easy enough as long as you take endo-steel and double heat sinks.

Here is my striker build for my 1N dragon

std. 300 engine
352 armor (using optimized armor)
ultra AC5 (3 tons of ammo)
2x 4srm (1 ton of ammo)
2x medium lasers
2x heat sinks

Currently, I can easily get 400-500 damage per game but you need to know how to play a striker.


Here is a skirmisher build that works

std. 300
288 armor (no armor on left torso and left arm)
2x AC2 (6 tons of ammo)
2x ssrm (2 tons of ammo)
no additional heat sinks

This is a skirmisher build, so know how to play a skirmisher. The 2x ssrm are used to kill light mechs while you use the long range 2x AC2 to constantly deal damage.

You can deal 400-500 damage if the battle extends long enough but it is much harder.

#7 Stingz

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Posted 22 November 2012 - 04:59 AM

More of a Cataphract build than a Dragon now:

STD 250-55, Endo-Steel, DHS
Ultra AC/5(4 tons ammo), x2 M.Pulse, L.Las.

#8 KyoJ

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Posted 22 November 2012 - 05:06 AM

I know it sucks, but it still works well enough.

You also do know that strikers are fundamentally brawlers that are optimized for assassinations rather than attrition battles.

Edited by KyoJ, 22 November 2012 - 05:51 AM.


#9 Flapdrol

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Posted 22 November 2012 - 05:20 AM

I was running an idiotically slow sniper dragon a few patches ago, had a gauss in one arm, erppc in the other and 2 streaks in the middle, but in that thing the xl wouldn't be a problem anyway, as you're not brawling much.

#10 Steelcrow

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Posted 22 November 2012 - 06:23 AM

Dragon definitely reqires an XL engine and endo-steel chasis. Also, DHS solves problems with heat, so more slots can be used for your own good. I won't tell any bouilds, but you can have a versatile soldier with a Dragon, using common sense and a bit of creativity. Remember, it was designed as a moving sniper, so it can equip autocannons as well as a wide variety of energy weapons. In fact it requires less reflexes and more mindgames. So probably it is not recommended to be played by small children(i mean under age of 20). And a lance is required, as always.

#11 Zanathan

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Posted 25 November 2012 - 02:10 PM

I figured most would say the XL is required as that is what I've been running with since CB as I couldn't find any room to fit anything else without an XL.

I have been playing with the Cataphract 2X and I can say I would pilot this over a Dragon nowadays since with the exact same loadout I do not need to run an XL engine and the only difference is 12kph (which isn't ground breaking) yet I am not taken out of a fight because I lose a side and I also have more armour.

If I throw in an XL I can come close to matching my Dragon's speed at a close 78.7kph (compared to my Dragon's 81kph) and still have room to spare for other goodies.

#12 Stingz

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Posted 25 November 2012 - 09:07 PM

Gotten a rebuild of my Dragon, after UAC/5 got hotfixed(not much difference though):

STD 255, Endo-Steel, DHS, Beagle Active Probe
LRM-10 (2t reload), x2 M.Las, L.Pulse, S.Pulse

#13 Hell Hound

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Posted 25 November 2012 - 09:35 PM

I have a standard engine Dragon 1C. 240 engine and it has the firepower to take out a awesome in 4 alpha strikes. no joke. I prefer my dragon's this way.

#14 Lefty Lucy

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Posted 25 November 2012 - 10:10 PM

View PostHell Hound, on 25 November 2012 - 09:35 PM, said:

I have a standard engine Dragon 1C. 240 engine and it has the firepower to take out a awesome in 4 alpha strikes. no joke. I prefer my dragon's this way.


At that point why not run a cat or cataphract?

#15 Outfoxed

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Posted 26 November 2012 - 04:25 AM

Old Liao proverb - "When is a Dragon not a Dragon, when it does not have an XL Engine."

There is better mechs for standard engines, using XL allows you to play as a armored medium and get the most out of your sometimes limited crit slots (due to weight saving). But ultimately because the mechlab is -all- trade offs it is really down to personal play style. If you can pull off a Jenner with a 100 engine and LRMs, then I say "Pull it off good-sir!".

#16 Imagine Dragons

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Posted 26 November 2012 - 06:46 AM

View PostVafer, on 26 November 2012 - 04:25 AM, said:

Old Liao proverb - "When is a Dragon not a Dragon, when it does not have an XL Engine."

There is better mechs for standard engines, using XL allows you to play as a armored medium and get the most out of your sometimes limited crit slots (due to weight saving). But ultimately because the mechlab is -all- trade offs it is really down to personal play style. If you can pull off a Jenner with a 100 engine and LRMs, then I say "Pull it off good-sir!".


Why the heck would that be a Liao proverb?...

Anyway, one of my pet peeves with the trial/stock Dragons is the lack of XL engines, the tactical downside of XL engines are largely mitigated by the huge CT in comparison to the STs on the Dragons...

Which, also increases the aspect of the "noob trap" the Dragon can be to the newb who buys the Dragon as his first owned mech (when he has little to no idea what he is doing)

Its kinda weird how we have the currently in timeline obsolete Dragons and not the Grand Dragons yet... but I suppose PGI doesn't want Dragons running around with 400XL engines... Yet, physically ingame... we have some weird hybrid of the Grand and Prime Dragons... Prime Dragons don't have arms holding up the ACs...

#17 Vodrin Thales

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Posted 26 November 2012 - 07:33 AM

I have 3 dragons now. The 1C is my favorite with all armor maxed except for legs, a 300XL engine, an LB-10X, SRM6, and 4 medium lasers. I have had several games with 800+ damage and 4-5 kills. Have to play smart though as you will still lose a close range slug fest with a streak cat unless you can constantly break LoS to break missle lock, and you have to engage inside of 300 meters to be truely effective. If you get good at picking your spots though you can be devastatingly effective.

#18 Stingz

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Posted 26 November 2012 - 01:29 PM

View PostXenomorphZZ, on 26 November 2012 - 06:46 AM, said:

Its kinda weird how we have the currently in timeline obsolete Dragons and not the Grand Dragons yet... but I suppose PGI doesn't want Dragons running around with 400XL engines... Yet, physically ingame... we have some weird hybrid of the Grand and Prime Dragons... Prime Dragons don't have arms holding up the ACs...


I'm likely to go back to my Centurion-AL actually, fits my Dragons loadout -LRM 10.

Heavy mech moving at +81 k/ph is already terrifying to see in a light, since they have much more armor than you. Grand Dragon is going to be like the CN9-D, ludicrous speed.

They need to fix the net-code before releasing the Grand Dragon, or else it's going to be silly with everything but Assault mechs capable of going over 100 k/ph.

Edited by Stingz, 26 November 2012 - 01:33 PM.


#19 Mithos

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Posted 27 November 2012 - 03:38 AM

Current dragons are capable of going over 100 k/ph with max engine and elite skill.

#20 Stingz

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Posted 27 November 2012 - 04:48 AM

View PostMithos, on 27 November 2012 - 03:38 AM, said:

Current dragons are capable of going over 100 k/ph with max engine and elite skill.


The problem is the DRG-5K comes stock with a XL 360 (97.2 k/ph), and maxes at 400 (108 k/ph). A heavy mech outrunning stock lights just sounds wrong.

Edited by Stingz, 27 November 2012 - 04:50 AM.






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