43 replies to this topic

[Kenmet]

I just started this game one week ago and i really love it. My first mech was a Jenner-D because i really like to be everywhere on the map, help my teammates and get the big mechs angry by running circles around them and shooting them in the back. and am pretty good at it so i have a mech to grind c-bills.Then i bought a Cataphract 4X because he lookd really cool and i though i coud do some cools stuff with his 4 ballistic hardpoints. But now that i own him i have some problems playing him.
I lookd around in the guides section and found some builds like 4xac/2 and 2x ac/2+2xUAC/5 but i have no idea what my role in the team is supposed to be.
I cant really go "all in" because i get headshoted at close range and dont survive long enough to do enough damage.At long range im slow and big and i have to get both arms out of cover so i get spotted all the time and no enemy gausscat can miss my big hitbox => no sniping with Catapract.
So what shoud i do? how can i help my team to win? pls help a Newb like me

[Redshift2k5]

Stay with your teammates. If you stick together it's much more difficult for the enemy to pick you off. When it's time to move up to the next part of the battlefield, move up together. Watch each other's backs. Shoot at what your teammates are shooting at, not multiple targets.

you chose a big, slow mech; you will have to get used to being slow and get used to being the target. Even with the max speed for the CTF-4X, you're slow.

Stay out of long range "sniping" areas, but learn parts of the maps where you and your teammates(you're sticking close to your team, remember) can set up a 'kill box' so when an enemy moves around a corner your team can blast him.

A 4X is a scary thing to meet in a small space ore after coming around a corner; treat it like an Assault mech. You can have firepower to spare but you need to be in the right place at the right time to use it.

[Flapdrol]

These builds are terrible agianst fast moving enemies, so stick with the group and try to find static or slow moving targets. Then hold down the firebutton until the target is dead. 4 AC2's have insane damage per second so just go head to head with everything, especially atlasses as they're hard to miss.

good places for this mech are small corridors and caves and such. You can use it to snipe static targets too, the ac2 has great range.

Edited by Flapdrol, 26 November 2012 - 07:26 AM.

[Kenmet]

Thanks for the help. i adjusted my playstile a bit and at the moment it seems to work out

[Sen]

Actually they're pretty darn good at fast moving enemies. . provided the 4x is standing on your base and you're a Jenner tasked with defending >.>

I hate these more than the streak cats

[Stingz]

Sen, on 26 November 2012 - 12:54 PM, said:

Actually they're pretty darn good at fast moving enemies. . provided the 4x is standing on your base and you're a Jenner tasked with defending >.>

I hate these more than the streak cats

x4 AC/2 on chainfire is a large caliber machine-gun that actually hurts, badly.

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

[Garth Erlam]

Saw David using a quad AC/5 - that puts out some serious pain. Mostly used it in the 2nd line against pushing brawlers.

[themoob]

Garth Erlam, on 26 November 2012 - 01:42 PM, said:

Saw David using a quad AC/5 - that puts out some serious pain. Mostly used it in the 2nd line against pushing brawlers.

Quad AC5 would hurt... but as a 4X user myself, you generally know that any 4X that had room to cram 4 AC5s into it is missing speed, armour, or both. Or has a big tasty XL engine waiting to be blown up.

[burns]

Stingz, on 26 November 2012 - 01:01 PM, said:

x4 AC/2 on chainfire is a large caliber machine-gun that actually hurts, badly.

I´m sure a skilled musician would be able to play songs ingame using 2x AC/2 chain fired on each mousebutton and adding some 4xAC/2 to it to fill the gaps

[themoob]

I suppose I should contribute too.

I gave my 4X a bigger engine, FF and Endo-Steel. Then gave it 2xAC2 and 2xAC5.

As such, it works as both a sniper and brawler (except vs. fast mechs). Chainfire AC2 rattles cockpits and hits targets at range, then the AC5s do the real damage.

Only problem with it is ammo shortages, I don't have any weight left to use and even if I did, I don't have a single crit slot left.

[Lanessar]

themoob, on 26 November 2012 - 01:51 PM, said:

Quad AC5 would hurt... but as a 4X user myself, you generally know that any 4X that had room to cram 4 AC5s into it is missing speed, armour, or both. Or has a big tasty XL engine waiting to be blown up.

Actually, first thing you want to do is upgrade to Endo Steel. You can also run quad AC/2's, as a support fire mech (which I am running currently). You don't need an XL engine, but switching up to DHS works better for saving weight. You'll want to strip everything but a small laser for light repelling, but otherwise, it's easily done.

Basic tactics with this build are to hang back behind the brawlers, preferably with a HBK or CN handling the pesky lights, and just lay down suppressing fire on anything coming over the ridge/firing missiles.

Honestly, it works best against gausscats or LRM boats - screen shake and quad AC/2 fire rate (AC 5 also work, just not as well, but they do more destruction faster) will have them running for cover really quickly. I've turned the tide on at least three games by keeping up a constant peppering on long-range support, allowing mediums and fast heavies to get in there and can-open up that back line.

[Monky]

Playing the 4X requires good pacing. You have to know when to tank, when to fall back, and when to move up. It's a thinking mechwarrior's fighting platform, because your speed is restricted, your heat budget is tight, and your ammunition is tight, meaning there's little room for error.

Make shots count, don't get isolated, and don't keep firing when you get too hot. Keeping terrain nearby that you can use to scrape off light mechs is highly recommended.

Edited by Monky, 26 November 2012 - 02:20 PM.

[chumppi]

standard 260, ac20, ac2, 2x ml, 2x sl
Very balanced build, some far reaching weapons, a lot close to mid range weapons, very balanced heat

[Kamikater]

How did you fit the standard 260 into a 4X? And where did you find the 2 extra laser hardpoints?

[CarnifexMaximus]

I would be the first to say no to XL engines... however loosing an arm in a 4x ballistic heavy build is crushing.... I figured why not try it with an XL... after a about 4 days or so post XL upgrade I will never look back. the 59 KPH you get from the max XL the 4x can accommodate makes you are a bit more maneuverable. I am in the home stretch in unlocking speed tweak and the 64 kph or so I should get will make it more like an average speed heavy. I mounted a MPL and a SSRM2 with my leftover tonnage. I link the MPL and SSRM together and fire them in the same group... I save this mostly for jenners or other fast movers that I tangle with up close. Also firing the 4 AC/2s and throwing in the MPL SSRM combo when facing other heavies, that tenacious hunchback or centurion has allowed me to come out on top in a few harry 1v1 situations.

Pilot it not too dissimilar to how one might an atlas. Be very deliberate with every step you take. When you move make sure your destination will not set you up in a spot to be separated from your group. Your the solider with the bipod mounted 7.62 belt fed MG. Get set up and lay down a base of fire for your team. Be ready to move up when they do. Don't roll your own boat. If you know your brawlers ahead of you will be falling back, be in a position to let their pursuers have it when they round that corner go into that cave or come through that arch.

Edited by CarnifexMaximus, 26 November 2012 - 03:32 PM.

[themoob]

<p> </p>
<p>

Lanessar, on 26 November 2012 - 02:12 PM, said:

</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Actually, first thing you want to do is upgrade to Endo Steel. You can also run quad AC/2's, as a support fire mech (which I am running currently). You don't need an XL engine, but switching up to DHS works better for saving weight. You'll want to strip everything but a small laser for light repelling, but otherwise, it's easily done.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>

</p>
<div> </div>
<div>See my above build, which also has max armour and a decent engine. Thus, I assume anything with heavier armament than that is missing speed, armour or has an XL engine, since I'm running Endo Steel AND FF.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<p> </p>
<div>

CarnifexMaximus, on 26 November 2012 - 03:27 PM, said:

I would be the first to say no to XL engines... however loosing an arm in a 4x ballistic heavy build is crushing.... I figured why not try it with an XL... after a about 4 days or so post XL upgrade I will never look back. the 59 KPH you get from the max XL the 4x can accommodate makes you are a bit more maneuverable. I am in the home stretch in unlocking speed tweak and the 64 kph or so I should get will make it more like an average speed heavy. I mounted a MPL and a SSRM2 with my leftover tonnage. I link the MPL and SSRM together and fire them in the same group... I save this mostly for jenners or other fast movers that I tangle with up close. Also firing the 4 AC/2s and throwing in the MPL SSRM combo when facing other heavies, that tenacious hunchback or centurion has allowed me to come out on top in a few harry 1v1 situations. Pilot it not too dissimilar to how one might an atlas. Be very deliberate with every step you take. When you move make sure your destination will not set you up in a spot to be separated from your group. Your the solider with the bipod mounted 7.62 belt fed MG. Get set up and lay down a base of fire for your team. Be ready to move up when they do. Don't roll your own boat. If you know your brawlers ahead of you will be falling back, be in a position to let their pursuers have it when they round that corner go into that cave or come through that arch.

</div>
<div> </div>
<div>I've had the opposite experience for some reason... I think I've had an arm blown off maybe 2 matches out of a good 20-30 I've had with the 4X. Everyone goes for the head, usually fails and just hits torso bits.</div>
</div>

[Tremendous Upside]

The point above about pacing is a really good one for the 4x. You're incredibly slow regardless your engine choice, so where you're going to work best is from a pack setting. Wander off on your own and you'll die. Badly. I tried the 4xAC5 route. Couldn't stand it. I'd invariably be on the wrong end of fights that I couldn't run from... Went with the dual gauss / 2ML XL255 build instead and it was much more effective. The arm mounts make it tougher to handle than a K2 - but not by a whole lot.

[Lanessar]

Banky, on 27 November 2012 - 07:06 AM, said:

The point above about pacing is a really good one for the 4x. You're incredibly slow regardless your engine choice, so where you're going to work best is from a pack setting. Wander off on your own and you'll die. Badly. I tried the 4xAC5 route. Couldn't stand it. I'd invariably be on the wrong end of fights that I couldn't run from... Went with the dual gauss / 2ML XL255 build instead and it was much more effective. The arm mounts make it tougher to handle than a K2 - but not by a whole lot.

If they ever fix the first-shot jam on the UAC/5, I've seen a successful 2xAC/2 2xUAC/5 build. Might try that myself. I personally don't mind the jam rate increase, but the first shot jamming just makes the weapon unreliable.

[KKRonkka]

2x UAC5 (10 tons ammo) and one AC5 (3 tons ammo) in my 4X works like a charm to me. It's a devastating wall of projectiles this load spits towards enemy. If using UAC5's it's important to have a non-jamming weapon to support this build - I tried 2 MLs before AC5 but I found out that using lasers makes ballistic aiming too difficult, hence ballistic-only build for me. Endo-Steel, stock engine. Second line heavy, following assault mechs. Can engage big targets well, for example I dueled Atlas yesterday and crushed it well before he damaged me too badly. Small targets and jump jet mechs are bit harder. Slow and turns slowly, so definitely needs close support.

Edited by KKRonkka, 27 November 2012 - 07:28 AM.

[Bagheera]

Kamikater, on 26 November 2012 - 03:04 PM, said:

How did you fit the standard 260 into a 4X? And where did you find the 2 extra laser hardpoints?

That build he posted sounds like a 3D.

I'm more interested to know how someone got 3UAC5s on a 4X? Can't pair them in one arm.