703 replies to this topic

[Hex Pallett]

And that leads the question to when PGI is gonna improve the matchmaking system and show us which map we're dropping in before we choose our 'Mech....

[ZuFFuLuZ]

I would be happy with a veto system like in Starcraft 2. Just give us the option to veto 2-3 maps.
And long range weapons are not really an option, I think. Anything but an AC20 in a Hunch is a sacrilege and LRMs in a medium make no sense at all (and they are boring).

[YueFei]

ZuFFuLuZ, on 08 December 2013 - 11:47 AM, said:

Do you guys have any special tactics for Crimson Strait? I bought 3 Hunchies (P, G and SP) and I like them, but I can't figure out how to play on that map. I am either too aggressive and get annihilated or I wait too long behind the big guys and see very little combat. Especially with the SP, because of the low range of SRMs.
And alpine peaks is also a problem, but that's no surprise when you have no long range weapons.

For Crimson Strait, be wary of the saddle, no matter which side you're on. Early on in the match, you can reach the saddle before the slower heavies and assaults can make it, but it's only a few seconds faster. Take whatever shot opportunities you get and back away. The saddle makes a high point with two depressions on either side. So unless you have a teammate who can jump onto or scale the hillsides for greater vision of what's on the other side, you're gambling if you push up close to the saddle in your Hunchback. You are short and the lack of jump jets limits your vision, and if the enemy masses on the other side and pushes hard, and you're at the edge of the saddle, you're probably done for unless the enemy pilots are lousy shots.

If you spawn in the south, you can fight from the platform, which makes a good place to defend, with multiple chokepoints and good pieces of cover on the platform itself, but it is a lousy place to launch an attack from. Use that area to gain better vision of enemy positions, but you're not going to want to trade shots with your short-range weapons against enemies with long range weapons. Use this to gauge the balance of the enemy's strength, prevent them from taking the platform from you, and try to figure out where they are weak. If you get a sense of where the enemy is strong and where they are weak, tell your team, decide, and attack.

You can fight underneath the platform, making you impervious to LRMs, and scoot from pillar to pillar as you work your way to short range. Or setup to ambush enemies as they blunder through the chokepoints. However, note that fighting beneath the platform limits your map vision a great deal. You'll be relying on teammates to see what's going on.

[Hex Pallett]

Also: When there's no cover, find the nearest Assault.

[giganova]

Awesome guide! Had a chuckle at the 4J's use of 2 LRM10s being considered boating though.

[Inflatable Fish]

giganova, on 09 December 2013 - 05:49 AM, said:

Awesome guide! Had a chuckle at the 4J's use of 2 LRM10s being considered boating though.

if a Catapult is a proper missile boat, imagine the Hunchbro as an ugly rowboat with a missile launcher on it.

[Charons Little Helper]

The 9xML 4P build is okay - but I've had way more luck with 9xSPL. Same build except switch weapons. Less heat. No ghost heat. Duration is .5 seconds - so it's great for taking out lights. (I actually reduced arm armor a bit for an extra heatsink - I still never lose arms. After all - who's firing at my arms instead of my giant hunch? )

Plus - with the shorter duration & recycle time - if I can sneak up on someone, I can often get two volleys off before they even start turning towards me. (On many mechs - 70.2 in the back is enough to kill them.) That's the great thing about being sneaky with energy weapons - unless they're watching close they don't notice since there's no screenshake.

[giganova]

Inflatable Fish, on 09 December 2013 - 06:42 AM, said:

if a Catapult is a proper missile boat, imagine the Hunchbro as an ugly rowboat with a missile launcher on it.

More like a dingey, but yeah.

[Hex Pallett]

giganova, on 09 December 2013 - 05:49 AM, said:

Awesome guide! Had a chuckle at the 4J's use of 2 LRM10s being considered boating though.

Look, you can't discriminate against a sampan because there are battleships out there (Stalker and such). It's still a boat.

Charons Little Helper, on 09 December 2013 - 06:58 AM, said:

The 9xML 4P build is okay - but I've had way more luck with 9xSPL.

Oh I remember that one time when I fell into the lava pit in my Battlemaster against that 4P with six SPL in the hunch... He just chainfired it all the way through my front armor and all I could do was sit there and laugh while overheating....

Gotta try that out one day.

[Geek Verve]

Helmstif, on 08 December 2013 - 01:36 PM, said:

And that leads the question to when PGI is gonna improve the matchmaking system and show us which map we're dropping in before we choose our 'Mech....

No way I'd want that. Every map would end up with a short list of match variations, as people settled on conventional mech selections for each.

[Guitar Czar]

Thanks for this guide, Helmstif. I'm new to MWO, although I played Battletech as well as a couple Mech Warrior games. I happened to choose the Hunchback-4G for my first mech, and your guide helped considerably with tweaking things here and there to get it running more efficiently. I've since moved on to the Hunchback-4SP and am enjoying it a great deal, especially with the upgraded 275 STD engine. I hope you continue to make detailed guides on mechs I plan to purchase in the future =P.

[Johnny Two Legs]

Guitar Czar, on 17 December 2013 - 07:00 PM, said:

Thanks for this guide, Helmstif. I'm new to MWO, although I played Battletech as well as a couple Mech Warrior games. I happened to choose the Hunchback-4G for my first mech, and your guide helped considerably with tweaking things here and there to get it running more efficiently. I've since moved on to the Hunchback-4SP and am enjoying it a great deal, especially with the upgraded 275 STD engine. I hope you continue to make detailed guides on mechs I plan to purchase in the future =P.

The Hunchback 4SP is a great mech.
The Hunch is still fragile IMO, and you need to stick with Heavies and Assaults.
However mid-late game, against big mechs busy with your Heavies/Assaults, the 4SP with 2x SRM6's (or SRM4's if you like extra ammo/DHS) is a great damage dealer.
Also, it's a good zombie mech with the ML in the head.

The 4SP is my favourite Hunchback, which is a shame as it's not a traditional Hunchback.

J2L

[Hex Pallett]

Guitar Czar, on 17 December 2013 - 07:00 PM, said:

I hope you continue to make detailed guides on mechs I plan to purchase in the future =P.

Planning to cover Shadowhawk and Thunderbolt. Have no time at the moment tho....

[Op4blushift]

Watched your 4P video and it inspired me to start using my 4P again (I haven't touched it in a while and I always seem to have {Scrap} games with it).

First game after watching it; 700 damage, 2 kills, and top score. Thanks for firing up my enthusiasm for hunchbacks again helmstif!

[slayerkdm]

Been gone some time, took an extended MWO break. Came back and brought out the trusty HBK G. Disaster.

Game play skirmish is medium to long range, it seems and the AC20 was not cutting it. Played my Ilya, and my Victor and settled on AC5's and AC2 builds. Well, I can never stay away from my G, so I added two AC5's, so so. Changed to AC2's a pair and lasers. Better, not fantastic. Said what heck, go all in, so 3 AC2's, no back up weapons.

Been a good ride. Best so far 6 kills, damage is hovering between 400-650. I don't think the ride will last, as the meta will change, but for now, its working. I have previously tried this before, but never with any success. The change in tactics in the skirmish mode has made it viable in my mind, and given the G's unique load out, a real boost.

Edited by slayerkdm, 23 December 2013 - 10:40 PM.

[mack sabbath]

The "Kamikaze?"

http://mwo.smurfy-ne...1bb88890c7ee518


I mean why not risk the side torsos = death, lose a torso and live, it's weaponless now anyhoo!

Edited by Die Primate Die, 23 December 2013 - 11:00 PM.

[slayerkdm]

I run the XL 260, I like the extra ammo, but the XL is necessary really. Oddly enough, Im surviving most missions. I never worried about XL's in HBK's anyway, most builds, once you lose the hunch, its over anyway.

I ran standard a lot since you needed it for the AC20, but aside from those builds, I ran XL's.

[YueFei]

slayerkdm, on 23 December 2013 - 11:14 PM, said:

I run the XL 260, I like the extra ammo, but the XL is necessary really. Oddly enough, Im surviving most missions. I never worried about XL's in HBK's anyway, most builds, once you lose the hunch, its over anyway.

I ran standard a lot since you needed it for the AC20, but aside from those builds, I ran XL's.

Running STD is not about surviving the loss of the hunch. It's about being able to use the left shoulder to soak damage. It's true that if you lose the Hunch you're almost neutered. But with a STD engine, you can lose the left shoulder, and continue to use it to soak damage and fight. Soaking hits on a destroyed left torso transfers the damage at 50% to the CT, so potentially that shoulder lets you soak an additional 100+ damage before your CT armor gets breached. It's the difference between dying after taking 65 damage, and taking 200+ damage before dying.

With the XL you gotta be a lot more careful and sneaky, with the STD you can get your nose dirty. Depends on how you wanna play. But I'm betting that a lot of players who pick a Hunchback want to get into the enemy's face and play aggressively, so that explains why a lot of HBK players use STD engines.

Edited by YueFei, 23 December 2013 - 11:23 PM.

[Inflatable Fish]

I've been giving this bad boy a whirl recently, works surprisingly well. it's almost like a 4G with more speed, longer range and no ammo limit. one thing to note though, one less module slot (for a grand total of 2 w/ master perk) is really noticeable.

HBK-4P

[slayerkdm]

I don't disagree with you, after 729 or so matches with the G, I have tried about every combination. Like I say, my last post was referring to how I find the current meta in skirmish.

I find the trouble wit trying to use left shoulder as a shield is, the HBK still has to fully expose itself to fire from the Hunch. If you are housing your primary fire power there, for me, I have found its difficult to both protect it and do much damage. Of those 700 plus matches in he G, probably 650 or so are with standard engine.

No doubt the standard lets you get closer in a have a bit more survivability, but truthfully, most players shoot to core, as its just about as fast going or the sides of an HBK. I rarely try to shoot the Hunch off an HBK, I just shoot to center core it.

One of the fun things about Hunchies though, so many was to play them, with the variants available.