57 replies to this topic

[Mack1]

This is my new Mech, it's lethal up close, shame am a crap pilot Build and Gameplay shown in the video.

[Elizander]

I want to build that but I'm still a few C-bills short for the right engine.

[SmoothRider]

Im running with the STD210 engine UAC5x2 and AC2x2. I used the AC2x4 at first but this new combo suits me better. Your vid got me onto it so ty Wont spring for the XL engine so this was as close as i came

[Wrenchfarm]

Pulling the same trick now, except with a STD 200. It CRAWLS at 45 KPH, intolerable. Not sure I would go XL though, big chest on the Phract. If you can find a big slow target you can core them easy, anything fast or capable of indirect fire is a real pain.

Cheesy, but not super effective. I imagine it would be amazing on a organized team that could cover its weaknesses.

[Tigerhawk71]

I can't imagine using UAC5s until they fix them. They jam before firing. What the hell.

When the game is at the point i can mount UAC5's without having to load up the Space Jam theme, then i might use them.


I have found the AC5 build to be a fantastic fire support mech. Unless you can sneak up on an LRM boat or something, you're not really built for straight up fights. but you've got range and lets be honest, AC fire hurts..

Edited by Tigerhawk71, 29 November 2012 - 07:45 PM.

[Aware]

The thing with that build is before the hotfix it was insanity. I used to overheat constantly from sustained fire. This video doesn't really do the build justice. On the second night we were running 3 of them in a group. With that many we would walk straight up the line to the enemy base suppress anyone that tried to fire on us. We would get up close and it was game over. For those first few nights we would consistently get 5-6 kills between the three of us. I sort of miss how it was those first few nights but I understand that it had to change. The build is still good though, the XL engine can be somewhat of a problem but not overtly so.

[MadPanda]

That was the first build I made when I got the 4X, and I got rid of that build really fast. The problem is the ammo. You can't fit enough ammo for both UAC5 and AC5. In that video you had a stomp game where you barely saw any action and yet you managed to use half of your ammo. In a fair game where you actually need to pull your weight, you will run out of ammo too fast. That is the observation I made with this build. So I currently run the 4X model with quad ac2, I feel like it's the only sustainable and effective build. That being said, my personal opinion on the 4X is that it's pretty bad. You can be the annoying wood ****** (p-e-c-k-e-r is censored? wow) with the quad ac2, but I find that style of playing really boring.

Edited by MadPanda, 29 November 2012 - 10:02 PM.

[Elizander]

Quad AC/5 on chain fire and 2 Small Lasers do it for me. At least I can avoid the XL engine.

[Wrenchfarm]

Finished up the basic tree on this build tonight and I plan on retiring the mech (selling it).

When an Atlas or Catapult comes waddling into your crosshairs from about 500m or closer, it is fabulous. This is the only mech where I have ever just stood toe to toe against at Atlas because I was certain I could straight out-DPS him. I keep the AC5s on chain fire and the UAC5s linked. Gives me a nice *poom**poom**poom**poom* rhythm even when one of the UACs jam (and they do, frequently). I imagine the screen shake on the other end is catastrophic from the way people freak out. If you get your chance, you can lay out unsporting amounts of damage with this thing.

The problem is getting that chance. This mech/build has some real problems.

Anytime the battle moves away from you, too bad, you won't be able to join in any reasonable time. Also, have fun with those LRMs anytime you have to move between large gaps in cover.

Get into a sniping war? You lose. Someone using a Gauss or PPC only has to pop their body out of cover for one shot and retreat, your weapons depend on sustained fire.

Scout notices you? Good luck hitting it, good luck flushing it off your back. You can practically hear the Jenner pilot laughing.

I was super excited for the Phract-4X when I saw it. "Hey, it's just like that Jaggermech I was springing a ***** for!" but the result leaves a lot to be desired. You need to either risk an XL engine (I wouldn't) or scale down the weapons to make it work. And if you aren't using the 4X to boat 4 ballistic weapons, you might as well use one of the more well rounded and flexible Phracts. Fun in concept, lacking in execution.

To be totally fair to the build, this was the build that got me the best results with the 4X. If you have one, use this build. And I did get a chance to use it with a organized group tonight and it did indeed perform better. But I think you can probably say the same about any mech, and it still suffered from all the problems I mentioned.

Oddly enough I ran into a buddy later in the night who was also finishing out the basic tree so he could dump his 4X. Guess the shine wears off this apple pretty quick.

[Slanski]

Use a bigger engine and 2xAC2/2xAC5 combination. The UAC5 is a burst weapon for a brawler or fast attacker, you though rely on sustained DPS. Don't gimp your speed to the point of being unable to deploy with heavy mechs. 48kph works against bad opponents when you have a good team, it won't do against solid opponents.

I hate this chassis as well, by the way, but can't fail but notice that I do 5 kills time and again in matches. The suppressive fire is ridiculous and the DPS at medium to short range is devastating. I hate it, but it's effective. Subtlety of a sledgehammer.

[Outfoxed]

What the chap above said. 2x AC/2s > 2x AC/5s in terms of DPS, weight and Dakka. Also means you keep rocking them if you UAC/5s jam.

[Laniarty]

I know everyone has a hard on for the AC builds with the 4X, but I've had the most success with this:

255XL
2x Gauss Rifle (6 tons ammo)
2x MLAS
1x SSRM2 (1 ton ammo)
10 DHS (Engine only)
Endo-Steel
416/434 Armor

I can snipe at the beginning and brawl later on ok, but I can fend off lights a little easier then a K2.

Edited by Laniarty, 30 November 2012 - 04:10 AM.

[GruselSack]

Wrenchfarm, on 30 November 2012 - 12:28 AM, said:

Get into a sniping war? You lose. Someone using a Gauss or PPC only has to pop their body out of cover for one shot and retreat, your weapons depend on sustained fire.

i cannot confirm this particular point. carrying ac 2's will give u "the" ranged weapon. with well above 2000 m of max. range u are perfectly able to lay continuous covering fire. and even ac5's while not out ranging the gauss cannon, will out-range the ordinary ppc. most snipers will change their location immediately after catching a servere shelling no matter what size the caliber. especially since it can be (depending on the hardpoints location) pretty hard to fire gausscannons/ppc's accurately while u are under ac fire, since it will rock ur cockpit quite fiercely.
but in the end u are right this build is not general purpose it needs awareness of ur tactical slot on the battleground. imho and with regards to the 200 or 210 engine this role should be the "bad
surprise from behind"/base defence/coverfire, since u are slow and VERY vulnerable to lights.

btw: i didn't find a real difference between using 2 x AC2's + 2 x (U)AC5's vs. 4 x AC5's apart from the ammo limitations the latter layout has.

Edited by GruselSack, 30 November 2012 - 05:12 AM.

[El Death Smurf]

you might win a 1v1, but that's all the ammo you're good for. and only if they walk rigth at you.
i see tons of Cataphracts running around with 4 AC5 and i think they're a joke, but this is even funnier.
fist off. dont brawl with an XL engine unless it's going to go fast.
secondly, if you're going to snipe with AC of anny sort (2 or 5) then its not about the DPS, its about being able to shoot as much as possible as long as possible without worrying about wasting ammo. anything less than 150 rounds of AC ammo is just silly, especially when its YOUR ONLY WEPON.
but really, tell me exatly what can 4ac5 do that 3 can't? with the extra tonnage you could put on a decent engine, or some ammo.

Tigerhawk71, on 29 November 2012 - 07:24 PM, said:

I can't imagine using UAC5s until they fix them. They jam before firing. What the hell.

that doesnt make sence... UAC will never jam BEFORE you fire... the 1st shot shoots, and then sometimes the 2nd shot jams because the 1st shell casing didnt clear. it you hold off and let the 1st shot cycle it will never jam.
dont charge at a mech with UAC and expect to sustain fire for very long if you're holding teh trigger down. use cover. pop out, unload till you jam, and then hide to clear the casing. rinse and repeat.

oh and

Laniarty, on 30 November 2012 - 04:10 AM, said:

2x Gauss Rifle (6 tons ammo)

no one's impressed with your dual gauss cataphract. move along.

and for the record, i guess i should post my 4x
it has 3AC5 with about 200 ammo and an ER large laser
havent over heated yet, and the 3 AC5 chian fire just fine, or pack one massive hit at great range
when you get down to 25ammo before the game's over, you know you're doing it right
this always gets me in the top 3 for total damage.

Edited by El Death Smurf, 30 November 2012 - 05:59 AM.

[Mack1]

THB I am a collector, I plan on keeping this and all my other Mechs, I like jumping on them for a few games now and then and I also like a diverse selection of Mechs.

I love the 4 AC build but it would never be my main.

[Budor]

El Death Smurf, on 30 November 2012 - 05:43 AM, said:

tell me exatly what can 4ac5 do that 3 can't?

1/4 more damage? oO

El Death Smurf, on 30 November 2012 - 05:43 AM, said:

and for the record, i guess i should post my 4x
it has 3AC5 with about 200 ammo and an ER large laser
havent over heated yet, and the 3 AC5 chian fire just fine, or pack one massive hit at great range
when you get down to 25ammo before the game's over, you know you're doing it right
this always gets me in the top 3 for total damage.

this looks like a mech with atlas speed and inferior loadout

[Malevolent Twitch]

One of the guys in my unit utilizes the 4X Quad AC/5 combo to amazing effect. However, He does not use it in any way as a stand alone, soloing 'mech but rather as a squad automatic weapon that serves as the core of our movement. In that role it doesn't have to be fast or do everything well. It just has to put the soothing, rythmic lullaby of consistant AC5 fire down range. We do the rest.

[callsign4223]

I run a quad ac5, 2ml, standard 230 4x. I only have 4 tons of ammo for the ac5s. I generally find that I have plenty of ac5 ammo. In a REALLY long fight I will run out, but then I still have my 2 ml for the end game. My 2 main problems with it are LRMs and jenners. I usually buddy up with a medium so they can scrape lights off of me and be close support while I am griefing lrm boats and snipers. And while chainfire is nice in the brawl, I find that a couple of grouped shots from the quad ac5s will chase most lrm boats or snipers off their perches pretty quick, it is 20 points of damage in a single location. Is this an easy build to run, not necessarily, it is very much a role player, but if you have other role players to support you it is very effective.

[Tigerhawk71]

The heavy AC mech is a support mech, no matter how you look at it - you can bully mediums around, but you're slow and you rely on ballistics which factors in lag.... and you're mince for lagshielded teleporting jenners. And you take too much damage in a straight up fight with a decently fitted assault. Yeah you -can- beat them, but you're going to be in horrible shape unless you blindside them.

I run 3 AC5 and two medium lasers, so i've got a slightly bigger standard engine in. Most people want to stay out of my line of fire, so it's great for controlling areas of the field under penalty of being slammed by constant AC fire... but if i get caught out of position... it's not so good...

[PanicFire]

Mack1, on 28 November 2012 - 02:08 PM, said:

This is my new Mech, it's lethal up close, shame am a crap pilot Build and Gameplay shown in the video.

I've enjoyed all of your Vids Mack! Just out of curiosity, what's your user.cfg look like.