47 replies to this topic

[Mu]

C1

2LL
2ML
2SSRM2
300XL
22 DHS
Standard armor/structure

Doesn't look like much, people seem to dismiss me as a low priority target. But it does incredible damage due to its heat dissipation.

Could easily convert it to regular SRMs if you'd like, but I try to keep my distance rather than playing it as a traditional brawler kind of thing. Also, if you use up more than 1 crit slot in each ear you lose a double heatsink. I've done a lot of experimentation to try and make my founder C1 work with my playstyle (I hate LRMs) and this is the most successful build I've had.

[Vandul]

Catapult - A1

6 * LRM/5
Artemis
Endo Steel
XL180
18 SHS
1500'ish ammo
Retained the JJ's (Well, 1 JJ for now)

Chain fire unless the target is in the open. Then SWOOOSH.

[AtomicFrawg]

Twin AC20's, Endosteel, 5 tons of ammo, No armor in the ears (Spread the rest of the armor every where else). 220 engine.

[Pr8Dator]

WOW,.... I am truly amazed at many of your setups guys, especially the XL engines! I've never thought of fitting one of those oversized monsters into my cat...mmm... interesting... that kind of speed would be great for a striker kind of role... perhaps I should try one on.

[Barnaby Jones]

The side torso isnt particularlly easy to target and so the danger of xl engines is marginally smaller In this chassis.

80Kph is a nice middle of the pack speed.

[Mu]

Yeah I can count on one hand how many times I've died to losing a side torso in a Catapult. And even those were only caused by super lucky missile strikes. It's still a risk, but the speed will save you more times than the XL will kill you. Whereas something like the Cataphract, XL is a leading cause of death.

[Dukarriope]

C1: 4x ML + 2x LRM, 1,440 missiles, 400 armor, XL300 + endo-steel. AMS 2T.
Current C1: 2x ML, 2x Large Laser, 422 armor, XL300 + endo-steel, 2x SRM6 AMS 2T..

K2: 2x AC/10, XL300, 336 armor, 2x ML. AMS 1T.
K2 (2): 2x AC/2, XL300, 380 armor, 2x MPL. AMS 2T

C4: 2x SRM6, 2x SRM4, 2x ML, Artemis. 800 missiles, XL300, 422 armor. AMS 2T.

A1: 6x LRM5 x 2,340, AMS x2T, or 6x SSRM2 x 1,500, AMSx4T.

Edited by Dukarriope, 29 November 2012 - 07:54 AM.

[Mawai]

I have several cat builds that I use from time to time ...

C1: 2xSSRM2, 4 MPL, 300 STD, endo, 381 armor, 17 DHS (12 in engine), 1 x JJ, AMS
C1: 2xLRM15+artemis +4 or 5 tons ammo, 3ML, TAG, 260 STD (or 250 STD), endo, DHS, 1xJJ, AMS
C1: 2xLL, 2xML, 2xSSRM2, 260 STD, endo, DHS. 1xJJ, AMS

K2: 2 x ML, 2x Gauss, 225 XL, endo, 10 x DHS, 349 armor, AMS
K2: 4 x LL, 260 STD, endo, 14 x DHS(?), AMS
K2: 2 xLL, 2x MPL, 300 STD, endo 18 DHS (?), AMS
K2: 2xUAC5, 2xML, 260STD, endo, DHS, AMS

C4: 4xSSRM2, 2xMPL, 300 STD, endo, 381 armor, 16 DHS, BAP, CASE, AMS, 1x JJ
C4: 4xSRM6, 2ML, 260 STD, endo, DHS. AMS, 1xJJ

Every mech I build fits AMS

With speed tweak and the 300 engine these manage 80kph which is decent. The SSRMs and speed make some of these builds fairly effective against light mechs. I've tried other K2 builds with AC2 and other options. I haven't tried out the LPL or PPC options yet. The gauss K2 is slow ... but makes a good sniper/support mech if it can get a clear line of sight to the fight and remain at range ... though the better groups will correctly primary a gauss K2 so they won't last long in many cases.

The streak cat is also a popular primary target ... I also didn't like the limited hard point selection (missile only) ... so I haven't bought one.

Most of my builds are using STD engines since many of them are brawlers and the odds of losing a side torso are fairly high. Long range fire support mechs like a C4 fitted with LRMs would probably do well with an XL engine.

Edited by Mawai, 29 November 2012 - 08:05 AM.

[Cebi]

K2

x2 LPL
x2 MPL
DHS
ES
XL 315
BAP
AMS
Full armour

[Codejack]

Cebi, on 29 November 2012 - 10:07 AM, said:

K2

x2 LPL
x2 MPL
DHS
ES
XL 315
BAP
AMS
Full armour

Just out of curiosity, why a K2 and not a C1? You still have 4 missile hardpoints, but you also get jump jets.

[Cebi]

Codejack, on 29 November 2012 - 11:25 AM, said:

Just out of curiosity, why a K2 and not a C1? You still have 4 missile hardpoints, but you also get jump jets.

I like the energy hardpoints on the "arms". They give greater elevation/depression and can be used whilst only exposing a small amount of the 'pult (hull down).

[CodeNameValtus]

I just play Standard Gausscat, Standard Streakcat, and Standard 4xLRM 15 + Artemis LRM boatcat...

I don't think there's anything wrong with any of these 3 builds. They are all pretty effective in their own regard.

[Bounty Dogg]

Catapult CPLT-K2
XL 290
15 DHS
3x ML
1x ERPPC
1x GR
(3 tns. ammo)
1x AMS
(1 tn. ammo)
382/422 Stnd. Armor
ES Structure
Adv. Zoom

Stumbled on this build by accident and it has become my favorite build so far! reminds me visually of Metal Gear Rex, so I call her MG Raptor!

[Codejack]

We should have named this thread, "Cat Fancy"

[Hayashi]

Kunai.

CT: 2 Medium Pulse Lasers, XL 300 with 2 Double Heat Sinks
LA: LRM15 + SSRM2
RA: LRM15 + SSRM2
Legs: 4 tons LRM ammo
RT: AMS, 1 Jump Jet (for turning radius), 1 Double Heat Sink
LT: 2 tons SSRM ammo, 1 Double Heat Sink
Head: 1 ton AMS ammo
Endo Steel. Not enough criticals for Ferro Fibrous armour, so forget that. Max armour in all locations except legs (48 armour each), with front:back ratio about 2:1.

About to be nerfed by ECM. Until then, it's a fun and deadly build for the MechWarrior with range awareness.

Edited by Hayashi, 29 November 2012 - 12:53 PM.

[Monky]

I have a few favorite cat builds from CBT, but haven't gotten one in open so changes may have made them obsolete (for instance, double heatsinks/artemis/endosteel/ferrofibrous where not in when I used them)

Triple Threat A1

2x SRM6, 2x SSRM2, 2x LRM5

3 tons LRM, 2 tons SRM, 1 ton SSRM ammo, CASE in both side torso, reasonable amount of heatsinks (to taste) and then your preference of XL or normal and jumpjets to your liking.

2x SRM6 is good close up firepower against slow/overheated targets and if you're good is fine against faster mechs, the SSRM's drive lights off quickly, and the LRM5's can be group fired to overcome AMS or chain fired for cockpit shake allowing you to hit enemies at range and play fire support while moving to another fight. Furthermore, you spread a launcher of each type per each ear. Total weapons package weight is reasonably light and heat is managable even with limited heatsinks, affording good mobility due to available tonnage.

Then there is what I call the Mongol on Cat C1

4 medium laser, 2 LRM 5, 4 tons ammo (legs or ears). BIG standard engine, jumpjets, and enough heatsinks to keep it cool and maxed armor. Pretty self explanatory, you use your LRMs to provide support while moving around and you fire medium lasers as accurately as possible and jumpjet when they're on cooldown to avoid incoming damage. It worked out rather well so long as you didn't lose a leg. The high engine power let your lasers work just as well against lights as you could turn and track them with the lasers easily, and you could jump out of range of most heavier mechs, causing them to waste a shot or otherwise lose DPS on you.

The C4 I played similarly to the Mongol C1 but had 2x LRM5 in each ear and 2 medium pulse lasers. The main difference is you would use the LRM down to about 50% ammo before going 'hunting' in order to soften the enemy for your fewer medium lasers.

The K2, I would run 4 small lasers and 2 Gauss rifles. Capable of one shot kills at close range with an alpha, and the Gauss didn't require a heat budget so the small lasers where comfortable to use even with only 10 heatsinks. Many lights where suprised to see a Gausscat capable of fending them off as well, but without an XL engine it was certainly slow and you had to armor smartly in order to get enough ammo.

[Pr8Dator]

Hayashi, on 29 November 2012 - 12:52 PM, said:

Kunai.

CT: 2 Medium Pulse Lasers, XL 300 with 2 Double Heat Sinks
LA: LRM15 + SSRM2
RA: LRM15 + SSRM2
Legs: 4 tons LRM ammo
RT: AMS, 1 Jump Jet (for turning radius), 1 Double Heat Sink
LT: 2 tons SSRM ammo, 1 Double Heat Sink
Head: 1 ton AMS ammo
Endo Steel. Not enough criticals for Ferro Fibrous armour, so forget that. Max armour in all locations except legs (48 armour each), with front:back ratio about 2:1.

About to be nerfed by ECM. Until then, it's a fun and deadly build for the MechWarrior with range awareness.

Its amazing how much more you can put into the mech just by replacing LRM20 with LRM15. I have a similar build but with LRM20 at the cost of a much smaller engine, lesser armor, no AMS and lesser ammo...

[Pr8Dator]

Monky, on 29 November 2012 - 01:32 PM, said:

I have a few favorite cat builds from CBT, but haven't gotten one in open so changes may have made them obsolete (for instance, double heatsinks/artemis/endosteel/ferrofibrous where not in when I used them)

Triple Threat A1

2x SRM6, 2x SSRM2, 2x LRM5

3 tons LRM, 2 tons SRM, 1 ton SSRM ammo, CASE in both side torso, reasonable amount of heatsinks (to taste) and then your preference of XL or normal and jumpjets to your liking.

2x SRM6 is good close up firepower against slow/overheated targets and if you're good is fine against faster mechs, the SSRM's drive lights off quickly, and the LRM5's can be group fired to overcome AMS or chain fired for cockpit shake allowing you to hit enemies at range and play fire support while moving to another fight. Furthermore, you spread a launcher of each type per each ear. Total weapons package weight is reasonably light and heat is managable even with limited heatsinks, affording good mobility due to available tonnage.

Then there is what I call the Mongol on Cat C1

4 medium laser, 2 LRM 5, 4 tons ammo (legs or ears). BIG standard engine, jumpjets, and enough heatsinks to keep it cool and maxed armor. Pretty self explanatory, you use your LRMs to provide support while moving around and you fire medium lasers as accurately as possible and jumpjet when they're on cooldown to avoid incoming damage. It worked out rather well so long as you didn't lose a leg. The high engine power let your lasers work just as well against lights as you could turn and track them with the lasers easily, and you could jump out of range of most heavier mechs, causing them to waste a shot or otherwise lose DPS on you.

The C4 I played similarly to the Mongol C1 but had 2x LRM5 in each ear and 2 medium pulse lasers. The main difference is you would use the LRM down to about 50% ammo before going 'hunting' in order to soften the enemy for your fewer medium lasers.

The K2, I would run 4 small lasers and 2 Gauss rifles. Capable of one shot kills at close range with an alpha, and the Gauss didn't require a heat budget so the small lasers where comfortable to use even with only 10 heatsinks. Many lights where suprised to see a Gausscat capable of fending them off as well, but without an XL engine it was certainly slow and you had to armor smartly in order to get enough ammo.

...mmm... very interesting... I need to play with another variant just to unlock Elite so I might just make a Gausscat on a K2 hehehe... I would need those gauss for my triple gauss muromets anyways hehehe

[Xenophontis]

K2 with Endo.
DHS
4x Large Lasers
AMS - 1 ton ammo

400 Armor, 260 STD Engine, 18 Heat Sinks

Can Alpha 3-4 times before shut down. Core's out enemies and destroys body parts like a ****.

Average around 550 damage per match and 2-3 kills. Have had several 6 kill rounds.

[Hayashi]

Pr8Dator, on 29 November 2012 - 02:50 PM, said:

Its amazing how much more you can put into the mech just by replacing LRM20 with LRM15. I have a similar build but with LRM20 at the cost of a much smaller engine, lesser armor, no AMS and lesser ammo...

LRM15 and LRM5 are slightly overpowered among the LRM launcher types at the moment, partially because they take up 0.5 tons less than they really should.

Between LRM15 and 20 I prefer the 15, it fires at a higher rate. It's less damage total, but I would rather have 6 more tons of ammo + whatnot than a minor improvement in LRM damage per second.