21 replies to this topic

[Ryft]

I just bought an AS7-D-DC (since it gets ECM capability in two days) and need a couple of good loadouts for it.

I will likely try a lot of things starting out, but any loadout I will want to try will probably want to include a few things:

1) ECM (I picked this variant for a reason, right?)
2) depending on how useful AMS remains after ECM implementation, I might still want to keep it with a ton of ammo. Big slow mech has a hard time dodging LRMs, for certain.
3) Max armor on the upper body, at least.
4) CASE if I'm putting ammo in the torso sides

I'm going for a durable sucker, here. Something for my enemies to break themselves upon. Additionally, I'm probably not shelling out for ES or DHS right away... I want to get a good feel for a standard loadout before I commit to taking up tons of critical slots and find that I regret it later.

Lastly, I do favor long or medium ranged combat to close up brawling in a heavier mech that doesn't maneuver well, but I also don't want to be defenseless up close.

So I'm pretty much open to any ideas that encompass the above concepts.

[Eisenhorne]

Well, I use a D-DC as my primary atlas, but I use it as a brawler, with all the upgrades you said you didn't want right away

Here it is anyway, in case your curious.

350 Standard engine
Endo Steel, 14 DHS, Artemis

AC/20 w/ 4 tons ammo
3x SRM6's w/ 4 tons ammo
2x Medium Lasers

270M range, 75 damage alpha strike. Kicks a lot of ***.




However, if your looking for a ranged build, I'd use something like this (yea, still using Endo / Double Heatsinks / Artemis)

300 Standard Engine
Endo, 14 DHS, Artemis

2x Large Lasers
3x LRM 10's w/ 4 tons ammo
Gauss Rifle w/ 2 tons ammo

[Ryft]

Ok, the 350 standard is looking like an increasingly good idea to think about, because this thing's torso twist speed really stinks!

I figure I'm just not used to it... hopefully by the time I master the Atlas I will be able to pilot anything else like a pro!

DHS probably won't be such a big downside once I'm rocking a bigger engine, since I can stuff a lot of them right in the engine slots. Not sure if ES is as good an idea.

Question: why the 3 LRM10s rather than some other variation? (ie: 2 LRM15s, or an LRM20+LRM10, etc.)

Lastly: what would you say is the logical upgrade progression when choosing between the 350 engine, DHS, ES, and Artemis? I'm assuming Artemis would come last, but the other three seem rather up in the air.

Edited by Ryft, 02 December 2012 - 02:09 PM.

[Indoorsman]

Eisenhorne, on 02 December 2012 - 01:14 PM, said:

Well, I use a D-DC as my primary atlas, but I use it as a brawler, with all the upgrades you said you didn't want right away

Here it is anyway, in case your curious.

350 Standard engine
Endo Steel, 14 DHS, Artemis

AC/20 w/ 4 tons ammo
3x SRM6's w/ 4 tons ammo
2x Medium Lasers

270M range, 75 damage alpha strike. Kicks a lot of ***.




However, if your looking for a ranged build, I'd use something like this (yea, still using Endo / Double Heatsinks / Artemis)

300 Standard Engine
Endo, 14 DHS, Artemis

2x Large Lasers
3x LRM 10's w/ 4 tons ammo
Gauss Rifle w/ 2 tons ammo

OMG I fought you w/this loadout earlier today! 2:37

Oh and Ryft, his loadout is pretty good for that variant, especially when you get ECM, that's gonna be a big plus.

Edited by Indoorsman, 02 December 2012 - 04:22 PM.

[Eisenhorne]

Hah... damn I remember that game. Me and my teammates in HHoD were running an four atlas lance. That particular game was quite close. We had an AFK atlas at base that would have turned the tide if only he was there.

This game was literally our only loss today.

[Indoorsman]

Eisenhorne, on 02 December 2012 - 04:32 PM, said:

Hah... damn I remember that game. Me and my teammates in HHoD were running an four atlas lance. That particular game was quite close. We had an AFK atlas at base that would have turned the tide if only he was there.

This game was literally our only loss today.

I THOUGHT your team was arranged, mine was a pug :-o. You very nearly won that even down 1.

[Eisenhorne]

Yea, It was me, coburn, justin xing allard, and one other guy whose name escapes me at the minute

Watching that video again, however, I can see what happened to me. It looks like you blew off my AC20, and cooked off the ammo there.

I need to relocate the ammo to the CT and Head, instead of leaving it in such a vulnerable position.... This is why replays are handy, I didn't realize this the first time through.

[Indoorsman]

Eisenhorne, on 02 December 2012 - 04:39 PM, said:

Yea, It was me, coburn, justin xing allard, and one other guy whose name escapes me at the minute

Watching that video again, however, I can see what happened to me. It looks like you blew off my AC20, and cooked off the ammo there.

I need to relocate the ammo to the CT and Head, instead of leaving it in such a vulnerable position.... This is why replays are handy, I didn't realize this the first time through.

Ya I thought I had your CT but the instant replay shows 3 component destruction! I always put my ammo in my arms/legs :-o

[Ryft]

Ugh, the engine has to come first. No matter what my build beyond that. I get torn to shreds as soon as things close.

My first piloting upgrade came today... twistX! gonna go with brake and acceleration boosts next.

Right now I'm playing a ranged build more out of necessity than anything else... I'm terrible up close. And to boot, I'm making maybe 20K after a loss... this thing's armor repairs are 40K alone! It's going to be a slow grind to buy anything, now.

[White Bear 84]

Run stock engine, Gauss 3 tonne ammo, 3 LRM5 4 tonne ammo, 2 Large lasers, Endo, DHS (13), BAP and ECM (when its out)

Dont bother with case, chuck your ammo in the legs.. ..who ever legs an atlas? lol, most players are more worried about the core/RT

Once ECM is out, this mech will be boss. Harder to get missile locks while shielding your team from the enemy. Teamed up with a light supporting it as a counter jammer, you really change the dynamic of the game. No more LRM online for my atlas!

[Ryft]

White Bear 84, on 02 December 2012 - 06:17 PM, said:

Run stock engine, Gauss 3 tonne ammo, 3 LRM5 4 tonne ammo, 2 Large lasers, Endo, DHS (13), BAP and ECM (when its out)

Dont bother with case, chuck your ammo in the legs.. ..who ever legs an atlas? lol, most players are more worried about the core/RT

Once ECM is out, this mech will be boss. Harder to get missile locks while shielding your team from the enemy. Teamed up with a light supporting it as a counter jammer, you really change the dynamic of the game. No more LRM online for my atlas!

This sounds like a mean idea. Large lasers will let me not suck so much up close, to boot, but can still support LRMs at range. Do you think the 3 LRM5 is adequate for missiles, though? I'm almost thinking an LRM10 + 2 LRM5 might make the best use of my missile tube count. Seems to be one group of ten, and two groups of 6?

On the CASE note... how am I stuffing 7 tons of ammo all in the legs? Only holds 4... and the other usual hiding spots of CT and head are taken up by BAP and ECM.

Also, what's a safe armor level on an atlas leg? I have been shaving some off, but I don't want to get too crazy with it.

[Eisenhorne]

I put my legs at 60, arms at 57, and haven't had a problem with em yet.

[Ryft]

Alright... so I actually tried a build similar to what WhiteBear84 posted. I think it will really shine with ECM, but until then it really lacks a ranged punch with only 15 missiles per launch. I did achieve some success when staggering the missile fire, which kept other ranged opponents rocking while I actually did damage with gauss and laser fire. Still, it was unsatisfying, especially when I didn't get targets for my LRMs, and it was still rather fragile up close. I think this build will have to wait a couple days for ECM+BAP.

I next tried a close combat build. I'm thinking of trying something akin to Eisenhorne's close combat build, but currently it's specced out for my novice chassis:

Stock 300 engine, but a 350 is the absolute first on my list of upgrades outside of ECM
2 UAC5 + 4 tons of ammo in the legs... using this instead of the AC20 gives me some ranged option when necessary, too
3 SSRM2 + 4 tons of ammo and CASE in the left torso
2 medium lasers
AMS + 1 ton of ammo in the CT (saves room for ECM in the head)
heatsinks up to 1.36 efficiency

So its' turn speed kind of stinks for aiming with torso weapons, hence the training-wheel streaks and more forgiving, spammable UAC5s. It definitely rocks anything big and slow that gets in front of it, and the streaks also help out against light mechs to boot (helpful with the stock turning speed). It's really fun to play, though! My first time out with it I absolutely destroyed another Atlas that got in front of me. Figure my build path will go something like:

1) upgrade engine. shave whatever I have to from ammo for the time being. Brawling atlas must be quicker!
2) double heat sinks, which will rock with +4 in the engine taking up no additional room. should allow me to add some ammo back in, as well.
3) upgrade to endosteel, should allow me to upgrade streaks to SRM6, which pack that necessary meaner punch up close.

And... basically that's my plan for a brawling atlas, for the time being. As a bonus, moving forward with the team will help cloak everyone with ECM, or allow me to negate enemy ECM if I need to do that.

Decent?

Edited by Ryft, 02 December 2012 - 09:45 PM.

[Soulscour]

My current build

Standard 340 engine
Endosteel upgrade
15 DHS
1 case
AMS 1 ton ammo
2 LBX10 3 tons ammo (some in legs)
3 SRM4 4 tons ammo (some in legs)
2 Med laser

only 2 weapon groups necessary. Lasers and then everything else.

Its a face smasher

Edited by Soulscour, 03 December 2012 - 05:15 AM.

[beniliusbob]

Soulscour, on 03 December 2012 - 05:11 AM, said:

only 2 weapon groups necessary. Lasers and then everything else.

I lolled.

[VagabondHT]

I have just picked up the AS7-D-DC myself, should i remove the command console, since its just taking up tonnage ? I'll be making this thing a Artemis lrm kinda build.

[Staplebeater]

VagabondHT, on 03 December 2012 - 03:00 PM, said:

I have just picked up the AS7-D-DC myself, should i remove the command console, since its just taking up tonnage ? I'll be making this thing a Artemis lrm kinda build.

yes get rid of the command console. Might be useful later but not yet

[Ryft]

I removed the command console from mine, yeah. Is that thing a placeholder for the ability to use the B button that we all currently enjoy now, even without the equipment installed?

[Ryft]

Update:

White Bear 84, on 02 December 2012 - 06:17 PM, said:

Run stock engine, Gauss 3 tonne ammo, 3 LRM5 4 tonne ammo, 2 Large lasers, Endo, DHS (13), BAP and ECM (when its out)

Dont bother with case, chuck your ammo in the legs.. ..who ever legs an atlas? lol, most players are more worried about the core/RT

Once ECM is out, this mech will be boss. Harder to get missile locks while shielding your team from the enemy. Teamed up with a light supporting it as a counter jammer, you really change the dynamic of the game. No more LRM online for my atlas!

I've had nothing but success with the following build:

Stock 300 engine with both heat sink slots filled
ES+DHS
ECM and BAP in the legs
1 LRM10 + 2LRM 5, CASE and 7 tons of ammo (4 LRM, 3 AC2) in the left torso
2 AC2 and 3 extra DHS in the right torso
Large Laser on each arm
AMS + 1 ton of ammo in the CT
Max armor everywhere

It's a .99 heat ratio, yet I can't even get my heat to 50% most matches, so I'm thinking about dropping a DHS for more ammo if need be. Runs cool for some reason... or the little mechlab meter is lying.

Going to try to find space for ARTEMIS next. I'm not even maxed on tonnage... all out of critical spaces. But it seems to be working... gauss was too fragile and my aim was too bad up close. I was dying in matches as a pair of legs with ECM, sometimes with a tag laser as my only "weapon". I was even legged a couple times, which I heard was rare for an Atlas. Now, the dual AC2 lets me rock faces on anything I can see, and throws off aim of things that get a little too close for comfort, and the extra large laser is making a difference, too. Cataphracts were giving me a hard time before, but now they usually don't weather the storm if they try to get to me across open terrain.

I finally feel like I don't suck in this thing!

[CaptBlack]

Ryft, on 07 December 2012 - 07:10 PM, said:

It's a .99 heat ratio, yet I can't even get my heat to 50% most matches, so I'm thinking about dropping a DHS for more ammo if need be. Runs cool for some reason... or the little mechlab meter is lying.

If you drop the one DHS then you should be able to fit the Artemis system to try it out.