12 replies to this topic

[Seffi]

I'm a relatively new player and i finally got mastery with my raven mechs and was looking to try somehting hevy. I picked up the DRG-1n and im not overly impressed. I was thinking of trying a catafract next. Any other suggestions or any general tips for playing a heavy. Id like to have a skirmisher or a brawler but I dont want to be super slow.

[Nikoliy]

Make sure you have a big eng 280 or 300 to keep you at 70-80 kph.
The CTF-1X is cheaper and one of my favorite mechs. Try these two builds: CTF-1X with this build you want to stay at range and use the Gauss Rifle as a backup weapon wile you cool down and this one CTF-1X for close in work... make two groups for the lasers one with only the arms and one with all 5.
Try the 3D variant with a 280xl two Gauss rifles and two med lasers or with 300xl and two UAC5s and two large lasers... or this build CTF-3D with a 325xl for extra speed....
Good luck

[J I N]

To get something mobile with brawl ability you should try a Catapult.
C1 or C4 if you wnat to use rockets or the K2 for direkt firepower with gauss, ACs and Lasers.
I recommend it, because of the ability to mount an XL engine without much of a sacrifice. You will die by a cored CT 99% of the time. So the Catapult is able to move fast and sometimes with JJs and you will have enought firepower mounted.

I didn't try the Phract, so I can't say much about it... if you wnat ballistics and lasers, it seems to be fun, but it*s not that mobile.

[Commodore Perspicuous]

Wait for the Orion...

[RadioKies]

I didn't like the Cats, but the phracts are fun to play. Beside the forementioned CTF-3D and 1X may I reccomend the 4X. The 4X gave me the most pleasure. Running dual gauss in the arms backed up with dual machineguns and dual mlas or slas in the CT for zombieïng and close range support. You've got to love stripping away armor with pinpoint precision gauss shots (because the gauss is in the arms), then critting the internals with Machineguns and stripping away that last piece of armor with the dual lasers.

This is the mechtype I have had the most fun with as of yet, and I played: Commando 2D, Raven 4X/3L, Hunchbacks (Master), Centurions (Elite), Catapult A1/C1, Stalkers (Master), the Highlander 733 and the Atlas D-DC.

-edit-grammar

Edited by RadioKies, 09 July 2013 - 06:01 AM.

[slayerkdm]

Phract 3D is really nice. Lots of possible loadouts, plus JJ are cool if you like that sort of thing. Jager AC40 rigs are super simple to play and effective, no matter how much people grip about them.

Dragons are really tough, and I have put lots of time in mine. Lately though, I simply dont have the patience. The meta game really does not favor them. I think they just play like mediums, and not even great mediums.

Dragons were a struggle for me to elite, not really fun.
Phracts I enjoyed all the way through eliteing them.
Jagers I enjoyed to a point, but in the end, I built them all the same, so it was just like one mech.
Catapults, no idea, I dont care for the looks.

[Fitzbattleaxe]

The only cataphract worth getting is the 3D - 1X has basically the same hardpoints, 4X was deprecated when jagers came along, and the 2X is just plain weird.

Haven't played dragons, but my impression is that they're just big mediums.

Jagers A and S are both interesting, but I haven't the faintest idea what I'd do with the DD.

That leaves the quickdraws and catapults. Haven't done anything with the former, but the C1, C4, and K2 cats are all fun to play.

[Seffi]

Also im not sure if i want a xl 360 or xl 350 in the dragon. Any suggestions on which is better and why.

[Just wanna play]

Fitzbattleaxe, on 10 July 2013 - 10:18 PM, said:

2X is just plain weird

how so??seems to remind me of an atlas when it comes to hard points, but better placement of missile while also having ballistic in right place for ac/20

[BaconCouch]

The Dragon is a hit and fade heavy, my favorite 5N mounts 2 ER PPCs and an AC 10 for closer range. Their accuracy is great as well, as all your weapons are arm-mounted. Example: "Kingmaker"
As long as you use your mobility to stay on the outskirts of a battle (88 kph w/ tweak), your damage output is pretty absurdly good (30 alpha), and at low risk to yourself.

Alternatively, you can swap the AC 10 for an ultra AC-5, two extra heat sinks, and 4 tons of ammo for your autocannon.
Its by a long shot my best mech.

Edited by BaconCouch, 11 July 2013 - 10:12 AM.

[Fitzbattleaxe]

Just wanna play, on 11 July 2013 - 09:21 AM, said:

how so??seems to remind me of an atlas when it comes to hard points, but better placement of missile while also having ballistic in right place for ac/20

It looks versatile on paper, but in practice it just does nothing well. An atlas has the tonnage and the tubes to have an effective mix of ballistics, energy, and missiles. With the 2X you get a stock-ish looking mix weapons that are hard to make play well together, and like it or not, the current game prefers mechs that can specialize in one or two weapon systems. Just my opinion, of course.

[Just wanna play]

Fitzbattleaxe, on 11 July 2013 - 10:59 AM, said:

It looks versatile on paper, but in practice it just does nothing well. An atlas has the tonnage and the tubes to have an effective mix of ballistics, energy, and missiles. With the 2X you get a stock-ish looking mix weapons that are hard to make play well together, and like it or not, the current game prefers mechs that can specialize in one or two weapon systems. Just my opinion, of course.

i found it find, and it has same tubes as half of the atlases........

[Ordate]

Personally I would say run away from the phracts! But you might find them more enjoyable then I (I don't like the current meta, and had to switch my 3d over to it just to really get anywhere).

The dragons and quickdraws are pretty much the style of tag something and run away. They both value speed, and both require some finesse to play well. The current meta will kill you fast however if you can't seek cover fast enough. The dragon is particularly hammered because of his big nose and no jjs.

The catapults have a nice mix of different play-styles if you are like me and by 3 variants of a mech at once. (k2: ballistic energy, c1?: 4 energy and 2 missile, lots of optional builds. c4?: missiles and a place for a tag. Some people would suggest the a1, but I would only go that route if you play with others always and one of your friends brings a tag).

If you just have to have your ballistics the jags will cater to you. Though I am curious to see what happens with the soon heat penalty to ac20s.

Edited by Ordate, 11 July 2013 - 11:34 PM.