92 replies to this topic

[Carrioncrows]

I picked up this gem today like many other people and rolled it out stock to get a feel for it before I went ahead and started tearing it apart.

I like it. It felt solid line mech build around throwing lots of rounds downhill. But the more battles I played the more that XL engine reared up to ****** alive. I simply couldn't survive long enough in any sort of brawl because either the lucky crits or getting my torso blown off.

We needed to do something drastic here.

What I did was do a straight swap out of the XL 280 @ 14 tons for a Std 220 @ 14 tons.

Once I did this it not only gave me a lot of breathing room when it came to fights but also free'd up some slots, specifically on that left side torso.

Originally I had
PPC - Arm
AC20 - Torso x3 tons of ammo
AC5 - Arm x2 tons ammo
x2 Med lasers
Endo
11 DHS

I liked this build it was solid, had the punch i was looking for and had the mediums to back it up.

After a few matchs I found myself under utilizing the AC5. The ballistic speed was somewhere between the PPC and the AC20 and more times than not would miss. Cycle time wasn't fast enough to keep those follow up shots working like tracers.

So I modified my build even more
x2 Large lasers - Torso (You could put one in the arm but i find the torso's work best)
AC20 - Still there still x3 tons of ammo.
Ac2 - x2 tons of ammo. I used this ti replace the AC5
Added an additional DHS

And I love it. I still have .5 tons left over so if it's prudient I will drop in an AMS at the cost of the 1 ton of AC20 ammo but at this time it is working spectacular.

Just last match I was sniping with the AC2 and Large lasers on top of the comstar tower on the forest map, had a dragon roll up on me expecting an easy kill.
Alpha - Boom
Alpha - Dead

I don't think he realized that I had an AC20 and not another AC2.

Continuing sniping I had a Gauss-pult jump up there once again expecting a easy kill, I worked him over a few at range with the LL's and AC2.
Alpha - Dead

Not sure how an atlas worked it's way up the front of the that hill but he did attempting to use his ECM to screw with me.
We both alpha'd and I was the one left standing.

Beautiful i was left with cored LT, paper thin ct armor and a lot of bad guys. I ended up going down to a light mech who was able to use my agility against me, but it was close.

Anyways post up your Illya Muromets and the build you love!

[Helo229]

I'm still experimenting around, but triple U/AC5s worked pretty lovely with the stock xl280.

I intend on swapping that engine asap, but general idea with this build is to play as more of a support mech for your brawlers, timed shots (one mississipi between alphas to avoid jams) while utilizing cover and not drawing a ton of attention to yourself.

If you can't manage your trigger finger you can cycle fire and add small or med laser to the group and keep your finger on the trigger. The fire duration adds enough time to keep you from jamming.

On closer quarter maps or tight spaces, you can wreck alot of havoc by popping just around a ridge/building and just laying down fire for burst damage until you're fully jammed, then back around your cover while the guns cycle back to usable.

XL on this mech is a serious liability though. All the designs are direct fire weapons meaning you're targetable and your side torsos are massive.

I briefly tried dual AC/10s in the arms, and it was fun, seemed to work excellent enough, however heat was a little bit of an issue. Also, the ac5's firing rate/sound tended to draw alot less attention. Many people will dismiss it in the heat of battle, but the boom of the ac10 and it's longer reload are closer to the ac/20 and tend to make people panic, thus making you a priority target.

[Pariah Devalis]

My initial impulse was to swap the 280 XL for a standard 225, replace the arm ACs with 10's and the chest with an AC5, backed up by a pair of medium lasers. She turned out to run too hot to comfortably run, however she did cut down two enemies with absolutely brutal chain fire on the auto cannons. I then tried swapping out the AC5 for additional lasers and heat sinks, but I still did not feel totally comfortable with her, so I refit her to fill the roll of my prior primary cataphract - a 4x with 2x Gauss, 2 Medlas, and a 235 engine, except I kept the lower 225 grade standard and added a third medium laser. I also managed to sneak in an extra ton of Gauss ammo, which all but elevates my constant shot hoarding worries, even though it is only a mere 5 extra salvos from the two guns combined.


Having the combined full alpha output doing that of three gauss rifles is a beautiful thing. Especially if you can track a target with lasers fairly well - though the torso/torso/arm laser placement makes it a little bit wonky when tracking quickly.

After I got over the ECM issues and got back into my groove, I started really appreciating the extra firepower. I was also confirmed in my suspicions that having gauss in the arms is a good idea for more then just target tracking purposes. When they explode, they take the arm with them, and better the arm then my torso. Incidentally, using my gauss to explode an atlas' torso gauss causing an instant KO to his XL engine made me grin ear to ear.

I went on two monster killing sprees tonight with her, getting 5 kills for the team both games. Legitimate kills, too. Nailing ECM lights, cockpit crushing Cats, and countering enemy IM's.

On the second, I lost, but I did not die. It was a score of 5/6 with 7 players per side in the end. Getting there, however, I demolished a raven, a centurion, a catapult, an enemy cataphract, then ran out of ammo one salvo into an already damaged Atlas that I had been worrying earlier. Him and I, zero torso armor left. All his guns operative, me down to three medium las. I had no torso armor but light internal damage, he had no torso armor but was bright red. I charge through the wreckage of the dropship in Frozen City and cut him in half with my beams, before proceeding to the enemy base. I could not cap it in time, but at least I could make it out with my mech intact.

My end game total damage inflicted was higher then the sum of almost any two of anyone else in the match. Not normally a point of pride, but it worked out to something like 170 damage inflicted per kill, which is fairly efficient given I always seem to be such a bullet magnet.

Edited by Pariah Devalis, 04 December 2012 - 10:52 PM.

[The Captain]

That sounds like a fun build, Carrioncrows!

My first thought also, was to put in an AC/20. I hadn't found an AC/20 build with the other Phracts I own that I liked (hard to lead with the AC/20 and fire arm or shoulder mounted energy weapons, for me), so it was the first thing I tried, using the same speed engine I use in my 4X (2 AC/2, 2 LBX-10 in that one).

STD245 (56.7 KPH)
DHS (12 total, 22.2 effective)
Endo
432 armor
AC/2 in each arm
AC/20 in right torso
3 DHS and 1 AC/2, 2 AC/20 ammo in left torso
1 AC/20 and 1 AC/2 ammo in each leg

It took a few matches for me to get used to the trajectory of the AC/20, but once I found my groove, this mech felt awesome! I averaged about 500 damage each game, and 2-3 kills, which is more than I usually get. A teammate of mine was running an SRM cat, and we complimented each other nicely for 6-7 games in a row (all wins, also unusual for me). He would spread damage, and I'd use the AC/20 to take out limbs and torsos, and the AC/2's for DPS and rocking. (Best shot of the night was a cockpit/CT AC/20 killshot against a commando running across my vision). AC/20's *really* hurt XL engine phracts that are trying to brawl with you in this setup...

I can't say it's the best build ever, but it's very solid (if a bit slow), LOTS of fun, and survivable enough in a brawl. You could probably tweak engine size, armor, DHS and ammo placement, and get a CASE in the left torso to protect against ammo cookoffs...

[Carrioncrows]

I've cycled through like 8 different configurations from the last time I posted.

All of them where good, but like you guys posted above something just feels a little bit off.

So after yet more tweaking and dancing around and give you guys:

The Frankenstein.
AC2 - Left Arm X3 tons ammo
PPC -Right Arm
AC20 - Right Torso x3 tons of ammo
Med Laser - Right Torso
Med laser - Left Torso
220 Engine
12 DHS
Endo
Absolute Max armor - well 2 points shy on the head.

As much as I loved the Large lasers, I need some secondary weapons equipped to take on lights that was a little easier on the heat sinks. Plus I like the new EMP effect of the PPC, it makes a great first strike weapon when you come around a corner and face off against another mech, the EMP effect temporarily disables there HUD for a few moments. Though I wish it was a bit long it's enough to get a slight advantage while you rock them with your AC2 and AC20.

There really isn't any bad builds for this mech but it takes some experimentation to find a balance.

[KeefCheef]

Still messing around with some stuff, although like most I ditched the XL engine almost immediately.

Std 275 (63.6kph)
DHS
Endo

2x AC2 ( one in each arm)
AC10
2x MLAS

Basically similar to above builds, but downgrading to an AC10 in order to fit a bigger engine. You can obviously go 3 MLAS but i found the ton was better used for an extra heat sink or ton of ammo.

[Tremendous Upside]

I only really tested one build for most of last night - and with having to up the pilot proficiencies, I'm still not 100% sold on this -- but it definitely had it's moments...

2xAC10s (in the right-side hardpoints), 3xMPLs, XL300, endo + DHS. The damage was excellent, but it did run a teeny bit on the hot side. It played almost exactly like a centurion... There's nothing in the left arm, so you can use that to shield yourself. Will probably play around more with a 3xAC5 + 3xMPL build tonight to see if that works a little better on the heat.

[boris le hachoir]

Std 280
Double heat sink, internal structure, ferros fibrous armor
2x Mediu pulse
1Ultra AC5 3T ammo
2 AC2 2t ammo
2 DHS + 1 in the engine
Max armor exept on leg (reduced to 51)

[Elizander]

Gah, I'll get mine next week. I accidentally bought a hunchie with my MC instead of c-bills now I don't have enough. I want to give triple AC10s or triple LB10X a try. Maybe 2 AC10 and 1 AC20.

[Lictor]

I left the Stock XL in place, dropped the AC/10, replaced it with an AC/5 upgraded the two torso mediums to medium pulse, and added double heatsinks and endosteel replaced the medium in the arm with a TAG and added AMS.

3 AC/5 (chain Fire)
2 MPL
1Tag
1AMS
5 x AC/5 ammo
1x AMS Ammo\\

The sustained fire from the 3 AC/5 in chainfire supplimented with the MPL's at point blank is hideous to watch - 400 - 600 points of damage per round generally.

[Meister Brau]

Carrioncrows, on 04 December 2012 - 11:49 PM, said:

Plus I like the new EMP effect of the PPC, it makes a great first strike weapon when you come around a corner and face off against another mech, the EMP effect temporarily disables there HUD for a few moments.

did they release the EMP change already? i didn't see it in the patch notes...

[SplinterMD]

2 Large Laser
1 Gauss
1 UAC/5
XL 280
DHS and Endo

Great range, great pinpoint damage and good mobility, really fun so far.

[DegeneratePervert]

Currently using Pariah's build.

3x Medium Laser
2x Gauss Rifle
Standard 225 Engine
Double Heatsinks + Endo
Using 1x DHS
Max armor on all pieces except legs, those are reduced to 51.

This build is excellent for headshots... glorious, glorious headhots. Little slow for my liking, but I'm tweaking as I go. This is my first 'Phract, so I'm pretty noob.

Also, I'm tempted to save up for an XL engine, but with the front torso the size of a barn I'm a little worried. Are those of you running the XLs having issues getting cored?

Edited by DegeneratePervert, 05 December 2012 - 12:36 PM.

[Volts]

DegeneratePervert, on 05 December 2012 - 12:34 PM, said:

Also, I'm tempted to save up for an XL engine, but with the front torso the size of a barn I'm a little worried. Are those of you running the XLs having issues getting cored?

XL engine comes with the mech.

[Arion Kerensky]

3 MLAS
1 AC/20 (4t)
1 LBX AC/10 (2t)
240 St
12 DHS
Endo 416/434

it shreds mechs into pieces and i love it

[DegeneratePervert]

Volts, on 05 December 2012 - 12:38 PM, said:

XL engine comes with the mech.

Yeah, but I mean save for a faster one. The one that came with it doesn't have the speed that I'd want if I was going to make my mech have a teacup for a torso.

[JointViper]

triple LBX ac/10
highly cost effective way to grind your c-bills
and its sure as hell is fun watching mechs run for their lives when your shooting them with it

[Hammerfinn]

I left mine almost untouched-- dropped the small laser and popped in some endosteel and extra ammo and heatsinks. SO I run

2AC/5s in the arms, on chainfire (FUN) with group 6 also to get both in the alpha
2MPLAS in the torsos for closies
1 AC/10 in the torso

Putting the two AC/5's on chainfire lets you "walk" your fire onto moving targets, since it gets basically the same rate as an AC-2---but twice the damage and half the heat!

Lets me pack 30 AC/10 shot and 100 AC/5 with full armor, and I only overheat if I alpha three times without letting go of the trigger. Super fun.

But if I don't have a teammate with ECM, I'm toast. Or if I get separated from the group, I'm toast. XL is a leetle bit squeeshy.

[Pando]

I do not own one, yet.

CTF-IM

3x UAC/5
7x UAC/5 ammo
2x Medium Laser

Upgrades: Double Heat Sink/Endo-steel
XL type 315 engine

Armor
18
67/21
44/16
44/16
44
44
43
43

Edited by Pando, 05 December 2012 - 02:59 PM.

[Mech Wrench]

keep the XL280
3X LBX10
3X ML

ENDO, DBL HS. reduce armor of legs to 30, and arms to 41, everywhere else max. GET SOME! I tried MANY builds, spending 6 mil Cbills on all kinds of weapons, this worked best for me.